Hi,
I know that the electronics of the robot need to be isolated from the robot, but my coach heard while he was “scouting” other schools that the battery needs to be enclosed… I checked the rules and I have seen nothing so far about a rule about this. I know the exposed terminals need to be covered, but does the battery need to be enclosed? Our team created a clever little holder already but we do not want to spend the last day working on something that does not need to be done.
Thanks.
The battery needs to be secured, but not necessarily enclosed.
<R18> When positioned on the ROBOT, the primary battery must be secured so that it will not dislodge should the ROBOT be turned over or placed in any arbitrary orientation.
Breakaway is a very vigorous game, with rapid changes in orientation as the ROBOTS cross the BUMPS and a potential for significant interaction among ROBOTS. There is a high probability that your ROBOT will be overturned at some point. Should that happen, your design must prevent the battery from falling out and damaging itself, your ROBOT, or other ROBOTS.
okay, thanks for the info!
Keep in mind that there is expected to be a LOT of high-energy impacts during this year’s matches (especially as robots drop off the bumps). Securing the battery within your robot is probably more important than ever. Inspectors will be carefully enforcing the “battery must be secured” rule (<R18>). No one wants to have a battery welded to their robot.
The rules may not require “enclosed” but they definitely require “secured”.
Russ