More than one power distribution board

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by zbrozek

The provided one has less-than-deluxe connectors...

Originally Posted by magnets

I agree with the connectors part, those WAGO things are awful...

What specifically do you think is wrong with the Wago connectors? I find them amazingly convenient, capable, and reliable.

[SoftwareBug2.0]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

What specifically do you think is wrong with the Wago connectors? I find them amazingly convenient, capable, and reliable.

It requires a specialized tool to use and the intuitive way to use that tool is likely to break something.

[geomapguy]

Originally Posted by SoftwareBug2.0

It requires a specialized tool to use and the intuitive way to use that tool is likely to break something.

You can just use a flathead screwdriver

[MrBasse]

Originally Posted by SoftwareBug2.0

It requires a specialized tool to use and the intuitive way to use that tool is likely to break something.

We have abused ours pretty well for several years and never broken one.

[geomapguy]

Originally Posted by MrBasse

We have abused ours pretty well for several years and never broken one.

Is there really a WAGO tool????

[MrBasse]

Originally Posted by geomapguy

Is there really a WAGO tool????

Yeah, here is one on amazon

Dang, there actually is one: WAGO

Looks like an insulated electricians screwdriver...

[Christopher149]

Originally Posted by MrBasse

Yeah, here is one on amazon

Dang, there actually is one: WAGO

Looks like an insulated electricians screwdriver...

I remember having one with a white, cylindrical handle with WAGO printed on. We lost it a couple years ago.

[tStano]

Originally Posted by Christopher149

I remember having one with a white, cylindrical handle with WAGO printed on. We lost it a couple years ago.

They must have come in the kit at some point. We have one exactly like that as well. I find it much much easier to use than a flathead screwdriver; prolly the angles on it.

[Alan Anderson]

The only thing specialized about the official Wago tool is the slippery coating that makes it a tiny bit easier to use than a standard small screwdriver. I typically use the kind that's often given away as a promotional item. (We're actually using a ground-down right-angle Allen wrench on our PDB this year because of a specific spacing issue in the robot.)

What does "intuitive" mean? Push the tool into the slot and the connector opens up. Pull it back out and the connector closes. I suppose you could break something if you got silly and tried to turn the handle while it was inserted, or if you tried to pry the plastic apart with it, but neither of those seem like an obvious thing to do.

[SoftwareBug2.0]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

The only thing specialized about the official Wago tool is the slippery coating that makes it a tiny bit easier to use than a standard small screwdriver. I typically use the kind that's often given away as a promotional item. (We're actually using a ground-down right-angle Allen wrench on our PDB this year because of a specific spacing issue in the robot.)

What does "intuitive" mean? Push the tool into the slot and the connector opens up. Pull it back out and the connector closes. I suppose you could break something if you got silly and tried to turn the handle while it was inserted, or if you tried to pry the plastic apart with it, but neither of those seem like an obvious thing to do.

By intuitive I mean that if you tell someone to do it with no further instructions they are likely to do it the right way. If people just naturally did it right the warnings on page 9 of this document would not be needed.

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...tion_Board.pdf

[zbrozek]

I'm not sure what the per-unit cost targets are, but I tend to use electronic overcurrent circuits. They've gotten remarkably capable and reasonably-priced in recent years. They're also amazingly compact.

I would also like to see an Ethernet switch integrated onto the power distribution board, with 12v and GND going to each pair of magnetic center taps. Then you could use a Ubiquiti Pico- or Nanostation and an Axis PoE-capable camera and get rid of a whole class of wires.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by zbrozek

I'm not sure what the per-unit cost targets are, but I tend to use electronic overcurrent circuits.

Have you seen something that can protect 40 amp wiring and still function at the 130 amp stall of a CIM for a short period of time?

[zbrozek]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Have you seen something that can protect 40 amp wiring and still function at the 130 amp stall of a CIM for a short period of time?

Yup. Infineon makes excellent FETs, and Linear Technology makes excellent surge protection control ICs that drive them. BOM cost is a little high at about $8/channel in qty 1 from Digikey (so assume 1/10th that or less at any decent scale). They have capacitors to set the allowable overcurrent time. One of the circuits I built at work hard limits at 180A and is intended for 60A continuous. Consumes a little less than a square inch.

[Isaac501]

Originally Posted by SoftwareBug2.0

By intuitive I mean that if you tell someone to do it with no further instructions they are likely to do it the right way. If people just naturally did it right the warnings on page 9 of this document would not be needed.

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...tion_Board.pdf

Like anything else in FIRST, using specialized hardware (the PDB) requires learning and mentoring. Since I lead the wiring team, I make sure to show the students the proper method before letting them hurt themselves (possible) or break our parts or tools.

"Just do it" is a recipe for broken hearts and broken hardware. It fosters creativity and learning, absolutely, but at the cost of safety and time/money/resources.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Everyone,
One of the biggest errors in terminating to the WAGO connectors is improper stripping of the insulation. WAGO recommends 5/8" to insure good contact inside the terminal. If you do that, and insert the wire so no copper is showing, then you have a good contact with the wire and it will not pull out. Please remember that these terminals are used in production environments and industrial installations. Installers rarely will insert the tool fully, they simply have learned the "feel" of inserting the tool, lifting while inserting the wire and then dropping the tool to lock the wire. While it takes two handed coordination, an experienced installer will take about 1 second for each termination.