25 replies to this topic

[Racer36]

What is everyone using for alligator clips to go onto the banana plugs on European controllers such as a Carsteen? I don’t really want to chop the plugs off. I’m sure I’ve seen alligator clips that slide onto the bananas.

[Rotorranch]

Most standard controller clips fit on the banana plugs, such as Parma clips.

Rotor

[Raymond Van Campenhout]

the standard replacement clips and their covers as sold in raceways will fit perfectly on 4 mm banana plugs as on European controllers. The serious manufacturers even use the standard "International/Parma" colors for their banana plugs. 

[gmpower]

Dennis I have a CS4 hack those things off and put Parma clips on unless you plan on going overseas!

[Rotorranch]

Dennis I have a CS4 hack those things off and put Parma clips on unless you plan on going overseas!

 

 

I agree.

 

Rotor

[drrufo]

I made an adapter from a piece of plastic that has three ports that the banana plugs plug into and have leads that end in alligator clips. If you are careful you can change the clips to match the track polarity.

 

John Andersen

[mike0550]

I cut mine off and soldered on Parma ones

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

[smichslot]

How to connect the controller...........

 

At the ISRA-worlds in Corby, England, in October you could connect you controller in 3 ways:

 

1) By a IEC-plug that is now standard on ISRA-worlds tracks. This prevent faulty hook-ups and thus burnt controllers

 

2) By the usual 3-prong british power-plug that has been used in UK for more years than I can count

 

3) By the "normal" 4 mm banana-plugs.

 

I dont think that it is far out to imagine that tracks in US might add a secong way of connecting controllers in addition to the alligator clips. Why not adding the IEC-plugs?

No matter what you will see them in Atlantic City in 2021.

 

Steen

Edited by smichslot, 20 November 2019 - 03:35 AM.

[Zippity]

The US might adopt IEC plugs?

 

Yeah RIGHT!!!

 

 

[smichslot]

"Might" is not the question.

 

ISRA track-rules states that IEC-plugs are required, but alternatives that are used locally are allowed.

 

So, one track in US will have IEC-plugs in the fall of 2021.

 

Steen

[Zippity]

"Might" is not the question.

 

ISRA track-rules states that IEC-plugs are required, but alternatives that are used locally are allowed.

 

So, one track in US will have IEC-plugs in the fall of 2021.

 

Steen

Thanks, Steen.

 

I guess what I was  really saying is that IEC plugs have a snowball's chance in hell, that they will ever be adopted as a "universal" plug in US based raceways

[MSwiss]

Ron,
A plug would be great.

Have many 6-8 lane tracks does NZ have?

Less than the U.S.? Lol

[Roger Schmitt]

one of my tracks has the plug and 4mm banana plug options

 

 

Our new controller will only come with an IEC-plug, we will have an adapter to use on standard tracks

 

 

[Zippity]

Ron,
A plug would be great.

Have many 6-8 lane tracks does NZ have?

Less than the U.S.? Lol

 

 

Mike,

 

Regardless of the number of 6 - 8 lane tracks here in New Zealand, I believe that every track has incorporated the IEC plug. Very few, if any, have installed banana style plugs

 

There are no commercial tracks in New Zealand.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

one of my tracks has the plug and 4mm banana plug options
 
2.jpg
 
Our new controller will only come with an IEC-plug, we will have an adapter to use on standard tracks
 
 
handle left.jpg

Any picture of the adapter ?


Mike McMasters
Tom Thumb Hobbies

[Jim Difalco]

As a controller manufacturer I would welcome these new plugs. Unfortunately look how long it took to get 99% of the tracks to change to positive polarity track wiring. This would take even longer to implement.

[Half Fast]

On another thread it was stated that IEC sockets on tracks violate many US electrical codes, as some idiot would try to plug in an AC power cord in them!

 

I would love for them to be standard to eliminate mis-wiring the controller.

 

Cheers

[MSwiss]

As a controller manufacturer I would welcome these new plugs. Unfortunately look how long it took to get 99% of the tracks to change to positive polarity track wiring. This would take even longer to implement.

Maybe one day, an Andrew Carnegie of slot racing will emerge, and travel the country, with a router, and a van full of wire, and convert the 1,000's of track, N/C.

.....or maybe not.

[Phil Smith]

On another thread it was stated that IEC sockets on tracks violate many US electrical codes, as some idiot would try to plug in an AC power cord in them!

 

I would love for them to be standard to eliminate mis-wiring the controller.

 

Cheers

 

Looking at Roger's photo, not knowing until then what an IEC connector is, the first thing that I thought was that doesn't seem safe. That can't imagine that meets code.

[smichslot]

Here they are.

 

The IEC females are on the controller, while the males are on the track.

 

The connector on the track will require some cover as the prongs will be carrying the track-voltage. There are standard Iec-connectors with "lids".

 

 

Attached Images

• 

[Rob Voska]

I bought an adapter when I was in England.  Drop of solder to hold alligator clips in position.  In a word "SWEET".   Gives you extra time between lanes to work on car as a % it's a lot of time & you can't hook up wrong.

[Racer36]

I bought an adapter when I was in England.  Drop of solder to hold alligator clips in position.  In a word "SWEET".   Gives you extra time between lanes to work on car as a % it's a lot of time & you can't hook up wrong.

Picture?

[Rob Voska]

Clipped my red & black clip on and left the white just clamp so I could use my wire choke.

Unplug, move, plug in.  Only goes one way as 1 pin is larger.

 

[Phil Hackett]

Banana plugs (and sockets) are not designed for high current circuits. Ever wonder why you see them only on low-power test equipment? Maybe your sealed motor only pulls 1 to 2 amps @ 4 volts unloaded but you'd be suprpised on how many amps those motors pull under load and that, folks, is the test. Note that AMCR driver panels had a 1/4" stereo headphone socket and, as far as I know, only Cox, Classic, and Revell controllers used it. There's a  reason you don't see them anymore: see above explanation.

 

I can tell you from personal experience that the positive plug will get hot and the bent "leaves" will  lose tension and then....your car gets slow. Aligator clips don't have the current running through the spring that keeps contact with the  post. The spring does not lose tension and cause power loss.

 

As far as a "standard" connection for tracks: that was set in the 1960s and has worked fairly well for 50+ years. A solution for the confusion on controller connections are **clear** and **accurate** labeling of the posts at  the driver's panel.  When potential raceways open in the 100s and 100s like the 1960s THAT will be a time to set up a new standard. Until then there's really no need to reinvent the wheel.

[smichslot]

Hi Phil,

You should get more out among racers. It's obvious that you havent been at a recent ISRA-worlds, where driver-changes during practice-sessions are given 20 seconds.

Even with **clear** and **accurate* labelling of the posts (are colours OK???) you will see racers hook their controllers up wrong, sometimes with catastrofic results.

This is exactly why ISRA has made the use of supplementary IEC-plug mandatory.

The power-loss in the IEC-plugs is relatively small (1-2 mohm), and since it is not wing-cars that are being raced its not a significant loss.

You are certainly right that some banana-plus doesn't give very good contact. Many racers are attracted to plugs that are covered in "flash-gold", believing that they are good, which they are not. After a couple of months of use they start to loose tension. But old croc-clips arent any better.

Try to locate the equipment you have ans start to make some measurements.

 

Steen