[Bill_B]

I consider 6 batteries to be an absolute minimum for a competition. Now that we are a district, with 12 matches (at least) per event, this became an even more solid conviction. We have a charger cart with four chargers that makes us comfortable with 8 batteries. This partly due to doing only one match per battery and monitoring the battery state after each match just before it joins the charging cycle. At matches we set the charge rate to 4a.

Giving each battery a name will also help you keep track of the good versus the marginal performers and allow a cogent cycle of use to be formed for them. We use a battery beak to monitor the battery state. They are pricey, but the beak helps you manage your several hundred dollar investment in electron storage and feel confident that your robot has as decent a chance at getting through a match as you can give it. You also get the chance to see which of your stable of energy may only be suitable for practice or control system testing.