# Can This Be Done?



## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

Can 4 power packs, with dual power terminal tracks be used to tap from and distribute power throughout the track? Kind of like this?


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

No clue.


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

*Need a bit more...*

That looks to be a diagram for wiring in the jumpers all around the track. I don't see anything for wiring in the power packs and controllers. And it doesn't cover anything for a brake circuit. For short, not enough info to answer your question. Sorry


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## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

The lower right hand track sections (in my drawing) as indicated by the arrow are the terminal tracks. You plug in a transformer and controller for each lane using the Tomy dual power terminal tracks, correct? So each lane has its own power supply and controller. The controller is conected between the transformer and lane so it regulates the voltage/current (not an expert so I dont know which is variable?) to a corresponding lane. What I am asking is, since all of the regulation is introduced to the layout at the terminal tracks, cant I tap into the rails underneath the terminal track, then run wires to other places (taps) on the layout to corresponding lanes?


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Wow somebody had fun in an illustration program! This looks a lot like my old wiring set up on my track before I went to a more efficient and isolated power feed system. The extra distribution blocks you have between the main feeds and the track are excessive and could be eliminated. You should also incorporate fuses somewhere before the power gets to any of that. And you must realize that for all your effort, stock wall packs seriously lack amperage, so you're basically putting perfume on a pig with all that being fed by wall warts.

What is more important is how you feed power prior to this arrangement. I.E.; the polarity coming in. If you keep the power packs isolated for each lane you can do it. You cannot use the factory power hook-up sections as they share a common ground. What will happen is even though you aren't pushing a controller trigger, you will have back feed into the rails across separate lanes and anything metal laid across the rails will cause a short regardless of whether or not you have controllers hooked up. What you are creating is a looped power system, not an isolated system. And as LD said, this system will not work with brakes.

-Scott


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

I admire your schematic, but really all you are doing is this:










In order to do it correctly, the main feed must branch out in all directions from the center, kind of like how a tree branches out from it's core. Think of electricity as flowing water. With your system you will have a lot of resistance at the far end of your 'grid'.

You can gain a little knowledge on a more "pro" method of getting power to your slot car track by looking at the back of a Parma controller box. Only thing is they demonstrate a "negative gate" schematic when most all tracks are positive gate, meaning the correct direction of the ground in most slot racing facilities. This is manditory with the high end electronic controllers.

-Scott V.
Vargo Speedway


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Easiest way to say it is; Power must feed directly to the controller posts in the proper fashion in an isolated lane station arrangement with some sort of clip method, not factory plugs. Then power goes out to the grid. The ground has a variance depending on if you want dynamic brakes. Power directly to the grid with one leg being split off by the controller as an "ON/OFF" switch will create a looped system. :drunk:

I have the correct schematic somewhere on paper. Only problem is finding it and posting it up here. It was a schematic called "Accu-Tech" so may be able to find it on the Interwebz.


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## GoodwrenchIntim (Feb 22, 2005)

here is the wiring diagram from hoslotcarracing.com, this is from the site 
"The 4-lane track wiring diagram shown above can be used with a single power supply or individual power supplies connected to each of the four lanes. If a single power supply is to be used bridge the four positive power lines (white wires) together with a jumper wire. Use a second jumper to bridge the four negative power lines (red wires) together as well."
Each wire from the right hand terminal(marked track) goes to 1 rail each. I used this to wire my 127' tyco 4 lane track


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

> The extra distribution blocks you have between the main feeds and the track are excessive and could be eliminated.


I agree. A hub and spoke arrangement is easier and eliminates the extra distribution blocks (terminal strips). Wire is cheap and efficient.

You should wire your track so there is a single point where the power supply connects to each lane. That way you can isolate your power supply decision from your track wiring layout. If you want to power each lane independently or power all lanes from the same power supply there is only one place where you must make it happen.


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## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

Never mind. You all missed what I was asking. Thanks anyway. AFX answered my question.


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## Yoshi Nagura (Feb 9, 2008)

I'd use a common ground instead of running both wires to all the lanes. In a 4 lane set up that eliminates 3 wires. Otherwise it could wind up looking like this:


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## Dranoel Dragon (Oct 9, 2007)

Yoshi Nagura said:


> I'd use a common ground instead of running both wires to all the lanes. In a 4 lane set up that eliminates 3 wires. Otherwise it could wind up looking like this:



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!


GEEZE!!!! I have to look at that sort of stuff every day at work and you go and post it here so I have to look at it when i get home? 

Bastard.


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## Dranoel Dragon (Oct 9, 2007)

Jerzferno, if what you're asking is if you can wire more than one wallwart pack to each lane then the answer is YES. I've wired a four lane with two wallwarts per lane. Worked great. I do recomend you put them on seperate switched surge strips as they do take a lot of power to run all of them all the time. On seperat switches you can turn off the lanes you aren't using for paractice and such.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Hey we're all here to help you bud. You can do 2 packs per lane no problem. You can parallel as many as you want. Most of us here have already been down that road so we're just speaking in hindsight.

Time for my question: what improvements are you trying to make?


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## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

I was asking if I could tap into the rails on the terminal tracks and then run wires to taps throughout the layout from the terminal tracks. I will be using one pack per lane. Maybe I did not make myslef clear? Im getting back into this hobby after being away for 30 years. I dont know all the new lingo. Apologies all around.


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## H.O. racer (Jan 21, 2008)

Speaking as a newbe "again" to the hobby. Until I can afford a "custom" (after market) power supply and "custom" drivers stations. I hook up my 4-lane track using 1-terminal track, 1-wall wort (power pack), & 1-"stock" controller per lane. You can use 2-wall worts per lane in a parallel by splicing the wires. This is considered a "stock" driver's station. From only 1-terminal track ("hub") run jumper wires, (pos. to pos., neg. to neg.)(spokes) to various locations around the track for even power distribution. I have 4-terminal tracks spaced evenly (for marshaling purposes) around the track (layout). If you really want, you can run jumpers from 1-terminal to the other 3-terminals as part of your "spoke" pattern from the "hub". Yes, you can use the rails as a connection point.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Jerzferno-
Running jumpers is simple and will improve your power around the track if it is large. If you piggy back the wall packs in parallel you can increase the amperage a bit. The problem with all factory power set ups is they share the ground for both lanes inside the terminal strip. Therefore you get a power surge when one car comes off the track. If this bothers you, it is a little complicated, but there is a way to separate the ground and isolate the lanes if you're interested.

-Scott
Happy New Year
:woohoo:


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

H.O. racer said:


> Speaking as a newbe "again" to the hobby. Until I can afford a "custom" (after market) power supply and "custom" drivers stations. I hook up my 4-lane track using 1-terminal track, 1-wall wort (power pack), & 1-"stock" controller per lane. You can use 2-wall worts per lane in a series by splicing the wires. This is considered a "stock" driver's station. From only 1-terminal track ("hub") run jumper wires, (pos. to pos., neg. to neg.)(spokes) to various locations around the track for even power distribution. I have 4-terminal tracks spaced evenly (for marshaling purposes) around the track (layout). If you really want, you can run jumpers from 1-terminal to the other 3-terminals as part of your "spoke" pattern from the "hub". Yes, you can use the rails as a connection point.


H.O. Racer, running the packs like you describe is what you want, but it is called 'parallel', not 'series'. 

-Scott


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## H.O. racer (Jan 21, 2008)

Slott V, Thanks for the correction. I have yet to notice a power surge hooking up my track this way. But then again, I'm only running up t-jets, souped up T-jets, Aurora AFX (1st generation) and box stock tomy/Racemasters AFX cars.


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