Remote Audio MEON User Manual

MEON v2

CARTPOWER SOLUTIONS

Installing the MEON v2

If mounting on standard rack rails it is important that four
standard rack screws be used with plastic washers. When
plugged into 120 - 240 VAC mains power, the MEON v2 is
capable of up to 18 Amps of 12VDC current. This capacity
assumes proper ventilation and an ambient temperature
of 80°F (27°C). However, the MEON v2 has been
extensively and successfully field tested in ambient
temperatures exceeding 110°F (44°C) when powering
typical sound carts drawing 8 Amps.. For proper
ventilation there should be a minimum free-airspace of
one rack-space (1-3/4") above and 1/2" below the MEON
v2. If sitting on a flat surface, the supplied rubber feet
should provide adequate free air space below the MEON
v2. Also, the top cover should not be removed because 1)
the top cover adds strength to the chassis needed for
rack mounting, and 2) the top cover aids cooling by
directing convection airflow where it is needed.

Charging the MEON v2

The MEON v2's internal battery is connected to its
charger whenever 120 - 240 VAC is present. The five red
LEDs labeled "Fuel Gauge" indicate the amount of charge
remaining. The single LED on the right labeled "Charging
Progress" verifies that charging is taking place at either
the full rate, finishing rate, or maintaining rate, as
indicated by the label. When fully charged, the LED status
indicator is a steady green. Due to the microprocessor
charge/discharge controller, the MEON v2 can remain
connected to AC power indefinitely without fear of
overcharging.
When the MEON v2 is fully discharged, it will recharge to
approximately 99% of its capacity in 7 hours. However, it
is normal for the charging status LEDs to take much
longer than 7 hours to change to steady green (indicating
100% charge). The MEON v2 can be recharged from any
state of discharge and can be partially recharged before
reconnecting to a load, without fear of "memory effect."
So that the MEON v2 is ready to provide its full capacity
when needed, it is recommended that it be fully charged
whenever possible. Also, to assure maximum life from the
MEON v2's internal battery, it is recommended that it be
fully charged prior to extended periods of non-use, and
charged at least every four weeks while not in use.

Connecting the MEON v2

There are eleven DC power outlets on the back of the
MEON v2, wired in the standard 4-pin XLR configuration

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of PIN 4 +, PIN 1 -. Each outlet has auto-resetting
breakers to protect against overload. The outlets are
arranged in three groups of three, and one group of two,
as indicated on the back panel. Each group is limited to a
total of 13 Amps. The first outlet in each group has a
capacity of 13A while the remaining outlets in each group
are limited to 6A each. A master 24A breaker protects
against combined overload when multiple outlets are
used. This allows a typical sound cart (drawing 13A or
less) to be powered through a single XLR outlet if desired.
For example, if power distribution to the devices on a cart
is done remotely, such as through the Remote Audio
BDS, Hot Box v2, or Hot Strip, a single 13A XLR outlet on
the MEON v2 may be used power multiple devices.
Alternatively, each device being powered can be cabled
directly to the MEON v2's eleven outlets.

Connecting the RM

The MEON v2 can be used in conjunction with Remote
Audio's RM (Remote Meter). The RM allows remote
voltage and current monitoring, as well as remote power
cycling of the MEON v2. Connect the RM's cable to the
6-pin connector on the rear of the MEON v2. Turning on
the RM will turn the MEON v2 on and cause the blue LED
indicator on the MEON v2 to illuminate. This indicates
that the RM is now the "master", and powering ON and
OFF can only occur through the use of the RM. See the
RM instruction manual for more details.

Using the MEON v2

To turn the MEON v2 ON or OFF, press both buttons
simultaneously. Pressing any one of these buttons by
itself will have no effect. This is to prevent accidental
turning ON or turning OFF.
When plugged into 120 - 240VAC and when turned on,
the MEON v2's internal AC-DC circuit is activated after
three seconds and then supplies power to the outputs.
The internal battery is then automatically connected to its
charger. Assuming the battery has an adequate charge,
the MEON v2 can be removed from AC power and the
battery will instantly and seamlessly take over. When AC
power is restored, the AC-DC circuit seamlessly takes
over and the battery is reconnected to its charger.
The MEON v2's internal AC-DC power supply (which
supplies power when plugged into a 120 - 240 VAC mains
power) is rated for 18A maximum. This rating, however,
assumes a maximum ambient temperature of 80°F (27°C)
and unrestricted airflow at the top and bottom of the
MEON v2. When the environment does not meet these
conditions, it is recommended that the current draw on
the MEON v2, when on AC power, be kept below 15A to
reduce the chances of overheating. The current draw is
easily monitored with the MEON v2's Amp meter or with
the RM Remote Meter.

