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Originally Posted by Godzilla!
If you want to insure that your question gets answered - please go to the moderated section of the fora and there is a thread for questions for the Championships.
Ron
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The question finally got read and answered and the reply was that it would be OK, but it would need to be powered from the Exide 12V battery.
This reply is understandable, but a bit disapointing, since there seems to be some precedent for allowing such self powered decorations in the past.
Modifying the camera's power supply to get what it needs
from the onboard 12V battery makes the rig more complex,
more prone to failure, less reusable post competition, and less portable.
I was hoping for some answer that was in line with this note from the 2006_Welcome_to_Robot_Inspection-Rev_D.pdf (page 5):
Energy Sources: No energy sources are permitted other than a single Exide ES/EX18-12 battery, 7.2V backup battery, compressed air supplied by the Thomas compressor (either on or off the robot) and stored within the pneumatics (all components from the kit), dropping of robot’s center of gravity and "safe" deformation of robot components (e.g. springs). No flywheels. Teams may use additional batteries to provide power for decorations but the batteries and circuitry must be completely isolated (electrically) from the robot control circuitry. In addition, the Exide battery must be securely attached within the robot.
not withstanding the fact that the same document states just the opposite on page 6:
Decorations: Cannot affect outcome of match, cannot broadcast using wireless communication without clearance from FIRST Engineering, cannot employ 900MHz cameras, cannot use electrical power unless drawn from Exide 12V battery via either 20A or 30A circuit breaker
Any way, we will have the parts in Atlanta and time will tell if we can configure them acceptably for use during the competition.