01-02-2006 09:37

MikeDubreuil

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

That looks like a very robust setup. I'm not sure how the bracket is fastened to the battery. I would warn you about modifying the battery in any way. Two years ago we had bolted the anderson power connector on the battery. It was mounted in a safe manner with the bolts not protruding through the battery and just on the top on the plastic tabs. Unfortunately, the inspectors at our regional did not agree that it was safe and ordered us to remove them. We almost had to replace the batteries before they would let us compete. Just warning ya, make sure you have a backup plan

01-02-2006 09:42

Rick TYler

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

I wonder if the judges will make you count the weight of the brackets as robot weight? I would if I were a judge. If they don't, I could see battery brackets evolving into 15-pound structures that hold the side rails of the 'bot together. They certainly look more robust than our traditional bungee cord method.

What kind of adhesive did you find that adheres to both metal brackets and the plastic battery case? If the battery goes through large temperature changes in shipping it makes me wonder if you will have trouble with thermally-induced material size changes damaging the battery case.

01-02-2006 09:51

Greg Needel

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

They didn't use metal, it is extruded Fiberglas, or at least that is what it says in the photo description.

01-02-2006 11:36

Ricky Q.

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

I'm not sure how they will rule on your brackets, but this is from the manual:

11. R61 - Modifying the Control System
The control system is provided to allow wireless control of the robots. The Operator Interface, Robot Controller, Speed Controllers, Relay Modules, Radio Modems, Batteries, Battery Charger, AC Adapter, and 9-pin cables may not be tampered with, modified, or adjusted in any way, (tampering includes drilling, cutting, machining, gluing, rewiring, etc.) with the following exceptions:

• The dip switches on the Operator Interface may be set as appropriate.
• The user programmable code in the Robot Controller may be customized.
• The Speed Controllers may be calibrated as described in owner's manuals.
• The fuse on the Spike relay for the Air Compressor may be replaced with a 20 Amp Snap-Action circuit
  breaker.

01-02-2006 17:57

Al Skierkiewicz

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

Freddy,
My first impression is that I see no physical modification to the battery. In fact the fiberglass is an excellent insulator for the battery terminals. However, I would be afraid that students might try to carry or hold the battery by the cover or channel and have it fall on one of them should tyhe adhesive let go. The tough call here is that if the adhesive is strong enough to survive any force, it might just tear out the plastic side of the battery in a collision. It is for just such an event that modification of the battery is not allowed.

01-02-2006 18:00

Sachiel7

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

Under <R61> this would not seem valid as it appears you have glued or otherwise liquid-fized something to the side of the battery...
You should probably post on FIRST Q&A over the legality of this. I would think that they would want to include the weight of the components on the battery in your robot weight, if no other rules prohibit it from being allowed.

01-02-2006 18:13

Marcel

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

Well I think it wont be allowed because you are modifying the weight of the battery as well and we all know they don't count the weight of the batteries when weighing the robot. Meaning you get an extra weight for the center of gravity and such.

01-02-2006 18:17

sanddrag

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

Please, please, please let's not mix up judges, referees, and inspectors. Judges to not have anything to do with the robot's compliance to the rules of how it is weighed.

01-02-2006 18:19

Marcel

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

Sometimes that'll happen to me, I wont know what to call who I'm talking about so I call them a judge, mostly because they are judging the robot and such ^_^

05-02-2006 10:57

falconmaster

Re: pic: team 842 batter with mount

We have done this before,all the judges want is the same pieces that are attached to the battery to be placed on the robot for weighing purposes. They approved it before, if they don't do it this time, 1 min. later the battery can be made compliant. No Prob