Charging Stations
=================

.. _automatic-charging:

Automatic Charging Station
--------------------------
The automatic charging station is very robust and can easily be installed and integrated into the robot’s program.

In order to allow a fast and trouble-free docking, there needs to be some free space to each side of the station and to the front. Find a place that can be easily accessed by the robot when it needs to recharge but in which neither station nor robot are obstacles to anybody. A power outlet must be nearby for the battery charger to be plugged in.

Please mind the following when choosing the stations mounting place:

    * In order to have the charging contacts on the correct height, the bottom edge of the station's backplate must be placed directly on the floor.

    * The charging station must be mounted to a stable wall. Please contact Neobotix if you need a free-standing charging station.

    * The station must be mounted centred at the rear end of a free path that is at least 1.0 m wide.

    * When using more than one station, please keep a grid of at least 1.0 m width.

.. image:: mpo_700_mounting_holes_charging_station.PNG

Dimensions
**********

The dimension of the charging station varies depending on the robot. The dimensions can be found in the table below:

+---------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| Robot   | X1  | X2  | Y1  | Y2  | D   |
+=========+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+
| MP-400  | 300 | 260 | 80  | 370 | 6.6 |
+---------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| MP-500  | 300 | 260 | 110 | 360 | 6.6 |
+---------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| MPO-700 | 300 | 260 | 192 | 370 | 6.6 |
+---------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+
| MPO-500 | 340 | 320 | 40  | 290 | 6.6 |
+---------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+

After Installation
******************

After installing the charging station please check the height of the charging contacts and if the robot can reach the station without problems.

.. attention::  Only plug in the power cable after successfully checking these two points. The charging station requires the same power supply as the external battery charger.

To allow automatic charging the battery charger inside the station needs to remain switched on at all times. Despite the open contacts which the robot needs for charging, there is no danger of electric shock or short-circuiting due to the charger’s control mechanism. There will only be a current if the device has detected the correct batteries.

.. note:: In normal operation, the platform's charging contacts are disconnected from the batteries by a power relay on the platform's RelayBoard. This relay can be controlled by software.

.. attention::  The wear of the electrical components can be reduced by stopping the charging process only after the batteries have been fully charged and the charging current is reduced.



External Battery Charging Station
---------------------------------


If the robot is equipped with the battery quick change system the battery set that is currently not in use can be recharged in an external battery charging station.

Place the charging station on the floor and make sure that it will not slip. The station can either be placed directly in front of a wall or can be screwed to the floor.

.. figure:: ext-charging-station-dimensions.png

   Dimensions of the charging station

Make sure that the input voltage selection switch is set correctly and then connect the charging station to an ordinary power outlet. Before installing any batteries always make sure that the integrated battery charger is switched off. The main power switch is located directly beside the power cable connector.

.. figure:: ext-charging-station.jpg

   Position of the main power switch (X)

Batteries can only be charged as a complete set of two identical batteries with the same charge level. Place the batteries onto the station's base plate between the aluminium profiles with the handles on top and the battery contacts facing towards the station's rear. Then slowly push the batteries into the station until they touch the vertical plate and are flush with the station's front.

The green LED at the side of the battery charger will light up constantly when the batteries are fully charged. They can remain inside the charging station until they are needed.