
2-3SectionData Carrier Battery Service Life
14
2-3-2 Battery Service Life Expectancy Check
Checking Whether the Battery is Low
Models With Built-in Battery (Except V600-D2KR16)
1, 2, 3... 1. Data Carrier battery checks are not performed automatically, only during
times of special access.
When a battery check is performed, a small current is passed through the
DC’s internal circuitry. Too much power would be consumed if a battery
check was performed automatically every time DC memory was accessed.
Incorporate a routine once-a-day check when creating the system program.
2. Access for checking whether the battery is low is only enabled when the two
bytes of data from address 0000Hto 0001Hare read.
Use one of the following commands to check the battery status. (The CR at
the end of each command means carriage return.)
a) Read command: RD H/A 1 0000 02*CR
b) Auto Read command: AR H/A 1 0000 02*CR
c) Polling Auto Read command: PR H/A 1 0000 02*CR
3. If the end code of the response is 00, the battery is operating normally. If the
end code is 7B, the battery is low. The following are responses to Read and
Auto Read commands sent to a DC with a good battery:
RD 0 0 0 9 9 7 *
AR 0 0 0 9 9 7 *
Normal end code Read data
Production date: Sept., 1997
The following are responses to Read and Auto Read commands sent to a
DC with a low battery:
RD 7 B 0 9 9 7 *
AR 7 B 0 9 9 7 *
Low battery end code Read data
Production date: Sept., 1997
Note With the V600-D2KR16 (replaceable-battery model), read/write commands are
executed without regard to addresses.
Service Life of Data Carriers After the Battery-low Code is Generated
Under ordinary operating conditions the DC can be used for about one month
after a low battery end code is received. However, it is recommended that the DC
be replaced with a new one as soon as possible.
The V600-D2KR16 (replaceable-battery model) can be used for approximately
two weeks under normal operating conditions, but it is recommended that the
battery be replaced with a new one as soon as possible.
Note The DC (except for the V600-D2KR16, SRAM memory model) contains a thionyl
chloride-type lithium battery. One characteristic of this type of battery is its ten-
dency to develop a higher internal resistance when it is not used. If the battery
isn’t used for several months, the internal resistance can increase enough to
cause a low battery response, even if the battery is good.
Consequently, after several months of disuse it is recommended to transmit data
to/from the DC for about 10 minutes to “warm up”the battery and decrease its
internal resistance. This operation will have almost no effect on the useful life of
the battery.