[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK, time for a break here...
The static buildup most of you are experiencing is the plastic wheels moving inside a metal housing and the wheels slipping on the plastic floor. Plastic being an operative word here as it is non conducting. Therefore any of the normal methods one uses to dissipate charge have no effect since there is no path for the static to drain off other than through the humidity in the air.
The robot frame is insulated from the control and electrical system for one very important reason, we want you to be able to play. If you were allowed to add fuses or any other kind of protection device, when they tripped your robot would be dead in the water. The simple act of isolating the electrical system from the frame of the robot prevents abnormal robot to robot contact from taking you out of the match. A side benefit is that the control system remains unharmed and the chance of fire is reduced. Remember that the battery is capable of over 600 amps when fuly charged for about 7000 potential watts.
In addition to all of this protection, there is a 3 amp breaker built into the PD in the negative lead of the Crio power to protect the Crio from any stray shorts that may develop. (Thanks Russ and Erik) Please remember that Inspectors will be checking for electrical shorts to robot frame. Most often these come from poorly insulated sensors but this year will also come from the Crio and camera. Both of these devices must be insulated from the robot frame per R41...


<R41> All wiring and electrical devices, including all control system components, shall be electrically isolated from the ROBOT frame. The ROBOT frame must not be used to carry electrical current (e.g. this is necessary due to polarity reversals that occur under certain operating conditions such as during motor direction reversals).
The chassis for the cRIO Mobile Device Controller and the supplied camera have grounded enclosures. Under this rule (and for their protection), it is REQUIRED that they be electrically isolated from the ROBOT frame when installed on the ROBOT.

You are probably asking yourself 'has he really seen anything like this before?' and the answer would be YES. Smoke, flame, and robots out of commission. I know that inspectors may give you pause but our job is to insure that you play as long as you want or can. We want to see you play and will do everything in our power to insure that.