Anyone hanging around here using dead track for lap timing?

I'm curious because I really dislike the look of bridges and things of the sort crossing over the Start/Finish line. And being new (or dumb, take your choice), I'm still lost on how reed switches work :confused:

Anyway, I seem to recall reading somewhere that it is a less reliable mechanism than reeds and/or LEDs because of the speed at which the cars travel nowadays. What cars are we talking about though? Running pretty much out of the box stock here.

Looking forward to all opinions........Thanks in advance :thumbsup:

I have used and raced on tracks with dead strips...
My limited experience tells me that dead strips work better with stand alone lap counters (like a Trik Trax) rather than PC based lap counter (like Trakmate).

The reason for this (if I understand it correctly) is that a stand alone lap counter is looking for the slotcar to complete the circuit when the car crosses the dead strip. The slotcar acts like a "on" switch when it crosses the deadstrip. This closed circuit signals the counter to count a lap.
My experience with Trakmate is that the computer is looking for the slotcar to create a voltage as it crosses the dead strip. When the car hits the deadstrip it is no longer powered. As the coasting car crosses the deadstrip the rear wheels drive the armature creating a voltage that the computer picks up as a signal and counts a lap. (*whew*)

I do not know if other PC based lapcounters are set up this way.

I also had problems getting slower, stock style TJets to count a lap with Trakmate using a deadstrip. Magnet cars were no problem... We gave up and were going to switch over to a light bridge...

If I am wrong in my observations and experience, someone please correct me....
And help Rudy...
Scott

More than half of the tracks I race on use deadstrips with everything from TrikTrax, DOS TrackMate, to Windows TrackMate. Very reliable. The rest are mostly reed switches, and only one uses IR optical. The only problems I've ever seen on race day, and these were rare, were with reed switches. The IR system had issues with cars piling up under the light bridge in a crash, but better placement of the bridge or additional barriers would solve that problem.

I totally understand why you want dead strips and have absolutely no doubt that they will work perfectly with either version of TrackMate when installed per the recommendations that TrackMate provides.

Reed switches are just a contact closure switch that is triggered by the magnetism of the car passing over it.

I think reed switches might be the easiest of the (3) methods to install, although I admit I did not try dead strips.

Here is a pic of reed switch Rudy, where you can kind of see the small metal contacts inside. The motor magnets in the cars bring the contacts together as the car passes over, completing the circuit, and sending the signal to the computer to register a lap.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/23342/2860292450099980462S500x500Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2860292450099980462UGjIGl)

Installation is pretty straight forward - solder a wire on each end, and glue the units under each track lane.

http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/20801/2764979020099980462S500x500Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2764979020099980462PwSGNS)

Note: I switched out my reeds from the large monster type shown in first pic to the smaller ones that alot of people on this forum reccomend, and have had complete success with these.

http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/20251/2352790040099980462S500x500Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2352790040099980462SMENhz)

Does anyone use a setup like the old Aurora electric lap counter? The lap counter track is isolated from the rest of the circuit but has it's own power. The car going onto the track completes the circuit and trips the lap counter.
Could such a setup work with a PC based lap counting program if the amount of voltage that the PC sees is reduced to a safe level? In other words, the track could get the full voltage (18 volts), while the PC only sees a fraction of that?

Joe

ok on the reed switch that is pictured it shows one side of he rail cut how do you complete the circuit do you solder the rail together with a jumper wire or what

Reed switchs just glue to the underside of your track,they don't interrupt or hook into the rail.
When the car passes over them,they use 2 little metal contacts that the cars magnets pull together inside the switch,completing the circuit for your timer
Picture might be misleading a bit.
You'll also notice a nail glued in between the 2 little reeds,that's SwamperGene's idea,and it works to help keep miscounts to a minium.
Gene pop in here :thumbsup:

I have used and raced on tracks with dead strips...
My limited experience tells me that dead strips work better with stand alone lap counters (like a Trik Trax)
Scott

Sorry to sway a little off-topic, but are Trik Trax counters still around? Anyone know where I can get my hands on one?

PS Thanks to everyone for all the input on this. You guys are great. :thumbsup:

:wave:

Yes the reeds with a nail trick works great. Traditionally reeds have been a problem in that they are either too stiff too pick up stock T-Jets or so sensitive that adjacent lanes can be triggered by inline cars. This setup, when using the Miniatronics reeds, strikes the "happy medium". On plastic (set) track, these reeds are sensitive enough to pick up stock T-Jets, and the 10D nail between them acts as a flux collector to prevent mag cars from triggering adjacent lanes. Works great!

But...I do have a little investigation work to do. We had a Dirt Modified T-Jet race last night (these cars use AFX wheel/tire setups), and one single car, which always counted fine before, would not trigger any of the lanes. Dunno if it could be a cracked magnet or something, every other car counted fine.