Quote:
Originally Posted by ozrien
The VRM was designed specifically for FIRST use. Teams need 5V and 12V.
Having boosted 5V and 12V is great because of the different radios teams have collected over the years. And they are boosted to tolerate battery voltage drops.
The radio selection changes year-to-year, the VRM allows us to be flexible and support the widest combo of peripherals. Seems like a good design practice to me.
R37 tells us additional (non-radio) VRMs can be connected to the WAGO slots on the PDP. So you don't have to rely on the 20amp fused weidmuller if that's a concern. Seems like a good solution for camera.
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It was harsh and wrong of me to say it was a poor design decision, because I don't know the design constraints, but it doesn't make sense for my team.
There are definitely ways around that 20A fuse. It just is something to think about/design around. Its illegal to run the radio and anything else(eg camera) off the 5V2A slot.
The radio selection has been a 5v dlink for quite a while. I know my team, at least, doesn't have anything else(unless you count the IFI CS). It is a good idea to plan for different radio styles, though I would predict its either going to be a d-link or a USB radio in the future, I predict this because the wiring diagram released a while ago showed a USB radio. I could definitely be off base though.
All I'm saying 45$ seems like a lot to spend for a 2A unregulated 12vdc to regulated 5vdc converter. I understand that it does other things, but I don't personally forsee ever having a use for those other things. Other teams might, and more power to them.
I would like something that is just an unregulated 12v to regulated 5v converter for about half the price. I'm searching the internet for one. That has to be a thing you can buy. Maybe not though. maybe thats just what regulators cost; I find that hard to believe though, because of the 10-30v to 5v converter available on andymark for 16$.
Edit: I'm not saying its overpriced for what it is, I'm saying its overpriced for what I would use it for(powering a camera or 5v lights).