# Wireless controllers



## Mike(^RacerX^) (Mar 15, 2003)

I was playing a video game with my son the other day.It happened to be on the Nintendo Game Cube that we have.He has a wireless controller for it called a Wavebird,and unlike wireless game controllers I have used in the past,this thing works absoloutly flawlessly.Amazing how far they have come with wireless technology really.

It got me to thinking.Slot car racing by yourself can get really annoying.If you have a good sized layout,it can be a real pain to have to put your controller down every time you deslot.It actually seems to make me not push as hard as I would like to ,just so I don't have to get my old a$$ up off of the milk crate I sit on to reslot.

As far as they have come with this wireless stuff,and even with mini RC stuff,why not a decent wireless controller for racing slot cars????? Has it ever been tried?????? Is there a reason that maybe I am not getting that it has not been tried?????

Something I'd like to kick around.I have a ton of RC stuff here that I'd like to maybe even do some experimenting with it.

Any thoughts or ideas??????

Mike


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Heck, I played with that a while ago. I used the speed control and servo from an old rc car I had. It was fun til I fried the speed control. I Cant see any reason why I couldn't modify a standard tyco control resistor to replace it. The only thing I had a problem with was the slight lag in response. I got used to it though and adjusted my timing for corners, ect. It was neat.
I am now saving the same radio gear to operate some "actions" on my new track...whenever I get it built. heh...time time time.....anyone have any extra? LOL


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## okracer (Mar 11, 2002)

i was at a race where a guy was in a wheel chair and they somehow mounted the reciever and speedcontrol on a little board and then the guy stayed on the easy access side of the track and everyone moved his controls when he changed lanes it worked for 24th scale


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Didn't Artin do a set with wireless controls?


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## clausheupel (Jan 27, 2005)

*RC slotcar controller*



22tall said:


> Didn't Artin do a set with wireless controls?


Yes, but from what I´ve heard these RC controllers are junk (just like the corded ones...). The data transimission is just too slow to drive your cars like you´re used to it. Sad but true...

I was making my mind up on this topic myself. What I always wanted to try was an ordinary RC (proportional of course) transmitter - preferably these trigger ones with a steering wheel (of course you wouldn´t need the wheel).

Shouldn´t be so hard to connect an RC car controller between the RC receiver and you slot track - nothing more than swapping that Mabuchi 540 for a slotcar...?

I´m curious if somebody already was tinkering with that kind of equipment before?

Claus

www.c-jet500.de.vu


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Hmmm. You could use a mechanical RC servo to drive a standard resistor-controller's trigger if you mount it all up on some sort of frame, but I don't think it would work very well. Servos are fast, but not quite as fast as your finger from what I recall. (Then again, my last RC car was almost 10 years ago, so the technology may have improved...) That leaves using an ESC. You'd have to run the track power through the ESC the same way you run the battery power through it in an RC car. How much voltage and amperage does an RC car's battery put out? I thought it was roughly like 6 or 8 C-cells, so figure 8 cells x 1.5 volts = 12 volts, and I remember from the ads that they were rated in mA... 1200 mAh? 1500 mAh? So those are the numbers an ESC will handle. Now, slot cars... 18 volts? And I keep hearing recommendations of 3-5 amps per lane to handle modified magnet cars... will the circuitry in an ESC handle that high an amp draw? (Dunno if I phrased that right...)

And another consideration: Standard controllers' resistors change the amperage in the circuit to vary motor speed while maintainting a constant voltage. Electronic controllers like Professor Motors, if I understand correctly, actually change the voltage in the circuit. Does a radio control ESC modify amperage or voltage? Would you be getting the advantages of electronic controllers by using an ESC? Would you need to adjust the "power curve" to make it feel natural or smooth?

Interesting what this makes me think of. I always think of modifying slot cars (Tjets, anyway) in terms of modifying real cars. Stronger magnets are like high-compression heads, low ohm arms are like valvetrain improvements, pickup shoe improvements are like intake/exhaust improvements, and so on. Now the thought of electronic controllers has always made me think of EFI as compared to carburetors (resistor controllers). Using an ESC the way we're talking would take it a step further and make it like new 1:1 cars that are drive-by-wire, with absolutely no mechanical connection between the accelerator pedal and the engine... the gas pedal is just attached to a spring and a black box...

sorry for the ramble. I get like that sometimes. 

--rick


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## Anti-Cop (Jan 25, 2005)

Novak used to make a drag racing ESC that was able to take massive voltage. I am not sure about the amps you could run through it though.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

They already have them for 1/32. Somebody needs to reverse engineer one of these sometime...

http://us.carrera-toys.com/4303.0.html

Thanks to ezBoard's recent hack/crash, the ability to search past topics in their system is useless. I did find this interesting topic at OWH regarding building a wireless controller, but there was no follow up:

http://www.oldweirdherald.com/slotcartalk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1399&highlight=wireless+controller

They talked about an RC controller that could handle lots of amps, but not more voltage. At least not what slot cars need.

You can make just about anything remote controlled. My friend drives and operates a huge concrete conveyer truck that uses a belt mounted remote controller box. It's really cool to see this giant rig running "by itself".  

Seems to me that your speed controller would have to be trackside with the receiver. Your basic remote controller could be anything you wanted, but would have to house a position sensor, transmitter and a strong battery to be able to send a clean signal pretty far. You would have to go with a digital speed controller to maintain the quick "throttle" response required for slot car racing. Today's new Bluetooth remote technology would be cool to incorporate for the remote signal but the distance needed for a slot car controller may be too far for BlueTooth.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*To me this seems like a no brainer...*

I was pondering this subject tonight. a wireless controler would be nice to have. 

