Battery Charging and Power Dock Charger Issues with the Focus Laser Scanner
Overview
With use, time, and temperature fluctuations, batteries will gradually lose their maximum capacity and its ability to hold a charge. Damaged (i.e. dropped) PowerDock chargers can even cause battery failure. The following article offers guidelines and tips to maximize the life of your battery as well as charging information and troubleshooting.
Dependent on the battery cell temperature the charge time can be increased or battery will not even charge if temperature is outside the battery specifications, (i.e. storing the battery in very warm/hot environments like car in the summer or direct sunlight). It’s recommended to cool down a battery to room temperature before charging. For additional environmental and handling information, see the Battery Best Practices and Usage Guidelines section below.
Battery Charging Troubleshooting
Important: Before attempting any battery/charging troubleshooting, verify (and update if necessary) the Focus Laser Scanner to the latest firmware. See: Firmware Installation for the Focus M and S Series for more information.
My battery will not charge in the PowerDock external charger
Inspect the PowerDock charger, see the Power Dock Inspection section for more information. If any signs of wear or damage are found, discontinue use immediately. Faulty PowerDock chargers will damage any connected battery.
If no issues are found with the charger:
- Connect the power supply to the Focus scanner.
- Turn on the scanner (no battery inserted) and allow the scanner to fully power up. The scanner’s display should show an "X" – meaning no battery detected.
- Insert the battery and observe the charging icon on the scanner’s display. Once the charging icon (flash sign within the battery icon) is displayed, you can shut-down the scanner and remove the battery.
- Connect the power supply to the PowerDock charger and insert the battery:
- If the LED on the PowerDock (ACCSS8002 model only) charger is green, check and clean the contacts on PowerDock and battery. Otherwise, the charger may be defective – Replace
- If the LED is flashing violet/red, the battery is "Deep Discharged" (very low charge) – Charge the battery for 36hrs
- If the LED is flashing yellow, charge the battery for 24hrs.
- If charging was not successfully, the PowerDock charger may be defective – Replace
For a full listing of PowerDock LED states, see: PowerDock Charging LED and Usage Guidelines with the Focus Laser Scanner
The battery may be "Deep Discharged". This typically occurs when the battery has been stored for some time in a low or no charge condition.
- Connect the power supply to the scanner.
- Turn on the scanner (no battery inserted) and allow the scanner to fully power up. The scanner’s display should show an "X" – meaning no battery detected.
- Insert the battery and observe the charging icon on the scanner’s display. Leave the scanner powered on until a charging battery icon (with a charge > 20%) is displayed.
- Once the charging icon is displayed, you can then power down the scanner, but leave the power supply connected. Continue to charge the battery in the scanner for 36hrs.
If battery will not charge after 36 hours, the battery is inoperative and will need to be replaced. If you have been using a PowerDock external charger, inspect the Power Dock charger for damage. A defective PowerDock charger can damage batteries.
My battery does not power the scanner or powers it only for a short time
- Make sure the On/Off button on the top of the scanner is pressed until the LED starts to blink blue. If the button is not pressed long enough the scanner will not boot.
- If you have used the PowerDock external charger, try charging the battery directly in the scanner. The older model ACCSS8002 PowerDock can sometimes indicate a full charge has been completed (cyan or green LED) while no charge has been obtained.
- If the battery still fails to power the scanner, the battery may have a highly degraded capacity and will need to be replaced. The life span of a battery depends heavily on the way it is treated. Heavy usage, but also extreme temperatures reduce the lifetime of a battery. Refer to the Battery Best Practices and Usage Guidelines for more information.
My scanner does not recognize the battery
If the battery seems to be inoperative (there is no communication between the Focus and the battery) the scanner’s display will show an "X" – meaning no battery detected.
Newer model batteries (ACCS-PWR-0014) require a scanner firmware update. See Firmware Installation for the Focus M and S Series for more information. After the firmware update, follow the charging procedure outlined in the My battery will not charge in the scanner section above.
If the scanner still fails to the detect the battery, the battery is defective and should be replaced.
