The hardware
The RhoC5 is a sensitive piece of equipment that contains a scintillation crystal. Use it as such, do not apply forces to the tube, and prevent it from physical shocks. The tip of the RhoC5 is made of nylon. This material is strong and wear-resistant, but remember that it can still break out of the aluminum tube.
Switching the RhoC5 on
There is a switch on top of the RhoC5, which allows you to switch the device on. A green PWR LED will indicate when the device is switched on. The RhoC5 is battery-powered and can run for approximately 6 hours on a single charge.
LED indicators
The RhoC5 has 4 LEDs:
PWR: Shows power status
ETH: Indicates connectivity status
SCN: Raw spectrum collected
AUX: Auxiliary sensor input received
For general information on these LEDs, check the mDOS manual.
In addition, the PWR LED can be used to indicate power issues:
Description | Cause |
|---|---|
PWR LED blinks red 10 times before shutdown | Battery too low. Recharge. |
PWR LED blinks 2 to 6 times before shutdown | Issues with the battery. The temperature being too low is one of these issues, indicated by the PWR LED blinking 3 times. Starting the device in a warmer environment may resolve this issue. Please contact Medusa Radiometrics if the problem persists. |
All LEDs blink red 3 times | Issues with the battery management configuration, this should recover automatically. |
Charging
The charging connector on top is IP65 rated against dust and moisture, but only when mated with the connector or with the dust cap in place. Note that the detector should not be submerged. Charging a fully drained battery may take up to 3 hours. For this, a power delivery adapter is required, as such an adapter is capable of providing higher current and higher voltages than a typical USB adapter. Note that a standard USB adapter or power bank may not be capable of charging the RhoC5.
When charging, the LEDs on the hardware will indicate the charge progress:
0 - 25%: 1 LED blinking green or yellow
25% - 50%: 1 LED continuous + 1 LED blinking green or yellow
50% - 75%: 2 LEDs continuous + 1 LED blinking green or yellow
75% - 100%: 3 LEDs continuous + 1 LED blinking green or yellow
100%: 4 LEDs continuous
The color of the blinking LED indicates if the battery is charging normally (green), or slow (yellow).