Automatic Charge Station (ACS)

[Dutch]

OOOOOOOOOOOK here is my first attempt at an Automatic Charge Station (ACS). What I did was solder tabs on the end of some wire and stuffed the other ends in with the battery. I then ran them out the back window and double taped the tab's to the rear of the car. (see pic) Then I took a block of balsa wood and drilled 2 holes with the same spacing as the tabs on the car. Then took some screws and ran them through the holes and wired them to a charge pad on an extra controler. Then I pinned the whole mess down to a puzzle mat and added guides so when I back the car in the tabs on the car would align with the with screws in the balsa block. It works kind of but I can't get real good contact so it only charges a little, But hey it's a proto-type. Anyone have ideas on how to make better contact ???

[Canadian Bit]

That's a good idea. Maybe try it from the bottom so you drive on to it and make it like a pit. That would make it easier to run very long endurance races.

[Dutch]

That was kind of the idea I want to make a bank or 4 of these and use them as a pit. If I come from the bottom you would have to stop dead on target to charge. I guess if you over run it you can back-up. My way you turn out and back-in to the pit. I am still thinking :confused: But I'm sure someone on here can run with this idea.

[Vyrus]

The idea and prototype are very good. Of course the terminals need to be more secure and discreet, but I definitely give you credit for the idea! If you could only mass product that design, I would buy one in a heartbeat. :)
-Cyrus

[Canadian Bit]

No, I mean when you pull into your pit it charges the bit.

[Dutch]

Here is what I had in mind

[sipsap]

you could use magnets to keep the cars on the charger for a better contact
im pretty sure current will flow through them if not maybe you could use springs.

[Dutch]

you could use magnets to keep the cars on the charger for a better contact
im pretty sure current will flow through them if not maybe you could use springs.

I know you can see them in the pic but there are springs on the screws.

The Magnet Idea might work :-) tape a steering magnet on the back and use a coil in the station that activates when you start to charge and then de-activate's when done :rolleyes:

[Canadian Bit]

Oh, thats even better than what I was thinking.

[sipsap]

how about a magnet then a spring the magnet would pull the car against the spring which would deliver the current and the spring would also keep the car far enough away from the magnets that it would be able to pull away when charging was complete so it would go post magnet spring car contact point
I may try this myself

[Dutch]

how about a magnet then a spring the magnet would pull the car against the spring which would deliver the current and the spring would also keep the car far enough away from the magnets that it would be able to pull away when charging was complete so it would go post magnet spring car contact point

All I know is you need really good CONTACT to get a good charge. I'm going to try a few more ideas, My goal is to make some kinda of adapter that you can put on ANY car (Bit, Zip ect...). but that's a long way off.

and as for Bit's idea mmmmm I'm thinking about that to, but trying to make contact with those 2 little hole on the bottom of car would really take some doing but I think it could be done.

[Namuna]

First, let's move this over...

[Namuna]

Now, a couple of thoughts...

- How about using gravity to help make better contact? Like build a small decline into the charging contacts. The magnets are a decent idea too, but they could interfere with charging for one and you'd have to play with different strengths (too strong and the car can't pull out)

- Another idea is using a 'V' for the pit lanes going to the charger...Like a funnel, that way you don't have to be exact when backing up (we all know how easy it is to be EXACT with a Bit right? ;) )

[Dutch]

First let me say that I am honored to have my idea move to "Bit Science" :D I started thinking about this friday afternoon at work and made the quick and ugly proto type last night. I thought I throw it out for more ideas from the poster on this board and I have not been disapointed. I knew you guys would come up something.

Thanks to all


Here is a pic of the new car contacts. there ulgy but they work

[Dutch]

I knew them 2 holes on the bottom of the car were good for something

[Squishy]

lookin good. My thoughts; you should put the two bars in the front so that they start where the normal chargiing spot was and curl up to the front grill, so you could have the two contacts just stick up so you kind of ramp up on to them. not sure how to get down though. i be thinkin about it a post later. seeya

[Dutch]

Now, a couple of thoughts
How about using gravity to help make better contact? Like build a small decline into the charging contacts.


