Power Supply

[GTI]

Anyone out there tried the Mastech power supply?? It shows to be regulated variable power supply with adjustments for volts 0-15 and amps 0-5. There are sveral models that vary on the amps and volts. They seem reasonably priced. Let me know if anyone has had any experience and also I will be running no mags and slot it electronic controller.

Thanks as always.

[tacoma1]

I've seen those. I think they would be OK for a two lane track. As long as you don't run really hot motors. Just, I would like to see more amps.

[martini917k]

the 0-18v, 0-3 amp model is used just fine by myself & some of my friends. we run no-mag & use 1/lane. using 1/lane also give you the chance to fine tune cars to each other sometimes

[GTI]

Martini, what do you mean by one lane? I was thinking about using this for a 2 lane NINCO and plugging in directly to the red power track, one power supply for both lanes. Will that be okay and will it work with the SLot it electronic controller. I think the amp threshold for the controller was two and the volts 6??? Does anyone know for sure?

[dr vanski]

It sounds like he has each lane powered by its own power supply: one per lane. I'd suggest 2A per lane as a minimum. More current is better.

[GTI]

Thanks Dr. Vanski. I'm looking at the 0-5 amp model. 79.95 shipped. Also adjustable voltage 0-20v. So I think I'll be okay to run the controller and have enough amps to run two lanes with smooth power. I'm goin to wire and plug into the power supply track for NINCO (red) If anyone knows why this isn't a good set up, please let me know. Electically "I know nothing" I'm looking for smooth power and plug and play. Also I've been told about the Pyramid.....so I'm thinking this will do the same......and would you recommend putting in a fuse from the supply to the track....or not neccessary since this unit is not supplying 20 + amps like the pyramid??

[Profoxcg]

confussed...

Well that is what i thought, the more amps the better. Yet you have these power supplies that only go up to 2-3amps and are "designed" for slot cars. For instance the Ninco adjustable PSU and the Avant slot PSU 6amp peak. I had bought a 20amp psu for when I had ssd with the SH board and it make difference. However from what I am reading, if the ninco powerbase can only handle 6 amps max, if I put 8 cars on the track at 1 amps per car I am going to be way over that and the powerbase will overload I am guessing. For analog I guess the amp supply of the psu is not as critical since you are only powering 2 lane or two cars, and if you all another 2 lane, then you get another psu. I have read that sometimes each lane gets it own psu sometime (at competitions). So I am assuming the 2amps (as per the ninco) is enough current to power a single lane or 2 lanes with car that will pull no more than 1 amp.

But then I wonder, what happens if you have a car that will need more current than the 3amps the psu can supply in analog? NRS King 4x motor for instance...

Ideally all I would need to run scorpius /O2 , or any system that does not use a powerbase, is an adjustable voltage PSU with 20amps. And to run 8 cars on my ninco powerbase without interaction and being able to use those 20amp from that same powerbase, I would need to modify the powerbase to be able to use those resources - correct?

Which if Digital requires much more amps than analog, why do manufacturers not prodiced powerbases that can handle more amps, and more powerful psu?!

If my Ninco powerbase can only use 6 amps max, why does ninco advice against the use of their adjustable psu on digital? Aside from going up to 18V - which will burn the pb and changers) ?

[dkizerian]

If my Ninco powerbase can only use 6 amps max, why does ninco advice against the use of their adjustable psu on digital? Aside from going up to 18V - which will burn the pb and changers) ?

I'll answer the one I know...

N-digital is designed for a certain voltage, it doesn't like to run below that voltage and see's issues with functionality. Also there is always the risk if you go OVER that voltage...

