Power Management Best Practices

Given the extensive amount of motors and servos allowed on a ROBOT, teams are encouraged to consider the total power available from the ROBOT battery during the design and build of the ROBOT. Drawing large amounts of current from many motors and/or servos at the same time could lead to drops in ROBOT battery voltage that may result in exceeding the battery fuse limits or browning out the control system leading to power loss or communications loss. It is suggested that teams measure their power draw and ensure that they are staying below the 20A fuse limit. This is an incomplete list of devices and systems that can draw significant amounts of current from the ROBOT battery: - Flywheels - Servo Power Injectors - LED systems on a ROBOT - Cameras (It is recommended to only power 2 cameras directly off USB, and to use a powered USB hub)

See the Power Distribution page for background on power ports.