Namuna,

Thanks for Idea.

I Just tried it and it works 90% better than being on a flat surface.

I'm still searching through my junk looking for more parts and ideas, Guess I'll have to scower the shelfs at work at see what goodies I can find :D (I work in a parts warehouse that sells parts for: All Terrain Forklifts, Skid-Steers, Man Lifts ect...)

[Habbi]

Just a thought..... on the bottom of the car in front of the charging tabs are two smaller tabs (actually the same ones they are just shown again) You could solder small soft wire under the car so if hangs down touching the track, then install the metal strips on the base of the track , or build a small box with a ramp and mount the gear inside. Put some guide rails and have the car stop over top to charge.

Of course some kind of tachion field emmitter would be better, but since I can't find any dilithium crystals....

[Dutch]

Habbi,

I though about that but there would be to many problems I think.

1. The wire hanging of the bottom would cause drag
2. If you back-up the wires could hang and fold backward
3. It would be hard to keep the wires from touching and shorting out the battery


My goal is to make this as easy as I can

1. NO soldering on the car or PCB.
2. Can be made from stuff around the house (or very little money).
3. Can be used on almost any car.
4. No permanent damage to the car.

I want to be able to make up 5 of 6 sets and then when my friends come over then can just attach the set to the car and race and when there done take it off.

[Squishy]

you could leave it as it is, but have it strap onto the car, and just have it snap onto the bottom to get contact with the normal charging points.

[Nathan]

Why don't you put a coil on the car somewhere, then a coil on the stand. Then you would have an inductie pickup. Oh, and a diode to keep the battery from discharging into the coil. The coils must be the same size, so try steering coils.

[mattsx2005]

ok i havn't done this yet but i will soon and i don't have a cam either so i am gonna attach a pic i did in paint

[Squishy]

that looks pretty good, but looks like you will have clerance and contact probs.

[BenCloned]

Try the method slot cars have been using for years: pick-up shoes and metal rails. You can raise the pick-up shoes so they don't contact the track, just the charging rails in the pits, or wherever you want them.

[mattsx2005]

ben
that was basically my idea i juz used a piece of wood with holes instead of the track

[Steve]

I've been pondering this on for a while so I'm glad I found this thread. Has there been any progress on this project since the last post? My idea is this:

small rails on the track in a v-shape funnel the car into position, a blocker stops the car at the same point every time. Now, either electric or manually, charging posts raise from the track surface and make contact with the terminals on the car. When the charging posts are retracted, the blocker drops as well, allowing the car to leave the pits.

[Dutch]

Steve,

I'm still tinkering with ideas and have tried a few things with little sucsess. I know you know how hard the car sits on the charger when you push in on. You have to make really soild contact on the charging points or you won't get a good charge. If I did do a manual thing like you suggest you would need seprate stations where the drivers are standing which would defet the whole idea of automatic. But I open to all ideas (keeps my brain from being idle)

[mattsx2005]

wat have you tried send pics

[mattsx2005]

have u ever seen how a corless phone charges u could try something like that

[Steve]

[/QUOTE][/B] If I did do a manual thing like you suggest you would need seprate stations where the drivers are standing which would defet the whole idea of automatic. But I open to all ideas (keeps my brain from being idle) [/B][/QUOTE]

a while back, I pioneered the whole laser pointer lap timer project, and I was thinking perhaps, that I could use the same technology to trigger the charging mechanism. The car pulls over and blocks the light to a photo transistor, which triggers a short delay circuit, which then fires the slenoid and the charging contacts push up from the track and "jack" the car off the ground. Hopefully, gravity will be enough to make contact. I have a clone charging station that I put my 3cell Zip on and I just set it there and it works.

