We're going to build ourselves a “power test panel” for testing one or two motors at a time for workshop demonstrations and for mechanism prototyping. We've lashed this up a few times in the past, and its proved its usefulness. Now we'll do it in a tidier, more durable form.

I'm sure we can do it more neatly than the one pictured here: https://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152051 (never mind the text of that thread)

On the panel will be some basic robot electrical components:

• battery (with SB50 connectors)
• 120 amp main breaker
• power distribution panel (an old FRC-2015 blue one)
• some motor controller

In addition, we're going to add a volt/amp meter to check battery condition and current drawn by things under test: Volt/Amp meter (Amazon)

In order to control the motor controller, we'll need a souce of PWM data.

Initially, we'll use this one that I built a few years back: PWM generator with display. Alternately, one could buy one or two of these: http://www.andymark.com/Thrifty-Throttle-p/am-2936a.htm Or we can build somthing using an arduino or other processor.

• Battery + to breaker, breaker to PDB (red)
• Battery - to current shunt , shunt to PDB (black)

Note that the current-measurement shunt must go in the negative battery lead.