Configuring a controller with SRAM and a backup battery

This applies to any SRAM-equipped controller that also has a backup battery installed. Controller types are JACE-3E, JACE-6E, any other NPM6E-based type (JACE-603, JACE-645), or any other model with an SRAM option card. If the controller is installed without a battery, do not use this procedure. Instead, use the procedure “Managing PlatformServices properties”.
Prerequisites: The controller is licensed with the dataRecovery feature. A station in the controller is running and open in Workbench.
  1. In the Nav tree, click Services > PlatformServices, and double-click PowerMonitorService
    The Power Monitor Platform Service view opens in the view pane.
  2. As needed, change configuration properties, which include:
    • Shutdown Delay Timer

      Defines the period that the controller waits between detecting loss of AC power and performing a graceful shutdown (backs up database and powers board off). Depending on controller model, using either a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery or sealed lead-acid (Sla) battery, this varies.

      • For models with a NiMH backup battery or SRAM option card, the default value is 10 minutes, with a valid range of:
        • 0 to 10 minutes, maximum— providing the DataRecoveryService is enabled, else:
        • 0 to 60 seconds (1 minute maximum) — if the DataRecoveryService is disabled or absent.

        If the controller’s DataRecoveryService (for SRAM support) is enabled and operating, and the NiMH battery is known to be good, the default (and maximum) Shutdown Delay value of 10 minutes is typically reasonable. This provides extra time for continuous operation during a power outage of up to 10 minutes.

        The NiMH battery charge is monitored during this delay period, and if necessary, the system initiates a shutdown before this timer expires. Further, even if the battery had insufficient charge to complete a graceful shutdown, the DataRecoveryService would successfully restore the runtime station data from SRAM upon controller bootup (when power is restored).

      • For models with a sealed lead-acid (Sla) battery, such as JACE-603 or JACE-645, the default period is 10 minutes, with a range from 0 to 15 minutes maximum.

        Again, providing the SLA battery is known to be good and the station’s DataRecoveryService is enabled and running, the default (maximum) shutdown delay of 15 minutes is typically reasonable, for reasons noted above.

        In either case, the Battery Present property in the station’s PlatformServices container must be set to true (the default).

        Furthermore, if, at some point, you disable the station’s DataRecoveryService, (either set its Service Enabled property to false, or uninstall its platDataRecovery module), it is recommended that you first set the Shutdown Delay no higher than the default of 30 seconds (NiMH) or 1 minute (SLA).

    • Battery Alarm Support
    • Expand this property (Image) to access additional properties that define how the station handles battery alarms, including the alarm class to use and other alarm source information properties. Several settings reflect read-only status properties.
    • Power Alarm Support
    • Expand this property (Image) to access additional properties that define how the station handles primary power alarms, including the alarm class to use and other alarm source information properties. Several settings reflect read-only status properties:
      • Primary Power Present — Boolean, displays Yes (true) if AC power is currently supplied to the controller.
      • Battery — container shows two values concatenated on a single line:
        • State — (with icon) is an enumerated descriptor, which is typically Idle if fully charged, else Charging, Discharging, or Unknown.
        • If this indicator displays Charging, it also displays the estimated remaining charge time until fully charged (Charge Time Left).
      • Battery Good — Boolean, displays Yes (true) if the last controller backup battery test was good.
      • Battery Time of Last Test - provides a timestamp (in AbsTime format) of the last battery test performed by the controller.
  3. Click Save to write the configuration to host platform.