Electrical CheckList

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Before we begin, there is no ground on the robot. There is however, a battery return, generally all black wiring is tied to the battery return. The CRIO has this lead tied to it's case for grounding in electrically noisey environments and for safety grounding where required by local electrical codes.
High on my list is to make sure no wires have pulled out. This includes PWM cables but all wiring should be snug and survive a wiggle/pull test. Check that the 50 amp connectors on the battery and robot are clean and not scratched. Check that the #6 wires on both the batteries and the Power Distro are snug and do not move when you wiggle the wire. Check that all hardware is tight on the controllers. Check that the wireless bridge/radio power is inserted. Check that the RJ45 plug is in place and snug. Check that all breakers are in place and snug.
As soon as possible after returning from the field, check for hot components like motors, breakers, wiring and controllers. Use your nose and smell for burned motors or other electrical failures. Replace as needed and then retest operation.
After everything seems correct, have someone else give the robot a visual check. This could be a mechanical student. When everything seems fine, do a power up test with the wheels off the floor and all hands away from the robot. When everything checks out, replace the battery with a known good battery.
Then relax you are ready to go for the next match.