Design Power System
30 minutesInventory all loads — motors, electronics, sensors — and define required runtime.
Field context
This workflow is part of 4 niche fields
Complete guide for robot battery sizing — step-by-step workflow, tools, checklist, and expert tips to get started.
Inventory all loads — motors, electronics, sensors — and define required runtime.
Estimate average and peak current draw, required Ah capacity, and minimum discharge C-rating.
Install battery mount, wire power distribution board, add fuse or polyfuse protection.
Measure actual current draw under load, verify runtime, and check cell voltage after discharge.
Size battery Ah for required match or mission runtime.
Sum motor, electronics, and sensor current draw.
Estimate peak motor current during acceleration and stall.
Verify measured runtime matches calculated estimate.
Key benchmarks for robot battery sizing.
| Load | Current | Runtime 2Ah |
|---|---|---|
| Motors stall | High | Minutes |
| Motors cruise | Medium | 30-60 min |
| Electronics only | Low | Hours |
Motors at stall draw 3-5× cruise current — battery C-rating must handle peak, not average.
Use only 80% of rated Ah capacity — last 20% damages LiPo cells and sags voltage.
Two identical packs in parallel doubles Ah without changing voltage — safer than oversized single cells.