[de_]

Its my understanding the correct answer is the 12v port on the PDB is highly regulated (ie if the battery voltage droops way down under super high instanteous load (8v, 6v perhaps lower) the output of the port will still be 12v). The finned 12v to 5v converter module is not so regulated (ie the 5v might collapse if the 12v it sees droops below say 10v. But that will not happen its source is the 12v port on the PDB that it is so highly regulated. Clearly FIRST wants the bridge to have 5v at all costs to reduce loss of connection glitchs.

We know this to be true because last year we accidently wired the finned converter to a standard 12v circuit breaker source and gots of loss of connection errors as the battery voltage faded. Clearly the finned regulator regulation had limits.

I have no idea what the regulation specs on the 5v port on the PDB is. You would think it would need excellent voltage regulation for the camera.