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There are basically three types of "gold": low concentration disseminated Gold in ore, placer Gold deposits and solid Gold such as that associated with treasure. Magnetometers are used to find disseminated Gold by its association with mineralized zones which also contain magnetite or other magnetic minerals. Magnetometers are often used in conjunction with airborne electromagnetic surveys to find the conductive ore bodies. Placer Gold is the type found in buried stream channels such as the Gold which sparked the California Gold-rush in 1849. Gold dust and magnetic minerals have been concentrated in river banks over thousands of years. Where there is Gold there is often magnetite and therefore the magnetometer can be used to locate placer Gold deposits. Gold treasure is a different story and being non-magnetic Gold, silver, and other precious minerals are not directly detectable by the magnetometer. The magnetometer can only detect ferrous (iron or steel) objects. If the Gold is stored in an iron box or has iron materials next to the Gold (such as colonial ship ballast stones in the marine environment), there is the possibility of detecting the iron material. This is true for land and marine (sunken galleon) Gold bullion. The vast majority of target search surveys are performed on a grid in a "lawn mower" back and forth manner to cover the area of interest. Lane spacing is dependent on target size (magnetic mass). At a sensor to target distance of 2 to 3 meters there will need to be at least 1-2 kilograms of iron. This can produce a 1-2 nT anomaly that is detectable in a magnetically clean environment. The ideal environment would be in a plowed farm field or the bottom of the ocean away from human activity i.e., away from a port or harbor. You will probably not be able to detect this small of an anomaly in a city or port location. The more iron mass there is, the better the chance of detecting it. Training to use the magnetometer can take 1-2 days depending on experience with setting up computerized survey equipment and a GPS. Processing the magnetic data requires several days of training and would require a geophysical background to interpret the final maps. We provide free software to make maps and estimate the target depth of burial (inversion). If you are unfamiliar with this procedure, we would recommend that you find a local geotechnical firm to look at the data to determine if there are anomalies that should be investigated further. Remembering that non-ferrous materials do not cause anomalies (gold, silver, copper, brass, aluminum, gems) you will be looking for anomalies either associated with the container OR associated with ground disturbance (i.e., gravesite). In this way some anomalies can be detected where there has been an excavation such as a gravesite. In order to understand the process more fully, we strongly suggest that you download and read the Applications Manual for Portable Magnetometers. Other additional resources are available. Understanding how the magnetometer functions and how the earth’s field responds to distortions due to ferrous materials will help you make good decisions about how to interpret and use the data to direct recovery or exploration efforts.

________Install 4ea new AA battery. ________Install dummy blasting cap to “CAP” of HVB. Make sure a wire touch the pencil lead. See attached picture. Connect the Bendix trigger connector to the Seismograph. Press “ARM” button (and keep pressing “ARM” button thru all Test finished) and observe LED on the “READY”. It takes around 1-2 second after pressing “ARM”. _____________”READY” LED on around 1-2 second after pressing “ARM” switch. Make sure wearing safety glasses to protect your eyes for next Test. _____________Wear safety glasses. Press “FIRE” button while pressing “ARM” switch. Observe dummy led cap sparks and “READY” LED off, and trigger the Seismic unit. _____________Dummy led blasting cap sparks ______________”READY” LED off. ______________Trigger the Seismic unit After firing the cap, “READY” LED lit on again within 5 seconds later ______________Within 5 seconds after firing, the “READY” LED on again. Pressing “FIRE” again. You may adjust dummy led blasting cap to see sparks. ______________Fire works again. ______________Trigger works again Continue firing HVB 5 times. ______________It works 5 times.

