Extech Instruments APEX 4 User Manual

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Page 1

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Revision:

1.08/3

/200

44U

sseerrG

uuiidde

Page 2

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Table of Contents

Declaration of Conformity

................................

....................

General Precautions

................................

............................

Safety

................................

..................

1. Getting Started

................................

1.1 Unpacking the Printer

................................

.............................

1.2

Installing

and Charging the Battery Cartridge

................................

..............................

1.3 Reading the LED Status

................................

...........................

1.4 Attaching Belt Loop System

................................

....................

2. Loading Supplies

................................

...........................

2.1 Adding Paper/Labels

................................

..............................

2.2 Tearing Paper

................................

.......

3. Using the Printer

................................

...........................

3.1 Initial power up and self

test

................................

...................

3.2 Connecting the Printer

................................

...........................

3.3

Communications

................................

...173.4 USB Communication (USB)

................................

.....................

3.5 Bluetooth Communications

................................

.....................

3.6

802.11 Communications (Option)

................................

............

3.7 Serial RS232 (Option)

................................

............................

3.7 Magnetic Stripe Reader (Option)

................................

..............

4. Printer Maintenance

................................

......................

4.1 Print Head Cleaning Instructions

................................

..............

4.2 Charging the Printer Battery

................................

...................

4.3 Verifying Battery Charge State

................................

................

4.4 Battery and Safety Information

................................

...............

4.5 Recycling Batteries

................................

4.6 Trouble Shooting

................................

...234.7 Printer Supplies

................................

.....

5. Specifications

................................

5.1 Printer Sp

ecifications (subject to change without notice)

................................

.............

5.2 Supply Specifications

................................

.............................

5.3 Regulatory Notes

................................

...

6. Customer Support

................................

..........................

6.1 Online T

echnical Assistance

................................

.....................

6.2 Technical Support Request

................................

......................

Page 3

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Declaration of Conformity

Name

Extech Instruments Corporation

Manufacturer’s Address

285 Bear Hill Road, Waltham, MA 02451, USA

Telephone: +1 781 890 7440

Declares that the Product

Product Name:

Portable Receipt Printer

Model Number:

APEX

Optionally Containing:

1) Bluetooth™ radio short range OEM module

from connectBlue ab, cB

0701

01; FCC ID PVH

070101.Conforms to R&TTE Directives:

1999/5/EC (EN 300 328

2),

2) EMC Directive 89/

336/EEC (EN 301 489

1 and

17);and Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC (EN

61131

3) 802.11 Wi

Fi Module

Conforms to the following

regulation and/or standards:

FCC: Part 15 Subpart B, Class B

CE: EN60950

CE: EN55022 Class B;

CE: EN61000

-3-2;CE:

EN61000

-3-3;

CE: EN50024

Supplementary Information

:The product complies with EMC Directive

89/336/EEC and Low Voltage Directive

73/23/EEC



The product conforms to ANSI/UL STD 60950

& Certified to CAN/CSA STD C22.2 No. 60950

00CB Certified



ETL Listed,

control #

3046813

Place:

Waltham, MA, USA

Date:

February

200

Signature:

Antony Revis

Antony Revis, General Manager

Page 4

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

General Precautions



Before using this product be sure to read through this manual. After reading

please keep the

manual in a safe place for future reference.



The information contained herein is subject to change without notice of any type.



Extech is not responsible for any operational results regardless of missing information, errors

or any misprinting in this manual

.Extech is not responsible for problems created as a result of using options and consumables

not approved by them.



This product is designed for servicing at an Authorized Service Center. Other than routine

maintenance described in this manual

the user sh

ould not attempt to repair service or

disassemble this product.



Incorrect operation, handling

improper

supplies and

operating environments may cause

damage or otherwise affect the proper operation of this product. Such actions invalidate the

product warra

nty.

Safety

In this manual and on the Printer and

ccessories we make use of internationally recognized safety symbols as

follows:

Caution! Refer to the explanation in this Manual

Caution! Risk of electric shock

Double Insulation or Reinforced

nsulation

DC, Direct Current or Voltage

AC+DC, Current or Voltage

Page 5

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

1. Getting Started

1.1 Unpacking the Printer

The

APEX 4

rtable printer

is a

full featured portable receipt printer designed for varied job

environments including field service, field sales, hospitality and restaurants, ticketing and many

others where point of service receipts are required. The package contains:



Printer



Battery C

artridge



Universal Adapter

(USA,

UK,

European

and Australian

plug

) for charging the battery inside

the printer



Shoulder Strap with Quick Clip



Roll of

aper

upply (already loaded in the printer)



Print Head Cleaning Pen

Both cabled and wireless

communication is possible.

