[Phil Mack]

While the device may not be robustly designed, the user neglecting to properly check connections before applying power is hardly a design flaw. All of engineering is about trade offs, and the designers of this board traded simplicity of design, lower production cost, and the ability to accept a wider input voltage for a need of greater diligence on the part of the user.

In any case take this as a lesson to check your work... improperly wiring the IR board may cost you a dollar and a few minutes, but mproperly wiring the RC may cost you $450 and your team's capacity to develop software for this year's competition.

~Phil