An Analogue Q For You Digital Genii

[SlotsNZ]

I am planning an analogue single lane rally track, and want to switch car direction to return travel back along the same piece of track, or to take a different (optional) path, by activating a flipper

 

So I am thinking of removing the n-digital electronics from a lane changer, and just leaving the machanical flipper with relay and solenoid.

The Pitlane kit seems the logical pieces of track to cannibalise for this idea.

 

I could just use it raw, with the electronics removed, and the flipper will moderate direction, so the car can do a loop at either end (lazy way to get the job done), but I'd like more, so I can switch between two tracks in one layout, for basic rally, or a more challenging "Raid" track/circuit, using the steep SCX bridges etc, which normal rally cars bottom out on.

So I would just flip a switch, (probably DPDT without "latching"), to shift the flipper from one positon to the other.

 

It seems to me, that if I simply use a lane change flipper from a digital system, and activate it to switch back and forth by a dead strip or reed switch as the car passes another point in the track, or by having a manual switch to trigger it; I have a ready made, easy "flipper" system, without having to build one from scratch, and wire my own relays, and can make the car travel up one side of a loop, then switch the flipper so the guide can naturally pass by the flipper

 

I am asking here, since this is the place of the experts on powering these lane changers.

 

Can anyone tell me, what trigger voltage I need

Do the lane change solenoids require a constant voltage, or just some kind of momentary triggering voltage applied (ie, would I use a latching switch or non-latching just to give a momentary pulse of current)

Can someone tell me the connection points - will this be obvious once I unscrew the cover plate underneath the lane changer section.

 

And why plastic some purists will ask . . . . well I have a snot load of Ninco track in all 3 surfaces lying about, plus 2 SCX raid sets, converters, and bits and pieces. That includes one of the old rally loop sets, and several of the loop kits, lots of single lane sections I picked up for a song about 3 years back and stowed away for "the day"

 

Plus I thought it would be nice to bury some plastic track into a scenic layout, and paint it, glue grunge to it etc, and get creative like the euros do.

[Yngwie]

Would this not be easier

[SlotsNZ]

Nope

 

I would have to butcher the plastic track, both the main surface and the rails, make flippers, mechanically fit it all together, find the right relays etc . . . . huge amount of work.

[Kenny]

I've been thinking of this for a while.

Why noy just run it digital??

Use a 4 Car PB, rally so only one controller needed, any LC section you put in will work easily, and if you do change direction with a loop at the end of the run, the digital will let you travel in either diection, without having any switch gear.

Might get around to it one day.

[SlotsNZ]

I've been thinking of this for a while.

Why noy just run it digital??

Use a 4 Car PB, rally so only one controller needed, any LC section you put in will work easily, and if you do change direction with a loop at the end of the run, the digital will let you travel in either diection, without having any switch gear.

Might get around to it one day.

 

that would mean everyone who wanted to drive on it would have to convert cars to N-Digital.

 

Not sure how digital would let you run back over the same piece of track in either direction, "right braid positive" would still be "right braid positive" (or negative as the case may be, I always forget which is is for manufactured products.)

 

I don't think you could do that. Yingwie's proposal above does that, but it doesn't get over the basic need to know how to wire the mechanics of the digital lane changer, as pure analogue.

I would plan to incorporate the principle, but I need to know about the actual hardware in the N-digital lane changers so I can utilise it.

[Kenny]

that would mean everyone who wanted to drive on it would have to convert cars to N-Digital.

 

If they are keen enough I'm sure they could provide their own car, or you have some house cars.

 

Not sure how digital would let you run back over the same piece of track in either direction, "right braid positive" would still be "right braid positive" (or negative as the case may be, I always forget which is is for manufactured products.)

 

 

I know SSD will run in either direction, and can only assume ND will allow this. I have been wtong before, though.

[aussieslotter]

The signal from the deadstrip could trigger a relay which powers the solenoid. Or eliminate deadstrips and use a light bridge to trigger the relay. Those solenoids only need 5V and only momentarily otherwise they will melt the track after 10 seconds. If its momentary you could get away with 12V, just try it and see.

So if the car parks on a deadstrip it could cause a fire, so the power to the solenoid as I said must be momentary.

 

Kenny on a one lane rally loop polarity will be an issue but not a 2 lane loop as shown above.

[SlotsNZ]

The signal from the deadstrip could trigger a relay which powers the solenoid. Or eliminate deadstrips and use a light bridge to trigger the relay. Those solenoids only need 5V and only momentarily otherwise they will melt the track after 10 seconds. If its momentary you could get away with 12V, just try it and see.

So if the car parks on a deadstrip it could cause a fire, so the power to the solenoid as I said must be momentary.

 

Kenny on a one lane rally loop polarity will be an issue but not a 2 lane loop as shown above.

 

Beauty thanks Rick, was wondering when ypu'd pop up : )

 

If I can see easily from the underside of the DS which points to connect the wires and the polarity of them, I'll separate out the power to the solenoids completely, so the track itself is just "borin' ol' analogue", but trigger the solenoids by other means to produce the result I want.

 

I can incorporate the wiring diagram Yingwie re-produced, [thanks yingwie, I HAD vaguely remembered seeing that from TileTech? who first published it here, but couldn't remember where or when] if I decide to shovel cars both directions along a single lane section of track. But at this stage, will probably not revert along same sections, I mainly want to trigger the solednoids built into the LCs just to select between two routes/tracks options laid out on the same board with partially common sections.

 

- So if I end up not sending them both ways along any section, I can just manually trigger each solenoid in one or 2 LCs with a DPDT non-latching, centre off switch for manual switching bwtween two "routes"

 

In some cases, I can just rely upon static position, and the spring to do the job........

 

Hopefully this will make more sense when . . . . if . . . WHEN I get the basic design knocked together.