Keeping batteries during shipping

[Andy Brockway]

According to FIRST Q&A, you do not have to ship your batteries with your robot. I am hoping they followup with a formal rule change in the updates.

D: 1447 Section: 6.3.4 Status: Answered Date Answered: 2/3/2005
Q: Referring to ID 1372 answer, without regard to distance, can we always bring, never ship, batteries?

A: You may always bring batteries. If you ship them in your crate, you must adhere to the battery shipping rules.

[dhitchco]

Andy,
good follow-up on a Q&A, but it also raises some other inconsistencies:

1) In the manual section 6.3.4, it states that the crate MUST include the robot and two batteries; which in turn, must be packed in a special sub-crate per section 6.2.

2) Then, in the team checklist (section 7.16) it states that the team "may want to/must bring" batteries and charger. Does that mean 100% of your batteries or just the backup/spare batteries/charger?

3) Only under special circumstances due to a team's international travel will FIRST be providing batteries at the events (per 7.8.7). But that also raises the issue about air shipment of the batteries even for a domestic non-driving team....Hmmmmm.

3) Lastly, in section 6.7.5, it states that there is early limited pit opening but that the team will be allowed to enter the pit to "uncrate their robot" but "cannot work on the robot". So, does that mean that you can't charge the batteries either? Hmmmm?

[haverfordfords]

Andy,
good follow-up on a Q&A, but it also raises some other inconsistencies:

1) In the manual section 6.3.4, it states that the crate MUST include the robot and two batteries; which in turn, must be packed in a special sub-crate per section 6.2.

2) Then, in the team checklist (section 7.16) it states that the team "may want to/must bring" batteries and charger. Does that mean 100% of your batteries or just the backup/spare batteries/charger?

3) Only under special circumstances due to a team's international travel will FIRST be providing batteries at the events (per 7.8.7). But that also raises the issue about air shipment of the batteries even for a domestic non-driving team....Hmmmmm.

3) Lastly, in section 6.7.5, it states that there is early limited pit opening but that the team will be allowed to enter the pit to "uncrate their robot" but "cannot work on the robot". So, does that mean that you can't charge the batteries either? Hmmmm?

Can we please clarify whether or not we MUST include batteries in our shipment. We are going to ONE LOCAL regional (we are within driving distance - we do not need to fly anywhere), according to the rules, are we ALLOWED to NOT ship ANY batteries in our crate. Can our crate JUST include the robot, and the robot only? Or MUST we REQUIRED TO ship two batteries in the crate, even though we are driving there and could easily take them with us.

To summarize, do we NEEED to place two batteries in our crate, no matter what?

[Ricky Q.]

No you do not need to ship the batteries in the crate if you are going to bring them with you driving.

See Q&A #'s: 1447, 1619, 1626, 1637, 1372.

[Katie Reynolds]

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34777