View Single Post
  #3   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 27-01-2003, 23:47
Andy A. Andy A. is offline
Getting old
FRC #0095
Team Role: Coach
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,014
Andy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond repute
The breakers are thermal, meaning that they sense current by how much they heat up. The more current you pull, the quicker they heat up.

Don't take the 30 amp rating at face value. In reality, you can pull much more for 2 minutes and never trip the breaker once. Exaclty how much for how long is a little subjective, but I belive the curves are avalible. When you do trip one, depending on the circumstances, it should reset within 5 seconds. However, when it resets, it will still be hot, and even currents less then its rating will cause it to trip.

Some teams have reported that spraying the breakers with cool-in-a-can just before a match slows their tripping. This makes sense, since if they start cold they have that much more heat to build up. This is a bit of legal gray area, since it circumvents the point of the breakers (30 amp breakers become 60 amp breakers). But, since the breakers let so much current by anyways...

Its up to you, since there is no rule against it, but it isn't completly legal, or illegal.

-Andy A.