This is ridiculous. >:( I just got a Vera 3, and the battery charging directions look like they were printed by the “Mars Attacks!” translation computer. The writing is so poor I have zero confidence as to what it is trying to say.
Anyhow, I charged it overnight with the switch in the OFF position, with no apparent change in the colors of any of the LED lights (transformer green, and battery pack red). Does this mean it’s already charged?
I searched this forum, and it seems to recommend charging in the ON position. If I switch it into the ON position, the transformer LED becomes red. If that’s the proper switch position, will the transformer LED become green when the battery pack is charged?
If I’m supposed to charge it with the switch in the ON position, then why is there any switch at all?
???
Also, assuming I can charge it fully, how long can I expect the battery to power Vera 3? If the answer is “it depends”, what range of times can I expect?
If this battery is more trouble than it’s worth, I’d rather know that now.
The batterypack is only there to be able to bring vera to a device which you cannot bring to vera. After including you go back to the mains.
It will be for example depending if you use the wifi function.
I even never charged the batterypack to be honoust and used it now to include about 10 devices.
Or do you have other plans with the batterypack/vera.
When I first got my Vera and saw this battery pack, my first thought was “Are you SERIOUS?” It’s such a strange and hokey way to include things. I think it’d be a giant PITA if you had to do a lot of stuff. Hauling around the Vera, battery, and laptop?
I have only charged mine the once, and only used it a few times. I really would have thought mine was charged with the switch off, but I know I had lights.
I only plan to use it for doing inclusions, which appears to be its intended function.
Let me re-phrase the question as simply as I can:
I plug the battery pack charger into the wall.
I plug the charger cable into the battery pack.
Here is the simple question: Should I charge the battery pack with the battery back switch in the ON position, or with the battery pack switch in the OFF position?
I believe the battery switch is on for charging and is red/green while charging and red when done.
But I can’t remember. I also only put it on the charger for about 10 minutes when I need it … And I only
use it for including/excluding a device. It has an option to do this from the PC, but I find it easier and more reliable to take Vera to the device than to try and include/exclude from a longer distance. There is that long click/short click of the Z-Wave button to change between normal mode (Solid Light), include mode (slow blinking light), and exclude mode (fast blinking light). I usually ALWAYS exclude a device before I an include it. I have found brand new devices fail to include without this step. I assume that they were included in some testing Z-Wave network during some Quality Assurance test, and not excluded, or not successfully excluded before being sold.
@NickTheGreat you do not need the laptop to include/exclude a device. So you just carry Vera and the battery with you during that process. When you are done re-connect in it’s normal powered environment and customize from your favorite browser (Chrome for me, this comment alone should keep the thread going!)
Thanks Richard. Maybe I don’t have to carry my laptop around, but I am not familiar enough with the Vera to fly blind. And seems like I have to go through the inclusion process a few times to get it right.
You should read up how to do it with just Vera. I think it works better.
You need to learn what the various light patterns mean … it provides positive feedback
of the Z-Wave device receiving the un-include command and receiving the include command.
Ultimateley, the actual question was never answered.
My instructions (yes, very poorly worded) say to charge with the battery pack on, so, I turn the battery pack to the ON position and POP, the charger blows up, and trips the circuit breaker in my house - capacitor in the charger obviously blew, and now rattles inside the case…
So, instructions say charge with it on, but… well, my circuit breakers arent so sure!
Hi all, in the end this is a cheap generic Chinese made charger that you can see on many websites for sales in the oem market.
I have tried it a few times although also confused, I now assume the you must plug into the wall with the switch in the off position and then turn the switch on. You get a green light.
On the popped capacitor, I am not surprised the failure rate on these types of products is around 5%. It should not happen no matter how plug it in and set the switch, you had a faulty unit.
I would say this power pack with the Vera 3 makes me feel ripped off. I expected a battery pack that would stay plugged in and act a power backup, but alas not.
A ‘through’ battery pack would certainly make more sense… would mean the battery pack could stay always charging and connected to Vera at the same time, so you could unplug power to include/exclude without having to wait for restart…
Hmmm, wondering now if a mcguiver’ed double adaptor plug would achieve this???