lubricated pneumatics.

[JohnRyland]

Is it possible to run an onboard compressor without discharging the batteries prematurely? When we first built Terminal Ferocity back in 1999 (a slower gentler era in Robot Wars), we have a petrol-powered chainsaw on top and did consider running a compressor using a belt drive off that, but ran out of space to put it in.

I have heard on a liquid-nitrogen powered robot in a non-fighting application before. I wonder if anyone has thought of using CO2 to provide the drive via a couple of air motors, as well as the weapon?

[maddox10]

What happens when you put a lot of CO2 in water? You get a fizzy drink....

[JohnRyland]

In theory, you could have trapped moisture in a newly-built system from atmospheric humidity, but possibly not enough to cause a problem?

I would definitely like to find a way to prevent regulators icing up without contravening the rules. We had a regulator (not welding type but aluminium bodied one with sliding components) lock in the fully open position making our system pressure rise. On that occasion, oxide build-up on the inside due to a long period of disuse was a factor, but locking up due to differential contraction and lubricant thickening at the low temperature could still be a concern. Maybe the answer would be a large heatsink or a finned regulator body.

[Bacon Wizard]

Its the Dihydrogen Monoxide you need to watch-out for. It's lethal stuff. I almost swallowed some inadvertently just earlier today

[psychostorm]

Sorry, you're right. it's carbonic acid.

[JohnRyland]

You may need to refer to the DHMO Safety Data Sheet: http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html

[Bacon Wizard]

You may need to refer to the DHMO Safety Data Sheet: http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html

Good advice for anyone... please read, folks. It may save your life.

[Mouldy]

Where I work we have valves that operate 30,000 times a day... Don't have them fail very often aslong as the air supply is dry... Occasionly they stick, put a bit of sewing machine oil or similar down the infeed pipe to lubricate the shuttle and there good for a while after.... You will never get to the point of having to do that kind of maintenance on a robots valve... You will blow it up or chop it in half years before its working life runs out.

[Bacon Wizard]

Ah, yes I'm sure you're right. But it's not the valves I am worried about. I am running a low pressure system and I will be using plenty air-flow; maybe more than a cylinder will allow. Which lead me to look at compressors. I believe I could get somewhere using scroll compressors from car air-con, but they need lubrication.

If i can get away with it for 4-5 mins at a time without lube, then great, but I am very uncertain. I'll be able to do some tests in the next couple of weeks.

[Liftoff]

I'm using molykote 33 on mine, its good for very low temperatures, I still cant get your idea of using compressors rather than Co2 though.