High Power / Variable Voltage Mod For Ssd C7042 Apb

[RikoRocket 2]

How would you like SH type power, the ability to adjust voltage all for next to nothing? Yes? Well read on!

 

You need

Craft knife

Soldering iron

solder sucker

2x R010 resistors

 

 

Difficulty level 2/10 easy enough for teenagers or adults.

 

Stage one, remove power connector, bend up a leg and refit.

 

Use solder sucker to remove solder.

Be careful there is a small track on the connector side. If it breaks just use a wire to link from the diode to the side leg.

Prise connector up when all solder has gone

bend up the end leg

Solder back onto board with remaing two legs and solder a thick wire to the bent up leg. Feed wire through 5 volt regulator hole as shown

 

Stage 2, cut track and solder wire to it

flip board over and with the craft knife cut through the large track shown, cut back and forth until it is cleanly cut. Check with a meter if you have one

Scrape off some of the green stuff and tin the track with some solder. Now solder the wire to the track

 

Stage 3, add two resistors to double the current trip point

Identify the two resistors R010 in the centre of this photo. Add extra solder either end as shown.

Now solder your new R010 resistors (size 2512) directly on top.

 

Use a standard C7024 power supply for the untouched connector (this powers the computer)

Use a 0-15V 20-30 Amp power supply for the modified connector (this goes to the power section)

 

 

See this video:

Edited June 26, 2011 by RikoRocket

[miveson 19]

Riko,

 

Great stuff - been waiting a while for this superb mod.

 

Can I ask where you got the resistor from? I'd like to find a source here in oz and would like to ensure I get the right one.

 

Mark

[kalbfellp 85]

The resistors should be available at Jaycar OR Altronics here in Australia.

[miveson 19]

Looking at last years catalog I'm hoping it's this one:

 

5% Carbon 1W Carbon Film RR-2512 2R7

 

This One?

 

It's going to break the bank, 44 cents for 2 of them....

 

I assume 2 lane analogue still works and has the benefit of variable power?

Edited June 27, 2011 by miveson

[inveterate retiree 2]

Great mod' & I love the vid' well done.

[RikoRocket 2]

Resistors have to be 0.010 Ohms, or 10 milliOhms. Don't use other values.

Size package is 2512

Farnell have them as http://uk.farnell.com/vishay-dale/wsl2512r0100fek/resistor-2512-0-01r-1/dp/1470053

RS have them as http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2945567

Rating is 1 Watt - this is the power that will dissipated from the resistor, not the power we put to the track.

[RikoRocket 2]

Looking at last years catalog I'm hoping it's this one:

 

5% Carbon 1W Carbon Film RR-2512 2R7

 

This One?

 

It's going to break the bank, 44 cents for 2 of them....

 

I assume 2 lane analogue still works and has the benefit of variable power?

 

2R7 is the wrong value. I can't find them on jaycar. There is an Oz Farnell site they should be on there.

[miveson 19]

It's okay - my wife is in uk - I'll get them posted to uk and they'll be back here in 2 weeks.

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[miveson 19]

Thanks Riko...

 

As it turns Farnell require a minimum 20 quid order value so would need to order plenty.

Farnell Aus wanted close to $5 for each one (strange that it's 4 x the price)

 

I ended up ordering via RS Australia for about $1.89 each with free delivery (minimum order is 5 and in quantities of 5).

 

My link

 

Cheers

 

 

Mark

[RikoRocket 2]

Yep, they are good. I guess if a lot of folk down-under are going to do this it might be worth someone buying a big batch and posting them out to individuals.

[sigmaman 0]

This may be a dumb question,but I'm gonna ask it. Is the power supply your reccomending a variable one or are you varying it another way.

[miveson 19]

Signaman,

 

The mod allows you to plug in a variable power supply such as a ds3800. You can then adjust or vary the track voltage. Turn it down when the kids play and turn it up for the adults.

 

I had this on the old c7030 pb and it was well worth it.

[sigmaman 0]

This sounds like a goer. Was running 6 cars for the first time on saturday night and with a 20metre layout there was signifigant voltage drop,even with two power supplies. Dropped back to four cars and the was still a noticable drop in power but it was better. Just have to convince my mate to open up his powerbase and have at it.

[miveson 19]

Riko's video shows 20 odd cars running around the track. Surprised to hear you have issues with 6 cars. Can't say I've ever run with six, maybe 4 max.

 

Hoping to have my PB this weekend so can try out the modification.

 

Mark

[RikoRocket 2]

Upping power isn't a cure for poor connectivity, you need to sort out your track connections and maybe add some power taps. The standard hardware with 2 power supplies has enough grunt to feed 10 cars in stall (maximum current) so 6 is a breeze.

Length of track should not come into the equation. 2m, 20m or 200m should all be the same. If you had a stack of accesories draining power then that could make a difference, but you would need to have a lot of them. XLCs and CLCs only take power when a car is going over them so to an extent you could have dozens and it make no difference. I had a 20m circuit with 15 XLCs, 3 pit lanes and a Pit-Pro at the show in the UK, we ran 6 cars constantly and had no issues. That was with standard APB and standard PSUs

[sigmaman 0]

Sounds like we are going to have to do some cleaning.

[kalbfellp 85]

IMO you will need some power taps, even clean tight joins will move with temperature changes causing power loss.

[MIH 10]

If you only run digital, and are a rug racer (or even not), then some of the easiest power-taps to do are just to 'link together' the 2 lanes of some straights. Distribute them about your layout, and you'll find the improvement can be quite good.

 

Ian

Edited June 30, 2011 by MIH

[RikoRocket 2]

I rug race and what I have done in the past is have a couple of straights connected by a 10 foot cable (do you still use feeet?) a few like that distributed so that one end is close to the PB and the other is a long way away. It is an easier and dismantleable approach to ensure you get even power around the track.

[sigmaman 0]

We use the standard Scaley power didtribution cabels but if you think using some more could help we'll give it a go.

[RikoRocket 2]

We use the standard Scaley power didtribution cabels but if you think using some more could help we'll give it a go.

 

Sorry, I think I came across a bit authoritarian, and I had assumed you didn't have power taps. More taps probably are not the answer. Disassembling all the track pieces and tweaking the females to be a good squeeze would probably bring you what you need. Else it could be a surface tarnishing issue, are you using inox?

[sigmaman 0]

No. Don't know what that is actually.

[Billy_Cart 0]

No. Don't know what that is actually.

 

INOX MX3 is a non-petroleum based lubricant (not like WD40) that you can get from most hardware stores (or Jaycar) and apply to rails & car braids (not plastic) by simply spraying a little on a clean cloth and running your finger over the rails and/or braids.

 

Along with crimping track pieces & good power taps, INOX MX3 has been the best performance improving extra I have used with scaley SSD but when you use it, use it sparingly (less is more).

 

The best thing about INOX MX3 is you don't have to constantly keep cleaning your SSD track all the time only every 3 to 4 months.

 

By the way I have found the standard scaley poer leads to be no so reliable (very thin & break) so I made my only from speaker wire with slide on clips soldered to each end which I got pretty cheap from Jaycar.

Edited July 3, 2011 by Billy_Cart

[sigmaman 0]

I have rail zip. Is that something similar?

[Billy_Cart 0]

I have rail zip. Is that something similar?

 

Different stuff and much more expensive, INOX MX3 is a lubricant in the WD40 type category but made from a different base and is especially good in marine environments.

 

Not sure why it works so good with Scaley SSD but I have been using it for over 3 years now and it's great.