146 replies to this topic

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

You removed a spacer? Not sure why that would make it better. Adding one maybe. And your idea is reasonable. I
I just measured the braid depth at the strip and it is only .005. I'm not sure I would want it ABOVE the surface.

[John Miller]

My bad, we added a spacer.

.010 above the surface at that location would not be a problem at all.

[John Miller]

Another suggestion would be to have the racers line up differently for practice.

The line for red lane should begin at the 90. This way the 90 can be marshaled and the line would wrap around the donut for additional marshaling.

The same can happen for black lane with the line beginning at the dead man wrapping around the finger for marshaling.

With 10 or 20 seconds to go in the practice session the racer would walk around to red or black to hook up with no loss of time.

Bingo bango, we have marshalls.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

You've been reading my mind. LOL.

[John Miller]

And for the guys that have a hard time getting in the 90... Hopefully, the next guy in line could help marshal while they wait.

[Noose]

Well all good points to know. I didn't notice until the end of the heat when Jay Guard asked me what happened and said I wasn't passed and didn't come off. I moaned to Eric but it is what it is. We move on and take the hints given for that area.

[Rick Davis]

Back in the last century (it's so much fun to say that ) we ran double voltage to the dead strip on the HO track we had in the shop to offset the system loss and solidfy the counter.

[Rick]

It's always been the status quo concerning lap counters. If 58 cars count fine and two do not, the cars are in error not the dead strip. It's our responsibility to make sure our car counts. Matter of fact, the dead strip at TT is much longer than needed today for the puter counting systems, because it was designed for pinball counters back in the day.

[MantaRay]

And for the guys that have a hard time getting in the 90... Hopefully, the next guy in line could help marshal while they wait.

Hey... I resemble that remark... yuk, yuk, yuk.

[MSwiss]

Matter of fact, the dead strip at TT is much longer than needed today for the puter counting systems, because it was designed for pinball counters back in the day.

The track has a new top on it.

Mike M can comment if the dead strip is the same length as before (and how long that is).

[MSwiss]

Back in the last century (it's so much fun to say that) we ran double voltage to the dead strip on the HO track we had in the shop to offset the system loss and solidify the counter.

On my two systems the dead strip is dead. I might be wrong but I don't think you can power them.

I'm pretty sure it is on Lapmaster also.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

The dead strip is the same length. It always worked before so the thinking was why change. And the strip is powered. Both on LapMaster and SRT there is a small amount of current in the strip.

[MSwiss]

I guess what I meant by powered, (in reference to Rick's saying they ran double voltage in HO)
will a car pull out of it after a track call?

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

No they won't. On the LapMaster the polarity is reversed from the track also. Don't remember on the SRT.

[jimht]

This missed laps problem started 15 years ago when I first started using the PlaFit "F" motors in the racing program and RTR cars (with the SRT system).

Since then all my lap counter strips are powered at 24 volts for the SRT (to increase sensitivity) and normal 12 volts for track power to eliminate the "dead" strip.

Simply a matter of using a bridge rectifier on each lane at the strip to make sure the track current only goes one way and the lap counter current the other.

The positive side of the lane is isolated at the strip while the negative side can just go straight through (continuous braid).

[SlotCarsten]

A LapMaster dead-strip is "Powered".
Not to let the cars drive trough, but to make sure that the counter will count, even if the car is standing still on the deadstrip.
The voltage is 5 Volt, and the polarity is reversed. However the ampage is only 0.01 Amp, so even if it in teory is "braking" the car in reality it is not. The car will not run backward.

When a car passes a deadstrip at any speed, it will act like a dynamo and provide power back to the deadstrip. In an unpowered deadstrip this is what drives the counting. However at low or no speed it might not be enough to trip the counter. This is why it is powered.
The voltage on the deadstrip needs to be reversed as that on the track. Then the deadstrip power and the car power will add up to give an even better signal. Just like two batteries in a flashlight are positioned plus to minus. If not they will counteract and prevent counting. Just as if you reverse one battery in the flashlight you will not get any light.

The LapMaster system and the electronics have been carefully engineered by a professional that does this sort of a thing for a living, to provide you with the best and most reliable system there is. Please do not start tinkering with voltage or rectifiers without my approval.

However in a dead-strip principle you will always be depending on the car actual making contact with the dead-strip.
For an even better system, consider using overhead bridge optical sensors. But ofcause they have their own set of problems if the car does not pass in line of the expected lane.

[MSwiss]

Carsten,
Any theories on the 3 or 4 cars not counting?

Do you think it could be something to do with the front tires rolling?

[Tex]

Not meaning to be a dweeb(although it fits so well!), but have the race results been posted? What were the winning lap totals for F-1 and Can-Am?

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

Tex,
Try this link: http://www.tomthumbh....com/LiveTiming

[Tex]

Thanks, Mike!

Wow! The top 5 in Can-Am separated by only 4 laps! THAT is some quality racing!

[jimht]

Some F style motors miss laps if the voltage is not boosted to increase sensitivity.

I've seen this off and on for years with some F motors regardless of car or setup. I've switched suspect motors to different cars; it's the motor.

It is what it is.
The solution with the SRT system is more voltage on the lap counter strip, other systems may not be amenable to this solution.

[Rick]

I apologize for referring to the lap counter strip as the "dead strip", that is a generic term we use for that item. I was aware the SRT had power in it. Didn't mean to confuse...........................