Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: want2learn on January 14, 2009, 02:02:47 PM

Title: Power Efficiency
Post by: want2learn on January 14, 2009, 02:02:47 PM

What would be more efficient ?

A robot carrying 2 battery packs, one seriously large one for drive and a smaller one for the circiutry.
                                                          OR
A robot carrying only the seriously large battery and regulators to feed the circuitry.??

E.g. 36V Gellcells and 4.8V NimH or 36V Gellcells and regulators.

I'm not sure how to work out the efficiency of the first option to compare them >:(

Title: Re: Power Efficiency
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on January 14, 2009, 03:08:02 PM

ummm your best bet might be to get a switching regulator to feed the circuitry.

Title: Re: Power Efficiency
Post by: Razor Concepts on January 14, 2009, 04:16:04 PM

I would just go the simple route and run the circuits off of a different power supply. If something happened to your main battery supply, the circuits won't be affected and will be safe.

Title: Re: Power Efficiency
Post by: want2learn on January 15, 2009, 01:45:13 PM

I meant switching and linear regulators, Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

I'm not sure how I would compare the two setups (Given Identical conditions)

Title: Re: Power Efficiency
Post by: Razor Concepts on January 15, 2009, 04:08:34 PM

To compare them, think about what you are going to use it for and what do you have. Are you going to spend the money on regulators or go cheap and use a smaller battery? Will you mind charging the smaller battery and the big one to drive the wheels? What if the regulator fails?

If you are looking for the most effecient (as in electrically), the difference would be negligable if you are using a switching regulator. So it basically won't matter if you use a switching regulator or a small battery.

Title: Re: Power Efficiency
Post by: want2learn on January 16, 2009, 12:48:32 PM

Thanks Razor Concepts. Thats exactly what I wanted to hear ;D

Regulators can be smaller and lighter than the battery pack. I also think I can built the regulated supplies for not much more than the price of the battery pack