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Post by dave632 on Dec 31, 2017 13:45:19 GMT -7
Since the only kind of HO slot car racing I do is drag racing I feel that staging by hand is the only way to stage fairly. Using a controller is almost impossible if you want a truly even start and with some of the races decided by thousandths a slight difference in staging can make a difference. The same goes for starting the run, a momentary contact start button is the way to go. With a pro tree set at .02 I can still occasionally red light with a button start, I cannot do it with a controller and as fast as some of these cars are a few thousandths of a second can equal a couple of car lengths at the finish line.
I have to relate this to full size drag racing where I raced on a Pro tree with a tranny brake button. On the .04 tree my reaction times were in the .04-- range pretty consistently but if I ever tried to foot brake it I was in the .06 range. Trying to stage a big motor car with a foot brake is impossible anyway if you want to leave the line at much more than 1500 rpm.
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Post by cozee on Oct 6, 2018 19:36:31 GMT -7
You are losing time with a controller because of the amount of time to move the trigger through it's range. You are also losing time, and power with a controller because of wire length and circuitry. On my old racing controllers, I would install a 18v relay within a few inches of the clips (all conns soldered) A micro switch was installed to be activated by the trigger in the full throttle position. This would close the relay and run the full current through it at the clips, by-passing the controller all together. Laps time were noticeably better, especially considering that even after a 2-3 minute heat, cars could be withing a few inches-few feet of each other.
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Post by cozee on Oct 6, 2018 19:36:51 GMT -7
You are also losing time with a controller because of the amount of time to move the trigger through it's range. You are also losing time, and power with a controller because of wire length and circuitry. On my old racing controllers, I would install a 18v relay within a few inches of the clips (all conns soldered) A micro switch was installed to be activated by the trigger in the full throttle position. This would close the relay and run the full current through it at the clips, by-passing the controller all together. Laps time were noticeably better, especially considering that even after a 2-3 minute heat, cars could be withing a few inches-few feet of each other. Some of the classes I ran could as well been raced with a button as opposed to a controller!
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Post by dave632 on Oct 8, 2018 9:04:21 GMT -7
Agreed. If I were forced to use a controller to start a slot car drag race it would have a relay that would instantly turn the power on and bypass the controller just like you mention.
Since I have switched my Trackmate to the guard position my reaction and 60' times are much more reliable.
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Post by wbj on Apr 18, 2020 18:46:01 GMT -7
I know that this is an older thread. But what you can do is use a transbrake switch. It will fit right in a Parma controller handle with very little modification needed. Plus no more dealing wiper button to resistor contact issues/maintenance.
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Post by ecbill on Apr 19, 2020 5:02:55 GMT -7
I know that this is an older thread. But what you can do is use a transbrake switch. It will fit right in a Parma controller handle with very little modification needed. Plus no more dealing wiper button to resistor contact issues/maintenance. What is a transbrake relative to a slot car controller? |
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Post by jjwallace on Apr 19, 2020 6:19:35 GMT -7
I know that this is an older thread. But what you can do is use a transbrake switch. It will fit right in a Parma controller handle with very little modification needed. Plus no more dealing wiper button to resistor contact issues/maintenance. What is a transbrake relative to a slot car controller? I think it would be a momentary switch tied into the circuitry on the controller that would allow the cars to be "bumped in" without using the wiper. This is all personal preference, but I am leaning toward getting rid of my controllers altogether and going to a relay for each lane. I am still not a fan of simultaneous switching because the fastest car always wins unless there is mechanical failure. With drivers there is still the human element just like in real drag racing and the slower car still has a chance with reaction time. But as far as performance, the controller just takes away from that in drag racing. All you need is full power on green....no throttling necessary. My cars obviously run better on the switch than the controller. They also react differently at the launch. |
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Post by GTS on Apr 19, 2020 8:31:30 GMT -7
What is a transbrake relative to a slot car controller? I think it would be a momentary switch tied into the circuitry on the controller that would allow the cars to be "bumped in" without using the wiper. This is all personal preference, but I am leaning toward getting rid of my controllers altogether and going to a relay for each lane. I am still not a fan of simultaneous switching because the fastest car always wins unless there is mechanical failure. With drivers there is still the human element just like in real drag racing and the slower car still has a chance with reaction time. But as far as performance, the controller just takes away from that in drag racing. All you need is full power on green....no throttling necessary. My cars obviously run better on the switch than the controller. They also react differently at the launch. I too have been considering rewiring my start procedure. Right now I am using a 20 ohm Parma that trips a relay for both lanes or I can use a controller on each lane that enacts a relay. With that in mind, the chances of someone coming over to race are less than 1%, chances of me going to another track to race is less than 3%. Thus, no real need to keep boned up on my reaction time. Thinking of having the software have each lane trip a relay for power, that way I could run handicap races and the like.  If and when this becomes a reality, I will post results. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2020 8:59:24 GMT -7
sure would be interested in that availability.
interesting thread and ideas.
thank you all for sharing.
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Post by woodcote on Apr 19, 2020 14:52:21 GMT -7
I’m currently upgrading my strip and noticed Drag RC will do this via the Arduino and a 2-channel relay board. That’s my plan |
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Post by GTS on Apr 19, 2020 17:04:46 GMT -7
I’m currently upgrading my strip and noticed Drag RC will do this via the Arduino and a 2-channel relay board. That’s my plan That's how I understand it and will be my plan also.  Hope you will be able to document your progress. |
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Post by wbj on Apr 21, 2020 8:42:14 GMT -7
I know that this is an older thread. But what you can do is use a transbrake switch. It will fit right in a Parma controller handle with very little modification needed. Plus no more dealing wiper button to resistor contact issues/maintenance. What is a transbrake relative to a slot car controller? It's a high quality momentary switch. It can be wired such that power is on when the button is depressed or when it is released. The nice thing is that you replace all the standard internal controller hardware. Maybe not the answer for proxy racing? But I can't see why you couldn't just wire in one controller w/ transbrake to run both lanes? I think less moving parts = less chance of failure? |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2020 9:23:23 GMT -7
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Post by dave632 on Apr 21, 2020 19:46:46 GMT -7
My track has a switch that would allow both lanes to be run separately or be switched to simultaneos action. I use a momentary contact switch which powers a 30 amp relay, one for each side since I have 2 power supplies.
This puts all the load on the relay and I can use a low current pushbutton to start the cars. If you have one power supply you could use one relay but in that case a higher current draw car will pull power away from a lower current draw car. That is why I use 2 separate power supplies.
I would also like to say I have had some hole shot wins even though both cars are started together since cars do react differently.
Al I still have one of those remote starter buttons in my tool box.
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Post by dave632 on Apr 22, 2020 8:38:45 GMT -7
Just had to share this picture. This happened when testing for the upcoming Unlimited race. Identical reaction times, which almost never happens, identical MPH, which happens occasionally, and a win margin of .0003. I ran the same 2 cars again and it was not even close, win margin of .0221, and there was a 3 MPH difference in speed.  Dead even reaction, MPH and .0003 ET difference |
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If and when this becomes a reality, I will post results.
