I guess this can go in here, as there's quite a bit of hours put in to getting this work well. This will stay built until end of April
It is something that I've been meaning to do this for a long while now but last weekend gave it a bash. Getting it built was actually easy, but trying to debug it took ages.
The furthest part of the track is 85 pieces away. That obviously means 85 joins, so any weak connections with track up to 20 years old soon compounded in to having little power half way round the track. I would still see full voltage (16V) but it wouldn't be able to support much current. Using a multimeter I checked the continuity and resistance between every 5 pieces. Then it was a case of trying to find the suspect joins with in those 5 pieces. There was also continuity between the +ve and -ve on one of the tracks which turned out to be a thread of wire sat inside one of the pieces.
This all resulted in a bit of aching knees and back but the positive side was there was now quite some speed. Wanting more though. yesterday I decided to get 4 old controllers and butcher them for the plugs that go in the bottom of the track and provide jumper cables to just before the exit in the lounge so that the track now has no power drop at all.
In and back out the kitchen:
Back through the lounge and out to the hallway
In and out the crapper
Back to the hallway and to the lounge
It is something that I've been meaning to do this for a long while now but last weekend gave it a bash. Getting it built was actually easy, but trying to debug it took ages.
The furthest part of the track is 85 pieces away. That obviously means 85 joins, so any weak connections with track up to 20 years old soon compounded in to having little power half way round the track. I would still see full voltage (16V) but it wouldn't be able to support much current. Using a multimeter I checked the continuity and resistance between every 5 pieces. Then it was a case of trying to find the suspect joins with in those 5 pieces. There was also continuity between the +ve and -ve on one of the tracks which turned out to be a thread of wire sat inside one of the pieces.
This all resulted in a bit of aching knees and back but the positive side was there was now quite some speed. Wanting more though. yesterday I decided to get 4 old controllers and butcher them for the plugs that go in the bottom of the track and provide jumper cables to just before the exit in the lounge so that the track now has no power drop at all.
In and back out the kitchen:
Back through the lounge and out to the hallway
In and out the crapper
Back to the hallway and to the lounge
