Battery Mounting

[Eria4044]

Someone on my team wants to know if the battery has to be mounted a certain way, or if it can be mounted any way we want. Any help will be appreciated.

[Cory]

any way you want. Just make sure it's mounted securely and won't go flying 8 feet out of your robot when it gets hit *cough*237*cough*

[Eria4044]

Originally Posted by Cory

any way you want. Just make sure it's mounted securely and won't go flying 8 feet out of your robot when it gets hit *cough*237*cough*

Thanks for the help. I think the last part goes without saying, though.

[sanddrag]

Several times in practice and in matches in 2003 we would accelerate rapidly from a start and the robot would take off and the battery would stay behind and it would "fly" out the back of the robot. Really bad for it but it was quite funny to watch.

[CyberWolf_22]

At least once each year I have competed in FIRST one of our alliance partners have literally run over there own battery because they did not securely mount it.

[ngreen]

Just make sure it is accessible to being changed. I think it is something like being able to be changed in less than a minute. This not only helps for matches and finals, but we have been in our town's parade the last two years and we always have at least one switch during it. So the quicker and easier to change the better.

Velcro is a great fastener. We have had a slot and used two strips of velcro each year. Unplug. Unstrap. Unload. Reload. Re-strap. Re-plug.

One of the mentors brought some neat straps in this week that might be interesting. Deltec, i think, was one and the other was a larger re-usable zip tie strap.

Good Luck.

[MikeDubreuil]

Originally Posted by Eria4044

Someone on my team wants to know if the battery has to be mounted a certain way, or if it can be mounted any way we want. Any help will be appreciated.

The most important part in mounting your battery is doing it securely. Keep in mind, if your battery becomes unsecure during a match your robot will be disabled by a referee. Therefore, if your battey is secure and even if your robot falls over you will still be given power if your battery is secure. So keep it safe

[Eria4044]

Thanks everybody. I guess the main point is that the battery can be mounted any way but it should be secure or else...

[Alaina]

When securing the battery, industrial strength velcro tape usually works pretty well for us. Just a suggestion.

[BoyWithCape195]

Our battery hold has worked extremely well for the last three years, and we have never had a problem with batteries coming loose.

There is a picture here (to the right of the bot)

http://team195.com/pics/FIRST/Nation...irst%20388.jpg

another one
http://team195.com/pics/FIRST/UTC%20...irst%20267.jpg

[Hershey]

On last year's bot, my team just had some angle aluminum that the battery sat on. Yes, I know, not very sturdy, but it worked. This year, it would probably be best to have a good casing because of how fast most teams are going to try to go.

[ConKbot of Doom]

Last year we bolted some angle aluminum to the base of our bot. But we made it so that we had to shove the battery down into it. Between that, and the "lid" over the back section of our bot, and the fact that as short as our bot was, there was no real way to flip it over so we were good in that respect also.

Definitely have to secure it better this year though.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Eria4044

Someone on my team wants to know if the battery has to be mounted a certain way, or if it can be mounted any way we want. Any help will be appreciated.

This battery can be used in any orientation without a problem. It can be charged in any orientation except upside down if you plan to charge while inside the robot. Don't forget that the battery also makes a great ballast/counter weight if you place it strategically in your robot. Securing the battery is essential, a small frame and 1" velcro work very well. A small case with a hinged cover that you can tywrap closed works as well.