Update Power Distribution Page

docs/source/control_hard_compon/rc_components/power_distr/power-distr.rst

@@ -126,6 +126,24 @@ Main Power Switch
 
       MATRIX (part #50-0030)
 
+   .. grid-item-card::
+      :class-header: sd-bg-dark font-weight-bold sd-text-white
+      :class-body: sd-text-left body
+
+      AndyMark Power Switch 
+
+      ^^^
+
+      .. figure:: images/am-4969.jpg
+         :align: center
+         :alt: AM-4969 Switch
+         :width: 50 %
+
+      +++
+
+      AndyMark (part #am-4969)
+
+
 
 One Main Power Switch must control all power provided by the Main Battery. It
 along with its label should be placed in accordance to 
@@ -157,12 +175,29 @@ Power Distribution Block
 
       REV (REV-31-1293)
 
+   .. grid-item-card::
+      :class-header: sd-bg-dark font-weight-bold sd-text-white
+      :class-body: sd-text-left body
+
+      goBILDA XT30 Power Distribution Block
+
+
+      ^^^
+
+      .. figure:: images/goBILDApdb.jpg
+         :align: center
+         :alt: goBildaPDB
+         :width: 50 %
+
+      +++
+
+      goBILDA (SKU: 3108-2833-0801)
+
 Power Distribution Blocks help to distribute the power to devices such as
 Control Hubs, SPARKminis, and more.  
 See :ref:`Game Manual Part 1<manuals/game_manuals/game_manuals:game manuals>` 
-for a description of legal Power Distribution methods. The REV XT30 Power
-Distribution Block shown is only one option for distributing power, and is
-not the only legal device for power distribution.
+for a description of legal Power Distribution methods. The Power
+Distribution Blocks shown are not the only legal devices for power distribution.
 
 REV Servo Power Module
 ----------------------
@@ -193,8 +228,8 @@ draws power from a 12V source and provides 6V power to each output servo port.
 A REV Servo Power Module can provide up to 15A of current across all output
 servo ports for a total of 90 Watts of power per module.
 
-Commercial USB Battery Pack
----------------------------
+COTS USB Battery Pack
+---------------------
 
 .. grid:: 1 2 2 3
    :gutter: 2
@@ -209,14 +244,173 @@ Commercial USB Battery Pack
 
       .. figure:: images/ankerbattery.png
          :align: center
-         :alt: REV-31-1387
+         :alt: Anker Pack
          :width: 50 %
 
