where do tyou buy the battery connector and circuit breaker

[John Gutmann]

i was wondering where you buy the connectors for the batteries and the circuit breakers because they are going to be for my personal robot that i have built and now improving along, and they are the only one i have seen that work so well

[sanddrag]

http://www.powerwerx.com/category.asp?CtgID=3579
http://www.powerwerx.com/category.asp?CtgID=3578
http://robotcombat.com/marketplace_connectors.html
http://delcity.net/delcity/servlet/c...=193073&page=1

hope that helps.

No guarantee these are the exact parts in the kit, but they should work for your application. The kit battery connectors are the red 50Amp SB series and are not sold with pre-crimped leads. You will have to crimp or solder them yourself. I'm not confident that the circuit breaker is identical, but it looks incredibly similar.

[John Gutmann]

wow, that is fricking awesome, i am so0o happy now!

do you know anywhere to buy batteries that have the same aperage rating but smaller in size then the ones we use?

[sanddrag]

Nope, SLA batteries will always be pretty much that size for that Ah rating. I know where to get you similar ones for cheaper though (probably about $25 for the 17 or 18 Ah) http://www.bb-battery.com/productsbp.asp

Those are the general ones, you can see all their other more expensive ones here http://www.bb-battery.com/products.ASP

[John Gutmann]

what about a battery with a different chemical compound?

[sanddrag]

I don't think you're going to get that kind of capacity outof NiMH or NiCd unless you go in parallel with a bridge rectifier setup. I don't know that much about putting NiCds or NiMHs in parallel. About the NiMH batteries themselves, the most common form is Sub-C size cells with 1.2V each and up to 3800mAh of capacity each. You can buy them preassembled in series in packs for higher voltage. But then you'd want multiple packs in parallel for more capacity. However, I remember hearing that if a bridge rectifier is not used, the current will flow back and forth between the two until they discharge themselves.

[Jeff K.]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

I don't think you're going to get that kind of capacity outof NiMH or NiCd unless you go in parallel with a bridge rectifier setup. I don't know that much about putting NiCds or NiMHs in parallel. About the NiMH batteries themselves, the most common form is Sub-C size cells with 1.2V each and up to 3800mAh of capacity each. You can buy them preassembled in series in packs for higher voltage. But then you'd want multiple packs in parallel for more capacity. However, I remember hearing that if a bridge rectifier is not used, the current will flow back and forth between the two until they discharge themselves.

I don't know much about bridge rectifiers, but I know that putting NiMH or NiCD cells in series can be done. I saw some large packs of batteries somewhere online, I don't remember where, but I remember that they have been used for Battlebot type robots. I also stopped by my LHS to pick up some stuff, and they had large NiMH battery packs that were about 30 or so NiMH cells in 3 series of 10 batteries. It was about 12V at 10Ah, a little smaller than the average batteries we use in FIRST, but it was also very expensive. I'm sure they make chargers for a 12V NiMH pack, but charging it would take a long time because of it's Ah..that is if you want to keep the batteries in the best condition possible for a longer life...And discharging would take quite a while.

Using a SLA battery would be a better choice, less maintenance and plus, you don't really have to discharge them to store them like you would a NiMH pack.

[Gdeaver]

B. g. micro is selling anderson conectors.
http://www.bgmicro.com/pdf/lma.pdf

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Starting off with the bridge rectifier discussion...
Batteries do not need to use diodes when in series. The current SLA battery is six 2 volt cells in series with no diodes. Use diodes (a single diode in series with each battery, not a bridge) when paralleling batteries so that the batteries don't self discharge each other. Diodes are available from RV stores or use Schotky diodes that have a very low forward voltage drop.
Other battery types can give significant currents in the same package size as our current SLA but there are drawbacks like cost, type of charger, and damage potential. And yes, NiCad cells are available that are larger than normal battery sizes.

[BrianBSL]

Just note that Anderson SB series connectors of different colors are keyed differently (you can't use a red and a yellow), so if you wanted to use any FIRST batteries you would have to buy red ones. You can mix the PowerPoles, however.

For the money and the ability to take abuse, you are not going to find anything much better than an SLA. By "amperage rating" do you mean capacity (Amp-Hours) or max discharge current (Amps)?

[John Gutmann]

Originally Posted by BrianBSL

Just note that Anderson SB series connectors of different colors are keyed differently (you can't use a red and a yellow), so if you wanted to use any FIRST batteries you would have to buy red ones. You can mix the PowerPoles, however.

For the money and the ability to take abuse, you are not going to find anything much better than an SLA. By "amperage rating" do you mean capacity (Amp-Hours) or max discharge current (Amps)?

i mean amp hours, and why would i have to buy red ones? cant i just buy 2 of whatever color i want?

and the colors are interchangeable as long as they are the same series with the same amperage rating

[Mr. Lim]

My favorite source for Anderson Power Products:

ROSSPAR

They sponsor FIRST teams in and around the Greater Toronto Area as well, and are based a block away from where I work. The people there are amazing, and I've been known to drop by there on my way home during build season for both connectors and advice.

They carry the vaunted crimping tool for the SB50 series contacts... but recommend soldering them if you don't have a proper crimper. (Fill, melt, dip, release! Works great too!) They would've lent me a crimper, but at the time they'd lent out all their extras.

Also, they were nice enough to inform me why in the past our connectors sometimes wouldn't stay together nicely: There are different contacts for the SB50 connectors with different insertion forces (high detent and low detent). If you mix different types, the result is less than optimal.

-SlimBoJones...

P.S. They have extremely competitive pricing! It's worth calling them to price out what you need, and don't forget to mention you're involved with FIRST robotics!

[John Gutmann]

wow thanks!

[Ken Streeter]

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

i was wondering where you buy the connectors for the batteries and the circuit breakers because they are going to be for my personal robot that i have built and now improving along, and they are the only one i have seen that work so well

For the red Anderson SB50 Connectors, we've had good success with "Helmar Parts," who sells these connectors for about half the price of any of the typical robotics suppliers: http://www.helmarparts.com/product_p/6331g1.htm

Who would have thought that lift trucks would use these connectors?

[Mike AA]

Also, check your local electronics suppliers and places like Granger. I get ours from Granger right when I walk in the door and don't have to wait to order them. To me, if I want it I want it now.... usually.

I use the large connectors, the 350A for in my car. I keep a 2500 Watt inverter with a connector, the secondary battery with a connector in my trunk and a set of jumper cables with a connector. I can start a semi with a minor switch of a wire. I also have it so another car can use the inverter just by using the jumper cables and inverter.

Just make sure you crimp, and as most do, solder the connector on.

-Mike