Question:Power Distribution Block

[roboticsguy1988]

I would agree that there could be better methods of wiring this. However rules are rules and you can still make a great looking electrical board which doesn't weigh much. We calculated ours to weigh about 11.187 pounds.

My thought on the power distribution block was along the lines of you can do the same thing with the maxi breaker block. Notice it has 3 holes on the incoming. Use one for the main read wire coming from the 120A main breaker. then use the other 2 to go to the smaller panels for the 20A and 30A breakers. However this is NOT legal according to this years rules.

I still say the IFI breaker panel was the best way to go, I am really curious as to why FIRST doesn't approve of it.

[RyanN]

Originally Posted by roboticsguy1988

I would agree that there could be better methods of wiring this. However rules are rules and you can still make a great looking electrical board which doesn't weigh much. We calculated ours to weigh about 11.187 pounds.

My thought on the power distribution block was along the lines of you can do the same thing with the maxi breaker block. Notice it has 3 holes on the incoming. Use one for the main read wire coming from the 120A main breaker. then use the other 2 to go to the smaller panels for the 20A and 30A breakers. However this is NOT legal according to this years rules.

I still say the IFI breaker panel was the best way to go, I am really curious as to why FIRST doesn't approve of it.

I agree with you 100% on both topics about the IFI Breaker Panel and the 3 way Maxi Fuse Block. I'm really infuriated about this because it takes up a lot of space that we don't currently have, however, as much as I hate it, I must follow the rules. I loved the IFI Breaker Panel. It made everything so easy and simple, although I am not sure of the quality of it because it felt like it was going to fall apart when we installed it in 2005. Oh well, there is always next year, I hope

[roboticsguy1988]

It makes it more real to life in a way. I mean you never know you could be forced to do something like this in an engineering job. While there may be better methods of doing it, you have to use the more complex method.

Besides this way gives new students a good challenge.

One thing i have always thought is FIRST needs to come up with ways for students to actually start learning stuff about electronics and not just a 12 volt system. The 7.2 volt charger is a good example of this, however they limited it to IFI's design, but for good reasons i suppose. Its just i think students need to start learning some of that stuff... ohms law, how to tell what size resistor you have, what kind fo circuitry you need to make to get this effect, etc.