Do I need to charge new batteries before using them in the scanner?
Yes. Batteries are shipped from FARO with a minimal charge to adhere to shipping/transport regulations. New batteries must be fully charged before put into use.
Brand new batteries may start the scanner for a very short time but the scanner will shut-down automatically due to low battery charge. The Focus scanner will automatically shut-down once a minimal voltage is reached. New batteries require a couple of charge cycles to reach maximum capacity and may have a limited operation time.
Damaged or worn latches on the Power Dock charger may allow insertion of the battery with a misalignment of the electrical contacts. Batteries which are charged in a damaged Power Dock can be damaged due to this pin misalignment. Periodically inspect your Power Dock, if any signs of wear or damage are found in the areas shown below, discontinue use immediately.
For operational information see: PowerDock Charging LED and Usage Guidelines with the Focus Laser Scanner.
| Latch Inspection Area | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Resting position of latch |
Latch straight |
Latch leans inward |
| Open position of latch |
Small opening |
Excessive opening |
| Stop Pin |
Stop Pin intact |
Stop Pin missing |
PowerDock Charger Best Practices and Usage Guidelines
- Do not leave batteries on the PowerDock while it is not connected to its power supply. This can cause the battery to discharge and enter a deep discharge state.
- The PowerDock is very lightweight, be sure to “secure” the PowerDock so that it doesn’t slide or fall. The use of an anti-skid/slip mat or similar material can be used to help secure it on smooth surfaces such as a desktop or countertop.
- Only use the power supply/power brick supplied with the FARO Scanner to power the PowerDock charger. Use of other power supplies may damage the PowerDock charger or the battery.
- Do not charge any batteries other than the FARO PowerBlock batteries in the FARO PowerDock charger.
- Regularly check plug, cord and the charger itself. See the Power Dock Inspection section above for more information. In case of damage, discontinue use immediately.
- Do not bring metal objects into contact with the charger terminals. The terminals may short circuit and generate heat in this condition.
- To avoid electrical shock, use the charger and the power supply unit in dry indoor environments only.
- Do not operate the charger in an environment allowing exposure to moisture, combustible fluids or gases.
- The charger should be kept in a dry room, out of the reach of children.
- For best battery performance, an ambient temperature of +5°C (+41°F) to +40°C (+104°F) is recommended. In colder or warmer locations, battery performance and operation time may temporarily decrease.
- Batteries in a "Deep Discharged" state can take up to 26 hours to come out of their “Deep Discharge”, (plus additional hours for final charging). It’s recommended to charge deeply discharged batteries for 36 hours to be at full charge again. If the battery still will not charge it should be replaced.
- Charge between 0 °C and +45 °C (+32 °F and +113 °F) environmental temperature. Recommended charging temperatures: +10 °C to +30 °C (50 °F to +86 °F).
- Discharge between -10 °C and +55 °C (14 °F and +131 °F) environmental temperature. Recommended operating temperatures: +5 °C to +40 °C (+41 °F to +104 °F).
- Store the battery only when it is charged at about 30% of a full charge. We recommend charging the battery to 30% once a year while it is in long-term storage.
- Recommended storage temperatures when at 30% charge are:
- 1 month: -20 °C to 60 °C (14 °F to 140 °F)
- 3 months: -20 °C to 45 °C (14 °F to 113 °F)
- 1 year: -20 °C to 25 °C (14 °F to 77 °F)
- For additional storage and charging guidelines refer to: Lithium Ion Battery Maintenance Guidelines
- Insert or remove batteries from the laser scanner in dry and dust-free environments only.
- Do not use wet or dirty batteries in the FARO Laser Scanner or with the charger.
- When the FARO Laser Scanner is not in use for a longer period of time, remove the battery.
- Store in a well ventilated area. Do not store with metal objects. A short circuit can cause a fire.
- Charge the battery the day it is to be used or on the day before. A charged battery that is unused, will gradually lose power over time.
- If the battery becomes exhausted quickly after being fully charged, replace it with a new one.