Overly Optimistic Battery Estimations?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

now that the circuit breaker specs are out, you will see that you can draw between 300 and 400 % of rated current for 5 seconds before the breaker will trip.

[Bob Steele]

We are a Rookie Team and as such, we are sans extra batteries.
We noticed that in the spec sheet the designation is ES-18-12 -rather than the EX-18-12 designation which is actually on the battery. We have found ES -18-12 batteries (at about $86 each) but cannot find EX-18-12. (FIRST has stated that the EX-18-12 which we received was specially made for the FIRST competition)

When this thread was pursued in another instance we saw that FIRST has said that the EX-18-12 is the correct designation and is the only battery "official" for competition.

We would like to have a couple of extra batteries for use during competition.

This just seems so confusing to us and no one has actually stepped up to the plate to say where we might find an EX-18-12 battery OR whether we could use an ES-18-12 during competition.

By the way, the EXIDE TECHNOLOGIES website is no help either.

Any ideas or advice??

thanks

[Al Skierkiewicz]

You are right the Exide site is not easily navigated and there is no place to search for part number. However the spec sheets are now available on the FIRST docs and they published data on the ES battery so I would bet that is the one you could buy on the open market. My guess here is that the batteries provided in the kits are new product for Exide and we are the test market. If that is the case, they are going to want some feedback from users so keep a log of pros and cons with the new batteries.

[gc02]

Originally posted by Al Skierkiewicz
However the spec sheets are now available on the FIRST docs and they published data on the ES battery so I would bet that is the one you could buy on the open market. My guess here is that the batteries provided in the kits are new product for Exide and we are the test market.

The Powerfit line of batteries is currently only available in europe. The ES18-12 is probably this S312/18 battery relabeled or a variation of it to be released for the US market.

[srawls]

From The FIRST Forums :

The Exide EX18-12 batteries provided in the 2003 Kits are of a "deep cycle" internal construction especially manufactured this year for FIRST Robotics. Regular EX18-12 batteries obtained from a battery retailer will most likely be of a different internal build, and may not have the same reserve capacity as those provided by FIRST. You may use a purchased EX18-12 for practicing, etc., but should use the provided batteries during official FIRST competition matches.

So, it seems that there will be no extra batteries during competition matches, only the two in the kit. Of course, you can use spare batteries for practice and use in the pit, just not the matches.

Stephen

[Bob Steele]

We did purchase a pair of ES-18-12 that are labeled as PowerFIT
I must assume, therefore that these are acceptable as competition batteries?? Does anyone think that we could be disqualified for using this battery in competition?

i hope not
Attached is a pic of the battery we bought

thanks for the help !!!!

Bob

[srawls]

Originally posted by Bob Steele
Does anyone think that we could be disqualified for using this battery in competition?

Please see my previous post, right above yours. I just edited it to emphasize the important part. I'm not sure if you would be disqualified, or what sort of penalty would result, but it seems FIRST only wants teams to use one of the batteries from the kit during official matches.

Stephen

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Robot rules:

Copyright © 2003 FIRST THE ROBOT 7 3.1.2 Battery Recommendations / Cautions
· During any match, only one of the 12 Volt Direct Current Sealed Lead/Acid (SLA) batteries supplied by FIRST may be used to power the robot. You may charge the batteries through the normal operation of the battery charger that FIRST provides.

The "one of two batteries" rule is meant to insure only one battery at a time may be used on the robot.

[srawls]

That's what I thought as well, so I asked the question on the FIRST Forums. Someone else asked it too, and here is his question:

Will we be allowed to purchase additional batteries (Exide EX18-12) to use during the competition? Acknowledging that only one is allowed on the robot at a time.

The answer is what I posted above, the last part of which I will repeat here:

You may use a purchased EX18-12 for practicing, etc., but should use the provided batteries during official FIRST competition matches.

Admittedly it only says you "should" use one of the two batteries provided from FIRST, but I think that can be read as a team is required to use only one of the two provided from FIRST.

Stephen

PS. I really do hope I'm wrong though!

[Andy A.]

Perhaps my team is just odd, but I compared last years batterys with this years, and I can't find a single diffrence. The part numbers are exactly the same. Does this mean they are the same? It makes sense in my head, but there is much talk of this years batterys being diffrent.

-Andy A.