Using ground stem for power distribution

[steven114]

I'm currently using the ground stem as a power distribution - I have a bunch of connectors bolted on. It is properly insulated, very small chance of anything going wrong. It does not touch the robot frame, etc. Is this legal? I am using it in place of the power distribution brick, as it is smaller, lighter, and can use the right size wiring. I see no problems, but I wanted to check. Also, people keep saying that you must adhere to the power distribution chart. The way I read the rules is that this is a suggestion, not absolute law. What's the ruling on this?

Thanks,
Steven

[Tom Bottiglieri]

You MUST use the ground stud as a gatherer for all the incoming grounds. In the set up you have now, this is not possible.

[Dave Flowerday]

Originally Posted by ToMMan b182

You MUST use the ground stud as a gatherer for all the incoming grounds.

Apparently not, from the Q&A today:

Q: According to the "robot power distribution diagram", all ground wires go thru the ground stud. R44 allows connecting directly to the fuse panels. Can we loop from panel to panel (as shown for the red+) or is the ground stud required?
A: Either way is acceptable.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

hmmm, i wasnt aware of that update.. thanks for keeping an eye out!

[jacob_dilles]

okay but is the ground stud required on the robot or can we use a replacement equivilent (ground bus) our team never got a ground stud and there fore it was never mounted.. you see where this is going

[KenWittlief]

I would not use the ground stud as a +12V stud - its too open and could be easily shorted to the chassis by a stray piece of metal, or a loose screw.

[jacob_dilles]

i wouldent try to use it as a +12v stud (lol thats what the main breakers for) but i was just wondering if we needed it at all. the q/a above is kinda blury, i read it as not all of the grounds have to go thrugh the stud. but do any of them have to?

[KenWittlief]

no you dont need to use it, and if you do there should only be 3 wires on it - one coming from the battery

one to the buss box that takes #6 wire on one side and #10 on the other

and one to the ground stud on the small breaker box.

Its much easier to put the #10 wires on the buss box, and on the ground pushon terminals of the smaller breaker box than to have an octapus on the ground stud.

[steven114]

If it's too open and easy to short, even when covered with electrical tape, shouldn't we remove all of the rest of the electrical components too? I don't see how it's different...

[zeep25]

well we cant find out ground stud so we used a simple bolt and use a lock nut and a regular nut to use it instead of the ground stud