Figure 1

shows an overview of the

APEX 4

printer.

OVERVIEW

FIGURE 1: PRINTER OV

ERVIEW

Page 6

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

1.2 Installing and Charging the Battery Cartridge

Note:

One battery cartridge is included with the printer. Similar to a cordless phone

attery, the

printer’s battery must be charged before using it.

For optimal performance, we recommend

charging t

he battery

twice

before initial use.

Charge the battery for 3

hours; disconnect power

adaptor

, reconnect and charge again.

After initial charge, charge battery

for

180 minutes

whenever the low battery indicator comes on or as directed by your IT team.

Extech batteries must be cycled several times to achieve

maximum capacity.

To cycle a battery

fully charge it and then allow full discharge through normal

use in the printer.

1.2.1: Installing the battery

Note: Refer to

Figure 2

below to install the battery pack in the printer.



nlock the battery door by sliding the battery door locking tab

up.Open the battery door

to an angle of about 90 degrees

. Do not force open.



Insert the battery as shown

(non

contact end first and let contact end drop into place)

.Close

and l

ock the battery door by sliding the locking tab

down.

FIGURE 2

: I

NSTALLING THE BATTER

Y CARTRIDGE

Note: If paper door does not open easily, tap the printer against the palm of your hand near the

paper door hinge.

Note: Ensure that battery side with

2 contact terminals is facing down to make contact with the

spring probes inside the battery compartment

Page 7

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

1.2.2 Charging the Battery

For optimal performance, we recommend charging the battery twice before initial use. Charge

the battery for 3 hours; disco

nnect power adaptor, reconnect and charge again. After this initial

charge, charge the battery for 180 minutes whenever the low battery indicator comes on or as

directed by you IT team.

Follow the next procedure for charging the battery:



Plug battery

charger adaptor output cable in the battery charger connector

as shown in

Fig

ure3.Plug battery charger adaptor into the appropriate AC line voltage socket

.Battery

LED will illuminate

amber

indicating that the battery is being ch

arged

.The battery will be fast charged and after about 180 minutes the

Battery

LED will

turn

offTo remove the battery cartridge, open the battery door and tip the battery out of the

printer.

IGURE

3: CHARGING THE

BATTERY CARTRIDGE

Note:

ensure a full charge do not operate the printer while charging.

Note:

The wall mounted charger is a Class II equipment. Multiple plug configurations comply

with most international standards

The wall mounted charger is not supplied with plugs for use in

Korea.

Model

APEX 4

Input Voltage/Current

100

240 VAC/ 0.4A

Input Frequency

47-63 HZ

Page 8

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.08Do not use a charger not approved by Extech for use with the

APEX 4

. Use of

an unapproved charger could damage the battery pack or the printer and will

void the

warranty.

he battery terminals are well recessed inside the printer. Do not allow them

to contact conductive material since this may create a short circuit which

could cause injury or start a fire.

When using the wall mounted charger ensure the

socket outlet is close to the

printer and easily accessible during the battery recharging process. Either

switch the socket off (if supplied with a socket switch) or pull out the charger

from the socket or disconnect the plug from the printer in the event

of any

problems.

1.3 Reading the LED Status

Figure

points out the location of the LED indicators described in

Table 1 and Table 2

FIGURE

4-LED INDICATOR LOCATI

ONS

able

explains the LED indicator status.

Table 2

explains the Error/Warning indicator status.

Refer to

Figure 1

for the locations described for ON/OFF and FEED push

button switches and AC

adaptor socket.

