# Siberia Racing Adding Power Taps Arcticle Questions



## sjracer (May 25, 2008)

I was sent the following link describing how to add powertaps to a track. Before I attempt to do the same to my TKO dragstrip but I have a question or two so I was wonderig if anybody here was familiar with its author of the article or perhaps may be able to answer a question or two themselve. I apologize if these are obvious questions but this is my first time attempting to do this:

http://home.comcast.net/~medanic/Track-Rail.htm


1) Is the 16 guage wire being run through the two drilled holes and lay on top of the track next to the rail or on the bottom in the area that was grounded out?

2) If on top how do solder it to the rail while it is upside down?

3) Can I solder from the top on of the track instead of flipping it over?

4) Could you show me more pictures of the process and one of the finished product both a top and bottom view?


Thanks in advance


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

Steve's pretty crafty,his site is usually worth reading through.

Here's a video,of how i did about 1/2 mine.
The other half are done totally differant from these,and are superior.
I don't have any video of them though.






This video if i've done things right,shows the completed jumpers.


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## sidejobjon (Jun 3, 2010)

Darrel,
looks like some quality work nice link. 
SJJ


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## sjracer (May 25, 2008)

Thanks Hornet, Now he solders from the top and never mentions using a wet towel in additon he used 18 guage solid core as opposed to 16 guage stranded. Also, it appears to me he drills his holes inside the rail as opposed to outsidethe rail since you've done others which would you recommend?


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

Those ones are done using 18G solid core wire and are inside the rail.

I avoid stranded wire as my jumper wire,soldered stranded wire becomes solid core wire when done soldering,and it won't take the abuse like a solid core wire will,so i start with solid core as my jumper


I did 11 power taps that way,before i stumbled into a better way from Rick Carter.

How are your rails locked in,wire or square plastic trimmer line.

The better way,is to use a "U" shaped jumper,on mine a 14G jumper from 14/2 household wire,fits right in beside the rail.
I drilled 2 holes through from the top,pried out the little stub of locking trimmer string,between the 2 holes,and inserted a leg of the "U" through each hole,and pushed them snugly into place just below the rails surface.

All my taps are done from the top,and were done after the track was routed and rails installed.

Maybe Plymouth71 will post a pic of the taps he has ,i sent him a couple differant ones,and i think Bearsox sent him a version of tap too.
But on the piece i sent Dan,there's one tap,that generally follows the U shape idea.
Rick


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## sjracer (May 25, 2008)

pm sent


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## SDMedanic (Apr 21, 2011)

1) Is the 16 guage wire being run through the two drilled holes and lay on top of the track next to the rail or on the bottom in the area that was grounded out?

*The holes are there to locate the rail. The track is then flipped over and the plastic is carefully ground out to expose the rail. The jumper is placed next to the rail and soldered to the rail in the ground out area. I used 16AWG flexible stranded wire. Soldered correctly it works fine. Sounds like somebody used too much heat for too long and wicked the solder way up the stranded wire. Besides who flexes their jumpers after installation? Mine moved three times. Once when they were installed. Once when the track was torn down. Once when the track was installed on the new table by the new owner. During normal racing they don't move. 
*
2) If on top how do solder it to the rail while it is upside down?

*You work on the underside of the track. 
*
3) Can I solder from the top on of the track instead of flipping it over?

*I wouldn't. You can try to expose some room on the side of the rail and solder the jumper to the rail but melting track could be the result.*

4) Could you show me more pictures of the process and one of the finished product both a top and bottom view?

*Sorry but those are it. The track is sold and I no longer have it. If you look at More CRR photos you wont see the taps. That's because they are invisible from above.*

*Here' the wiring on the new track minus two jumpers between the lower terminal blocks on the center section and the two end sections. The Bear's wiring is all 14AWG or larger. *


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