Power and CAN

Charge one battery first

Use one MK ES17-12 battery, its am-4483 battery lead, the terminal hardware supplied with the battery, and the AndyMark am-4968_1 single-bank SB50 charger. The separate am-3062h hardware kit is an alternative, not an additional requirement. One battery powers the base; the second is a spare, not a series or parallel addition.

The battery lead must be correctly fitted and insulated before charging. Cover the exposed terminal/lug hardware with the BOM-listed Super 33+ electrical tape, without placing tape between electrical contact surfaces. If the cable is not attached yet, complete that attachment before connecting the charger; do not improvise a connection. Keep the battery disconnected from the robot. Battery terminal insulation reference .

Charging steps

For the NOCO GEN5X1 with AndyMark’s SB50 connector, once the battery lead is correctly installed:

1. Disconnect the battery from the robot. Put the cool, undamaged battery upright on a stable surface in a dry, ventilated area away from flames and sparks. Leave the charger uncovered.
2. With the charger unplugged from the wall, mate its SB50 connector with the battery cable’s matching SB50 connector. Do not force a mismatched connector.
3. Plug the charger’s AC cord into a suitable wall outlet.
4. Press MODE until 12 V AGM is selected. Do not select lithium, repair or force mode for this normal charge.
5. Wait for the 100% indicator to become solid green; the lower charge indicators turn off. A pulsing green indicator can still mean charging/optimization. Charging time depends on the starting charge, so use the indicator rather than a timer.
6. Unplug the charger from the wall first, then disconnect the SB50 plugs by their housings, not their wires.
7. Repeat for the second battery. This single-bank charger charges one battery at a time; do not join the batteries together.

If an error indicator appears, or the battery becomes unusually hot, swollen or leaks, stop charging and disconnect AC power if safe. Do not use force mode to bypass an unexplained fault. A different charger model needs its own instructions.

Sources: NOCO GEN manual, connection and charge indicators  · AndyMark charger and SB50 configuration  · ES17-12 battery type .

Connect the PDP input cables

Keep the battery unplugged. This step attaches two cables to the PDP only; leave their other ends disconnected. Do not connect motors yet.

Parts and tool

• CTRE PDP 2.0, its two supplied M6 × 10 mm screws, two split washers and two input covers.
• Robot-side SB50 harness from am-4481_B18R07: the cable assembly with the shorter red lead and longer black lead.
• One received BatteryCablesUSA red 6 AWG, 12-inch M6/M8 lead for EV200-to-PDP. Use the smaller 1/4-inch/M6 ring at the PDP; reserve the larger 5/16-inch/M8 ring for the contactor. The second matching lead is breaker-to-EV200. The am-4480 direct jumper is spare in this layout.
• 5 mm hex driver from the BOM-listed Bondhus metric set. Use a fully seated straight end, not an imperial substitute.

Attach the two lugs

1. Place the PDP on a stable, nonconductive surface. Find the large inputs marked NEGATIVE and POSITIVE, not the small numbered output terminals.
2. Place the robot harness’s black cable lug flat against the NEGATIVE input. Put a supplied split washer on a supplied M6 screw, pass the screw through the lug and start it by hand.
3. Attach the smaller 1/4-inch/M6 ring of one BatteryCablesUSA lead to the POSITIVE input with the second supplied screw and split washer. Leave its larger M8 ring disconnected for the EV200 connection. Route both cables without pulling on the lugs.
4. Tighten both screws by hand to snug, as CTRE permits. If using a suitable torque driver and correct bit, the specification is 2.5 Nm (22.1 in-lb); do not exceed it. Neither lug should rotate. Fit the supplied input covers.

Stack from the screw head down: screw head → split washer → cable lug → PDP metal terminal. Nothing goes between the lug and terminal.

The harness’s short red lead remains disconnected for the main breaker; the new red lead’s M8 end remains disconnected for the EV200. Leave the battery disconnected. The intended positive path is SB50 → main breaker → first BatteryCablesUSA lead → EV200 → second BatteryCablesUSA lead → PDP. The am-4480 jumper does not bypass the contactor.

References: CTRE PDP 2.0 manual, page 7  · BatteryCablesUSA precrimped lead family .

Drive check materials

This is a gathering checklist for the four-module base, using existing BOM parts—not a new order or permission to energize the assembled parts. Wire lengths and connector consumption depend on the actual routing. Keep the battery disconnected during preparation.

Battery and power distribution

Stop circuit

These are the purchased stop-circuit components; the BOM still records the EV200 as ordered, not received. The proposed breaker/contactor mounts are retired; the user will handle internal mounting. The added supports and strap models have been removed from both active Onshape assemblies. Physical fit and the stop/reset wiring remain unverified; this list is not a circuit diagram. The separate YAM power supplies are not disconnected by the base contactor. Do not substitute the small E-stop contact block for the high-current contactor.

CAN, computer and cable management

Tools

• WCP 0.9 Nm torque driver with T10 bit for motor power terminals.
• WCP 0.6 Nm torque driver with T8 bit for motor CAN terminals.
• PDP WAGO tool, Klein 11053 stripper for the heavy motor wire, and the BOM-listed Irwin stripper for supported smaller wire sizes.
• Existing Bondhus keys, appropriate hand drivers and Wheeler torque driver where their size and torque range match the specific fastener. Do not use the motor-terminal settings on battery or PDP hardware.

Still needed before motion

The BOM does not establish a complete test fixture: stable wheels-clear support, secure battery/electronics restraints and a verified mobile power arrangement for the Pi still need resolving. Electrical polarity/short checks, current limits, encoder calibration, stop/reset behavior and control software that disables motion on connection loss must also be verified before a floor test. A multimeter is not listed in the BOM; it remains a missing verification tool, not an assumed owned item. Upper-frame, arm and lift assembly are outside this initial check.

Tools

Manufacturer diagrams

Connection notes

The CANivore route was checked with 3.6 × 1 mm ties through 4.978 mm rail holes. Confirm the actual ties fit. Physical retention still needs checking.

Full base allocation

The ninth purchased 40 A breaker is reserved for the lift. The encoder branch uses an 18 AWG trunk and two separate five-way WAGO connectors, one for each polarity. Each connector joins one trunk wire to four sensor leads. CANivore uses USB power in the current arrangement.

Physical PDP terminal assignments and cable lengths are still to be set on the assembled frame. Breaker ratings do not establish the motor current settings; those need configuration and verification before operation.

Before powered testing

Secure the module with the wheel clear of the bench and keep an accessible power disconnect. Check polarity and inspect the complete feeder, branch protection and terminal covers before connecting the battery. The full robot’s stop/reset circuit is still unfinished.

Follow CTRE’s CANivore setup  for the USB connection and CAN termination. Configure unique device IDs and motor current limits  before commanding motion. The robot’s current-limit settings and test procedure have not yet been released.

Internal mounting materials

Raspberry Pi

Keep the CanaKit assembly in its included case on the rear top panel. Mounting is left to the user; the added tie-loop models are retired. Leave the fan, ventilation and connectors accessible. The SSD, M.2 HAT+ and cooler are preassembled . The different printed enclosure in CAD is a reference, not a replacement to print.

E-stop mounting

Use the manufacturer’s mounting diagrams  for the operator, support base and contact block.

CAD views from inside the robot. Blue identifies the parts being fitted; rail attachment hardware is hidden.

Driver access cleared the checked frame, battery and Anker with the contact block removed. Hand/handle clearance and final mounting torque remain unverified. The stop/reset circuit is unfinished; this mounting check does not validate its electrical behavior.