9 replies to this topic

[Don Weaver]

Is there a reversing switch for a 4 lane track available?  I know it can be done on individual lanes but I would like to be able to reverse the entire track with a single switch.  Thanks for any help...

 

Don

[MSwiss]

I think you are better off just switching lead wire on the cars, when you run the other direction.

 

Jim Difalco would be better qualified to comment, but I think if you put a high capacity reversing switch on the power supply, it might jazz up your controllers set up for positive gate.

[SlotCarsten]

You could use relays, one per lane, and then trigger all the relays by a single switch.

As Mike said, you should not reverse the power supply (before the controllers), but the lane wires (after the controller hookup's)
The relay should be of the double pole, double throw variety.

If you use a deadstrip, you propably need to reverse the deadstrip wires too.

 

In our club we race one direction on even dates, and the other on odd dates.

 

Best regards, Carsten Groennemann.

[Jim Difalco]

Swiss is correct. If you reverse the power supply before the track panel you will be changing the track polarity to negative. Of course if you are using resistor controllers it would not matter but electronic controllers will be damaged.

 

Of course if you are using resistor controllers I would say buy electronic ones! What scale is the track? HO,1/32,1/24?

[Don Weaver]

The cars are 1/24 and everyone uses electronic controllers.  So this will have to be done one lane at a time.  Thanks for all the information, guys...

[MSwiss]

Are you looking to change directions, mid-race?

If so, it would be a ton less total work for you guys to run a loop lead system where you can get away with running the lead wires soldered straight forward, to the clips.

Then you would just flips clips, between heats, most likely without having to take the body off.

[Phil Smith]

You could use relays, one per lane, and then trigger all the relays by a single switch.

As Mike said, you should not reverse the power supply (before the controllers), but the lane wires (after the controller hookup's)
The relay should be of the double pole, double throw variety.

If you use a deadstrip, you propably need to reverse the deadstrip wires too.

 

In our club we race one direction on even dates, and the other on odd dates.

 

Best regards, Carsten Groennemann.

 

This makes sense to me, and you are actually doing it, correct?

 

To make things really interesting, you could make each lane independently switchable. That way could reverse direction on lanes 1 and 3, but not 2 and 4.

[Jim Difalco]

Back at Elmsford we would be able to run backwards on the Nuvolari before the track was set to be rebraided.

[SlotCarsten]

 

This makes sense to me, and you are actually doing it, correct?

 

To make things really interesting, you could make each lane independently switchable. That way could reverse direction on lanes 1 and 3, but not 2 and 4.

We only do that once a year at the x-mas race !
You really have to be careful where to cross, as you do this twice per lap and on both sides, so 4 crossings per lap.

But we aktualitet manage to race!

[MarkH]

We have this setup on 4 of our tracks. Works without a hitch. Power remains correct polarity, only the power to track reverses. Also includes reversing the polarity if using Lap Master which 3 of our tracks use. Again, no problems.

If interested I can send a PDF.

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