If you have many .magdata files to convert, it is more convenient to use the command-based MagArrowConverter, instead of the Windows-based Survey Manager. The MagArrowConverter installation file can be downloaded from MagArrow product link under firmware/software download: To use the MagArrowConverter: Run “MagArrowConverterInstaller.exe” to install the converter. It is recommended NOT to install the converter on the default C:\Program Files\ directory since some computer may not allow users to create files in this directory. Open Windows Command (“cmd”) and enter the directory where the converter is installed. Type MagArrowConverter and press Enter key. A short instruction of how to use the converter will be printed out. If you run it from a different directory, type the full path, e.g. "C:\ Geometrics\MagArrowConverter\MagArrowConverter" (assuming the program is installed in C:\ Geometrics\MagArrowConverter\ directory). Note that to change the installation directory, you will have to un-installed the program first and then re-install and set up the directory. A typical example command: …\MagArrowConverter type=MA1 format=csv1 input=”C:\test\test.magdata” output=”C:\test\test.csv” decimation=10 A new csv file with sample rate of 10Hz will be created in C:\test directory from Test.magdata file. After you become familiar with MagArrowConverter command, you can write a simple Batch Script to bulk process MagArrow .magdata files. An example batch code which searches for .magdata files in "C:\MagArrowData" folder and converts all files to .csv files at 10Hz is attached below. Attachment : batch example.zip

Our seismographs do not require periodic calibrations in that they do not have any adjustable parameters. With that being said, we do recommend that they are checked for performance and routine Maintenance to include intensive analog Tests of the acquisition circuitry. A reasonable interval would be around every 5 years for normal usage. During these Tests we verify that the seismograph analog performance meets our specifications by using a seismic Test system. This system incorporates a standard reference oscillator and precision resistor networks to inject known signals into the seismograph. We then use algorithms in our software to calculate the response and performance of the analog circuits. This "performance Test" is run whenever we receive an instrument in for repair or evaluation. Some of our customers do prefer to have the performance of their instrument checked on a periodic basis especially if they are required by their clients, for example the NRC. We offer these nontraceable recertification’s to include a calibration certificate and Test results for a fee of $300. If you would like us to perform performance verifications and a system evaluation please reserve an RMA and obtain shipping instructions.

Geodes do have an option to have a factory installed oscillator board at extra cost that is used to Test the electronics in the Geode. These are not normally installed for most of our users. Users do have the option to run geophone Tests using the standard equipped Geode Seismograph that can run line continuity and geophone Tests. This can be accessed from the system->tests->Run Geophone/Line Tests. Oscillator boards are typically installed during purchase. Fewer than 5% of the customers purchase that option, that level of QC is typically not necessary. For more information please read the Test box manual. We no longer supply the Test Box to external customers. A description of how to run the Tests if you use the Test box or if you use the internal oscillators is described in Section 2.11.3.1 RUN INSTRUMENT TestS (OPTIONAL ADD-ON FEATURE) of the manual. The latest standard Geode Operations Manual has more information. You can run the Tests outlined in the Geode Operations Manual to detect the bad geophones and spread cables. If you require a calibration certificate for your Geode please consult our Support Note. All Geophysical surveys require interpretation given limited understanding of the site, data from equipment, and ground truthing. Any interpretation provided is the best that can be provided according to the geophysical expertise and experience of the geophysicist.

The trigger connector utilizes pins A and B. When Tested with a DC multimeter on a functional trigger circuit, you should observe approximately 4.5 VDC between these two pins. To verify that the external trigger is being received, you can momentarily short pins A and B while the Geode and SCS software are running on your PC. (A paperclip is commonly used for this purpose.) Each time the pins are shorted, the unit should successfully trigger. For reference, the part number for the trigger connector/cable assembly is: PN 840-00556-01 — ASSY, CABLE, TRIGGER INPUT, GEODE Attachment : image001.png Attachment : image003.png

