This guide will answer some common questions about the Pro2's ability to charge its Ryobi batteries that will help you understand how charging works, what happens when charging is happening, etc.
Q: Will my Pro2 work with the Ryobi P193 (6Ah) or P194 (9Ah) batteries?
A: The 6Ah and 9Ah batteries from Ryobi are not safe to use with a Pro2 controller UNLESS the controller receives a physical modification to prevent the battery from tripping fuses on the power board. If your controller has a "Battery V.2" sticker on it, your Pro2 already has the modification, and you can use the 6Ah or 9Ah batteries without issue. To upgrade controllers, they will need to be sent to ChronoTrack's Evansville office to receive the modification. Speak to your Regional Sales Manager for details.
Q: How do I charge the batteries with the controller?
A: When a controller is plugged into AC power, it will automatically charge the batteries when the controller is powered on. If you turn the controller off while it's plugged into AC power, the batteries will continue to charge, as indicated by the battery LED lights. If the controller is already off and you plug in AC power, you can start charging by briefly "bumping" the Pro2's power switch. You'll know charging has started when you see the Battery LEDs on the head unit turn on.
Q: How do I know if the batteries are charging?
A: When the batteries are charging, whether the controller is off or on, the "Ready" LEDs on all detected batteries should be lit, and the red "In Use" LED for the battery that is currently being charged should be flashing. ONLY ONE BATTERY WILL BE CHARGED AT A TIME.
Q: How do I know if the batteries are fully-charged without turning on the controller?
A: When the batteries are fully-charged, you will see the "Ready" LEDs for each inserted battery lit solid green, and the red "In Use" lights should all be off. If an "In-Use" LED is flashing, the controller is still charging that battery. You can also remove the batteries from the controller and press the green battery level button on the front of the battery.
Q: I've got a battery in the controller that isn't showing the "Ready" or "In-Use" light. Is it charging?
A: If you've installed a battery that is completely dead, it may take the controller longer than normal to detect and begin to charge that battery. The controller will eventually detect the battery, so just be patient. Remember that you must have at least 2 batteries in the controller for the batteries to charge.
Q: Will the controller keep topping up the battery charge after it's fully charged them once?
A: Yes, as long as AC power is still plugged in.
Q: Will the controller charge completely dead batteries?
A: Yes, but there must be at least 2 batteries in the controller for it to charge a dead battery. Both batteries can be completely dead, however.
Q: If I leave the batteries in the controller with AC power plugged in, but I haven't initiated charging, will the batteries still drain over time?
A: Unless there is current going directly to the batteries, the batteries will slowly discharge. Because of this, we recommend that if you intend to leave batteries in the controller, you should have the controller on AC power and charging the batteries.