Page 9

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Tab

le 1

Reading the LED Status

LED

Status

Condition

Function

LED # 1

Communication

GREEN

Flashing

Power is ON and the printer is in USB mode

Steady

Communicating with host

BLUE

Flashing

Power is ON and the printer is in Bluetooth mode

Steady

Transmitting/receiving

AMBER

Flashing

Power is ON and the printer is in 802.11b/g mode

Steady

Transmitting/Receiving

LED # 2

Battery

AMBER

Steady

Battery being charged. The LED will turn off when the

battery is fully charged

LED # 3

Magnetic

Card

Reader

Printer Error

GREEN

Steady

•

Indicates that MCR is ready to accept data

•

Indicates that SCR is ready to accept data

Flashing

Indicates that the printer is in USB Bootloader

mode. (USB cable is plugged in and D

Switches 5

and 7 are ON

)

Note: If USB is unplugged, LED will flash

Amber until printer is reset manually

Page 10

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Table

2-Reading the

Error/Warranty

LED Status

LED #

LED Color/ Status

Description

Action Required

LED # 1

Communication

RED/ Steady

Low power indication

Charge

battery

LED # 1

LED # 3

(#1) GREEN/

Flashing

(#3) RED/ Flashing

Printer is in RS232 or

USB mode and Printer

Buffer is not empty.

Press Feed to clear error.

Cycling printer power will

result in printer buffer data

loss.

(#1) BLUE

GREEN

Flashing*

(#3) RED/ Flashing

Printer is in Bluetooth

mode and Printer Buffer

is not empty.

Press Feed to clear error.

Cycling printer power will

result in printer buffer data

loss.

LED # 3

Magnetic Card

Reader

Printer Error

GREEN

Momentary flashing



RED Flashing

Printer has discovered

and is parked on the Q

Mark

Advance Q

Mark to tear bar

level to continue (refer to

manual for Q

Mark

commands)

RED

Flashing



Paper Error



Paper Door Open



Dip Switch 5 and 7

are ON



Insert paper properly

(refer to

User’s Guide)



Close paper door to clear

error



Place printer in correct

mode

RED

Steady

Printer out of paper

Replace roll of paper

RED

Flash Fast

Print head is hot. Printer

will stop printing

Allow print head to cool off:

restart print temperature

recommended is 75

Blue

Flashing

Firmware upload via

serial cable is completed

successfully

Cycle printer power to

continue

Page 11

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

1.4 Attaching

Shoulder Strap

System

The

Shoulder Strap System

consists of two parts:



A knob located on the back part of the

printer just above the battery door



A strap with click on connector

To attach the strap to the knob

:Press on the two latches on the

sides of the

connector of the Shoulder Strap



Slide the knob located on the back of the printer into the connector

slot

.Release the two latches on the connector.

The printer is now secure.



To release the printer, press in on the two latches on the connector and pull the knob clear of

the slot.

Note: Do not force or pull the printer from the connector without pressing in o

n the two latches

FIGURE

5:KNOB CONNECTION AND

QUICK CLIP

Shoulder Strap Latches

ConnectionKnob

Page 12

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

2. Loading Supplies

2.1 Adding Paper/Labels

The printer can print text, bar codes and graphics on thermal receipt paper. See

Section 5.2

“Supply Specifications

” for the width, thickness requirements and approved vendors.

Follow these steps to load printer paper.



Open the paper door by pressing the Paper Door

Release

Button on the top cover as

indicated in

Figure

.The door will open slightly; open the rest of the way as shown.

FIGURE

: OPENING PAPER DOO

Note: Paper Door Release

button must be depressed when opening and closing paper door

Opening the paper door without pressing the Paper Release Button can cause damage to your

printer



Place the paper supply roll into the paper supply well. Make sure the paper supply unwinds

from the bottom as shown in

Figure

IGURE

: INSTALLING PAPER

Note: Pull paper Roll Leader Out of Printer. Note direction of

paper travel.

Page 13

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0



Make sure some supply (2

3 inches) extends beyond the top of the paper supply well.



While pressing Paper Door Release button, close paper door

button

.Press paper door down and let go off the Paper Door Release button.



Turn on the printe

r by pressing Power button and test the paper advance function by pressing

e Paper Feed button. Verify that paper advances correctly

Note: Paper Supply Roll

To prevent any possible damage to the prin

head mechanism, it is important to verify that the

paper has not been fastened to the inside core in any way. The paper should be wound on the

core in such a way that the end of the paper will unwind freely from the core. If fastened by tape

or glue, the core will be pulled into the mechanism causing jammi

ng and possible gear damage.

Proper paper roll supplies are available from Extech.

