Only two batteries allowed this year?

[DKolberg]

According to R51 you may only use one of the two 12V batteries provided. Does this mean we are limited to bringing only two batteries for the competition?

[Tristan Lall]

Actually, the rule is badly written. I had the same thought initially, before I read the electrical section of the rules. What they mean (and say later) is that spares are allowed. They should have striken the reference to quantity from that bullet in <R51>.

[generalbrando]

I don't agree it's that clear. I think this should go to the Q&A system for clarification. It seems FIRST may mean to limit you to just two batteries on purpose! This way they can ensure that veterans and better funded teams don't have an advantage by having extra batteries.

[Alan Anderson]

Read the rule a little further.

Originally Posted by <R51>

The only legal main source of electrical energy on the robot is one of the two 12v DC non-spillable lead acid batteries provided in the Kit of Parts, or a spare of the same part number...The only 12V battery that may be used on your robot during competition (Friday and Saturday) is the Exide model EX18-12. (Additional EX18-12 batteries may be purchased through your local Exide supplier.) You may use other equivalent 12V batteries during Thursday practice rounds.

You're not limited to only the two provided in the kit.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

And just a reminder to all teams, it helps inspection if you don't paint the battery or try to cover it with some type of material. (colored tape for instance) Batteries must be clearly identifiable as the ES-18 or EX-18 battery. Don't accept substitutes (other part numbers that claim the same characteristics.) if you are purchasing additional spares.

[ChuckDickerson]

This same discussion comes up year after year. Here is the exact same thread from last year.

I think the confusion occurs as a result of FIRST's use of "in addition to". It seems to mean different things in different places in the manual to different people. We are not allowed to use motors "in addition to" but we are batteries as long as they are the same as the ones that came in the KoP (of course only one at a time). The whole breaker panel "in addition to" the power distribution stuff in this years KoP is another example. FIRST could clear all this up every year if the wording was changed in some places to "as well as" or "instead of".

[Windward]

Are we allowed to lay the big main battery on its side?

[devicenull]

Originally Posted by Windward

Are we allowed to lay the big main battery on its side?

Yes, any direction is fine (although you should NOT charge it upside down, and mounting it upside down may be a bad idea)

[Uberbots]

they only write this rule so that you suse more then one battery on the robot, therefore giving you an advatage power wise ove rthe resot of the theams.
but yea, that rule caught me by suprise, but i figured it was just worded badly. infactly, ignoreded it did i.

[Katie Reynolds]

Originally Posted by DKolberg

According to R51 you may only use one of the two 12V batteries provided. Does this mean we are limited to bringing only two batteries for the competition?

The wording of R51 is the same last year as this year. Here's the Q&A from last year:

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Q: Does this mean that only two batteries are allowed at a competition? If this is such a problem FIRST should consider no shipment of batteries and supplying them at competitions!

A: You can bring other batteries to the competiton. The only batteries that can be used during competition are the Exide batteries provided in the 2005 kit. We will not be providing batteries at competitions.
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Q: Please be exact. Are teams allowed to purchase additional batteries as the rules say and use these identical batteries during competition or are teams required to "ONLY USE SHIPPED THE KIT battery? Recharge time and cycle life is limited.

A: You may purchase identical batteries and use them.
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Q: Question 1008 said you can only use the Exide batteries provided in the 2005 kit. Question 1137 says you can purchase identical batteries and use them. How many can be used at the competition?

A: There is no limit to the number of batteries that can be brought to a competitionas long as the requirements of <R46> are met.
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Q: Can we use previous years' batteries? Having only 2 batteries (which last only 1 or 2 rounds) will not last the entire day on Friday. The batteries take hours to fully charge-2 aremn

A: You may use batteries from prior years as long as they are the same make and model as the competition batteries. Note: EX18-12 and ES18-12 batteries are equivalent batteries.
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I can't imagine it being any different this year.