"Easily Visible" PD Board

[CauseImAzn]

What exactly are the requisites for the PD board visibility in the inspection checklist. We have our board on the underside of a plate inside the robot, would that be too hidden?

[Jon Stratis]

As an inspector, I need to be able to see what breakers you have and what gauge wire goes into each slot. Based on your pictures, it's going to be very difficult for an inspector to do that. I've said it before and I'll say it again... an annoyed inspector is a thorough inspector. A setup like that would definitely annoy me, but I would do my best to accommodate that. That doesn't mean I won't then spend 15 minutes examining every edge for sharpness, and measure the bumpers precisely, and make you explain anything that could even remotely be of questionable safety (like the use of springs or surgical tubing). Having a board where the inspector can't see the breaker values really just gets you off on the wrong foot with the whole inspection process.

[cgmv123]

Remember that the only thing that holds in the breakers on an upside down PD board is friction. Yes, the breakers fit tight, but you do not want them falling out during an elimination match.

[Chris_Ely]

Regardless if this orientation will pass inspection or not, looking at your second picture, I see some problems.
The first is that there is bare copper showing on the wires in front two WAGO connectors. This will cause you problems in the future. Trim the wires shorter so that no copper is showing.
The second is that those wires appear to large for the connectors. It is hard to tell, but those wires appear to be 12 AWG. The max for these connectors is 14 AWG. This will cause the WAGO connectors to not grab the wire properly.

[jvriezen]

If you do stick with this arrangement, you can mitigate the annoyed inspector to some degree by having a reasonable sized mirror on a telescoping wand (bigger than the quarter sized ones) and a flashlight to allow the inspector to get a good look at things more easily.

But the better answer is don't do it this way.

[Pretzel]

Is there any way that you could mount the board with a hinge such that it could be lifted for inspection? That would likely help quite a bit if you can still access it easily should it be necessary.

[IndySam]

Regardless of if it's illegal or if it will frustrate an inspector for troubleshooting purposes this is a really bad idea. Easy access to the PD board can save you hours of frustration when trouble shooting. Being able to see those red lights or easily pull a breaker is very valuable and those main connectors should be constantly checked for tightness.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by jvriezen

a reasonable sized mirror on a telescoping wand

As an inspector, I would not accept the need to use a mirror. That does not fit "easily visible".

4.8.9 R39
The PD Board and all circuit breakers must be easily visible for Inspection

However if flipping the robot on its side allows for full visibility, that is "easy" to me.

Regardless: Think hard to come up with a better solution.

[CauseImAzn]

Thank all of you for all of the replies. Several suggestions were already pointed out by several team members, such as the mirror and clear base. After some consideration, we decided that the benefits of having the power board upside down did not outweigh the possibility of having to redo the wiring at the competition.

Just as clarification the plate was mounted on hinges and rotated up and down.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by CauseImAzn

Just as clarification the plate was mounted on hinges and rotated up and down.

That *should* be OK, as long as what was shown is the "down" position. That doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea to flip it upright.

[RonnyV]

Ouch... Don't want to tell you this but.., this is wrong. You Won't pass THE inspection like this, we had difficulties last year, we made na electronicabox and there was to Much Velcro in THE box.. They Could't see THE lights...

Bases in my experience..
Sorry for typos, tablet

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Cause,
Several of the posters here are inspectors and are trying to tell you in a nice way, to please make the change while you have time. We not only need to see the wiring and breaker choice, we also inspect for items that might get you into trouble on the field. One of our tools is being able to see the lights on all the electronics. Meet us halfway and we will have a better chance of getting you to play, every match, at every event you attend.