Dual battery pack charge and discharge behavior

21 May 2015

Our rugged handheld computer products that provide a slot to insert an optional second battery pack have unique charging and discharging behavior. It may be good to understand this behavior. Below are some detailed explanations.

Discharging

If both inserted battery packs have an equivalent amount of charge remaining (as they should if charged every night and weekend as recommended), then both will discharge simultaneously at an equivalent rate. Though if one battery pack has more charge than the other initially, the unit will discharge that battery pack alone until it reaches an equivalent level as the other, and then discharge both simultaneously from then on until both are depleted.

Charging

The Mesa Rugged Notepad will charge both inserted battery packs simultaneously until full. Though if one battery pack has less charge than the other, the Mesa will charge that battery pack alone until it reaches an equivalent level as the other, and from then will charge both simultaneously at an equivalent rate until full.

The TK6000 will always charge the main battery pack in the bottom slot 1 first until full, and then will charge the battery pack in the optional middle slot 2 second (this second slot is not supported on some lower end models).