A mechanical servo could just pull a controler throttle right? All that would be needed would be a RC Radio, Reciever and a servo to PULL THE TRIGGER. They make different Servos with different speeds of movement. I used to race RC Cars and trucks and they needed expensive metal Servo gears but, the slot car controler could just use el CHEAPO plastic gears as it is not jumping and having heavy jarring done to it. 

An electric RC cheapo rechargeable battery hooked to run this whole thing so that the power would still be coming from the power pack. With the controler being the only load on the rechargeable battery it should last a long time before recharging is required. Just have 2 or thee batteries charged up for backup. 

Will have to mess around with this a bit some day....like joez said anyone have any extra time?

Bob...No wires would be nice for ho scale tracks...zilla


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## PD2 (Feb 27, 2003)

Bob I think you are onto something. Use a micro servo - mount it directly to the controller and splice the spline into the pivot point for the controller's trigger so that you get the full pull action. Hook the servo up to the throttle channel on the receiver and then power the receiver using a nitro/gas small battery pack (rechargeable as you mentioned). And I think that will be it. You will have to set your end point for the throw of the trigger as well as where the servo returns to and rests, but that should all be feasible from the radio/transmitter - even a cheap radio would work. Only thing you are not using on the radio is the steering - just the trigger control that turns it all wireless. Hhhhmmmm? I think it could be done!

PD2:thumbsup:


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## Rauncy (Sep 1, 1999)

*Wireless*

Artin did it years ago . Raunchy


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## rbrunne1 (Sep 22, 2007)

Interesting ideas...most RC ESC's are rated for 4-7 cells or 8.4 volts (7 x 1.2). The current draw would not be a concern as an RC car in race trim will draw over 20 amps.

Novak does have an ESC rated for 14 cells (16.8 volts), but that's less than the 18-22 volts HO slot cars run at.

That leaves a mechanical speed control...they were common in the ealry 90's before ESC's replaced them. You could build a mechanical SC by taking a controller apart and attaching the wiper arm to the servo horn. I've attached a picture of an old mechanical SC (don't ask why I still have it).

Add a receiver and a battery pack (4-AA's will do) and you've got a wireless controller :woohoo:


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## roffutt (Jun 30, 2006)

I don't think you would want to use a R/C ESC for this application.. If I remember correctly.. they use pulse width modulation? Which works good for R/C, but in theory might not be good for tiny slot cars... Although, I think the old Parma EC controllers were based on pulse modulation?

I had a brief discussion with a electronic wizard member on this board a few months ago.. he was working on building one and I believe he had a working proto-type. I think that member is no longer involved in this hobby though.  

-Robbie


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Wow this is an oldie. There's no way one of those servo driven speed controllers would work- it's action is way too slow for HO cars.


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## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

There are ultra fast servos out there now. 0.1 seconds lock to lock. That a 90 degree throw. Thats pretty quick. You dont need an ESC. A transmitter, receiver, battery and a servo will do it..


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## eastside johnny (May 13, 2008)

I can just see someone hooking up at the track with all of this & "A BATTERY TOO"!!!!
Years ago some guys (names not included) had extra power hidden in their controller box....now it could be out in the open! Wow........the slot car tech guys would need lessons from the sprint car tech guys that have to look for electronic traction control hidden in the race cars. This would be great when hot lapping buy yourself for sure.


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## renter39 (Dec 9, 2008)

I think this is better suited to the home user than the racer,especially when running alone. Could you feed off track power [with resisters] to feed receiver? I think perfect solution is the upcoming scorpius digital system ,they put a 2.4 ghz transmitter in a parma case with reciever chip in car, the chip can be hooked up to the individual lane to control car ,bit pricey right now $150 ish


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## AcesFull (Jan 6, 2008)

Slott V said:


> Wow this is an oldie. There's no way one of those servo driven speed controllers would work- it's action is way too slow for HO cars.



Agreed. I built this very setup you are all speaking of last year. It is very simple to use RC components to control the mechanical actuation of the slot car controller trigger. Response time was my biggest issue. I used cheap parts though and that didn't work to well for the speeds these little cars travel at. I'm sure if someone had more of a budget thatn I was using, it could be effectively developed.


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## Jerzferno (Aug 19, 2007)

Aces - Id like to give it a try. I have high speed servos, receivers, and other things laying around. Have any pics of your work?


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## Thunderbolt1 (Nov 28, 2008)

Carrera makes a wireless controller system, could it be adapted to your layout?


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*great ideas everyone...*



Jerzferno said:


> Aces - Id like to give it a try. I have high speed servos, receivers, and other things laying around. Have any pics of your work?


WOW! After reading all these post it is interesting to see that there is interest in this from others. It would be great to have if you are racing by yourself and kinda fun to walk around your slot car table from time to time instead of beeing tied to a cord in one spot all of the time.

And a cool prank would be to set up a small track outside. Use binoculars to see the car from a distance and watch people wonder how the car is getting controled? 

Or you could build a glass cieling and control your car from a Goodyear Blimp view from above. Yeah that is crazy. :tongue:

Bob...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...zilla


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## RC 18 MT (Aug 4, 2007)

That would be funny. Bob has some crazy ideas.


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## RC 18 MT (Aug 4, 2007)

Jerzferno said:


> There are ultra fast servos out there now. 0.1 seconds lock to lock. That a 90 degree throw. Thats pretty quick. You dont need an ESC. A transmitter, receiver, battery and a servo will do it..


Also, Battery might not even be needed. Use a low volt (6 or so) wall plug and connect it to the receiver. :wave:


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