5 Volt PD Board Splicing

[Superllama12]

We have found some places that the analog breakout module should go to the 5V slot on the PD board (we have tested it and it works). However, the camera should also go there. I have looked through the rules, and this year, we are allowed to connect up to three sets of cables to the 5V slot; however, can this break the module? I have done some reasearch, and several people have said that running the module through the 20 amp breaker on the PD board is too much power. Otherwise, could we possibly hook the camera up through some resistors into the 20 amp slot on the PD board? Thanks!

[EricVanWyk]

Can you please link us to the documentation that led to these conclusions?

• We have found some places that the analog breakout module should go to the 5V slot on the PD board

• I have looked through the rules, and this year, we are allowed to connect up to three sets of cables to the 5V slot

• running the module through the 20 amp breaker on the PD board is too much power

Otherwise, could we possibly hook the camera up through some resistors into the 20 amp slot on the PD board? Thanks!

No. This is unsafe.

[RyanN]

Originally Posted by Superllama12

We have found some places that the analog breakout module should go to the 5V slot on the PD board (we have tested it and it works). However, the camera should also go there. I have looked through the rules, and this year, we are allowed to connect up to three sets of cables to the 5V slot; however, can this break the module? I have done some reasearch, and several people have said that running the module through the 20 amp breaker on the PD board is too much power. Otherwise, could we possibly hook the camera up through some resistors into the 20 amp slot on the PD board? Thanks!

The Analog Breakout board is supposed to be wired to a 12V port on the PD board, with a 20A breaker. You can add an inline fuse to add extra protection, but the Analog Breakout board should have overload protection built in, so it's really not needed.

The Analog Breakout board's 5V output is rated for 3A.

Try to read up how breakers work. I agree, 20A is too much for the analog board, but it's not going to pull 20A. It will only pull as much current as it needs, that's how electricity works. 20A is the limit of current. Once 20A passes through the breaker for some amount of time, it will trip, breaking the flow of current, and protecting the circuit.

Basically, just do what the manual says to do. Please read it. If you're questioning this, I wonder how many other things you might be messing up. Please read the manual.

To add what to EricVanWyk said, DON'T connect the camera to the 12V output, unless you want to burn up your $180 camera immediately.

[Superllama12]

Yeah, we weren't planning on using that for the camera

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Brandon,
There is no place for a 5 volt power supply input to the analog breakout board. The power input to this breakout is required to be wired to a 12 volt output on the PD. There is a 5 volt supply on this module that will produce 5 volts when correctly wired to the 12 volt supply. While the analog breakout can connect to sensors that vary between zero and 5 volts, those are not power inputs.