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Unread 24-01-2005, 01:48
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AKA: Mike Aalderink
FRC #3458 (Code Blue)
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Re: Backup battery will not power RC

Quote:
Originally Posted by russell
I add my vote to the "its the new firmware" column. Ours does the same thing, and I have been wondering why. But even our 2004 bot does it (yes all of our batteries are fully charged), but I did update the firmware on it so I think that is why. I think this is so you dont have to always unplug the backup battery (a serious pain) just to turn the bot off. I was told that the backup battery was supposed to stop you from losing data when the battery goes dead, so I am guessing this new firmware just does some sort of safe shut down sequence in those last few seconds. Or something. I thought EEPROM was not supposed to loose data but whatever.

Mike: In previous years (last year anyway) when you shut down main power, if you had a backup battery plugged in the control system would continue functioning until the backup battery is unplugged. This new firmware seems to change things so that the robot still shuts down, it just waits a few seconds.
I understand that, I would have to guess its to save the battery and also acts like a "UPS" incase of a shortterm surge on the main. I would guess that if you still have a small amount left on the mail it would keep going getting a "blip" from the main. I like the function that it turns of as lastyears's team got annoying to turn it off or unplug it.