See

Section 4.7

for listing of printer

supplies

for Extech part number

2.2 Tearing Paper

The printer’s paper door acts as a tear bar. Pull one e

dge of the paper against the tear bar as

indicated, then tear down and across against the tear bar to tear the paper.

See

Figure

for

details.

FIGURE

: TEARING PAPER

The tear bar may have sharp edges

Note:

Using the tear bar is the only way to tear the paper.

Note:

Pulling up and pulling sideways without using the tear bar can cause a paper jam due to

paper misalignment in the print head mechanism

Page 14

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3. Using the Printer

3.1 Initial power up and self

test

Once the Battery is charged and the paper is loaded, an initial

power up self

test can be performed:

•

Press the

switch once. This turns the printer on.

LED #1 illuminates in green, blue or

amber

depending on the

mode of communication.



The printer

will stay ON until it is manually turned OFF.



If the printer is set for

Bluetooth communication

mode the

printer will stay on all the time. Pressing the

switch again will turn the printer off.

•

Press the

switch to turn the printer off. The

LED

turns off.

•

To start the self

test, press and hold the <FEED> switch then

press the

switch.

•

The printer

will

start

printing

the self

test message. Release the

<FEED>

and <ON/OFF>

switch

.Press the

or <FEED> switch to

stop or

cancel

the self

test print.



The first few lines of self

test show the printer firmware

version, the current printer settings (for example

Bluetooth

USB

mode) and a list of any optional or special features

installed

Figure

shows a

printing sample.

3.2 Connecting the Printer

•

The

APEX 4

printer supports

USB

and Bluetooth ™

communication

as default c

ommunication interfaces.

WiFi

communication

and IrDA

also

available as an optional

feature

.•USB

Bluetooth

™,and 802.11 communication settings can be

changed via a DIP switch located on the control card.

See

Figure

10for details.

•

Printer drivers for Windows 95/98/NT/2000

/XPand Vista

are available from Extech.

•

Printer CE print Control utility is ava

ilable from Extech for Windows CE

and Windows

Mobile

devices

.•Printboy Print Utility from Bachmann Software or PalmPrint

tility from StevensCreek are

recommended for Palm Pilot devices.

FIGURE

SAMPLE SELF

TEST

Page 15

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3.2.

Dip Switch

es Location

•

The DIP switch is located inside the battery compartment as illustrated above indicating

the location of this switch.

Figure

shows the DIP switch location.

•

The functions assigned to these switches are shown in

Table 3

3.2.2 Setting Dip Switches

FIGURE

11:DIP SWITCH #

SHOWN IN “ON” POSITI

Note:

Be careful when changing dip switch settings. Carefully use a pointer on the dip switch you

aregoing to change. DO NOT use a screw driver or apply excessive force.

Dip Switch Location

FIGURE 10: DIP SWITC

H LOCATION

Page 16

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3.2.3 Dip Switch Functions

Note:

Programmer

’s refer to

Developer

Manual for more information

Table

3–DIP Switch Setting

The APEX 4 printers support USB*

, Bluetooth

™

, Serial and Wi

Fi communication. Settings can be

changed via a DIP switch located on the battery compartment as shown in

Fig

ure 1

Function(APEX2,3,4)

Switch #

Notes

Communication Interface

SW 1

SW 2

SW 3

SW 4

SW 5

SW 6

SW 7

SW 8

RS232

OFF

Baud rate set by Dip

switches 3,4 and 5

IrDAONOFF

Baud Rate can be

negotiated up to the

value

specified through

Dip switches 3,4 and 5

Bluetooth or 802.11g

OFFONN/A

Setting not supported

USB

OFF

USB Bootloader

XXON

OFF

ON4Baud Rate

SW 3

SW 4

SW 5

RS232 and IrDA

only

115200

OFF

57600

OFF

38400

OFFONOFF

19200

OFF

14400

OFF

OFFON9600ONOFFONUse for fixed IrDA

2400

OFF

1200

ONONON

Parity Bit

SW 6

SW 7

Parity Enabled (ODD)

Does not apply for IrDA

Parity Enabled (EVEN)

OFF

Does not apply for IrDA

Auto Power Save

SW 8

Power Save Enabled

Auto

Power Down

Power Save Disabled

OFF

Manual On/Off

If IrDA is not installed, printer will default to RS232 mode with baud rate 115200

stands for

Don’t Care

: Dip Switch 7 will override 1 and 2

Firmware Applies to Apex 4

Version 1.10

or later, Check availability for other printer models

Baud Rate and Parity are applicable to RS232 and IrDA communication mode

ONLY

Note

: In order for changes to the dip switch configurationto take effect, the printer power must

be reset. This action

occurs automaticallywhen the battery is removed to gain access to the dip

switches.