       +++
 
       Anker Battery Pack
 
-A commercial USB battery pack is an auxiliary power source that can be used in
-specific situations in accordance with the 
-:ref:`Game Manuals<manuals/game_manuals/game_manuals:game manuals>`
+A Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) USB battery pack is an auxiliary power source
+that can be used in specific situations in accordance with the :ref:`Game
+Manuals<manuals/game_manuals/game_manuals:game manuals>`. In the 2023-2024
+season, these batteries were deemed permissible to power LEDs (per
+``<RE12>f.ii``) and, by extension, COTS light controller sources like the `REV
+Blinkin <https://www.revrobotics.com/rev-11-1105/>`__ (per ``<RE12>e``).
+However, having a COTS USB External Battery on the Robot carries additional
+considerations.  All teams must ensure their COTS USB Battery Pack:
+
+- Is manufactured by a reputable brand.
+- Is within standard Watt-hour capacity limits.
+- Includes standard safety features.
+- Is secured on the Robot.
+- Has unused ports covered.
+- Is always charged properly.
+- Does not show any signs of distress.
+
+The following sections are intended to help clarify the list above.
+
+Reputable Brands
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Far and above, the most important factor regarding the safety of COTS USB
+Battery Packs is ensuring that the battery pack was manufactured by a reputable
+brand. International testing of COTS USB Battery Packs has concluded that
+unbranded batteries, or batteries manufactured by little-known companies, tend
+to fail more often than batteries from reputable brands. How do you know what
+brands are reputable and which ones are not? That's not always an easy thing to
+determine, however brands such as 
+`Anker <https://www.anker.com/collections/power-banks>`__, 
+`Belkin <https://www.belkin.com/products/chargers/portable-chargers-power-banks/>`__,
+`Otterbox <https://www.otterbox.com/en-us/power-packs>`__, and 
+`BioLite <https://www.bioliteenergy.com/collections/usb-battery-banks>`__ 
+are among the most-used brands in the world. *FIRST* Tech Challenge recommends
+choosing an internationally reputable brand, even if the brand is more
+expensive than a lesser-known brand, as these batteries will be more apt to
+follow safety and performance guidelines. NEVER choose a COTS USB Battery
+Pack based on its (low) price alone!
+
+Capacity Limits
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The recurring theme in most discussions of COTS USB Battery Packs is safety.
+The United States Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has strict
+limitations on COTS USB Battery Packs on-board planes, and *FIRST* Tech
+Challenge has adopted the capacity limit restriction. **Batteries are limited
+to 100 Watt-Hours (Wh) or less**. 
+
+How do you calculate Watt-hours? To calculate Watt-hours of a battery, multiply
+the Voltage (V) of the battery by its capacity measured in Amp-Hours (Ah). For
+example, a 12V battery with 3,000mAh capacity has a 36Wh capacity - when
+capacity is measured in milli-Amp Hours (mAh), divide the capacity by 1000 to
+get Ah and them multiply by Voltage.  However, for COTS USB Battery Packs, the
+Voltage cells predominantly used in the packs is **3.7V**, regardless of the
+ultimate Voltage provided by the USB ports. Therefore to calculate Wh for a
+COTS USB Battery Pack, multiply **3.7V** by the **Ah rating** of the pack. A 25,000mAh
+COTS USB Battery Pack has a rating of 92.5Wh. Using this formula, the maximum
+capacity COTS USB Battery Pack that is allowed is a **27,000mAh** pack.
+
+Standard Safety Features
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The major benefit of using a reputable COTS USB Battery Pack brand is the
+guarantee that the battery pack includes standard safety features, including
+but not limited to:
+
+- Reverse Polarity Protection
+- Short-Circuit Protection
+- Over-Charge Protection
+- Over-Temperature or Over-Heat Protection
+- Over-Current Protection
+
+You should perform a good-faith effort to determine if your Battery Pack 
+contains these safety features. Often within the documentation provided with
+your pack it will list the protections offered by the pack. Remember that the
+Battery Pack contains Lithium-Ion or Lithium Polymer batteries often will
+explode or catch fire when they fail, and these protections are vital to 
+ensuring that the batteries do not fail prematurely. It is not recommended 
+to use COTS USB Battery Packs without these protections.
+
+Securing the Battery Pack to the Robot
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The leading cause of battery failure is physical damage to the battery. For
+COTS USB Battery Packs this is usually attributed to dropping the battery pack,
+applying excessive force on the Battery Pack, and subjecting the pack to excessive
+shock (which might also damage internal components). In order to prevent damage, 
+the Battery Pack should be properly secured within the robot. Tips for securing
+the battery are:
+
+- Use Hook and Loop or 3M DualLock fasteners to secure the battery, **OR**
+- Store the battery in a tight-fitting or custom-fit enclosure within the robot
+  that allows the battery to be exposed to air (for cooling), **AND**
+- Protect the battery from contact from other robots, game pieces, or field
+  elements that might breach the perimeter of the robot.
+
+If utilizing a COTS USB Battery Pack, it is of utmost importance to ensure
+that the battery is secured, protected, and ventilated. All batteries (both
+main batteries and COTS USB Battery Packs) should be easily accessible and be 
+able to be quickly removed from the robot in case of an emergency.
+
+Cover Unused Ports
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Some COTS USB Battery Packs contain multiple ports, and it is often that not
+all ports are in-use while securely mounted to the robot. For example, the 
+COTS USB Battery Pack may have multiple USB ports, a dedicated charging port,
+and other ports as necessary. Any ports that are not in-use (meaning don't have 
+a USB connector inserted in them) are at great risk of short-circuiting. The
+most common reason for short-circuiting is metal fragments that may make their
+way into the ports, especially swarf due to metal rubbing together, gears wearing,
+or robot maintenance performed while electronics are present. Any unused ports
+should be covered using electrical tape, Gaffers Tape, or any other means of
+preventing debris from entering the ports. Short circuits may present risks of 
+excessive heat, fire, or explosion and all reasonable efforts should be taken 
+to prevent them.
+
+.. warning::
+   Never get a COTS USB Battery Pack wet. If it gets wet, follow the manufacturer's
+   recommended procedure to clean and dry the battery before continuing use.
+
+Charge COTS USB Battery Packs properly
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The owners/instruction manual provided with the COTS USB Battery Pack often 
+contains instructions for the proper care and maintenance of the battery pack,
+including proper charging. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
+In addition, these are common best practices for charging your Batteries:
+
+- Avoid charging the power bank on places that build up heat, such as on your 
+  bed or within a bag.
+- Unless it's a solar power bank, NEVER leave your battery in the sun!
+- Follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the time required to fully charge
+  your COTS USB Battery Pack.
+- Avoid leaving your COTS USB Battery Pack on prolonged chage as this may 
+  cause it to overheat.
+- If the COTS USB Battery Pack becomes excessively hot during charging or 
+  discharging, unplug it from the power source or powered device immediately
+  and allow it to cool before doing anything else with the battery.
+
+Checking for signs of distress
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Most COTS USB Battery Packs are contained within a hard plastic shell in order
+to protect and package the battery cell(s) within. Therefore it can be
+difficult to determine if the battery is showing signs of failure and distress.
+Here are several tips for identifying a failing battery:
+
+- Check for Leaking Power Cells. Similar to an acid leak in an alkaline battery,
+  check to see if there are any signs of corrosion or acid leak from the 
+  battery pack. This might be difficult to determine, so stay vigilent. If signs
+  of acid or corrosion are present, dispose of the battery per the manufacturer's
+  recommendations immediately with extreme prejudice.
+- Look for bulging within the battery casing. When Lithium batteries fail, often 
+  they will begin to bulge like a balloon. If the case of the battery shows any
+  signs of pressure from within, dispose of the battery per the manufacturer's 
+  recommendations immediately with extreme prejudice.
+- Test the battery pack for any non-functional ports. Sometimes non-functional
+  ports can be an early sign of internal damage. DO NOT use batteries that 
+  are suspected of being damaged - dispose of the battery per the manufacturer's
+  recommendations immediately.
+