**I’m proud to announce the release of the VEX Power Expander. Use the VEX Power Expander to add a secondary power source for four of the PWM outputs on the VEX Microcontroller. Balance a robot’s motor load across two batteries to extend robot run time and increase performance.
Additional information can be found on the WiKi.**
That’s great news! I’ve been waiting for the Power Expander to come out ever since the World Championships in Dallas. I just ordered one along with a second battery. I guess that I’ll have some new robot parts to play with next week.
Now all I need is the VEXnet Upgrade Bundle and the LCD - I can’t wait for them to come out!
Keep up the great work!
What I’m tryin to figure out is that…it says that the VEXnet upgrades will be shipped in July…and I still haven’t gotten mine yet…am I the only one?
Shipped, yes. Recieved, not necessarily. You’ll probly get it some time in August. (Also, they said “begin shipping,” so they could still be shipping that list in August. So just relax and you’ll get it, things like this take time.)
So…How bout that power expander? Can someone please explain what the heck it does and how it interacts with the microcontroller? Cause I see the extra battery capability and supposed new ports, but I’m confused what ports it has and how it works with the rest of the robot and microcontroller.
The power expander allows you to run 4 motors on a separate battery which is connected directly to the power expander. This is done through:
Technic-R-C
Krummel,
I added a description of how (at least in my educated guess) this device works to the Vex Wiki entry:
https://vexforum.com/wiki/index.php/Power_Expander
If I’ve been less than clear, please let me know.
TIA,
Eric
Alrighty, thanks guys. Sounds like a good idea, not to mention some of those motor-heavy bots with heavy lifting or speed requirements will possibly need this.
Check your link!!! The Text shows the Wiki, but the Link shows the Product Page. re:http://www.vexrobotics.com/vex-power-expander.shtml
Great Information!!! This describes my understanding of the Vex Power Expander.
Thanx, Mark!
I admit that, on my first draft, I copied and pasted the wrong link. However, I then copied and pasted the URL of the wiki page as an edit. For reasons known not to me (or the Webmistress whose chin is perched on my head at the moment), that changed the text but not the link. (Note, I tried repeating that method of change with her as a witness, with the same, undesirable, result.) I think it’s fixed now (I deleted the old link, then pasted in the URL.), but please do me the favor of checking it.
TIA,
Eric
The link is correct now… Thanks!!!
If you don’t mind me asking, and since you brought it up… Is the “Webmistress” the small “furry kind”?? Or the “Adoring” human kind?? Either way, I think you lucky… 
I just received mine, so they have definitely started shipping them. Mine was shipped on 7/31, so they met their goal of starting to ship these in July!
Can’t wait to fire it up and experiment.
Cheers,
We expect a full report. How about adding it to the Wiki?