Page 17

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3.3 Communications

•

The

APEX 4

Printer is able to support various modes of communication depending on the

selected dip switch settings indicated in

Table 2

The standar

configuration includes USB

and

Class 2 Bluetooth.

•

Serial and

802.11

b/g

communications

are

available

as an option

.•The printer can have

Bluetooth

™,802.11

b/g

enabled

both

communication modes

at the

same time.

3.4

USB

Communication

The

APEX 4

printer comes equipped with a USB 2.0 slave port. Everything that can be done

through the RS

232 port can now be done through the USB port. You may print to or send

commands to the printer from a PC or any equipment that can act as

a USB master.

Dip switch setting

To enable USB, you must set the dipswitches on the printer as below:

SW 1

SW 2

SW 3

SW 4

SW 5

SW 6

SW 7

SW 8

Any

position

Any

position

Any

position

Any

position

Any

position

OFFONAny

position

Compatible Software

The host and printer communicate through a method called the "Virtual Com Port", in which a

software intermediary called the "driver" makes the USB connection look like a com port to the

end-application. Consequently, all software that

communicates

through

the com port

compatible.

Software Driver Installation

You must install the driver before you can use USB to print. Turn on the printer and connect it to

the PC with a USB cable. If the driver has never been installed before, a dialog box will appear.

Reply by selecting "Install from a list or specific location" and indicating the location of the file

inf

supplied with the CD.

After installing the driver, review the Virtual Serial Port

created under:

•

(Control Panel > System > Hardware Tab >

Device Manager)

•

Under the Ports (COM & LPT), you should see an entry named "

Extech USB CDC

Communications Port

”

and the Port number assigned by Windows

Page 18

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3.5Bluetooth

Communication

•

For

Bluetooth operation: Dip Switch #1 must be in the

OFF

position. Dip Switch #2

must be in the

<ON>

position.

Note: Adjust baud rate settings to match those of the Bluetooth

module in your computing

device.

•

The printer can be powered up by pressing the power <O

N/OFF

> switch

.•Pressing the power

switc

h again will turn the printer <OFF>.

Note: It is necessary for the mobile computing device you are using to discover

and pairing

the

printer

to establish Bluetooth communication

Note: Systems Integrators: Refer to the Bluetooth manual provided with

your mobile computer

and

the Bluetooth section of the

APEX 4

Developer’s Manual

3.6802.11 Communication

(Option)

•

For 802.11g

operation: Dip Switch #1 must be in the

OFF

position. Dip Switch #2 must

be in the

<ON>

position.

Note: Adjust baud rate

settings to match those of the

802.11 module in your computing device.

•

The printer can be powered up by pressing the power <O

N/OFF

> switch

.•Pressing the power

switch again will turn the printer <OFF>.

Note: It is necessary

that the 802.11

b/gsettings match the settings of your wireless network

(Infrastructure or Ad

Hoc mode)

. Refer to

the instructions provided by the

network administrator.

Note: Systems Integrators: Refer to the

Developer’s Manual for a detailed description of the

default

Wi-Fi

settings of the

APEX 4

3.7Serial RS232

(

Option

)

•

All

Dip Switch

must be in the <O

> position.

•

The printer can be powered up by pressing the power

switch.

•

The standard communication speed is 115200 bps.

Refer to

Table 2

for a description of the

bit parity settings.

•

Pressing the power switch again will turn the printer <OFF>.

Page 19

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

3.7Magnetic Stripe Reader

(Option)

•

The Magnetic Card Reader is a factory

installed option. This option requires special

application

software to read and process cards with a magnetic stripe, such as credit cards

or driver’s license

Note: Refer to the

Figure

if your printer is equipped wi

th the optional magnetic stripe

reader.