One advantage of the manual / remote switch would be variable charging times, as maybe you don't need a full charge to make it to the end of the race...a quick gas n go kind of thing.


I have no prototype yet, but here is a quick sketch. I've tried the rail funnel idea on my track and it was easy to hit and worked really well for lining the car up. The local Rat Shack didn't have any micro solenoids so that put a halt on things this weekend.

[Dutch]

Sounds cool Steve,

But........ Let me play the devils advocate

1. Different body sizes and chassie types can change the charge contact points by as much 1/4" which is a lot when your trying to hit a point thats about 3/16" square.

2. Your track would have to on a table or you need a elevated section to make it work.

I was trying to make this as easy as I could with little or no cost and portable also.

I know if you make your idea work there will some "Gear Heads" in here that will make them also my self included. But for right now i'm trying the 'KISS" principle (Keep It Simple Stupid)

:D

[Steve]

Originally posted by Dutch
Sounds cool Steve,

But........ Let me play the devils advocate

1. Different body sizes and chassie types can change the charge contact points by as much 1/4" which is a lot when your trying to hit a point thats about 3/16" square.

2. Your track would have to on a table or you need a elevated section to make it work.

I was trying to make this as easy as I could with little or no cost and portable also.

I know if you make your idea work there will some "Gear Heads" in here that will make them also my self included. But for right now i'm trying the 'KISS" principle (Keep It Simple Stupid)

:D

Yep, thought of all those but thanks for pointing them all out again! LOL. Fortunately for me, my track is elevated, and it's about 2 inches thick which would give plenty of mounting depth. But since most tracks aren't, there's got to be another solution.

A small platform idea wouldn't be bad as you could build it up on a sheet of Lexan, then just move it around wherever you want...the Lexan edges can be sanded paper thin so the cars can drive onto them with ease.

The body type wouldn't matter as the blocker could be below the from bumber, just high enough to halt the front wheels, it doesn't take much to stop a coasting Zip. This way, the wheelbase is what I'd use for measurement purposes.

Glad to see someone is still interested in this at least a little. Any idea where I might find a micro solenoid?

[Dutch]

Steve,

Funny you should ask. I have a solenoid in my junk box that I ripped out of a 240 meg Sy-quest drive but it's kinda big
1-1/2" lg x 3/8" dia

[Steve]

do it do it do it!!!! Make it HUGE right now...then make it practical. You got me thinking, CDROMS have mechanisms that move up and down to clamp the disc..they're geared, but they might work. I'll look into it.

[Steve]

Originally posted by Dutch
Steve,

Funny you should ask. I have a solenoid in my junk box that I ripped out of a 240 meg Sy-quest drive but it's kinda big
1-1/2" lg x 3/8" dia

LOL, I can see it now...the Zip drives over it, you flip the switch and POW..the solenoid launches the Zip sky high...hehehe

[Dutch]

Steve,

I ripped apart a CD also, 2 motors no solenoid :-(

Where I work is getting rid of a bunch of old computer stuff and I told the IT guy to give it to me be he trashed it. So far 2 CD rom's
2 3-1/2 floppys 1 sy-quest 1 Jazz drive 2 old 233 computers and a bunch of odd's and end's :D

[Steve]

Originally posted by Dutch
Steve,

I ripped apart a CD also, 2 motors no solenoid :-( ...

...silly me, the front end of a Zip (or clone) is exactly what I need. I've got a few parts cars laying around, I'll see what I can find.

[BenCloned]

Returning to a simpler idea:

A small bent plate (very small - a piece of card stock may work) slightly bent so that when a bit or zip backs onto it, the weight of the rear wheels rocks it backward, lifting the charging contacts (like slot car pick-up shoes) into the charging points on the bit. It could be very small and very simple. The weight of the bit would lever the charging contacts into place. Then when you want to leave, you just mash the go pedal.

