Power distribution board help.

[Killian2313]

Team 2389 here, how do you hook up more than 8 Motor controllers to a Power distribution board?

[Jon Stratis]

You can hook motor controllers up to 20 or 30 amp circuit breakers. Just be aware that those motors won't have as much current available... you'll want to use the 2014 motor data sheet provided by FIRST to help you decide which motors to put on which breakers to avoid tripping them.

[jwallace15]

There shouldn't be an issue doing this. There are 19 open ports for motors (18 if you are using pneumatics, as your compressor needs to go on as well).

[Killian2313]

I was under the impression that a motor controlor (like a tolon or vex) had to be hooked up to the 40 amp breakers.

[jwallace15]

It all depends on what kind of current the motors will be drawing. For example; it's a better idea to put your drive motors on a 40 amp breaker than 20 amp ones since they will typically draw the most current.

That being said, keep in mind Table 4-3 from the game manual; You have to use a minimum wire size depending on what breaker you put in the circuit.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Killian2313

I was under the impression that a motor controlor (like a tolon or vex) had to be hooked up to the 40 amp breakers.

No, any motor controller can always be used with a smaller breaker. Just note that certain motors MUST use a motor controller, while others may use one or a Spike relay (at your option).

[Gregor]

Running motors off <40A circuits is ok. Be sure to pay attention to the table in R47.

Originally Posted by jwallace15

There shouldn't be an issue doing this. There are 19 open ports for motors (18 if you are using pneumatics, as your compressor needs to go on as well).

Not quite. The PDB has 20 standard 12v ports. The sidecar needs 1, the analog breakout on the CRIO needs 1.

If you're running pneumatics, the compressor needs one, and most likely the solenoid breakout needs one too (since most teams run 12v solenoids off the analog breakout).

[jwallace15]

Originally Posted by Gregor

The sidecar needs 1.

That's why I said 19 open ports. I didn't think about having the solenoid breakout on 12V either, as I remember using 24V for it last year.

Edit: I didn't know about the analog breakout board though.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

That's why I said 19 open ports.

And every team also needs to power the analog breakout.