Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

Question: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N chargers and components do I need to charge all my transmitters?

Answer: We previously discussed how to configure and use ATW-CHG3 recharging stations with the 3000 Series 4th Generation transmitters. The dual-bay charging station allows you to simply place two ATW-T3201 body-pack transmitters, two ATW-T3202 handheld transmitters, or one of each into the charger. Doing so will automatically shut off a transmitter’s power and RF transmission while fully charging the transmitter’s NiMH batteries (these batteries are not included with the transmitters; they must be purchased separately). Once fully charged, a maintenance charging function ensures the batteries retain their full power for as long as the transmitter remains in the charging station.

Up to five ATW-CHG3 stations may be linked together and powered from a single power supply. The AT8687 Link Kit provides a link cable to pass power and charger status information, as well as a physical plate to connect a pair of charging stations. The charger is also available in a network-enabled version (ATW-CHG3N) to allow for remote monitoring of the charger status. When linking multiple stations, only the first one needs to be network-capable for all stations to be monitored remotely.

 

Components

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

ATW-CHG3AD

ATW-CHG3 two-bay charging station with the AD-SA1230XA AC adapter.

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

ATW-CHG3NAD

ATW-CHG3N two-bay network-enabled charging station with the AD-SA1230XA AC adapter.

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

ATW-CHG3EXP

ATW-CHG3 two-bay charging station with the AT8687 Link Kit (power supply not included).

Choosing Charging Station Models

In order to simplify configurations, the following table identifies the quantities of each charging bay necessary for a required number of transmitters:

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

Recommended Batteries

The ATW-CHG3 and ATW-CHG3N are designed for use with nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. While there is a wide variety of brands and models of batteries to choose from, the chart below lists batteries that are recommended by Audio-Technica.

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: Which ATW-CHG3/ATW-CHG3N Chargers and Components Do I Need to Charge All My Transmitters?

It is important to use name brand batteries in order to ensure the highest quality.

The milliamp-hour (mAh) rating is a measure of the NiMH battery’s energy storage capacity. The higher the mAh rating, the higher the capacity. The transmitter does not require a specific mAh rating, but there is a trade-off on battery life. Higher capacity NiMH batteries will last longer, but also may take longer to charge, and vice versa.

Note: Rechargeable batteries have a finite amount of charge cycles; this value varies by manufacturers and use. Marking a date on the battery with a permanent marker will help determine if the battery has reached the end of its useful life. Refer to the battery manufacturer’s data sheet for more information on expected charge cycles and life span.

If you have additional questions about using the ATW-CHG3 and ATW-CHG3N charging stations, please contact us here in the Audio Solutions Department.

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