The hammer switch (trigger switch) that Geometrics seismographs use is a contact closure device that utilizes inertia force to create a momentary closure between the center rod and cylinder located in the enclosed device. The delay from strike to closure can vary based on orientation. The black dot on the switch and instructions were added to assist having a repeatable strike to closure time from usage to usage. However, this is only true for one hammer switch. From one hammer switch to the next there could be a variance however very slight indeed. In SCS there is a setting which lets the user change the sensitivity of the hammer switch to accommodate the natural variance in the trigger switches. To build the switch, we use a tool to center the spring beam in the tube contact, which minimizes the variance in the triggering of the hammer switch between different orientations and natural variations in different hammer switches. Any strike to closure time variance is more affected by the energy of the strike and the momentum produced on the hammer switch. The usage of the black dot to orient the hammer switch for most cases is probably extraneous. We center the beam accurately and suggest the usage of the black spot for mounting repeatability. We left it just to ensure any slight difference due to orientation could be eliminated. Additionally, both the tube and spring beam are Gold plated to reduce and maintain contact resistance. After all this, it depends upon the repeatability of the user’s apparatus.

1. When the transmitter is turned on, the red power light (or green light in later versions) comes on and stays on. The blue light will go into a rapid flashing pattern then settles into a three-flash sequence, for example short-long-short or short-long-long, or something like that. Is that what the transmitter is doing? If not, there are three possible causes of the problem and this will require require swapping parts: Defective dipole cable or shorting plugs are two potential problems. The best Test is to plug the shorting plugs directly into both ends of the Transmitter and turn on. If this works, then add one dipole cable and turn on again. Then add the second cable and power up. If failure occurs with just the shorting plugs then the most likely problem is a battery with a shorted internal cell. This will look like it is fully charged when you measure it with a volt meter, but will not be able to supply the current required to drive the transmitter. Swap out batteries to Test. If swapping the batteries does not resolve the issue and you never get the blue light to start flashing you may have a bad Tx and it would need to be returned to Geometrics. 2. When the receiver is turned on the red power light will come on, then the blue light will flash rapidly, then the blue light will turn off waiting for the receiver to phase lock onto the Tx. Once it locks onto the transmitter the blue light will start flashing at once per measurement. Depending on how conductive the ground is and how far apart the Tx/Rx separation is you may have to wait up to a minute to get the lock. Try it with about a 5 meter separation between the end of the dipoles, i.e. the equivalent to having a 5-meter rope between them. The Rx should lock and start flashing within about 20 seconds. If it never locks on even though the Tx's blue light is flashing then there may be something wrong with the receiver and it would need to be sent back. Remember that the transmitter blue light has to be flashing first. If the Tx is not working the Rx will never detect it and start flashing. 3. With the Rx turned on, even if the blue light is not flashing, when you look at the OhmMapper Test screen on the console do you see the message: Setting Gain, Phase A, Phase B or something similar being updated on the screen every second (or twice per second with the old systems)? If so your console is communicating with the receiver. If not, you have no communication between the Rx and the console so you could have a bad dipole cable, bad optical wand, bad console cable, or a bad receiver. If you have spares of any of these items you can troubleshoot the problem. If you have no spares then you will need to send the system back here for evaluation by submitting an RMA request.

We will provide the example source code for MFAM Dev Kit 'as-is' for your reference and review. Please note that we do not provide any technical support, Maintenance, debugging, or updates for this code. Click below to download: Attachment : Tiva_Interface_EK_Public.zip

