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Unread 26-09-2014, 08:28
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Paul Copioli Paul Copioli is offline
President, VEX Robotics, Inc.
FRC #3310 (Black Hawk Robotics)
Team Role: Engineer
 
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Re: Looking for slip rings and distributors

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz View Post
Tristan,
You must have missed my earlier post. I did check with Mercotac engineering, earlier this year. Their response was that mercury spills were a reality when the maximum current or the mechanical specifications (specifically misalignment of the two rotating bodies and excessive vibration) are exceeded. There is a difference between "mercury wetted contacts" and using mercury as a contact. These fit into the latter category. For more info please refer to their literature... http://www.mercotac.com/html/literature.html
All of these documents discuss the need to correctly dispose (must be recycled) of these contacts due to the mercury they contain. In almost every paragraph of the two application sheets, connector failure is mentioned as a danger. In the case of a mercury spills on an FRC field does the amount or cleanup procedure really matter? Any is too much!

Al,

I think the underlying theme of this thread is that the FRC rules have been unclear, at best. It looks like your opinion is clear so please help reduce an obvious Q & A question and use your influence to get the 2015 FRC rules to be clear on this issue.

Paul
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In full disclosure I am the President of VEX Robotics, a division of Innovation First International.