[scrjon]

my power supply puts out 25 amps never hurt a car or controller

[Da Vols]

The Ninco power base should work fine as I've used it with a 5A power supply without any problems...well almost, like you "I know next to zilch about things electrical" so I don't know if this is an isolated thing or not, but I burnt out part of the base's circuit board by pulling the controller plugs out while the power was still on - I was able to bridge the damage with a wire and all was fine . Now I've done that before with set wall units with never a problem, but it may be the extra amps that the bases circuitry doesn't like. Other than that, the base worked fine using all kinds of RTR and aftermarket motor's...including high draw motors like the Plafit Cheetah and Falcon...though those motors did warm up my controller.

I presently use a 12V 5A unit for my 2 lane track and have never had a power issue when running both lanes. I also just ordered an Alpha Magnetics 0-20V 5A unit I found cheap (under $50 shipped) which I hope works well...it'll be here tomorrow.


Da Vol - Bruce

[GPZ]

If you ever tried to pump 20 amps through the 18-22 guage wires that most of the power bases use, they'd burn up just like a fuse would anyways. 20 amps is more juice than your normal household circuit which is set to trip at 15. You need 12 guage wire for 20 amps and even that is marginal over longer periods of time. Now compare that to the tiny guage wire that most slot car motors are wound with and you'll realize that the huge power supplies some guys are using are way overkill. Also, regulated power supplies won't allow big spikes of current either, that's inherent in the "regulated" part of the design. Use common sense when buying a power supply, more is not always better. Here are the typical specifications of a regulated power supply, in this case 0-18v, 0-3amp.

SPECIFICATIONS CONSTANT
VOLTAGE
OPERATIONRegulationLine regulation < 0.01% + 3mVLoad regulation < 0.01% + 3mV (rating current < 3A) < 0.02% + 5mV (rating current > 3A)Ripple & Noise< 0.5mVrms 5Hz ~ 1MHz (rating current < 3A)< 1mVrms 5Hz ~ 1MHz (rating current > 3A)Recovery Time< 100µS (50% Load change, Minimum load 0.5A)Temp. Coefficient< 300ppm/°C Output Range0 to rating voltage continuously adjustable

[GTI]

Da Vol, those are the same specs as the one I'm looking at. Let me know how it works out. Do you wire direct or plug into a power track? Where did you find the unit?

Thanks

[scrjon]

[quote=GPZ;381927]If you ever tried to pump 20 amps through the 18-22 guage wires that most of the power bases use, they'd burn up just like a fuse would anyways. 20 amps is more juice than your normal household circuit which is set to trip at 15. You need 12 guage wire for 20 amps and even that is marginal over longer periods of time. Now compare that to the tiny guage wire that most slot car motors are wound with and you'll realize that the huge power supplies some guys are using are way overkill. Also, regulated power supplies won't allow big spikes of current either, that's inherent in the "regulated" part of the design. Use common sense when buying a power supply, more is not always better. Here are the typical specifications of a regulated power supply, in this case 0-18v, 0-3amp.

when i first got my power supply I cut the ends of the wall supply and used it like that for months and never had a problem the wires didn't get hot or anything, now i got 4 lanes and wired it with 12 gauge 4 wire you do trailers with i keep my voltage all the way up there is no spikes or power drops and my track is close to 180 feet long i run some hot motors but mostly stock

[GPZ]

scrjon,

You're absolutely right and made the point perfectly. You don't need 25 amps, not even close. The fact that you ran with that tiny pair of wires for so long just proves the current draw is actually quite low. I strongly suspect your 180 ft track is not supplied at one single point. If it is, you will find a performance boost buy installing drops at regular intervals, especially if it's plastic, and it has to do with resistance along the length of wire/track from supply to wherever the car happens to be. If you run wood with braid, resistance will be significantly lower than regular plastic track because the mechanical connections between track are not all that great. Hopped up motors will draw big spikes when accelerating, even more so with good traction, so I can see a big power supply if you have multiple lanes and you're all running them.

Gary

[LateBraker]

Good info. Thanks for everyone's input. Looks like the PS Gary asked about in the first post will work great for the tire truer I am hoping to buy soon at a great price.