Newbie & spares question

[Retroman]

Hi there! New builder following an old dream, since seeing Cassius on RW I've fancied a front hinge heavy, but we're gonna start small and sensible with a beetle and a feather first.

Got a few things slowly on the go, getting ready to order the next lot of parts, and here's the question...

How many spares, or what spares do you recommend? Obviously a whole spare robot is a tad excessive, and OTT for events, should I order spares or wait til I've broke something?

[Ocracoke]

I carry a spare matching speed controller in the event of ESC failure, a secondary set of batteries for swapping out in between fights and a spare set of wheels in case the drive wheels are irreparably damaged. Apart from these items, little things like spare wire, LEDs and a good set of spare set of screws/nuts and bolts.

Those, coupled with a toolbox of a soldering iron, some screwdrivers, the battery charger + bag and my Dremel has seen me though several events.

[Retroman]

Nice, thanks for the reply, doesn't seem like too much to lug around.

As an aside, what's the charge time and fight duration for a set of batteries? I know that's a bit vague and laden with variables, but looking at 5s LiPo in a feather, is 2 or 3 fights a reasonable estimate?

[Ocracoke]

Hmm... The duration and subsequent charge time of batteries depends on how hard they are pushed, as you note.

The batteries I have in The Honey Badger 2.x are 2x 2S1P 2100mAh LiFePO4 batteries wired in series. Running around at full pelt, they can go about 2 fights before they are in need of charging (accidentally found this out at Maidstone 2017). This is why I carry around a spare set of batteries though - in between fights I can swap out one for the other and put them on charge whilst the other set goes out.

[Retroman]

Brilliant! Thanks for that, had a bad feeling I was going to need a pack per fight for a moment...

Last daft question for a while, how do you practice? I can driver round the house and drive no problems, but do you organise "friendlies" or anything? Or just turn up and wing it?

[Ocracoke]

I've not known friendlies to be organised though I have definitely seen ad-hoc battles (organised 3 myself as a test fight between The Honey Badger 2.x and The Honey Badger 1.0).

The issue, as I am sure you are aware, is safety. I would never want to be in a ad-hoc battle in anywhere with any robot where everyone collectively did not feel safe to be able to do so and definitely not in a public place. Ultimately, the safest place for these machines, at any weight class, is an arena.

You can definitely turn up to a event and wing it, I did that at Grantham 2017.

As an aside, I am organising a social for North West/North Wales roboteers for the 3rd of March - it might be worth coming along to it to see other roboteers and their robots from the regional area - http://www.fightingrobots.co.uk/thre...l=1#post470829

[Retroman]

The arena issue is what came to mind tbh, good to know tho...

I'll admit it, I've looked at the thread already, and considered it, would be nice to have a ride down and meet some of you guys and generally start trying to settle in.

[Ocracoke]

By all means, please do come along, the more the merrier!