User's Manual

A BOUT NEO BATTERIES AND POWER SOURCES
Using the Optional Rechargeable Battery Pack
231
. . . . .
NEO
User Manual
• Output: DC 7.5V 500 MA
You should always use the AC adapter supplied with the battery pack; don’t
use other types.
About the Optional Rechargeable Batteries
NEO’s rechargeable battery packs use Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells.
NiMH cells can be charged about 500 times. Fully charged batteries can
power the NEO for 60–150 hours (or even much longer), depending on use.
(Note, however, that fully charged batteries that are never used lose their
charge in about a month due to the self-discharge effect.)
New NiMH batteries need to be “cycled”—also known as “conditioned”—three
to five times before they hold a full charge. This means that, during the first
three to five charge cycles, the batteries hold a successively better charge each
time until they reach full capacity.
To charge the batteries, plug the AC adapter into a working electrical outlet
and connect it to the power port on the left side of your NEO as described on
page 11.
Conditioning the Batteries
To condition the batteries, follow these steps:
1. Fully charge your NEO with the AC adapter.
2. Use your NEO without the AC adapter until the low battery message
appears. (This may take 60–150 hours of use.)
3. Repeat steps 1–2 three to five times.
You’ll get the longest life from your batteries if you wait for the low battery
warning to appear before recharging so the batteries aren’t needlessly
recharged. Charging with the AC adapter for about 8–16 hours fully charges
the batteries; if you use an AlphaHub or USB cable to recharge the batteries,
it may take as long as 24 hours. Don’t charge the batteries for more
than a week; doing so may damage the batteries.
+ (Positive)– (Negative)