# Batteries
The electronics kit contains two lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) batteries. These are similar to those used in laptops and are small and light for the amount of energy they contain. This is great for your robot but it is vital to treat such a high concentration of energy with respect. If you do not, there is a serious risk of fire and injury. To avoid this, you should follow the safety information on this page closely, at all times.
Your kit will come with several pieces of battery-related equipment:
- Two 11.1V 2200mAh LiPo Batteries.
- One battery charger.
- One battery charging bag.
You must not use any batteries, chargers, bags or cables not explicitly authorised by Hills Road RoboCon. If you have any doubts or wish to request permission to use a battery, charger, charging bag or battery cable not provided by Hills Road RoboCon, please contact [email protected].
WARNING
- Never leave batteries unattended when they are in use or charging.
- Always place the batteries in the provided charging bag when charging or storing.
- Do not charge or use a damaged battery.
- Do not tamper with the battery wires.
- If a battery has any cuts, nicks, exposed copper on wires or is bulging, contact us immediately.
# Storing
When your batteries are not actively in use, they should be safely stored. You must disconnect the batteries from all electrical equipment, and place them in the battery charging bag. You should then store the charging bag in a safe location.
If you are not going to use the batteries for a long period of time, such as more than a week, then you should charge the batteries beforehand. By themselves, batteries will discharge very slowly, and over-discharging will lead to damage. We recommend that you charge all batteries to at least 70% of capacity before being stored for a long period.
# Operating Batteries
To use your batteries, you must connect them to the Hills Road RoboCon BrainBox. Do not tamper with the cable or connect the batteries to anything other than the power board (or the charger when charging).
During operation, the battery is protected by over-current protection by a regulator on the power board. If any equipment is short circuited, the over-current protection will activate - protecting the battery. There is a fuse placed inline with the power cord. If you suspect the fuse has gone something very wrong has happened. This is an important safety feature.
WARNING
Do NOT, under any circumstances, bypass or replace the fuse. If the fuse has blown then the power board has failed and must be replaced for safe operation. If you suspect the fuse has blown then please contact mailto:[email protected] straight away.
Mechanical damage to a battery can be dangerous, and a puncture or large force applied to a battery causes a serious risk of fire. To avoid this, your battery should be shielded from mechanical damage while you operate it. Secure your battery to your robot, so that it does not move or fall off while the robot moves. You should also build a compartment for the battery to be placed in to prevent accidental collisions damaging the battery.
# Flat batteries
When the battery has been almost completely discharged, the Power Board will automatically go into a low power state and shut everything down. You should immediately disconnect the battery, and begin charging it. You should keep your second battery charged so that you can immediately switch to using it.
Do not store a discharged battery for more than a few days without charging it, as it may discharge further and become damaged.
# Charging batteries
You should only use the battery charger provided by Hills Road RoboCon to charge the batteries provided in the kit. Plug your battery in and put it in a LiPo safe bag until all the lights turn green.