Some of the Geometrics magnetometers include a feature, called the "File Cleanup Utility", that removes files that are no longer useful from storage on the instrument. The feature's accessible from the "Support" link in the Settings page in MagNav. You might be reading this post because that page directed you to read this post before using the utility. [This feature is not the same as the feature in MagNav to delete all of a survey's data. That feature removes information only from the database on the Android tablet, and doesn't remove any data in the instrument]. How do I use this feature? If this is the first time you've used this feature, please read the rest of this post before proceeding. Make sure that you're connected via WiFi to the instrument Go to the Settings page in MagNav Select the "Support" link. If your instrument supports this feature, the support page will include a link to "Delete project storage". Tap it. You should see a list of projects, with a name and a "Delete project" button for each project. This feature cleans up the data for all of the surveys in a project. Delete any projects for which you don't want to keep the in-instrument data. You can delete the data for all of the projects that you see, but there's no harm in leaving the files for projects that you're still using. Some projects will show a name similar to this: [c3bd]. These are early projects, in which the user-assigned name was not used in the instrument storage. It's OK to remove the data for these projects. Why do I need to do this? The magnetometers that use MagNav first store data on the instrument, and then sync (or download) the data to MagNav. Some instruments, for which this technical approach makes the instrument more reliable - MagEx, e.g. - do this automatically. Other instruments, such as those that allow disconnected acquisition (e.g. MagStation), store the data until the user re-connects to the instrument and manually starts the sync process. The data stored in the instrument is not of any use once it's been downloaded, but because deletion is slow and for other technical reasons, it's left on the file system in the instrument. As it accumulates, it could eventually interfere with the performance of the instrument and should therefore be deleted. Will this delete any data in the database in MagNav? No, this feature doesn't remove or change any data in the database in MagNav. When should I use this feature? Here are a few guidelines: Run this utility after deleting an entire project. Run this utility after completing a long field survey. Run this utility while doing other instrument Maintenance. Run this utility after you've collected "a lot" of data. Run this utility when you have the impression that the instrument is unresponsive or is behaving sluggishly. Will anything bad happen if I forget to do this? Probably not any time soon; the storage systems on the instrument are large and quite efficient. Geometrics Tests instruments with amounts of data consistent with several years of regular use, and which show no performance issues relating to file storage performance. But don't let it go forever; follow the guidelines above. Can I delete data for projects that I'm still using? Yes, you can, as long as the data has already been synced to the instrument (that happens manually with MagStation and automatically with the other instruments). Once the data has been synced and is visible in MagNav, its presence in the instrument storage is no longer needed.

Our cesium-vapor magnetometers do not require periodic calibration in order to maintain the accuracy as described in our published specification when the instrument is operated within specified environmental ranges. Geometrics cesium-vapor magnetometers are manufactured and Tested based on the discoveries and the basic designs of Carian Associates (U.S. Patent 3,071,721). This method of total magnetic field measurement relies upon the measurement of the optical absorption of a particular cesium spectral frequency by the cesium vapor enclosed in a small glass cell. This method is similar to those used in the measurement of atomic emission and absorption frequencies using spectroscopic reference cells. The technique thus relies on well-known fundamental quantum mechanical constants for accurate and precise measurement of the magnetic field. As a result, no adjustments to the sensor are needed in order to correct or maintain its accuracy and Geometrics sensor and sensor driver electronics are designed to either work correctly or to not work at all and to report both the strength of the magnetic field as well as the strength of the electrical signal produced by the working sensor. In this way, the signal strength measurement provides a direct indication of the operational state of the magnetometer while it is running and serves to alert the operator if the magnetometer encounters environmental conditions that are outside of its operating range. Occasional Maintenance of the instrument at Geometrics facility should be performed when the instrument's internal diagnostics indicate substandard performance as described in the operator's manual. Please contact Geometrics Support for technical advice and additional information pertaining to your specific model.

