+Slot-It Controller

[oldslot]

I am on my second slot-it controller about two years old now and keeps blowing the fuse different cars on different tracks a fuse will last between 1-2 hours running before it dies anyone else had this problem ??? or can anyone offer a cause or fix

very bloody frustrating thanks in advance.

[Roger Miller]

Fix is get another brand.

 

Yes on paper they look good, in reality, way to much stuff to mess with.

Im suprised you dont have a book to keep records of setting for each car and track.

 

I have 4 controllers.

first was parma 25 ohm...Good alrounder, but each car is different trigger response.

second was Third eye renegade 2, great unit back up for..

3rd controller Third eye FET32, brilliant unit.

I ventured into Proffesor motor diode unit, as I wanted a reversible unit, but this is worse than parma..what was I thinking.

 

O.... and Wizard built me one of his which is ok,

 

Probably better controllers out there now, but Slot It is not one of them.

 

http://www.thirdeyetechnology.net/

 

http://www.ebay.com/...ird+eye&_sop=15

Edited September 11, 2016 by Roger Miller

[Caddo]

Hi Viv

 

I've got 3 Slot It controllers and all have been bullet proof. I've had more issues with a single DiFalco that costs twice as much. The Difalco has a contact wiper and brake which need cleaning to ensure "contact" is maintained.

 

The Slot It controllers are virtually no contact and maintenance free.

 

Blowing fuses relates to current, or amps. A fuse is designed to carry a certain amount of amps, when this is exceeded it blows to protect the controller. Magnet racing is notorious for this.

 

The other possibility is there is an occasional short circuit between positive & negative wires/rails.

 

I've had the low amp Slot It controller blow fuses when running 1/24 wing cars and magnet cars.

 

What cars are you running, [mag/non-mag and what motors?] and are you using the low or high amp Slot It controller?

 

Cheers

 

Caddo

[munter]

It could be when a car deslots and you still have power pulled on the trigger. As the guide braid crosses the track rails a momentary short can happen.

 

On another note, at a recent enduro a local retailer said that I should bridge the fuse in my Carsteen, "makes a big difference" he said.

He gave me a bridged fuse to try and it did seem to help.

 

I suspect the light weight engineering of the Slotit controller would not stand a bridged fuse.

 

Some high end electronic controllers can withstand very high amps before blowing a circuit.

[oldslot]

thanks blokes Caddo only running small motors non-mag bwa-scaley etc so don't think that this is the problem three others in our group are using s/I controllers and not having the same trouble so thinking that its something in my particular controller.munty bit loathe to try a bigger fuse as probably cack the whole show

[miveson]

Viv,

 

Why not get in contact with slot.it? I'm sure they'll be more than happy to look at the controller for you as the behaviour sounds very unusual.

 

M

[oldslot]

yeah Mark thought of that but would most likely need to send it to them and that would mean no controller for some time I would imagine

[espsix]

 

 

On another note, at a recent enduro a local retailer said that I should bridge the fuse in my Carsteen, "makes a big difference" he said.

He gave me a bridged fuse to try and it did seem to help.

 

 

 

What's a "bridged" fuse, and what difference did it make?

 

 

Try swapping your cartridge with someone, see if it still happens to you.

Edited September 11, 2016 by espsix

[Caddo]

I'd try using a mates Slot It controller with your cars.

 

JoeZ mentioned to me that long braids on cars can short circuit controllers in an off situation.

 

If your cars work OK with your mates Slot It controller, it then points to your controller having some kind of wiring issue.

[munter]

munty bit loathe to try a bigger fuse as probably cack the whole show

I agree

 

What's a "bridged" fuse, and what difference did it make?

The fuse is the blade type used in 1/1 automobiles. Bridged means a thick piece of metal soldered across the top of the two blades.

 

The difference was that the mid range of the controller has more feel. I was on a large foreign track and have yet to try it on my piddly wiggly rally circuit.

[shadow_rusty]

Whilst I really like the slot.it controllers, I do have to say that the low end cartridge is not the best.

On my track, there is an 0.1 - 0.2 second difference between it And a high current cartridge.

And that's using BWA's and scaley's.

 

Anyway, back to the problem, the best way to test it is to swap the cartridges between 2 controllers.

Chances are that the issue is the cartridge, and I would start with checking your wiring.

From memory, The low current cartridge will not blow the fuse from load. That's what the self resetting fuse is for.

[oldslot]

thanks blokes a few things to think about, swap the cartridge sounds a bit of a go, should be able to arrange that.