TIMER - SINGLE LANE TEST TRACK

[OPARENNEN]

I am currently using a Derbymagic timer that I transferred to a single lane aluminum test track.
It does a great job, giving me times up to 1/1000 of a second.
Two problems:
1 - The start gate gives a jolt and affects the car's time. My "Ruberg" solution is to hold a soft sponge under the pin's slot. It works, but is a pain in the A**.
2 - The timer operates off three AAA batteries. If I don't turn off the timer (another pain in the A**) the batteries run out in about an hour or so. Thus in the past year I have spent over $100 on just batteries.

MY QUESTION:
1 = Who makes the best single lane timer that operates by plugging into a normal household electrical socket?
2 = Who makes a single lane start gate that is quiet and soft with no jolts?

I would appreciate any helpful advice.

OPA

 

[TRE]

get the P3 from microwizard..you have to build a stand..but kit is 100.00 great deal

 

[B_Regal Racing]

P3 is a great budget timer.

The housing is easy to build. If necessary, I could take pictures of my K3 for ideas. You would not believe how easy it is...

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

I have the K3 on my track. Works well. My starting gate has the same issue with jolting the cars at the start.
I put foam pads under the pins but it still has quite a jolt.

 

[OPARENNEN]

Thanks for the response. Does the K3 work on household electricity, or does it use batteries.

Further question, Someone once sent me either an email or PM about some kind of a Pneumatic armed device that hooked on to the starting gate (one lane), where the gate came down fast enough for the car launch, but somehow grabbed and held the gate from jolting. Kind of like some doors you see that close by themselves, but don't slam. Anyone know anything about something like that?

 

[Kinser Racing]

I think I have some schematics on that OPA. I'll see if I can find it and post it here. It might be tomorrow.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

this will answer some questions.

http://www.microwizard.com/whatskit.html

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

The K3 is standard household electricity.
I plan on getting an auto gate some day.

 

[bracketracer]

Thanks for the response. Does the K3 work on household electricity, or does it use batteries.

Further question, Someone once sent me either an email or PM about some kind of a Pneumatic armed device that hooked on to the starting gate (one lane), where the gate came down fast enough for the car launch, but somehow grabbed and held the gate from jolting. Kind of like some doors you see that close by themselves, but don't slam. Anyone know anything about something like that?

I'm going to try using a pneumatic brake on my gate to dampen the jolt. It's a cylinder that's normally used on a car's glove box so it swings open gently.

I'm curious to see what info Kinser has. I'm not so far along that I can't switch horses. Maybe something like this? http://www.rockler.com/blumotion-for-cabinet-doors

 

[3phase]

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080881/37831/Innovala-Cabinet-Door-Soft-Close-Pin-Damper-1pc.aspx?MobileOptOut=1

Would this work ?

 

[Kinser Racing]

Here's all I have. I don't know if this was what you were looking for.

Below is a circuit for a start gate operated by GPRM via the serial port.

12Vdc will be supplied via a 12Vdc AC adapter (500mA or greater). Most people probably have one kicking around or you could order one such as this 12Vdc AC adapter. Note which size plug it is using. This one is using a 2.5mm, so I would need a 2.5mm female jack such as this 2.5MM DC JACK, PANEL MOUNT.

C1 is a 3300uF capacitor and is used as low-pass filter to clean the 12Vdc power.

S1 is the solenoid. I have two options. This one has a 1/4" pull or this door lock actuator which has a 3/4" pull. NOTE: Solenoid did not have enough power - ordered this one instead

D1 is a diode and is reversed biased in the circuit. It is used to shunt the current developed as the field of the solenoid collapses.

Q1 is an N-channel MOSFET and is used as the switch.

R1 is a 100k resistor and is used to prevent noise for triggering the MOSFET.

D2 is another diode and is used to prevent current flow towards the serial port on the computer.

I have also incorporated a normally open momentary switch (SW1) that can be used to "manually" operate the solenoid.

Operation is as follows: The +12v will be applied to the circuit but will sit on the drain of the Q1 MOSFET. GPRM will send the open start gate command to the gate on the MOSFET via pin 4 of the DB-9 connector. One this voltage is applied to the gate of Q1, Q1 will allow current flow from the drain to the source. This will activate the solenoid, allowing the start gate to open. Once GPRM stops sending voltage to the gate of Q1, Q1 will stop conducting and the solenoid will return and it's collapsing field will be shunted via the D1 diode.

