[Al Skierkiewicz]

K,
This is a time that I must suggest you contact a veteran team in your area for a couple of hours of discussion. There are a lot of documents on line both here and on the First site that can help. Please look for my electrical presentation. While somewhat dated, most of it is accurate. For my money, here is a list of do's.
1. Mount the PD and battery close to the center of gravity on your robot and make sure they won't fall off when your robot turns over. You can't run if the battery is laying on the floor. Insulate your battery terminals ASAP and keep them insulated at all time. The fully charged battery can supply over 500 amps. That is enough to weld metal, melt tools, and cause sparks.
2. Mount the PD and battery in the center of your electrical loads/speed controllers, this helps with losses and keeps wiring short.
3. Mount the 120 Amp breaker close the PD and battery but in a position where it is easily accessible to someone who has never seen your robot and who is trying to keep your robot from setting itself on fire.
4. Keep power wiring short! Yep, I think it's that important to mention twice. Data, PWM, CAN bus, sensor and pneumatic solenoid wiring can all be long without any bad effects. Power wiring is a different story.
5. Make sure your Crio is electrically isolated from the chassis.
6. Make sure you supply power to all analog and digital sidecars and that you include the +5 volt regulator connected to the marked 12 volt supply connector a the end of the PD. This regulator will feed your wireless gaming adapter.
7. Be sure to wire the Crio to the dedicated +24 output on the end of the PD.
8. Make sure you do not have any whiskers sticking out of your connectors, anywhere on the robot and insulate all connections.
9. If you use crimp connectors, use the "tug test" to insure all crimps are properly made. Grasp the terminal in one hand and the wire it is attached to in the other and tug like crazy. If the connector pulls off the wire, replace it and try again. Loose connectors fail and heat up.
10. Use the color code and wire size minimums listed in the robot rules. Using small wire with small breakers won't allow the performance from motors that you expect. CIM motors draw 133 amps when stalled. If you use #18 wire and 20 amp breakers smoke will result.


And as a PS, read the manual, three times at least today. Then reread a couple of more times and then be aware that Team Updates are published every Tuesday and Friday which will modify the manual. Those changes will initiate a manual revision. Last year we were at Revision K at the Champs.