Painting the Battery

[elect.378]

Can the battery be painted as long as the numbers and other battery information are still visible (not painted)?

[Ricky Q.]

No!

[AdamHeard]

I don't know if any rule specifically forbids it... but I'm thinking it is a bad idea all around. The inspectors usually err on the side of caution and will probably call you on it.

[fledman]

Our rookie year I am pretty sure we painted the batteries; the inspectors told us to never do that again.

[Gabe]

The main reason why you cannot (especially this year) is that inspectors will not be able to see at a glance if you are using illegal batteries.

[geeknerd99]

We put a piece of 1"x6" piece of tape on all of our batteries and put things like "2006" and "PRACTICE USE ONLY" on them. But since the batteries are a lighter shade this year, I don't think we'll have a problem with identifying them. The inspectors didn't seem to care that we had labeled our batteries as such, since the tape didn't cover anything and was rather inconspicuous.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by Gabe

The main reason why you cannot (especially this year) is that inspectors will not be able to see at a glance if you are using illegal batteries.

There's actually a better reason to not paint the battery. Some paints contain solvents which can weaken the plastic case, or cause it to become very sensitive to cracking. The inspectors can't tell at a glance whether the battery is covered in a nice, safe acrylic, or a solvent-based, plastic-eating mess.

On the other hand, I think the general consensus is that labelling the battery with a self-adhesive label (distinct from tape, because of <R35>), permanent marker or conventional paint marker won't hurt it, and is not considered a "modification". (I don't think the Q&A has ever ruled on this, but realistically, you're probably not going to get any grief from the inspectors over a little writing on the side, as long as the battery isn't damaged, and the model information is visible.)

[Molten]

Just out of curiosity... What would be the reason for painting the battery?

[RedHeadRobotics]

I agree, i think that the battery may lose safety features if you paint it. Afterall, even if you paint the rest of the robot it doesn't mean you need to a paint a battery