Opinions on A/M battery cart?

[jvdiv]

They show off the cart in the early stages in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KXdUfH_vhQ#t=83

[ToddF]

Originally Posted by jvdiv

They show off the cart in the early stages in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KXdUfH_vhQ#t=83

1/8" powder coated aluminum. Sweet.

[Richard Wallace]

The AndyMark battery cart looks nice and solid, and appears to make a convenient mentor seat also -- as Andy demonstrated in the linked video.

I also like the RoboPromo battery rack. Unfortunately, that one does not have the useful function that Andy demonstrated. However, it does take up less floor space. And it is quite easy to handle.

[hrench]

Originally Posted by Richard Wallace

I also like the RoboPromo battery rack. Unfortunately, that one does not have the useful function that Andy demonstrated. However, it does take up less floor space. And it is quite easy to handle.

The robopromo one looks really nice, but at one time our team had batteries in a vertical tower and we got the 'sad face' from the safety people because they said batteries need to be close to the floor.

Since then, we've designed a multifunction tool-box cart (and it's even motorized) that has the battery chargers built in.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRST...type=3&theater

It's been a great efficiency booster and I'd recommend that sort of thing. Hard to find room for a dedicated battery box in our crowded pit.

[Travis Hoffman]

Team 48 obtained an AndyMark battery cart and used it throughout our entire 2014 competition season, which includes 3 regionals, the FIRST Championship, the Ohio FRC State Championship, and several local demos. It has held up to whatever abuse we've given to it throughout those events. It rolls up into our trailer just fine.

We also noted the stability issue when using 4 swivel caster wheels and reported it to AM. Glad to hear they are working on that.

We build a wooden cover to slide down over the cart and contain/protect the contents while transporting in our trailer. The cover doubles as a stand when we're in our pit, raising the level of the battery cart and allowing us to use the top as a place for our programming laptop. See attached photo for an idea of the space the cart consumes.

We have the 3-shelf version - six batteries on the lower shelves, and 3 drill battery chargers lying on their side on the top shelf.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by hrench

The robopromo one looks really nice, but at one time our team had batteries in a vertical tower and we got the 'sad face' from the safety people because they said batteries need to be close to the floor.

I hope there was more to it than that. I've never noticed anything in the safety manual about battery altitude.

[hrench]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

I hope there was more to it than that. I've never noticed anything in the safety manual about battery altitude.

No rule book quote, but I can agree with the inspector that vertical batteries aren't safe. Looking at that robopromo, it looks to me like a bad idea to have that many heavy items on such a small footing.

Even the people that bought the Andymark cart say its 'tippy' --do you believe that roboproto stands up without duck-taping it to the pit-leg...?

Batteries smacking the floor could be problematic. If you knock that whole thing over, do you go ahead and compete with five compromised batteries?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by hrench

No rule book quote, but I can agree with the inspector that vertical batteries aren't safe. Looking at that robopromo, it looks to me like a bad idea to have that many heavy items on such a small footing.

Even the people that bought the Andymark cart say its 'tippy' --do you believe that roboproto stands up without duck-taping it to the pit-leg...?

Batteries smacking the floor could be problematic. If you knock that whole thing over, do you go ahead and compete with five compromised batteries?

Looking at the geometry of it, I wouldn't be surprised if the robopromo rack is actually more stable.

[excel2474]

Originally Posted by hrench

No rule book quote, but I can agree with the inspector that vertical batteries aren't safe. Looking at that robopromo, it looks to me like a bad idea to have that many heavy items on such a small footing.

Even the people that bought the Andymark cart say its 'tippy' --do you believe that roboproto stands up without duck-taping it to the pit-leg...?

Batteries smacking the floor could be problematic. If you knock that whole thing over, do you go ahead and compete with five compromised batteries?

As the designer of the Robopromo battery rack, I can tell you that it is quite stable. I have not seen the AndyMark cart in person, so I cannot compare the stability of the two. Our team used 2 of these battery racks for the whole 2014 season and haven't had a problem with them tipping. If you buy one and decide you don't like it, feel free to return it.