Mounting an Electronics Board Under the Chassis

[TheAtomicWolf]

We are with Team Pronto 3070 and our robot has a board for mounted electronics affixed to the underside of our chassis. We were wondering if this setup was legal for the competition, and we would appreciate any help. Thank you.

[Alan Anderson]

Are the circuit breakers and the lights on your control system components visible for inspection? If not, you'll have a hard time passing. Otherwise, there aren't any rules I can think of that would prohibit what you describe.

It might not be a good idea for other reasons, but that depends on details we don't have.

[jasp]

My team has put electronics on the underside of our robot. As long as the on/off switch and pneumatic valves are easily accessible and the orange blinky light is visible from most angles. We keep those components and cRio on top, the drive motors and talons we put under our baseboard. It was fine last year and should be ok this year too.

hope that helps.

[TheAtomicWolf]

Thank you two for your expedite replies, I have one more question, where in the rules does it specify this?

[cadandcookies]

Thank you two for your expedite replies, I have one more question, where in the rules does it specify this?

Specify what?

Basically, inspectors have to validate section 4.8 and 4.9 (the electronics sections) in the manual for you to be able to compete. If they are able to do so, you are following all (electronics) rules relevant to this question.

If you're asking where specifically upside down electronics boards are allowed, I would refer you back to my favorite FLL/DI philosophy: "If it doesn't say you can't, you can."

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Please open the Robot Rules, Section 4 and search for "visible". In addition to these rules, mounting the electronics on the underside of the robot (especially upside down) subjects the heart of your robot to all of the debris on the field. In addition, gravity works against you and will pull on things like the breakers, dirt to damage items at any inconvenient time. Your Robot Inspector will be happy if you mount everything where it can be seen from the top of the robot.