•

Quickly swipe the card

through the reader either left to right or right to left. The magnetic

stripe

must be facing toward the paper supply door while it is passed through the

reader.

•

Refer to

Table 4

for the description of the LED indicator Status.

Tabl

e 4-Magnetic Card LED Indicator

LED

indicator

State

Status

Green

Ready/waiting for card to be swiped

OFF

Card not ready to be swiped or

Good swipe

–

Card data read

RedONError reading card’s data

FIGURE

: USING THE MAGNETIC

CARD

READER

Page 20

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

4. Printer Maintenance

4.1

ead Cleaning Instructions

You may need to clean the print head and platen roller after printing a number of rolls of paper,

whenever you load new supplies or when you see voids in the printout.

We recommend u

sing

the cleaning pen, part number 757150, which is included with the printer. To order more

cleaning pens, please contact your distributor or Extech Instruments.

Do not use sharp objects to clean the print head. This may damage the

printer and

require service

•

Open the paper door by pressing the Paper Door

Release

Button on the top cover as shown in

Figure

. The paper supply door will pop up.

•

Remove the paper roll.

•

Use the cleaning pen or m

oisten

a cotton swab with

isopropyl alcohol and clean the print head

•

Clean the platen roller with a dry cloth or small brush

Note:

You can also use

the cleaning pen or

another cotton swab moistened with isopropyl

alcohol.

Turn the platen roller with your finger and run the

cotton swab or dry cloth across it.

Make sure the platen roller is clean all the way around.

•

Use the cleaning pen or m

oisten

another cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol. Rub the swab

across the black mark sensor to remove any build

up•Use the cleaning pen

or m

oisten another cotton swab and rub the swab across the tear bar to

remove any build

Note:

You may experience dust build

up depending on the environment and the quality of the

paper supply you use. If this occurs, use a can of compressed air to blo

w dust and paper debris

out of the printer.

4.2 Charging the Printer Battery

The printer battery is charged using the wall mounted charger provided.

Follow these steps to charge the battery pack.

Note:

Maker sure the printer and all LED’s are OFF before charging battery.

•

Plug the charger into an appropriate wall socket; then plug the charger line cord into the

adapter jack on the side of the printer

. Refers to

Figure 1

for details.

•

The

amber

CHARGE LED will illuminate, to indicate battery is charging.

•

The Charge LED turns off when battery cartridge is fully charged. It takes about 180 minutes

to fast charge the battery cartridge.

•

To insure full charge, printer should no

t be operated while the battery is charging.

Page 21

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

4.2.1 Important Notes on Charging Batteries

•

The model

APEX 4

printers require an adaptor output of 10VDC/1.

A.•The battery Fast

-Charge

is initiated each time the power adapter is connected to the printer

•

The

fast-charge controller checks the battery’s voltage and temperature before the start of

the fast recharge process. If the battery voltage or the temperature is outside of the fast

charge limits, the charger defaults to trickle charge at C/10 or 70 mA rate

•

Optional external battery chargers are available for Extech batteries.

Refer to

ection 4.7

“Printer Supplies” for detailed information.

4.2.2 Important Notes on Replacing Batteries

•

Replace battery every 15

–

18 months or as dir

ected by your IT department.

Check for the

correct Extech part number for the battery and only

use

r that part for your new battery

. See

ection 4.7

for printer supplies.

Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an

incorrect type

Dispose of used batteries according

to instructions in

Section

4.5

4.3 Verifying Battery Charge State

strongly recommend testing your printer before returning

to Extech. Follow these steps to

identify

and correct any battery power problem that may be encountered. These will help to

identify that the fault is with the printer and not some other part of your system.

To test the AC adaptor:

•

Use a multi meter and measure the output voltage. Output should

be 10VDC.

•

Press the <ON/OFF> switch and wait until all LED’s are off.

•

Insert the AC adaptor plug into the printer. If the amber LED goes on, the battery is not

fully charged but the charge circuit is functioning.

•

The AC power portion of the circuit appea

rs ok.

Page 22

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

To test the DC power:

•

Disconnect the AC Adapter once the battery has charged for 5 minutes or so.

•

Press and hold the <FEED> switch, then press and release the <ON/OFF> switch and then

release the <FEED> switch. The printer will print a

“self test” receipt

•

If the self test receipt is printed, the DC power is ok.

