Page 1
Date: 12 APR 2017 Page 1 of 2
Title: Getting the most out of the RP500 Utility Cart battery power system.
Introduction:
The Polycom RealPresence 500 utility cart with battery power supply uses a high quality, industry standard high capacity
rechargeable Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery, as do all similar products such as other supplier’s mobile carts, or any of the
uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) commonly used for battery backup of computers.
The SLA batteries are rugged and safe, but have a few special needs to give a long useful life. They don’t like to be
discharged too deeply, like below 50%, and they need to spend some time on the charger at full charge as much as
possible. Time at full charge repairs and refreshes the internal chemistry.
This can be summed up in one sentence: Keep the cart plugged in whenever practical, and for as long a time as can be
accommodated.
A well-treated battery can last 4½ years of daily use, ranging down to, a battery that is frequently discharged flat, and left to
sit with no or only partial charge, can only last a year or so of daily use.
Illustrated Tips and Techniques for getting the best performance from your cart battery:
1. The SLA battery is “happiest” whenever it can get a full charge.
possible.
and no flashing green, when it is plugged in and charging. Don’t stop just because all are green, keep going to let it
get topped off to 100%. Time spent at 100% on the charger can reverse degradation.
When the battery has a 90% or better charge, you should see all four solid green lights on the front panel,
charge for at least 12 hours
whenever
2. It is best to leave the cart plugged into a wall outlet whenever the unit is parked for a while, or longer. The cart’s
charger is automatic and will not overcharge the battery, but will maintain an optimum high state of charge.
3. Power button controlling the power to the cart should be turned off if not in use whether charging or not. However,
turning off the cart supply is critical if it is being parked without charging, as the battery will continue to be
drained by the UPS even if the rest of the equipment on the cart is turned off.
Page 2
Date: 12 APR 2017 Page 2 of 2
Title: Getting the most out of the RP500 Utility Cart battery power system.
4. Always make sure the battery has a full charge whenever leaving the unit in storage for over a week, if the
cart cannot be stored with it plugged in. (Still best to have it plugged in whenever not in use). Also, make sure
cart is not below 50% charge when parked for even just overnight without a connection to a wall outlet. Time
spent even just sitting doing nothing at low level of charge will create slow but steadily progressing degradation.
5. The key to getting the most useful life time out of your battery is to avoid deep discharge. If the battery can be
recharged back to 100% every time without dropping below 50% drained, up to four and one half years of good use
can be expected. If instead, the battery is drained nearly dead every time before recharge, or is never fully recharged,
the useful life will only be a year or two tops.
Summary:
If the simple needs of the Sealed Lead Acid battery technology can be accommodated, a long useful life for the cart battery
can be enjoyed. Specifically, avoid draining it flat, and, keep it plugged in and charging as much as possible.
Prepared by:
<MM>
Sr. Polycom Product Engineer
Polycom Operations
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