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MEON v2

CARTPOWER SOLUTIONS

Front Panel Indicators

Illuminated On/Off Buttons

The On/Off buttons are illuminated to indicate whether AC
power is present. When there is AC voltage present and the
MEON v2's outputs are being powered by its internal power
supply, the buttons will be illuminated GREEN. If the MEON
v2 is not connected to AC power and is running on its internal
battery, the buttons will be illuminated RED. This can be a
quick way to make sure you're not draining the MEON v2's
battery if you aren't intending to.

Volts / Amps Meters

The LED Volts / Amps meters are used to monitor the voltage
and current at the output connectors. Both meters are
calibrated at the factory for accuracy. However, there may be
some temporary drift in readings based on ambient and
internal temperature, typically less than 5%. Additionally, if an
RM is connected for remote metering, there may be slight
differences (less than 10mV) betwen the MEON v2 and the
RM voltage readings, depending on the load present at the
output connectors.

Fuel Gauge

When using the MEON v2 without AC power, the 5-LED fuel
gauge illuminates to show remaining battery capacity. While
the MEON v2's voltmeter can aid in determining the battery's
state of charge, the fuel gauge is much more sophisticated
than a simple voltmeter. It combines data including voltage,
Amp-Hours used, battery temperature, amount of charge prior
to discharging, and rate of discharge at current load to
accurately calculate the battery's remaining charge.

Sleep Mode

When turned off and disconnected from AC power for
more than 24 hours, the MEON v2's battery will go into
"sleep mode," turning off its internal controller/processor
to reduce the self-discharge of the battery. This allows the
MEON v2 to retain a charge for extensive periods without
having to be connected to AC power. Connecting to AC
power will bring the MEON v2 out of sleep mode instantly.
However, when in sleep mode and not connected to AC
power, pressing the ON buttons will not turn the MEON v2
ON. When this is the case, pressing the TEST button on
the front panel will instantly bring the MEON v2 out of
sleep mode, and after a short analyzing period, the
battery's state of charge will be displayed on the front
panel. The MEON v2 will then function normally and can
be turned on without AC power.

Supplemental External Lead-Acid Batteries

External sealed lead-acid batteries (often know as "Gel
Cells") may be used with the MEON v2 to provide
additional Amp-Hour capacity. Connecting lead-acid
batteries to any of the MEON v2's outlets will route the
battery through the other outlets, extending the Amp-Hour
capacity of the MEON v2 beyond its internal battery. Keep
in mind that the Amp meter will then seem to be in error
because it will not display the current being supplied by
the external battery. Also, the current capacity of the

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external battery will be limited to the rating of the outlet
being used. The MEON v2's AC-DC supply is set at the
factory to output 13.8VDC, which optimally maintains a
charged lead-acid battery. However, a properly sized
dedicated lead-acid battery charger should be used to
recharge an external lead-acid battery.

DC Power Cables

There is always some voltage drop in power cables, but
the goal is to keep this drop as insignificant as possible.
When using a battery system, managing this voltage drop
is particularly important and can actually add hours of use
before recharging is needed. For example, if a piece of
equipment automatically shuts down when it's supply
voltage goes below 11V, and there is a 1V drop in the
cable, then the equipment will shut down when the battery
supply goes below 12V. Since much of the capacity of
most 12V battery systems is between 12V and 11V, it is
easy to see how important it is to minimize the voltage
drop within a cable.
The amount of voltage drop in a cable depends on three
factors: 1) the amount of current drawn by the device
being powered, 2) the size of the conductors inside the
cable, and 3) the length of the cable. Simply put, the
larger the conductors and shorter the cable, the less the
voltage drop will be. But the more the current draw of a
piece of equipment, the more the voltage drop. Therefore,
a small cable that would have an insignificant drop with
equipment drawing only 250mA (for example) may be
completely inadequate for equipment drawing 6A.
There are equations and formulas available to help
determine the amount of voltage drop given the length of
cable, size of conductors (gauge), and amount a current
being drawn. The best practice, however, is to use cables
that are as large and short as practical. With the MEON
v2 and a hand-held voltmeter, it is easy to know how
much voltage drop is taking place. Measure the voltage at
the connector going into the device being powered (with
the device turned on) and compare that measurement
with the voltage displayed on the front of the MEON v2.
The difference is the amount of voltage lost within the
cable(s). Your Remote Audio dealer should be able to
supply cables of proper length and gauge for your needs.

Are the MEON v2's outputs filtered? No. In the majority
of occasions when problem noise is caused by multiple
devices sharing a single power supply, simple filters at the
power supply would be insufficient or have no effect. DC­DC isolation converters can solve these rare issues by
isolating the power supply from the device being
powered. Therefore, it is recommended that when
isolation is needed to solve power-loop noise, the Remote
Audio "Juicer" isolating power cable (utilizing a 30 W DC­DC converter) be used between the MEON v2 and the
problem device.

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