I hope someone here may have some advice to a problem I just started experiencing.
Randomly under full throttle with my Slot.it controller, my power supply's (Pyramid PS-26KX) circuit protection trips. The LED on the front of the power supply flashes, a high pitched beeping tone sounds, and power is cut off. I have to turn the power off, and back on again to reset it.
The same thing happens with different cars (all box-stock Slot.it, Scalextric, Spirit, etc.), but this only happens with my Slot.it controller, not my Professor Motor controller.
The problem occurs when I go down my front main straight, which is were I have my track wired, but it also is my longest straight, allowing me to hold full throttle open for the longest time.
Something important to note, I blew my Slot.it's controller's fuse while testing voltage at various points around my track. I replaced the fuse with 3 Amp 250V Fast-Acting fuse I bought from Radio Shack (Radio Shack part #270-1054). I've read that this fuse is fine to use, so I can't see this being the problem. Could something have happened to the controller when it blew it's fuse?
Like I noted above, I'm using a Pyramid PS-26KX in conjunction with a Professor Motor wiring center with built in self reseting fuses. The Pyramid power supply also has a glass fuse in the rear. Neither of these has tripped or blown.
I thought I'd post here before contacting Slot.it directly.
Does this occur with all cars, regardless of motor draw, or magnetic downforce? Not so much the brand, but the current load, is what I'm thinking about here.
If a "lightweight" car was to lap repeatedly, without problems, I would be looking at something other than the controller as the source of the problem. This is only a guess, hopefully others will be able to add something more useful.
I see you haven't solved the problem since we last spoke, but it's interesting that you've found that it's happening with just that controller. I wonder if you got a bum controller?
At first it did it with my "pink" Slot.it Porsche, so my friend "Cydewaze" suggested that I take the body off to see if braid wires were crossing over and touching each other, but everything was clear from that end. I then duplicated the problem with 3 other cars (non Slot.it). All the cars have their stock motors and magnets.
This is the first time anything like this has happened, and I've owned the controller for 2 weeks. The only thing significant I can note is that I replaced the fuse today.
I see you haven't solved the problem since we last spoke, but it's interesting that you've found that it's happening with just that controller. I wonder if you got a bum controller?
I sure hope not, as I was just getting used to running with it!
This controller is so sophisticated (for me at least), I can't even begin to troubleshoot the problem .
It is possible that the problem might be with the wire-to-plug connection. On the first shipment of controllers, the wiring insulation wasn't removed before the wires were inserted into the banana plugs and the fixing screws tightened. There's information about this in the other SCP-1 threads.
Before I fixed mine, the controller would exhibit some weird behavior. Same for some other guys' controllers. And the fuse would blow more easily, or the controller would shut itself down.
It is possible that the problem might be with the wire-to-plug connection. On the first shipment of controllers, the wiring insulation wasn't removed before the wires were inserted into the banana plugs and the fixing screws tightened. There's information about this in the other SCP-1 threads.
Before I fixed mine, the controller would exhibit some weird behavior. Same for some other guys' controllers. And the fuse would blow more easily, or the controller would shut itself down.
Hmm, I don't think that is the problem as I have one of the updated controllers with the larger self-reseting fuse on the cartridge, etc. This is just so strange as the problem started only after I replaced a blown glass fuse. The new fuse (3Amp fast acting) has not tripped.
I sent an e-mail to Slot.it, and Maurizio has already responded! I'll keep everyone updated on what transpires. Please keep the posts coming with suggestions, as I'm hoping somebody can identify the problem.
....the problem only occurs at full power, when the trigger is pulled all the way, right? Maybe you have some sort of internal short in the controller that only happens in this circumstance. Have you opened up the controller to check to see if anything is rubbing, a bare spot on a wire, a loose connection, anything that might cause a short at full power? That's what it sounds like to me, but if it is within the electronics of the controller....good luck!! Keep us posted.
....the problem only occurs at full power, when the trigger is pulled all the way, right? Maybe you have some sort of internal short in the controller that only happens in this circumstance. Have you opened up the controller to check to see if anything is rubbing, a bare spot on a wire, a loose connection, anything that might cause a short at full power? That's what it sounds like to me, but if it is within the electronics of the controller....good luck!! Keep us posted.
TOJ
That is correct, it seems to be only happening under full power. The controller has no wires inside, just a board with a bunch of chips and do-dads (that's my technical term).
I believe Maurizio will be sending me out a new cartridge to see if that does it. I'll let everyone know what happens....
When you originally blew that fuse you most likely damaged the guts of the controller. I know that the controller has good protection but it probably had the full current output of the power supply going through it before the fuse had time to blow. The controller now is acting like a dead short part of the time, which causes the breaker in the power supply to trip. A replacement module should fix your problem. Your track should have a seperate fast acting fuse for each lane, a couple of amps should be plenty for most 1/32nd cars. In the future do your troubleshooting with something more expendable.
When you originally blew that fuse you most likely damaged the guts of the controller. I know that the controller has good protection but it probably had the full current output of the power supply going through it before the fuse had time to blow. The controller now is acting like a dead short part of the time, which causes the breaker in the power supply to trip. A replacement module should fix your problem. Your track should have a seperate fast acting fuse for each lane, a couple of amps should be plenty for most 1/32nd cars. In the future do your troubleshooting with something more expendable.
Hi RichD,
I'm using the following (you must have missed it in the above posts):
Otherwise, are you saying that the PM wiring center doesn't provide sufficient protection? Let me know, as this would be of great concern. I've had the PM wiring center on for many months now, and it seems to have worked well in the past (with my PM controllers).
Has anyone experienced their controller where it doesn't completely turn off the power to the car?
Quite often when re slotting the car it will just take off. Not real fast, but it will start to go around the track with NO input on the controller at all. Usually only for a few feet, but I have had it go as far as a few laps.
I'm also wondering if this is causing an issue when braking. More than once I have wrecked in a turn where it appeared as though I never hit the breaks.
Is this a setting issue or something else?
Has anyone else experienced this?
I love the controller, but curious if this is an issue that can be fixed.
Slot.it Controller Problem
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