VIPER SAFETY

ASSEMBLING YOUR VIPER: STEP 2.

 Take every precaution when building your robots

Given the violent nature of robot fighting, safety is always the most important issue at robot events. Robot fights take place in a sturdy arena, usually constructed of steel, wood, and bulletproof clear Lexan plastic. The smaller, lighter classes compete in smaller arenas than the heavyweights.”  – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_combat Like many other sports that involve physical contact, Combat Robots are inherently dangerous.  Precautions must always be taken when assembling, troubleshooting, testing, and fighting your robot.

That said, the basic Viper kit itself does not pose many hazards beyond pinched fingers. Viper safety starts to become a critical factor when you add weapons to the bot.  As you most likely will be adding new parts and upgrades in the future, it is important to know how to safely handle them and have full consideration for your Viper safety. Batteries, motors, and electronics each have their own dangers. If you are unsure how to safely handle them, ask someone who knows!

• Power tools and even hand tools used to modify your Viper have their own dangers.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to use your tools safely.
• Robot Combat events are run with strict rules to keep competitors and spectators safe, but it is your responsibility to keep your work area safe.
• These robots should not be assembled or used by children without adult supervision.
• If you’ve added a weapon to your Viper, that weapon may be designed to generate high amounts of kinetic energy to cause damage.  This can also damage the human body, creating cuts, broken bones, and other very serious injuries.  Take every precaution when building your robot, always assume that a weaponized robot can hurt you, and make Viper safety always a key part of what you do with the robot.
• Safety glasses are required at all times when working on combat robotics.  Wear hearing protection as required when testing and operating the robot.
• Always apply the weapon guard when not fighting the bot.  “C-Clamps” or vice grips are not an effective weapon guard.  Make sure the blade is completely immobilized by placing something in the weapon in such a way so as to completely stop the weapon from turning, such as a screwdriver or an Allen wrench.
• Always use the power interlock to ensure the bot cannot be powered up unless fighting or testing the bot.
• Use a safety platform such as a roll of tape to keep the bot off the ground when testing the bot. The goal is to keep the wheels from touching the ground. If the wheels can touch the ground, the bot could drive at you with weapon spinning.
• Only test the bot inside of a testing arena designed specifically for combat bots. You can find a simple setup plan here: https://absolutechaosrobotics.wordpress.com/2020/06/19/new-test-box/ Any testing setup should use at least ¼” lexan (note: NOT plexiglass)
• Always turn your transmitter on before powering up the robot, and power it down after turning off the bot. This will prevent momentary signals from accidentally activating the bot.
• Set your transmitter down when moving the bot into the arena, in a place where no one can accidentally touch the controls.
• We recommend having a fire extinguisher in the house or venue when running the bot, ideally in proximity to the bot.

 IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT LITHIUM POLYMER (LIPO) BATTERIES.

Lithium Polymer (Lipo or Lipoly) batteries are a great innovation for many things. However, as you may have seen in the news, LiPo batteries can release their stored energy suddenly, causing fires.   Lipoly batteries have an enormous energy density which makes them fantastic for this sport.  The lighter weight of the Lipoly battery can mean more weight available for stronger armor or weapons. However, this energetic battery chemistry must be treated properly or it could become dangerous. Lipoly safety is also something that must be paid attention to with combat robots.

• Store the batteries between matches in a LiPo storage bag. Many are available from Amazon.
• If your LiPo charge falls below 3.3v per cell, it will not be safe to recharge. So, for a 2S battery, the minimal voltage is above 6.6v. A 3S battery must be kept above 9.9v. If your robot begins to slow down, recharge the bot.
• You can also purchase a Low Voltage Alarm that plugs into the white balance plug of the battery. It displays the pack voltage and will sound an audible alert when it is time to recharge.
• If a pack is ever damaged or seems puffed up, don’t try to charge it.  Replace the pack and recycle the old one. Charging damaged or puffy batteries can cause a fire.

• The optionally included Galaxy 7.4V lipoly pack can be charged at a maximum current of 2x capacity. So a current of 0.5A for a 250mAh pack, or 0.6A for a 300mAh pack. (Charge current is set on the charger:  To charge Lithium Polymer batteries, we offer the B6 Pro 50W 6A Charger, which also requires a 12V Power Supply, or the C6D 60W 6A Mini Charger, no power supply required)

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