Charging
The standard Robop contains a 13 Ampere Hour nickel metal hydride battery which is sealed into the body cavity. In the last 6 years we have only had one battery pack fail and this was in Canada when the temperature got down to -40 degrees! So, provided that the battery is charged regularly the battery system is very robust. Charging could not be simpler, just plug the special charger provided into the socket under the tail. We recommend leaving it to charge overnight. There is also a high speed charge option but this has to be run three or four times for a complete charge and is not good for the battery.
So, how frequently does the battery need charged? This depends on three factors - environmental conditions particularly wind speed (the higher the speed the more energy is used to move the wings), the movement sequence program and the sound volume which on the latest models has an external push-button control. Obviously the louder the voice and the more frequent the movement the shorter the time between charges. Charging once every two weeks is about average. If this is too much of a chore we can provide a mains or solar power option.