To test if the battery is accepting charge:

•

Press <ON/OFF> switch and wait until all LED’s are off

•

Plug the AC power adapter into the printer. Press <ON>; the green LED is il

luminated and

after about 20 seconds the LED should go off

•

If the amber LED is on, this will continue on through this test indicating that the battery is

accepting a charge and that the charge circuit is ok. At the end of a 180 minute charge

cycle the LED

will go off.

.4 Battery and Safety Information

The printer is powered by a 7.4V Li

Ion battery cartridge.

•

Charging time in the printer is approximately 3.0 hours.

•

Take the battery out of printer if storing the printer for long periods of time.

•

The

battery storage temperature is 40°F to 104°F (4°C to 40°C). Do not store a fully

charged battery at temperatures greater than 104°F (40°C) for long periods of time

–

the

battery may permanently lose charge capacity.

•

he recommended temperature for charging

is between 68°F (20°C) to 77°F (25°C).

•

Be sure to use a fully charged battery before long or battery intensive printing sessions.

Certain operations (for example, printing receipts with a lot of bar codes and graphics)

drain the battery more quickly than

others.

•

Dispose according to your local regulations.

Do not throw in trash.

Do not disassemble, short circuit, heat above 80°C, or incinerate.

The battery may explode

4.5 Recycling Batteries

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a non

profit organization created to

promote recycling of rechargeable batteries. For more information about how to recycle batteries

in your area, visit

http://www.rbrc.or

Page 23

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

4.6 Trouble Shooting

oblem

Action

Does not feed

paper or has a

paper jam

•

Remove any jammed supply



Reload paper supply

Does not print



Check or replace the printer’s battery



Make sure the paper supply is loaded correctly, not backwards.



Verify communication between the host

device and the printer by

disconnecting the communication cable and performing a printer self

test.

Light printing

•

Check or recharge the battery



Adjust the print contrast through print application.

Voids in printing



Clean the print head following the cl

eaning instruction listed in the

Section 4.1

Red (Error) LED on

•

Check that paper roll is not out and paper door is closed.

•

Error reading MCR.



After extended printing, print head may be hot; printer will pause

before resuming printing.

If the problem is

not identified following

the

trouble shooting guide, contact Extech Technical

Support. Support numbers and Email addresses are listed at

Section 6

of this manual.

Other than routine cleaning and other maintenance described in

Section 4

the printer is not intended to be serviced by the user. It must be returned to

anAuthorized

ervice

enter. Under no circumstances should the user

attempt to take the printer apart

Page 24

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

4.7 Printer Supplies

Part

Number

Description

78928U1

Apex 4 with USB, Class 2 Bluetooth®

78928U1R

-3Apex 4 with USB, MCR, Class 2 Bluetooth®

78928U1

Apex 4 with USB, 802.11b/g

78928U1R

-2Apex 4 with USB, MCR, 802.11b/g

15726

Multi

Plug Battery C

harger

dapter (US, UK,

Euro &

Australian Plug)

756984

IP54 Certified Environmental Case

–

No MCR

756998

-2Belt Loop System

757064

Spare Paper (5 Rolls), P390, 100' per roll

757064

CASE

Spare Paper (Case of 50 Rolls), P390, 100' per roll

757092

Continuous Thermal w/ Repositi

onable Adhesive, 70” Roll

757092

CASE

Continuous Thermal w/ Repositionable Adhesive, 70”

Roll, Case of 10 Rolls

757150

Thermal Print Head Cleaning Pen

757160

Magnetic Card Reader Cleaning Cards (5 per order)

757351

Shoulder Strap System

767400

-1Battery Charger (2 Bay) Li

Ion, 120V

767400

-2Battery Charger (2 Bay) Li

Ion, 220V

767400

-4Battery Charger (2 Bay) Li

Ion, 240V

7A1000014

Li-Ion Battery Cartridge: 7.4VDC

–

2200 mAh

5892USB

USB Cable 2.0

Available from Extech Email:

printers@extech.com

Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ Drivers

Download

http://www.fieldsoftware.com/PrinterCE.htm

Windows CE print Utility

Download

http://www.stevenscreek.com/pilot/download.html

Palm Pilot print Utility

Download

http://www.bachmannsoftware.com/downloads.html

Pri

ntBoy for Palm O/S

Page 25

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

5.Specifications

5.1 Printer Specifications

(subject to change without notice)

Dimensions

7.4”Lx 6.5”

x 2.

