New charger and battery requirements
While the battery and charger of the FC-6000 field controller appear similar to those of the FC-5000, each generation of our products has provided bigger batteries that can charge faster, thus requiring a higher maximum output from the charger.
Using an older charger with a new FC-6000 will not provide enough power to allow the battery pack(s) to charge.
It is recommended to use only the new wall charger included with the FC-6000.
The following is a list of the wall charger models that are compatible with the FC-6000:
- Phihong PSAA30R-120 (30 W) - Shipped with FC-6000. Backwards compatible with previous model rugged handhelds.
- Phihong PSAC45W-120 (45 W) - Optional for use with Office Dock for FC-6000 and FC-5000. Compatible with all dock and handheld models.
The FC-6000 requires a 30 W or higher charger, especially through Dock. Otherwise, most often our chargers can output 12 volts at up to 1.67 amps (or 20 watts). Old chargers (which output 12 V at only up to 0.8 A or ~10 W) are just not able to put out enough juice to run and/or charge our latest model controller.
How to use the battery charger
Batteries charge best at room temperature (about 68°F or 20°C).
Batteries will not charge (or might charge slowly) at temperatures below 32°F (0°C) or above 122°F (50°C).
Power the battery charger by using the AC wall charger provided with your FC‑6000. Slide the battery pack into the battery charger, orienting it so that the battery contacts meet the charging contacts in the battery charger. The red LED flashes slowly, indicating that the battery pack is charging.
LED indicator
The LED indicates the charging status:
- Solid, on: The battery pack is fully charged.
- Blinking (slow): The battery pack is charging.
- Off: There is no power. The battery is not charging.
Unofficial battery packs may void warranty
Using a battery that is not official can potentially cause issues such as limited battery life and poor charging behavior. In the worst case, such a battery could cause damage to the device or even be a potential fire hazard. Our official lithium ion battery packs include proprietary electrical circuitry that helps track charge capacity and level, optimizes charging efficiency, and provides significant potential protection from over-charge or over-discharge of battery cells.
Battery packs from other vendors are not recommended and may even void the product warranty.