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    BATTERY CALCULATOR

    Battery Calculator

    The Battery Calculator is designed to help you decide 'how much battery do I need for my robot?'

    It is a supplement to the robot batteries tutorial. If you do not understand how to use this calculator, please read the tutorial first.

    This calculator assumes the same battery is used for both motors (unregulated) and electronics (regulated).

    Note that all entered values will be saved as a cookie on your computer (if you have cookies enabled) so you don't need to reenter anything on future visits.

    Determine Motor Requirements (per motor):
    Enter in your desired robot specs. You will need to look up the datasheet of your selected motor to find your expected current draw.
    Drive Motor Voltage volts
    Expected Current Draw amps
    # of Motors motors
    Time % Motors Used %

    Determine Electronics Requirements:
    If your robot has additional electronics, such as a microcontroller and sensors, enter that info here. Depending on your robot, sometimes this info can be insignificant. Check part datasheets or use a multimeter to determine current draw.
    Sensor Voltage volts
    Sensor Current Draw amps
    Microcontroller Voltage volts
    Microcontroller Current Draw amps
    Voltage Regulator Dropout volts

    Battery Setup (pack means in series):
    Remember, batteries connected in parallel add in mAh (for higher life and current output) while batteries connected in series add in voltage (for high voltage applications). To increase battery life, get batteries of higher mAh, and/or connect more of the same battery type in parallel.
    Voltage per Pack volts
    mAh per Pack mAh
    Packs in Parallel packs

    Remember to check the robot parts list to buy your batteries.

    Calculated Results:
    Typical battery life states how long your robot will probably run before your battery dies.
    Total Continuous Power Draw watts
    Min Required Battery Voltage volts
    Idle Motors Battery Life hours
    Minimum Battery Life hours
    Typical Battery Life hours

    Note that this does not account for your the physics of your robot. To calculate the distance your robot is capable of traveling with a particular battery, check out the Robot Energy Calculator.

    Estimated Time till Completion in the Robot Energy Calculator must also be lower than Typical Battery Life in this battery calculator.



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