Brazilian team has doubt about UPS!!!!

[sloteera]

Please...

We are buying some batteries and cables to use in the competition. I already bought the batteries and I couldn't choice the shipping method. However, the AndyMark's cables I have the option to choice between "Ground", "Express 1 day", "Express 2 day" ...

Well, I'd like to know how many days is corresponding to each method, because we gonna play in LA Regional, next week.

I hope that somebody can help us...

Thank you...


PS: Thanks to Chris Husmann (Beachbots #330) by provide a address to ship the batteries.

[IndySam]

Have AndyMark ship them to a team in LA. The will get there ok Via ground.

[Joe Ross]

If you are shipping from AndyMark (Indiana) to Los Angeles, ground will take 4 days, Express 2 days will take 2 days, and Express 1 day will take 1 day. These days are monday-friday only.

Note that ground times are not completely guaranteed, so there is a possibility that it will take longer then 4 days. If you order soon, it will probably go out today, and probably arrive Wednesday. If AndyMark can't ship today, and it gets delayed to Friday, you won't get it until Thursday. If I were you, I'd choose 2 day, and not have to worry.

You can use UPS's Calculate Time and Cost to confirm.

Note that ground shipping time is different for different areas of the country. For example, from New York to Los Angeles is 5 days, while San Francisco to Los Angeles is 1 day.

[sloteera]

Thanks folks...

I followed your sugestion Joe, and chose the "Express 1 day" Ship Method to guarantee the deliverable.

One more question:

In the MK's website, I received this code relative to my purchase: WBB000003494

Everything's okay....
When I access my purchase and enter in "Tracking Numbers" link, I see nine numbers (just numbers, not letters), but I can't tracking the batteries using this Tracking Number in the UPS website...

Would you can tell me why?

Thank you one more time..

[Rick Wagner]

Beach Cities Robotics welcomes Brazil to the LA Regional. Don't worry Rafael, if the batteries don't arrive on time you can always borrow a battery from us, team 294.

[sloteera]

Originally Posted by Rick Wagner

Beach Cities Robotics welcomes Brazil to the LA Regional. Don't worry Rafael, if the batteries don't arrive on time you can always borrow a battery from us, team 294.

Thank you so much Rick...

Obviously that the money that was spent with 13 batteries is important, but, most important at the moment is that we can compete in the field without batteries troubles, because without doubt, 2009's robot is the best bot that we already build...

We are very excite with the possibility to play in a new regional for us, and know other teams and people...

On behalf #1860, i wish good luck to the #294

[Katy]

I know you probably already took care of this somehow but I'm going to point it out now because it would suck if nobody caught this.

Maybe you should ask the team you shipped to to unpack and charge a battery or two (or all if they are feeling so generous). You may also want to ask them to discharge the battery and charge it again so the batteries get with the program of holding a full charge. Otherwise you're going to have 13 totally uncharged batteries Thursday morning and you'll probably struggle to make your practice matches.

[sloteera]

Originally Posted by Katy

I know you probably already took care of this somehow but I'm going to point it out now because it would suck if nobody caught this.

Maybe you should ask the team you shipped to to unpack and charge a battery or two (or all if they are feeling so generous). You may also want to ask them to discharge the battery and charge it again so the batteries get with the program of holding a full charge. Otherwise you're going to have 13 totally uncharged batteries Thursday morning and you'll probably struggle to make your practice matches.

Thank you Katy, I had forget this.

We gonna carry a "super-charger" that we develop to charge 8 batteries together.

The problem is that, in the competition, the only charger that can be used is the KoP charger.

I really hadn't thought that in morning Thursday, we'll stay without batteries while waiting to charge.
I will ask for Chris if he can charges two batteries for us.

But I'm scared with the possibility of hasn't batteries to play.

When I access my order in the MK's website, is wrote that the purchase already shipped, but with the tracking number that MK provides me, I can't track the batteries in the UPS system...

=/

[Akash Rastogi]

I'm definite that a team will allow you to borrow batteries for your matches. This is, after all, FIRST.

[ChrisH]

KarenH just called me at work. The shipper called our house and is delivering the batteries tomorrow (3/6). No worries

ChrisH

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by sloteera

Thank you Katy, I had forget this.

We gonna carry a "super-charger" that we develop to charge 8 batteries together.

The problem is that, in the competition, the only charger that can be used is the KoP charger.

That is not quite right. Any automatic charger with max current less than 6 Amps may be used.

<R39> An automatic battery charger rated for a maximum of 6 amperes must be used to charge the ES17-12 batteries. When recharging the ES17-12 batteries, either the charger provided by FIRST or an automatic charger with an equivalent charging current rating may be used.

[Katy]

Originally Posted by sloteera

We gonna carry a "super-charger" that we develop to charge 8 batteries together.

Make sure your "super-charger" will work on an American outlet. You'll probably also need to check your power tools or bring a lot of converters.

[sloteera]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

KarenH just called me at work. The shipper called our house and is delivering the batteries tomorrow (3/6). No worries

ChrisH

Chris... maybe tomorrow you will receive the cables of the batteries, of the AndyMark. I'm worried with the batteries, from MK.

I think that is occuring some trouble with my credit card, because the website's MK, doesn't accept Brazilian Address, then the "Bill to Address" stayed wrong... However, I include my address and wrote a note explaining everything.

Originally Posted by Vikesrock

That is not quite right. Any automatic charger with max current less than 6 Amps may be used.

Our charger has Imax. = 60Amp. to allow that all the batteries be charged together, but I need to tell you that I had no idea that was allowed use other chargers.

Thanks by information

[Rick Wagner]

Originally Posted by Katy

Make sure your "super-charger" will work on an American outlet. You'll probably also need to check your power tools or bring a lot of converters.

Good point. Also, in light of the 6 amp rule, it's probably a safety issue, so you might want to consider not using your 60 amp charger in the pits. It may also present a problem with tripping circuit breakers in the pit power lines. Team 294 will bring a spare legal charger you can use.

[Katy]

The silence here in response to that is slightly unnerving...

This is what outlets and plugs look like in the United States.



Both run on 120 V at 60 Hz.

The internet informs me that power in Brazil sometimes comes through the same plug shapes (but also some others) and runs at 60Hz. However, the internet also informs me that it runs at 127 V and 220 V or sometimes at 115V. I am not entirely sure what the outcome will be if you plug your 220V saw into a 120V outlet but I'm pretty sure you won't like it.

You may want to investigate this further.