The scale of the drawing is very wrong, as I had to just throw it together as a concept drawing. Very light wire could be used to power the contacts, which could be left on. No energy would be lost unless they were shorted, or if a car pulled up to charge.

[Steve]

you might be on to something here. Might I suggest using ribbon cable from old CDROMs or Laptops to run to the charging terminals..it's so thin you'd never know it was there.

[Squishy]

wow, i like your idea you have BenCloned! it's simple, but looks like it could work!

[sm2osley]

I saw a track with metal that you drive on and it autmaticly char-ges the car

[Squishy]

do you have any pics or a website or something sm2osley?

[got BITS?]

look. You can drive in & back out when finished. Pic is a cut-away of the front of a car

Keep It Simple Stinky!

[Squishy]

where is the other wire to make contact? if you only stick one wire out, your not going to be going very far.

[AUDI-TT]

okidoki
heres my idea
u put 2 new charge contacts in the rear end of the car right under the motor/gears
then in ur charge station u have 2 lil springs popping out and
2 toothpicks placed so the rear wheels can fit right in.
you drive in and you go right into the toothpics, then the springs
hit the new charge contacts and viola.

[Steve]

lots of good ideas, but as mentioned early on in this thread, and from what I've learned from trying different things myself (see below)...it seems you really need to have pressure on the charging points in order to get a reliable connection. How?

My latest attempt was a piece of track (balsa wood) that had holes that lined up with the rear wheels of the cars. When the holes where open, the rear end would drop the car onto the charging posts. With rails in place, it was easy to hit and various model cars would drop consistently onto the contacts, but sometimes it would charge, sometimes it wouldn't grrrrr. When it failed to make contact, just a little vibration (spinning the rear wheels) would get it going, other times it would take a little tap on the track with a finger. So what's a guy got to do, build a vibrator into his pit lane...? Bummer.

[BenCloned]

In my design (posted earlier in the thread) the weight of the rear of the car levers the charging points into place.

[Squishy]

It seems there are a ton of ideas in this tread would work if not for one thing, CONTACT. Stupid contact! GRRRrrrrr. Altough, bencloned has a good idea there, but i am still alittle skeptical about contact. Some one give it a try! Heck, I am probably goin to try my own now!

[ph2t]

How about this....

Using the principal of induction, you could transfer the electricity from the charger to the car using coils. Once half of the circuit would sit at the back of the car with a coil exposed. You would back up the car to the charge station and the current would be exchanged from the charger to car using the magnetic field of the AC current. The circuit on board the car would then rectify the current into DC and with this you could charge the battery.

I know this is a "way out there" idea, hell I don't know if it would even work,:eek: but it solves the problem of requiring contact. You would probably need to make your own coils using some very fine enamelled wire. Also the circuit on the car would need to be able to regulate the charging voltage and current (say 1.5 - 3V @ approx 100 - 200 mA) so in the end the circuit might be so big as to make the whole idea not feasable.

Hell, I wan't to try this out now....:)

See the circuit pic below.

Cheers,

ph2t.

[-v2oracle-]

my thought would kinda be a bit extra and maybe not what youre going for but what i was thinking was using one of the many ideas in here with my bit....using the steering magnet as the pull, and creating an elctromagnet on the platform that is activated by a remote button, be it an extra controller, or something however you could work it. so when you pull up over the contacts with the funnelled rails and want to charge, hit the remote button, elctromagnet turns on, pulls car solidly onto contacts and then push button again to release car and off you go. maybe thats to simply or not what youre looking for, but i just thought i'd put it out there for scrutiny. good luck dude

[Steve]

Originally posted by -v2oracle-
my thought would kinda be a bit extra and maybe not what youre going for but what i was thinking was using one of the many ideas in here with my bit....using the steering magnet as the pull, and creating an elctromagnet on the platform that is activated by a remote button, be it an extra controller, or something however you could work it. so when you pull up over the contacts with the funnelled rails and want to charge, hit the remote button, elctromagnet turns on, pulls car solidly onto contacts and then push button again to release car and off you go. maybe thats to simply or not what youre looking for, but i just thought i'd put it out there for scrutiny. good luck dude



The only problem I see is that the electromagnets are in the front, so it won't hold the back down...or at least I don't think it would. However, the idea might be used to rock the car on the charging terminals to get a good connection...I may have to try this.

