'Old' Motors

[Dan 550]

I know the rules have been a little fuzzy on this topic before, but they look especially fuzzy now. This would be the topic of re-using motors. Can we use old drill motors, FP 'old smokey' motors, seat motors & tracks, torque motors, and the discontimued van door motors and the old window motors? I honestly can't get an answer out of FIRST on this topic without calling them, which I really don't want to do, so I turn to you. Can we use them?

[kiracofe8]

For the discontinued van door motors, I'd bet my life's savings that you're not allowed to use them. For the window lifts, probably not, because the window lifts this year are a slightly different style. As far as the other motors go, since they are identical to last year's motors, I think you could use them, but only as spare parts. E.g., you're given three drill motors in the kit this year, so if you happen to burn one out and then end up re-using one from last year as a replacement, I don't think that would be a problem, but if you used *four* drill motors, that wouldn't be ok (b/c it wouldn't be fair to the rookie teams who didn't get any motors last year).

[Dan 550]

All teams, including rookies, can buy motors, so I don't want to get into the fairness topic. Do you want to get rid of all non-rookie teams each year, due to the fact that experience would give other teams an 'unfair advantage'? No, and parts do not give an advantage either. Teams did pay for them all -- with their $5000+ from the previous years.

[kiracofe8]

Well, yeah, rookies can buy things, but you didn't ask if you could go buy more drill motors, you asked if you could re-use old drill motors... but I suppose that's splitting hairs... Ok, I'll concede the point about fairness...
But, I still say: There are no motors on the additional hardware list, there are no motors in small parts, and as far as kit parts go, the rule has always been (for the five years I've been doing FIRST, at least), what you see is what you get.

[Matt Leese]

Officially, no motors from past years can be used on the robot. Often there are slight differences in the motors that are supplied year to year.

Matt

[Smeg-asurus]

This question of extra motors is one my team cannot decide on. I was told that, for example, you cannot use 4 drill motors where only 3 are supplied for example.

But I read the rule book and found no such rule limiting the number of motors used.
Considering fairness, rookies are rookies. My team was picked for an alliance our first year, which shows it can be done.

Can anyone find a rule that limits the number of motors???????
I know the book says you can use the motors in the kit, but does it mean ONLY the few that are provided or can we use any number of a type of motor that is in the kit???

I have a thread going on this topic on this site under rules/strategy. The link below may work.



http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...&threadid=1588

[P.J. Baker]

Rule K1 covers this indirectly.

It limits the materials used to construct the robot to those supplied in the kit, purchased from small parts, or used form the additional hardware list.

there are no motors on the additional hardware list. therefore, you may only use the ones supplied in the kit.

P.J.