Custom Slip Rings Allowed?
Is it permissible for a team to design a wheel pod assembly for 360-degrees of rotation, using slip rings to provide 40 amps of electrical current to a CIM motor? Our team is considering a swerve drive robot. To reduce some of the associated cost of a slip ring, the team is designing a 2-pole planar-disk slip ring module for each wheel pod. We would like to know if this violates any of the rules before proceeding.
In particular, we feel <R50> and <R47> may prohibit this design:
"<R50> Custom circuits shall NOT directly alter the power pathways between the battery, Power Distribution Board, speed controllers, relays, motors, or other elements of the robot control system (including the power pathways to other sensors or circuits). Custom high impedance voltage monitoring or low impedance current monitoring circuitry connected to the ROBOT’S electrical system is acceptable, because the effect on the ROBOT outputs should be inconsequential."
<R47> All active Power Distribution Board branch circuits shall be wired with appropriately sized wire:
A. 12 AWG (2.052mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for all circuits protected by a
40A circuit breaker.
B. 14 AWG (1.628mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for all circuits protected by a
30A circuit breaker.
C. 18 AWG (1.024mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for all circuits protected by a
20A circuit breaker.
D. 20 AWG (0.8128mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for the power connection
between the Power Distribution Board and the cRIO-FRC .
E. 20 AWG (0.8128mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for the power connection
between the Power Distribution Board and the Linksys Wireless Bridge
F. 20 AWG (0.8128mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for the power connections
between the Power Distribution Board and the Analog Breakouts and/or Solenoid
Breakout if individual power feeds are used. 18 AWG or larger diameter wire must be
used if a common power feed is used for multiple breakouts.
G. 24 AWG (0.5106mm) or larger diameter wire must be used for providing power to
pneumatic valves.
We are asking for clarification on whether this design would qualify as a 'custom circuit' that would 'directly alter the power pathways between the battery and motors' (from <R50>). Or, if the design would violate the <R47>, which call outs for specific gauge wire and doesn't make exceptions for slip rings.
Thank you for your assistance,
FRC1730