[Azimov]

Hey all. I've been looking over this thread and thinking about all the replys and I have some ideas. First, I don't like the backing into the charging station. This would delay races and be a hassle. I think the way to do it is a seperate charging lane along side the track that the cars can slip into. One on each side like pit lanes. Make them narrow so only one car width can fit, Make them around 18 inches long with two metal strips running on the ground for around 12 inches. Put the contacts on the bottom of the car, spring loaded like pick up shoes, but not low enough to touch the track so there is no drag durring racing. Raise the two metal strips slightly off the track so the shoes will make contact when the car is driven over them. The metal trips would also work like mini rails to help guide the car. This set up would allow driving in, stopping and charging and zipping out again. The problem of stopping at a precise point is eliminated as you have a foot of room to stop during contact. The springs in the pickup shoes will allow for firm contact and the charge process can be done just like a quick pit stop at Daytona. Whattaya think?

[ph2t]

Good idea but the main problem is getting enough pressure in the contacts to sustain the current needed to charge the car.

ph2t.

[Azimov]

the main problem is getting enough pressure in the contacts to sustain the current needed
Well, lets see. Slot cars do this all the time. They use brass pick up shoes and steel rails. The pick up shoes have springs aligned straight down to help keep contact. These springs should be conductive and ride in the Zip's existing chassis charge holes. Now, the problem is, slot cars have more juice going between the contacts which helps the transfer quite a bit.
So, we could make the shoes out of steel as well as the springs like the track charging rails. Magnets could be placed under and in contact with the track rails to magnatize the rails. This would pull the spring loaded and retracted pick up shoes down to the rail when the car comes over. This could also be done more elaborately with an infrared sensor that trips an electromagnet to magnatize the rails, charge, and release through peak sensing circuitry. But, I think a couple of good fridge magnets might do the trick.
Still, the original idea might work, just like slot cars. The magnets could be added if the prototype isn't making good contact. Uping the current might help the contact and make charges much quicker.

[Azimov]

Something like this rough sketch.

[ph2t]

Brillilant picture man, you have an eye for detail... If the car is heavy enough to be able to offset the spring whilst it's in compression I believe you have a working solution.

An idea: Construct a circuit that will sense the car on the rails by either voltage dip (car's contacts connected) or IR. This will then trigger a timer that turns on an electromagnet to hold the car down, ensuring a healthy contact. For this period the car will charge and at the end (eg: 45secs) be released from the magnet, and take off down the track.:D

You could do this with a 555 timer and a few transistors. You would also need a custom charger (http://www.ausmicro.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=689&FORUM_ID=9&CAT_ID=2&Topic_Title=Custom+charger+and+results%2E%2E%2E&Forum_Title=BCG+%2D+Technical) .

:cool:

ph2t.

[actofgod]

Yes, "rough sketch" is humorous. It's freakin' artwork, Azimov :)

Wow, great ideas here. I love the rails. Ph2t, the electromagnet/timer combo is snazzy, but will you always want to do a full charge? What if you only have one lap left and just need a small charge so you can finish? I'm in the KISS camp, so I'd stick with the fridge magnets underneath and wire an LED into the rail circuit. It could come on whenever the car was charging, so you'd know if you needed to move the car a little to get a better contact. You could leave it charging as long as you wanted, from just a short boost to a full charge. If you wanted to get fancy, you could have a digital timer display that counts while you charge, but counting seconds in my head works for me ;)

Oh, and you'd really need several pit lanes I'd think.. at least two. Otherwise, a car with only a couple seconds lead time over the next would get to the charger first; the second car would have to wait around while the first charged and then do its own charge, so the first would end up with a 45-sec lead.

