Providing power to the
Although it is possible to operate the from a fully charged 7 Ah rechargeable battery without using a charge mechanism or solar panel, it is anticipated that longer discharge times will be obtained from the –ALK option, rather than the –RC option. The –ALK option is recommended for non-charging, battery-only power scenarios.
A with a radio option requires more power. See Validating CRVW3 radio operation for information on using the Device Configuration Utility Radio Power Schedule tab to reduce the amount of power consumed by the radio.
As a power-saving feature, the remains awake between measurements only for a limited time. If the is turned on without a USB cable connected to it, it will remain awake between measurements for five minutes. After five minutes, it will go into a low-power mode between measurements. While in low-power mode, the will wake up only long enough to measure its sensors and store the results.
The will wake up (if not already awake) and remain awake as long as the USB cable is connected to the device. After the USB cable has been disconnected, the device will remain awake for five minutes, then sleep between measurements.
Radio transmissions received by the device will wake the . The device will remain awake for as long as radio activity is in process, plus an additional 20 seconds in case additional radio transmissions are received.
How much power the uses and how long the batteries last depends on several factors, including:
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Which radio option is used
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How often measurements are made
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How often the radio communicates
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Whether the site experiences cold temperatures or extreme changes in temperature