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10. Advanced Techniques > Powering Your Robot
Powering Your Robot
In this section we’ll describe the various options for powering your project. These consist of the DC power jack, which supplies electricity to the Arduino via a wall wart. There are USB connectors, which deliver both power and data through a USB cable. The third method is the battery pack, which we often use in this book. Let’s go over each method.
DC Power Jack
A good choice for powering a Bricktronics project is an AC adapter, a so-called “wall wart” that plugs into the wall and supplies electricity to the board (Figure 10-12).
But not every wall wart is compatible with the Arduino! To work with the Arduino, the plug should be 2.1mm and center positive. To power both the Arduino and motors, the adapter should be 7.5 to 9V, and provide at least 600 mA per motor. While it’s recommended that the Arduino be run from a 7.5V to 12V AC adapter, the NXT motors aren’t meant to be run at anything more than 9V.
