Static Buildup

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Rafael,
The source of the static is the interaction between the wheel and the carpet. The accumulated charge is then transferred to the metallic parts of your robot through several different paths. Most notably from the wheels to adjacent parts and to a lesser degree from the robot moving across the field. In past years, teams have been allowed to attach a drag wire to the robot frame as long as it did not produce an entanglement hazard for other teams. This was thought to help drain the accumulated charge or at least to place the robot and the carpet at a lower potential difference. There is nothing this year that allows this practice so ask the Q&A. Since the battery does not present a path to drain the charge, connecting the frame to the battery does nothing for static. This connection does produce a condition where contact with another robot's electrical system can cause voltages to occur that exceed the rating of some electrical components and therefore can cause significant damage.