Dump valve access

[teamshock]

We are currently rebuilding aftershock for the championships and have changed the location of the dump valve.

We would like to know whether having the access for the dump valve on the bottom of aftershock would be acceptable and pass the tech check.

To vent at the end of the fight the flipper would be locked with the pin and the robot turned over to vent the system

Would this be allowed??

Thanks

Will

[kane]

This would not be allowed Will. Too many risks involved.

[Kenny]

i have seen some robots that have this and even turn the co2 on with the robot turned over

[teamshock]

Thanks Kane, I thought so but I wanted to make sure.

[leorcc]

If you refer to us, our dump is next to the link on top. The bottle opens from the bottom but that is not any safer or unsafer than with the robot on its wheels. I actually prefer to gas up that way so the robot cant drive off and the flipper points away from me.

After a fight, assuming you need to dump co2 (we are usually empty anyway) and the robot is upside down you would need to turn it over then also, so I dont see how one is safer than the other.

[beast]

i personaly think the above is correct and best as long as its safe. in a feather any ways but not in a heavy (beast can vent at the back when on wheels and upside down) which is normaly the case now days
so Will i would like to say if its like Leos and Beauty i would say its ok but as long as it can be demo ed safely

i think Cutlet was the 1st like that

[Mouldy]

personaly as a tech checker i dont like it. Its like putting your link in the bottom aswell. At an event today i saw a heavyweight being lifted on its side to turn the gas on then droped down again.. personaly i think the link, dump valve and gas on/off valve and any other safety devices should all be under one panel accessable from the top of the machine, away from any weapons. If possible.

[maddox]

its no big deal to get acces to the bottle in the Hannibalitos. But Im not the one whos going to put my hand 8cm deep in a robot when free and unrestricted acces in available from below.

And if were talking heavies, its not that easy to lift it, turn open the bottlevalve and put it down in a safe fashion.

And, more rules, more regulations, more laws please do.... Especialy concerning the already overregulated pneumatics section.

[babeth]

The featherweights are far more easily and safely to manipulate than the heavyweights, hence more leeway is possible there. Besides, the rules do not say where the access to the bottle should be.
As a tech checker myself I would prefer to see all safety features neatly stacked together for the arena marshall to handle after the fights, but as long as everything is clearly indicated, as per the rules, I do not see the problem. Unless the marshall has to go to ridiculous lengths in order to access them.
The rules state that the removable link has to be accessible outside the reach of the weapon, but they actually do not mention the same for the dump valve. They only say that the DV should be accessible from outside the robot. Yet, commmon sense dictates that it should be positioned outside of your weapons reach.

[leorcc]

For the record, The hannibalitos get gassed up on their sides, not their back. So the wheels and the flipper do not touch the groud and the flipper points away from the person gassing up. I dont see how gassing up with the robot on its wheels on the floor with your hands next to the flipper is any safer.

(Message edited by leo-rcc on May 12, 200