This can easily be modified to have a light tree trigger the solenoid vice GPRM.

My plan is to integrate the wires from pin 4 and pin 5 of the DB-9 into the wires running between the RJ-11 jack's used for the gate switch on the Microwizard timer, such that I only have one 4 conductor wire running between the start gate and the timer. Then one serial cable from the
timer to the computer.

What do you all think? Is there anything I am missing or other things I should integrate? This should me a relatively inexpensive mod for my track. Should be about $10 in parts plus shipping costs.

I am not sure what "device" the solenoid will pull on to open the gate.

Courtesy of 5J's.

 

[Guest]

Newton's 3rd can be a real kick in the pants sometimes!

Ok. Far- out idea #388

For the level of precision you fellas are after, It might take a completely independent freestanding unit.

Just spit balling as I have little experience with a track and accuracy on that level is too much for my head to handle.

Setup would be more difficult I would imagine.

Basically there is no way to prevent the vibrations from happening so it is necessary to bring them as far from the cars, and towards the ground, as possible.

Like vibratory judo I guess.

The whole kit and kaboodle can be located from a bottom plate that the stand for the track will
"register" into. This would probably need a weighting system (probably water) so that the vibrations will go directly into the weight and perhaps into the ground before reverberating back into the track.

Alignment might be tough to achieve/ maintain but maybe someone has an idea on that.

Thanks,

 

[quadad]

For kind of 'standard technology' start gates, what most have done is: shorten the pins, add padding, select the weakest solenoid that can open the gate fast enough (usually a 12V one), incorporate the bearing suggesting in this forum and operate/observe/adjust as necessary until you are happy.

Though I think quite highly of 5Js, I don't like his circuit. I take a different approach in mine and put other 'bells and whistles' in.

For my single lane test track, I am going to a P3 with multiple sensors. Should be cool if we ever can get the basement area cleaned up and I would have an operating test track again. My cars are suffering as a result (at least that is the excuse I am giving and I am sticking to it !).

You can go ridiculously cheap with the simplest kit from MicroWizard if you are at least a bit mechanically/electronically handy. Depends too if you need a display or can live with just going to a computer.

 

[zeebzob]

I think the biggest problem with the start gate is the tension spring that is used to pull the gate open once its released. A torsion spring might be a better choice, but integrating that may take a bit of fabricating. Maybe use a counter weight with it..? One of these days I will explore building the better mousetrap.
If you simply remove the tension spring and let gravity and the weight of the cars open the gate, it is super smooth and quiet. No slam, no bounce...nothing. Like buttah.
The problems with that, however, is the gate opens slower, causing the timer to start later and giving the cars faster times. It also falls too slow to beat the cars, giving that stupid cheater bar an advantage.

 

[Kinser Racing]

I think the biggest problem with the start gate is the tension spring that is used to pull the gate open once its released. A torsion spring might be a better choice, but integrating that may take a bit of fabricating. Maybe use a counter weight with it..? One of these days I will explore building the better mousetrap.
If you simply remove the tension spring and let gravity and the weight of the cars open the gate, it is super smooth and quiet. No slam, no bounce...nothing. Like buttah.
The problems with that, however, is the gate opens slower, causing the timer to start later and giving the cars faster times. It also falls too slow to beat the cars, giving that stupid cheater bar an advantage.

What if you just used a lighter spring?

 

[zeebzob]

I think the biggest problem with the start gate is the tension spring that is used to pull the gate open once its released. A torsion spring might be a better choice, but integrating that may take a bit of fabricating. Maybe use a counter weight with it..? One of these days I will explore building the better mousetrap.
If you simply remove the tension spring and let gravity and the weight of the cars open the gate, it is super smooth and quiet. No slam, no bounce...nothing. Like buttah.
The problems with that, however, is the gate opens slower, causing the timer to start later and giving the cars faster times. It also falls too slow to beat the cars, giving that stupid cheater bar an advantage.

What if you just used a lighter spring?

A lighter spring helps a little, but even a light spring that has enough usable tension still has enough force to get the slam and bounce motion.
Another idea I want to try is to have 2 opposite pole magnets butting up against each other when the gate is closed. When the latch is released, they repel from each other, opening the gate quickly, but the opening force is only there for the first couple inches or travel.
But that sounds like a lot of work..in the end, a simple compression spring may be the answer.