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Posted by Michael Betts.

Engineer on team #177, Bobcat Robotics, from South Windsor High School and International Fuel Cells.

Posted on 2/3/2000 10:08 AM MST


In Reply to: Problems, problems . . . posted by Frank Saladino on 2/2/2000 9:48 PM MST:



Frank,

Never, NEVER do that! I have been involved in FIRST for 6 years now and have developed a HUGE respect for the power of the motors we use.

Always use the BOM controller with circuit breakers and fuses as required. Do NOT short cut the system. The batteries can produce thousands of amps in a short circuit condition. The wires can and will melt and literally explode!

ALWAYS have a safety person assigned with a string attached to the 60 amp fuse so that he can positively kill power. Do this the first time after you change any physical of software configuration. Four years ago, we almost clocked a student from another team in the pits at the NE regional when we made a 'small' software change and our arm 'took off'.

Every year I demonstrate the power in the motors by sacrificing a few pencils in the gears, chains and sprockets. Never let anyone (not even adults) work on the robot (or stick their fingers into the gears) while power is applied. Pull the fuse!

Mike

: We knicknamed our robot the LSOB. Guess what that means . . .
: It knocked out dept. chairman on his butt during a test.

: While trying out a new drive system(without the controllers, hot wired.) it took off out of the shop, went under a truck, and down the road. . .

: Took us an hour to find the little rat. Seemed there was a totaled VW in the parking lot with the owner mad as heck.

: Also knocked over a Snap on roll away toolbox during another test. I guess we should be more careful...

: Oh, well. We are a rookie team and just trying to figure this stuff out. Good luck all.