5”H (19

1Lx166Wx63

H mm)

Weight

22ounces

(

648g)

Shipping weight

3.3 lbs. (1.5kg)

Power

thium

-Ion battery

(7.4V;22

50mAh)

Operating Temp. Limits

14 to 122°F (

10 to 50°C)

Storage Temp. Limits

4 to 140°F (

20C to 60°C)

Operating Humidity Limits

20% to 85% non

condensing

Storage Humidity Limits

5% to 95% non

condensing

Print Width

.1”

(104mm)

203 dpi (8 dots

per mm)

Printing Method

Thermal Direct

Print Speed

Up to

.0 inches/sec. @ 7.2v to ph.

Fonts:

(Bitmap)

3 Resident Font Tables, 6

Downloadable Font Tables,

Bold F

ont and Proportional Font

Supported Bar Codes

Codabar,

Code 39, UCC/EAN

–

128, UPC/EAN/JAN,

Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 128, PDF 417

Memory

Flash:

4MB

RAM:

2MBCharging Time

Approximately 180 minutes

Communications

USB,

Bluetooth, 802.11b

Page 26

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

5.2 Supply Specifications

Supplies

Thermal direct receipt

paper

/ tag stock

Supply Thickness

2.2 to

mils (receipt paper

/ tag stock

)

Supply Width

375

inches (11

mm)

Supply Length

1Roll of receipt paper is ~100 ft. (30km.)

Supply Sensing

Black mark (on face of supply)

Paper

ollDiameter

Outside:

2.0

inches (51 mm)

Inside:

0.40 inches (10 mm)

Approved Vendors

Kansaki

: P300, P310, P350, P354, P390, P394, P530UV,

TO281CA, OP200, TO381N

Jujo

: TF-50KS

E2C

Honshu:

FH65BV

Page 27

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

5.3 Regulatory Notes

5.3.1 FCC Part 15 Class B

This equipment has been tested

and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,

pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection

against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment can radiate radio

frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause

harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference

will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment do

es cause harmful interference to

radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the

user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•

Reorient or relocate the receiv

ing antenna.

•

Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

•

Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

receiver is connected.

•

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

For

Bluetooth equipped printers

please note:

•

The printer contains an OEM Serial Port Adapter from connectBlue with FCC ID:

PVH070101. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to

the following two conditions:

(1)

This

device may not cause harmful interference,

(2)

This

device must accept any interference received, including interference that

may cause undesired operation.”

5.3.2 Warranty

This printer is warranted by Extech Data Systems to be free of defects in parts and wo

rkmanship

for a period of one year from date of shipment. This warranty does not apply to defects resulting

from action of the user such as misuse, improper wiring, operation outside of specification,

improper maintenance or repair, or unauthorized modific

ation. Extech specifically disclaims any

implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a specific purpose and will not be liable for

any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages. Extech’s total liability is limited

to the repai

r or replacement of the product. The warranty set forth above is inclusive and no

other warranty, whether written or oral is expressed or implied.

5.3.3 Warranty and/or Repair Service:

A Return Authorization number must be issued before a unit is returned

to Extech for repair.

Once a unit has been properly returned to Extech (Note: The customer is responsible for ensuring

proper packing to prevent damage in transit as well as the shipping costs back to Extech), it will

be repaired (estimates are provided f

irst if the repair cost is estimated above $100.00) and

returned via UPS ground. The customer may elect a faster mode of transport at their cost.

Page 28

APEX 4

User’s Guide

Rev

1.0

Customer Support

6.1

Online Technical Assistance

Frequently Asked

Questions page

http://www.extech.com/printers/faq.asp

Troubleshooting

Guide.

http://www.extech.com/printer/techSupport/troubleShootGuid

e.html

6.2

Technical Support Request

If you need technical assistance regarding software, hardware or operation of Extech printers

please contact us at:

Tech Support Form

http://www.extech.com/printer/techSupport/support.html

printertechsupport@extech.com

Telephone

+1-(781)

890

7440

Fax+1-

(781)

890

7864

Page 29

Portable Printer Division

http://www.extech.com/Printer

or in part in any form.