[Azimov]

The only problem I see with this system is that the cars would need to be physically modified. This isn't what the owner of the post wanted. I'm not sure how removable shoes could be made to snap onto any car.
The track part is easy and I have a pit lane like this on my track that I may convert. I agree that you would need at least two lanes, but I have one lane now that could serve as a guinie pig. A minor concern is whether the metal rails will foul the car's steering. This may not be a problem as the rails will also guide the car through the charging lane. If a real problem, this could be solved by making the rails and shoes out of brass. This assumes of course that the magnets aren't needed.
This would be a fun little experiment. But, two cars would need to be permanently modified to make use of the charging system.

[tinyrc]

Originally posted by Azimov
Something like this rough sketch.

Awesome diagram, and awesome ideas! I particularly like the TRC sponsorship, a must for every track! :D

btrc

[Azimov]

I particularly like the TRC sponsorship, a must for every track!
Oh yes, gotta have that!
BTW, the induction charge idea is a sound one. There is a pad I've seen on the market that will charge anything placed on it that contains rechargeable batteries. I saw it on a news site. It looks like a rubber pad about the size of a notebook. You just throw your cell phone, or any other chargable device, onto the pad and it automatically charges it through induction. I don't know how much it cost, or if it can be cut up into a track lane. But, the principle is sound.
I think I may try building a prototype of the system I diagramed. I think it will work and beats putting built in charge pads into my pit area, which was my original idea. If I do build it I'll post the results for all to see. And, of course, credit goes to the thread owner for having such a stroke of genius like a "on the fly" charging system in the first place.

[tinyrc]

Keep us posted Azimov, and keep notes and take pics so you can write us a nice How-To if it comes out well. Thanks! :)

[Azimov]

I'll do that! I've been meaning to post my track anyway. It is nice if I say so myself. It's on a 4'x8' piece of plywood and has 35' of track 9" wide. It has an overpass, helicopter landing pad that you can drive the cars up to (for a future Zip helicopter idea), pit areas, including the pit lane, fully landscaped with a gator pond, and, of course, barrier logos. Soon to have lighting (and I mean a lot of lighting), an observation tower, and possibly an automatic charging lane. And a couple of other goodies I'm keeping under my hat for now :D .

[tinyrc]

Nice!

[RaceRfreak]

Last night an midnight i had a stroke of genius i have some slot care shoes and the fit nicely under the car. the charging station would be like the diagram that azimov drew. i will send pics when finished

[Dutch]

Gee when I started this post way back when I never thought it would last this long, Maybe I'll have to start working on it again. I'll have lots of time now that I got down sized at work :D


Thanks to all for keeping my idea alive.

[Steve]

yep, this is one of those threads that never dies...at least until we make something that works.

The original outline you made still applies. "Must not require modification of the car." This has always been the key, and I think it still is. I think we're close, but damn, this one is a challenge indeed. Keep the faith brothers!

[tinyrc]

I read something the other day about a "Reed switch" which is activated by magnets - maybe the steering neo from the bit could be used to trigger the charge?

[BrokenMonkey]

i didnt read through everything so i dono if this was posted yet, but maybe you can put contacts on the side and when it drives into the pit use Steve's laser pointer idea to make contacts press against the sides and when its done just press a button on top and it lets go. if its flat and sticks out enough it could also double as those things ppl put on their cars to prevent them from flipping on high speed turns.

[hazzamaya]

The only problem is that you have to get rid of all the charge in the batteries before charging so you couldn't drive your car onto the charge plates in the first place.:o :p :rolleyes: :cool: :eek: :confused: :( :) ;)

[Steve]

Originally posted by hazzamaya
The only problem is that you have to get rid of all the charge in the batteries before charging so you couldn't drive your car onto the charge plates in the first place.:o :p :rolleyes: :cool: :eek: :confused: :( :) ;)

Why would you have to do that? The batteries in these cars don't even come close to becoming fully charged in the first place, so there is plenty of extra room to charge them multiple times.

