Slot race-cars
Starting point is my old slot-car race track from Carrera, type "Universal". Scale 1:32.
Goal: count the time a car needs to make one complete round.
Game is to have the lowest time.
Goal: improve control of slot-cars
Problems with current controllers are:
To make an improved controller we need to know what the transformer can deliver and what each slot-car requires.
Transformer
Different transformers in use. Only one which has four well defined positons so that one is measured.
Transformer position | Without cars [V] | 1 car moving [V] | 2 cars moving [V] |
1 | 20 | 12 | 12 |
2 | 24 | 16 | 14 |
3 | 28 | 19 | 17 |
4 | 32 | 22 | 20 |
Controller
Resistor: <100 Ohm
Track
The unverisal track has per slot 3 conductors; one deeper in the track ("slot") and one on each site of the slot.
Measuring the resistance of one complete race-track of multiple boards resulted in 400...600 Ohm.
Track parts were stored in the garage, so there was some rust.
Cars
<Blauw>
<Orane>
Car |
Current drawn when max speed (at trafo position 2) [A] |
DC resistance [Ohm] |
Blue (new) | 0.35 | 45 |
Blue (old) | 0.33 | 630 |
Orange (new) | 0.33 | 15 |
Orange (old) | 0.35 | 23 |
Grey - Porsch | 0.40 | 680 |
Measured the blue-new car also at different transformer positions
Car |
Transformer position |
DC resistance [Ohm] |
Blue (new) | 1 | 0.31 |
Blue (new) | 2 | 0.35 |
Blue (new) | 3 | 0.35 |
Blue (new) | 4 | 0.40 |
Note: the current is measured at the straight track part where the max speed could be obtained. There is no guarantee that the numbers above are measured at the same speed. Looking at the inaccuracy of the "equal speed" it can be stated that based on these 4 measurements the current through the motor of the car does not depend on the voltage on the transformer.
Goal: have an individual car control of >2 cars on the track.
Remaining problem: there is no solution yet how cars can pass each other.
Because each slot car-track has 3 metal wires it is possible by using its own dedicated wires to run 2 cars on one slot.
For example by making slot-wire the ground you can control one car with the left trace and one with the right trace.
And because each race track has 2 slots, this will make it possible to run 4 cars independently on the track.
Note: in some tracks the conducators are connected via a wire below the trace, these wires have to be cut.
Give each car its own digital receiver and send only digital signals over the track.
Methods to change from track (using existing track parts: 50530, of 50535