The batteries used in the portable magnetometer instruments are lead-acid gelled electrolyte batteries. The choice of this type of battery was dictated by their non-magnetic internal construction. We “magnetically compensate” these batteries to further reduce their magnetic signature. We do this with bucking coils which are mounted against the battery surfaces and then an external wrap applied. The batteries should be charged using the charger furnished with the instrument. These chargers are fully automatic and designed to do the best job of charging and maintaining the batteries for long life. All of the chargers are equipped with lights indicating when the battery is being charged and when the charging cycle is completed. The battery packs will provide the most operating cycles when they are fully charged after each use. The number of operating cycles can vary from 250 cycles to above 1000 cycles depending on how deep the discharge was and how soon the battery is charged after use. A 30% discharge per cycle may result in a lifetime of 1000 cycles or more, whereas a 100% discharge per cycle can result in only 250 cycles. As a rule the magnetometer will shut down when the battery is discharged to about 20% of full voltage. This is to ensure proper shutdown of the instrument. It is very important to recharge the battery as soon as possible after use so the maximum life can be expected from the pack. If the discharged pack is left to charge “when we get back from the field” the pack can suffer from “sulphation”. This is a high-resistance buildup in the battery which may render the battery unusable. If a battery of this type must be stored for an extended period, it must be stored in a fully-charged condition. If such a battery is stored discharged and subject to below-freezing conditions, it is likely to freeze and be subsequently unusable. All Lead-Acid batteries must be maintained when in storage. This means that the user must recharge each pack at least once a month. Lead Acid batteries will self-discharge due to stray internal resistances, causing very small drain currents. Thus the Maintenance requirement for monthly recharging is critical to long battery life. Do not leave the charger on all the time during storage. Also it is very important to use discharge the batteries on a regular basis otherwise the lifespan will be severely shortened. For more information contact our Support Department.

1. Hook up Geode in normal configuration to computer Ethernet box. 2. Select Start New Survey. 3. Uncheck Line Tap. 4. Uncheck Aux. 5. Select YES to all pop up menus. 6. Locate lower left corner menu: Seismodule List Window. 7. Note what current loader version under LDVER column of table in Seismodule List Window. (Ex. 2.729) 8. In order to change the LDVER, you must first set up the table in column F from N/A to X by doing the following: 9. Select System pull down menu from the upper task bar. 10. Select Test. 11. Select Update System Board Bios. 12. Select I Agree. 13. Select Browse. 14. To set up table to enable loader version update (LDVER) select the file: GEODEFOR3D-1.0.exe. 15. Select Open. 16. Select Start Burning. 17. Select Yes. 18. Cycle power or shut down controller by using the software. 19. Restart the Geode. 20. Repeat necessary steps to get to Seismodule List Window. 21. Verify value in column is now X. 22. Select System pull down menu from the upper task bar. 23. Select Test. 24. Select Update System Board Bios. 25. Select I Agree. 26. Select Browse. 27. Select from Flash Update File Flash3_703&2_42.exe. 28. Select Start Burning. 29. Select Yes. 30. Verify Power LED light on Geode now blinks 3 seconds on 1 second off. 31. Select OK. 32. Cycle power or shut down controller by using the software.

