[Nmcaver] [Texascavers] Powered Ascender

[Minton, Mark]

      John Brooks said:

>I guess that means that you would need two PowerQuicks for deep pits like Golindrinos? Or can you change batteries on the fly? I wonder if they make a vehicle charger for the battery packs......

      I guess one could change batteries on the fly since there must be a safety brake that would hold you with the power off.  Of course it may not be designed to remove the battery with the safety brake engaged.  I doubt they thought of that being necessary.  Spare batteries cost $300 and weigh 14-15 pounds...  Charging normally occures with the battery still in the ascender.  In fact, even though they sell spare batteries they do not discuss how to take the battery in and out and it is not obvious from the photographs.  The only charger available runs on 110 or 220 volts.  Since the battery is 36 volts, charging would not be easy or efficient from a 12-volt source.  One could always use an inverter to boost 12 volts to 110, and then use the regular charger, but that would hardly be efficient use of power.

Mark Minton