How about we have our Monday update tonight instead?...Monday is looking to be a busy day, so I might not be able to join the ECF until later in the day...
Radius bottom plate:
As part of our continuous improvement plan we have modified the current return flow path design in the Radius. As the power output has gone up and higher currents are needed, a more direct connection was required. The use of an end plate and contact that provides a better high current path to the battery is the reason for this setup and it looks pretty cool too
With this new design, the high current does not flow through the spring but instead through a direct connection to the PCB. Testing shows this to be a
significant improvement.
The Radius was designed to be a device you plug-in to USB charge on a daily basis but with a serviceable battery.
There are two thumb screws on the bottom. Simply press down on the bottom, rotate the screws, remove the bottom plate and the battery will slide out. Slide in a new battery, rotate the screws snug and you are done. This whole process takes less than 40 seconds.
I know some of you have had a bad experience with poor quality charging systems and this has caused concern over using built-in chargers. We have also heard stories of some manufacturer’s telling people to only use the USB port for emergencies and not daily use.
The Radius has an excellent built-in charging system with thermal monitoring.
The bottom section of the Radius is a hybrid connection between a captive battery with a solid connection to the battery, but you can also replace the battery easily when it’s end of life. With a captive battery, you have to send the device back to the factory to have a new battery welded or it’s a throw away device once the battery is no longer accepting a charge. We wanted to allow the user to replace the battery without tools or the need to send the device in for service but with a solid and reliable connection.