[Azimov]

Originally posted by hazzamaya
The only problem is that you have to get rid of all the charge in the batteries before charging so you couldn't drive your car onto the charge plates in the first place.:o :p :rolleyes: :cool: :eek: :confused: :( :) ;)
Steve is right, plenty of room in there for the charge. And, NiMH batteries have no memory effect, so there is no need to discharge like the bigger NiCAD battery packs.

[eman1]

extend the charging contacts on the bottom of the chassis, so like each side has a piece of metal on it that is level with the chassis.
Then on the track, have two rails that stick up that you just drive up onto. They could be just high enought that they dont lift the wheels off the ground, but still make contact.
you can use whatever you want to make sure the car is lined up

[Madcat]

Yeah, sort of like what eman said, but have the rails so they look like what's in the picture...

[purfishy]

Azimov you gave me a dope idea...... use the springs, rails, and shoes idea....... but make the shoes and the rail magnetically attracted to each other so the shoes would be pulled towards the rail, then when you drive away, the springs will do their jobs.... but you would nees weak springs.....
alsoooooooo i dont think the friction between the shoes and rail will be a problem... the extra juice will probably fix that so you can drive away.:D :D :D :D :D


choice.....

[purfishy]

er... sorry... didnt realise thatr was already sed....
i feel soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo stupid

[sawhit4]

heres my plan for a charging staition. the car drives up the first ram onto the top of the box. the top if the box hinges down to a ramp and the car slides down the ramp and touches the charging tabs. when the car is done the top hinges back up and the car drives up.

[Comrade_Boris]

Originally posted by Canadian Bit
That's a good idea. Maybe try it from the bottom so you drive on to it and make it like a pit. That would make it easier to run very long endurance races.


there was an idea on the admirals lair a long time ago like that....have pick up tabs on the bothom of the car and have a raised area in the pits the width of the wheel spacing as a guid for the car and thenhave the contact strips on that conected to a A/C or D/C converter...........the concept is nice!

[Comrade_Boris]

Originally posted by Azimov
Something like this rough sketch.

doh! i should have read more care fully.......the idea i posted though had the contact strips on the ground go the whole length of the pits......it is basicaly slot car technology.........


*light lights up in head*


use the things from a slot car and slot car track!!!!!!!!!!

[sg219]

Originally posted by Dutch


1. The wire hanging
My goal is to make this as easy as I can

1. NO soldering on the car or PCB.
2. Can be made from stuff around the house (or very little money).
3. Can be used on almost any car.
4. No permanent damage to the car.

I want to be able to make up 5 of 6 sets and then when my friends come over then can just attach the set to the car.

I read all about your idea, and it sounds great. I wish you great and fast progress.

Here's my 2cents....

#1-- 2 wires from the battery contacts...inside or outside bottom..
#2-- Take those metal tabs you have on the one car and make them really small, as to produce rear mudflaps that are the width of the car across the heat sink and stick down like mudflaps...
#3-- Connect wires to mudflaps..I would use some steering wire, since they are very fine..
#4-- To hold on mudflaps and make them removeable, add a peice of black electrical tape between the flaps, so you can tuck it under the heatsink and keep it grounded from the motor....
#5-- Now you have contacts that can be removed just like a motor, and all you need to do it have your friends run some tiny wires....
#6-- For the charging base / terminal...try using a small metal dowel rod with current running thru it, at the height of the rear of the car where the flaps are....and to accomadate taller or shorter vehicles, put a small "S"type bend in the power rod....

I'm just throwin' out the idea, I hope you can take away something and use it.....


SG219 is crusin' in....