The MagArrow uses a 3 cell Lithium Polymer battery to power the MagArrow during surveys. The two main requirements for the battery are that it must fit into the battery compartment, and it must be nonmagnetic. Non-Magnetic Batteries: Some types of Lithium Polymer batteries are extremely magnetic. This is because the cell-to-cell connections are made with nickel strips (nickel is extremely magnetic). This makes them unsuitable for use in the MagArrow since they will interfere with the background magnetic field that is being measured. Whether or not the batteries are magnetic is not something that appears on the data sheet, so it is important to choose batteries of a particular construction form factor that in practice has been shown to have a very low magnetic signature. Examples of this battery type will be shown below. There are many brand names for this battery type, and the brand names seems to change frequently. Evaluating the Magnetic Properties of a Battery: Batteries should be measured for magnetic signature before using them. This is especially true when trying a new battery brand just to be sure the battery is not going to affect the survey data. To perform this Test you will need to start a survey with a stationary MagArrow pointing north-south on a nonmagnetic platform (wooden sawhorses, cardboard box, etc). Hold the battery to be Tested immediately over the battery compartment and rotate it in all orientations. Download the data and look for variations in the magnetic field that correlate with the battery rotation. There shouldn't be any correlation above 1 nT peak to peak. Make sure the operator is nonmagnetic when doing this Test (shoes, belts, watches, cell phones, keys, etc. can all corrupt the results). Battery Size and Shape: The correct batteries are rectangular in shape and measure roughly 105x34x24mm. They are made from 3 flat cells stacked up measuring 11.1 volts nominal. They should be between 1800 and 2200 mAh (milliamp-hour). Higher capacity batteries will not physically fit in the battery compartment. Lower capacity batteries will work, but with a reduced run time. One 1800 mAh battery will run the MagArrow for about two hours. The MagArrow power connector is XT-60 so the battery must match. There are other power connector types, but XT-60 is commonly used. The 4-pin balance port connector is a JST-XH4 connector (though this is standard on most batteries). Where to Find Batteries: If you are in an area that doesn't have strict controls on shipping Lithium Polymer batteries, then Amazon.com is a good source. Another good source is hobby stores, or anyplace that sells radio-controlled toy cars, boats, or airplanes. This is typically where this style of battery is used the most. What do the Battery Specifications Mean? 3S: This means it is a stack of three Li-Po cells Voltage: A fully charged 3 cell Li-Po battery measures 12.6 volts. A depleted battery will measure 9.6 volts. Thus, the voltage for this battery is typically labeled as 11.1 volt (the average of 12.6 and 9.6 volts. 35C (or any other "C" value): This is a rating on how much current can be safely drawn from the battery. To get the value in amps, take the milliamp-hour rating and divide by 1000 (to get amp-hours), and then multiply by the "C" value. For a 2200 mAh battery with a 35C rating multiply the 2.2 amp-hour capacity (2200 mAh / 1000) times the C value of 35, which gives a maximum discharge current of 77 amps. The MagArrow draws about 0.6 amps, so any C value is fine - even if is down to 0.5. Battery Chargers: Most battery chargers being sold now are universal chargers which support a variety of rechargeable battery chemistries and output connectors. They come in many sizes and shapes, but most of them operate identically because the internal circuitry is the same. Most chargers will charge at a much faster rate than the MagArrow discharges them, so you technically only need two batteries in the field. A nice feature to look for is the ability to power the charger off 12V as well as with AC power. This will allow charging in the field off a car battery. Be sure to charge in batteries in "Balanced Charge" mode using the battery balance JST-XH connector. This allows more charge current into cells that are more deeply discharged than the others and ensures that the battery gets all three cells completely charged. Battery Safety: Lithium Polymer batteries are small and light but store a tremendous amount of energy inside. This is good for running equipment for long periods of time between charges, but it also means that if something goes wrong and it releases all its energy at once it can be a serious fire hazard. Never charge a lithium battery unattended, charge only in a fireproof location. Batteries that are swollen or damaged should not be used. Dispose of these per local regulations. Be sure to follow all regulations for shipping or hand carrying Li-Po batteries. This may include packaging and labeling requirements, limiting the number of batteries, and discharging the batteries to 30% capacity before shipping. Do not discharge the battery below 9.6 volts (3.2 volts per cell). This damages the battery and could result in destructive decomposition and fire. If a battery that is discharged below a safe level is placed on the battery charger it will refuse to charge it. Batteries that are discharged below 9.6V should be removed from service and disposed of according to local regulations. To download a copy of this document as a PDF, click here. Some example batteries are shown below:

