18 replies to this topic

[Mark Onofri]

I found this in the bottom of a box of neat stuff. No idea how it is attached or how it works. It would make a great external resistor controller although I doubt it would work.

Anyone?

 

[Mr. M]

On non-electronic controllers using resistor or diodes for dropping the voltage, you insert a brake resistor between the red post and red alligator clip. The resistor can be variable to adjust braking. Not sure how this one was implemented, but that is the concept.

[Jim Difalco]

That looks to be a version of my idea decades ago to add adjustable brakes to a Parma resistor controller. Mine was a circuit board with resistance wire wrapped around it and a slide to change brake resistance. Mine was mounted to the top barrel of a Parma resistor.

 

Ferret even ripped off the name of my product, EZ brake.

[mreibman]

This image is of a variable resistor.

 

So you see the metal ring around the resistor? Attach one wire there, and the other to one end. Move the ring, and you vary the resistance.

 

I don't think you can use your pictured resistor effectively as an external resistor in a controller as we used to use 100W resistors for that, and the one pictured doesn't look to be that large. I mean, you could use it, but if it's only like 25w you'll smoke it with most any modern motor.

 

[Bill from NH]

The Ferret resistor kits were used a lot locally on Parma controllers in the mid-90s. Most
external resistor controllers I saw were for wing car racing, thus the need for 100W
resistors.

[Mark Onofri]

I'll never forget when my friend Gordy Root came back from Elmsford with 100' increments of wire wraped around a Pepsi can that made it look like a porcupine from hell.
Wtf is that?
A break choke.
I just walked away lmfao!
Those were the days.

[Bill Seitz]

That resistor looks to be the size of a commercial 12-watt adjustable wire-wound resistor. As mentioned already, external throttle resistors were at least 100-watt, so that wouldn't be good for that.

[Mark Onofri]

It was just a thought, but a 100wat that size would be something.
So, one Wire to the post,the other on a slider ?

[Jim Difalco]

It was just a thought, but a 100wat that size would be something.
So, one Wire to the post,the other on a slider ?

 

Mark, correct. A slider to vary the ohms. Is the resistor marked with an ohm value? My guess would be 10 ohms.

[Dave Crevie]

That would be no good for an external resistor controller. Those resistors were huge. I searched Ferret ez-brake and got something entirely different from slot racing.

 

This was a typical external resistor controller;

 

 

 

They used a switch block in conjunction with the trigger wiper.

[Bill from NH]

I have a controller similar to that in the post #11 that I used in the '70s to run open class wing cars on a battery-powered original King. It uses a contact block with the Parma trigger assembly. Mine has a nichrome wire 1 ohm resistor wound on a Parma double tube ceramic core. I think it has 6 taps. This resistor is mounted in a small metal work box attached to the controller cables about 30" down from the handle. The parts & wiring were sold as a kit by Maury Bodeau, a CT semi-pro racer.

[Mark Onofri]

Dave, I've got a few like that and, a newer Parma version with a much smaller resistor. That's why it would be nice if the Ferret would work. It's even smaller than the Parma but, I know it won't.

[old & gray]

I have a controller similar to that in the post #11 that I used in the '70s to run open class wing cars on a battery-powered original King. It uses a contact block with the Parma trigger assembly. Mine has a nichrome wire 1 ohm resistor wound on a Parma double tube ceramic core. I think it has 6 taps. This resistor is mounted in a small metal work box attached to the controller cables about 30" down from the handle. The parts & wiring were sold as a kit by Maury Bodeau, a CT semi-pro racer.

 

I had one of those controllers in the mid 70's. It was branded as an "Ice Box". I bought it used, and it was as you describe but the resistor was .6 ohm.

[Mark Onofri]

It's amazing that we could even complete a lap with those 》1ohm monsters. Seemed like mine was on/off and that's it.

[Dave Crevie]

I had three. One with the six segment contact block. Then Jerry Kulich came out with a ten segment block, and I built two more. One for wings, and one for Eurosport. I was never much for wing cars, so guys were forever borrowing that controller for their wing car races. Did well with it. I was going to build one with a relay, but got deeper into vintage big car racing and dropped out of slot cars.

 

The trouble with these controllers was that you had to continuously clean the contacts.

[Jim Difalco]

 

I had one of those controllers in the mid 70's. It was branded as an "Ice Box". I bought it used, and it was as you describe but the resistor was .6 ohm.

Bob, you are so close on the name. Those remote external resistor controllers were called "ICE 9" controllers. They were made by Paul Gelman for a while. 

[Eddie Fleming]

I thought the trouble with the big external resistor controllers was the burns on your legs. 

[Garry S]

I just bend the resistor cover up, drill a hole, and add a 5 ohm 25 watt variable to the brake lead.  Works great.

 

 

 

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[Mark Onofri]

Jim, I just read the fine print in your reply. I'll check the ohm resistance later today.