Team update #8

[Rob Colatutto]

http://www2.usfirst.org/2004comp/tmup8.pdf

Update 8 is now out for your enjoyment.

[sanddrag]

So what happens if a team has already removed their blue wires from the drill motors? We used 8 guage soldered right on there last year and it was fine. If you are careful and good at soldering, you shouldn't have a problem with that.

Besides, that is a really small wire for how much current passes through there at times. Everyone remembers the problems with them desoldering themselves last year.

I'd much rather FIRST made this just an advisory statement rather than a requirement.

[_GP_]

Section 5. The Robot

Caution advised regarding the ½” drill motors. You may not replace the blue wires, however, you may shorten them such that there is a minimum of 1.5 inches still attached to the motor and solder heavier gauge wire to their cut ends. Do not attempt to unsolder the blue wires from the brush housings. The plastic brush support housing will distort if exposed to soldering temperatures and the alignment of the brushes will be affected, which can permanently degrade motor performance.

On one of our motors the blue wires fell off and we were forced to solder them back on.... I guess we will have to order a new motor now I wish we had known of this problem earlier

[Mike Norton]

Has anybody ask the question about if you already took the blue wires off the drill motors. If so what do we do. Do we just put them back on and say nothing happen or do we have to buy new ones.


We did not have a problem soldering to the motors in the past or now. We are 4 weeks into it and they change the rules that can't be fixed if already done??????????????????????????????

[KenWittlief]

bottle of Testors light Blue enamel paint? One dollar and seventy five cents.

Not having to put the original wires back on? Priceless!

for everything else, theres MasterCard.

[Adam Y.]

I wonder if there actually is damage done to the motors when they are unsoldered without any "problems". Someone with a tachometer should see.

[_GP_]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

I wonder if there actually is damage done to the motors when they are unsoldered without any "problems". Someone with a tachometer should see.

well when our blue wires fell off one of our motors, we attempted to solder them back on, but in doing so we damaged one of the brushes... the motor works, but I'm still going to order a new one