The MagEx uses a 3 cell Lithium Polymer battery to power the MagEx during surveys. The two main requirements for the battery are that it must fit into the battery compartment, and it must be nonmagnetic. Non-Magnetic Batteries: Some types of Lithium Polymer batteries are extremely magnetic. This is because the cell-to-cell connections are made with nickel strips (nickel is extremely magnetic). This makes them unsuitable for use in the MagEx since they will interfere with the background magnetic field that is being measured. Whether or not the batteries are magnetic is not something that appears on the data sheet, so it is important to choose batteries of a particular construction form factor that in practice has been shown to have a very low magnetic signature. Examples of this battery type will be shown below. There are many brand names for this battery type, and the brand names seems to change frequently. Evaluating the Magnetic Properties of a Battery: Batteries should be measured for magnetic signature before using them. This is especially true when trying a new battery brand just to be sure the battery is not going to affect the survey data. To perform this Test you will need to start a survey with a stationary MagEx pointing north-south on a nonmagnetic platform (wooden sawhorses, cardboard box, etc). Hold the battery to be Tested immediately over the battery compartment and rotate it in all orientations. Download the data and look for variations in the magnetic field that correlate with the battery rotation. There shouldn't be any correlation above 1 nT peak to peak. Make sure the operator is nonmagnetic when doing this Test (shoes, belts, watches, cell phones, keys, etc. can all corrupt the results). Battery Size and Shape: The correct batteries are rectangular in shape and measure roughly 105x34x24mm. They are made from 3 flat cells stacked up measuring 11.1 volts nominal. They should be between 1800 and 6000 mAh (milliamp-hour). Higher capacity batteries will not physically fit in the battery compartment. Lower capacity batteries will work, but with a reduced run time. One 1800 mAh battery will run the MagEx for about two hours. The MagEx power connector is XT-60 so the battery must match. There are other power connector types, but XT-60 is commonly used. The 4-pin balance port connector is a JST-XH4 connector (though this is standard on most batteries). Where to Find Batteries: If you are in an area that doesn't have strict controls on shipping Lithium Polymer batteries, then Amazon.com is a good source. Another good source is hobby stores, or anyplace that sells radio-controlled toy cars, boats, or airplanes. This is typically where this style of battery is used the most. What do the Battery Specifications Mean? 3S: This means it is a stack of three Li-Po cells Voltage: A fully charged 3 cell Li-Po battery measures 12.6 volts. A depleted battery will measure 9.6 volts. Thus, the voltage for this battery is typically labeled as 11.1 volt (the average of 12.6 and 9.6 volts. 35C (or any other "C" value): This is a rating on how much current can be safely drawn from the battery. To get the value in amps, take the milliamp-hour rating and divide by 1000 (to get amp-hours), and then multiply by the "C" value. For a 2200 mAh battery with a 35C rating multiply the 2.2 amp-hour capacity (2200 mAh / 1000) times the C value of 35, which gives a maximum discharge current of 77 amps. The MagEx draws about 0.6 amps, so any C value is fine - even if is down to 0.5. Battery Chargers: Most battery chargers being sold now are universal chargers which support a variety of rechargeable battery chemistries and output connectors. They come in many sizes and shapes, but most of them operate identically because the internal circuitry is the same. Most chargers will charge at a much faster rate than the MagEx discharges them, so you technically only need two batteries in the field. A nice feature to look for is the ability to power the charger off 12V as well as with AC power. This will allow charging in the field off a car battery. Be sure to charge in batteries in "Balanced Charge" mode using the battery balance JST-XH connector. This allows more charge current into cells that are more deeply discharged than the others and ensures that the battery gets all three cells completely charged. Battery Safety: Lithium Polymer batteries are small and light but store a tremendous amount of energy inside. This is good for running equipment for long periods of time between charges, but it also means that if something goes wrong and it releases all its energy at once it can be a serious fire hazard. Never charge a lithium battery unattended, charge only in a fireproof location. Batteries that are swollen or damaged should not be used. Dispose of these per local regulations. Be sure to follow all regulations for shipping or hand carrying Li-Po batteries. This may include packaging and labeling requirements, limiting the number of batteries, and discharging the batteries to 30% capacity before shipping. Do not discharge the battery below 9.6 volts (3.2 volts per cell). This damages the battery and could result in destructive decomposition and fire. If a battery that is discharged below a safe level is placed on the battery charger it will refuse to charge it. Batteries that are discharged below 9.6V should be removed from service and disposed of according to local regulations. Some example batteries are shown below: