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The secret of 'Russell's Peak'

How DO they do that??
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wixwacing
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Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:22 am

The secret of 'Russell's Peak'

Post by wixwacing »

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I get a steady trickle of enquiries regarding how we wired up Russell's peak! Hopefully the following narrative will help wouldbe hill climb builders. I have done this without the aid of sketches, so if you need a diagram or two, contact me this board.

Friend and slotracer Garry Russel was the Grande Architect and creator of the 'Russell's peak hill climb, but as he neared the end of the project he wasn't sure how to resolve the problem of changing the polarity for the decent and again for the next ascent!! With out going into manual means or electronic circuitry I mulled it over for a week or two and a chance find of the 'lynch pin' of the whole operation in the Jaycar electronics catalogue resolved the dilema.

The vital piece is an electronic 'latching relay'. This is an electrical version of a double pole/double throw switch. it has three pairs of terminals. Output is the two centre pins and input is the pair of pins at each end. Control is by a pair of terminals at each end on the top of the relay. Polarity in one end causes the switch to 'flip' to one mode and power to the other end causes it to 'flop' back to its position. All we needed then was a pair of micro switches mounted in the slot to activate the 'flip/flop'

The track power is divided into three zones. Top loop, up/down, and bottom loop. the top and bottom loop are wired up into the controller in the normal way so you travel in the same direction all the time. the centre ascent/descent section is wired to the centre terminals on the latching relay. The + & - from the track power goes into one end of the relay 'out' terminals. The track power is then crossed over and wired in opposition at the other end of the latching relay, much like a track polarity reversing switch.

Now, the relay operating earth pin (-) is earthed to the power supply. (see markings on the relay). The positive (+) side of the relay operating pins are connected via the microswitches in the slot (one in the top loop, one in the bottom loop)to each end of the latching relay. When the model runs over micro switch 'A' it sends a pulse to the latching relay which in turn causes it to flip to forward power, and when the model passes over the opposite microswitch 'B' it will cause it to 'flop' back again, changing the polarity in the track centre zone. By this time the model has gone round the loop and the track polarity has been reversed and is waiting for it!

Needless to say, the loop coductor tape at each end is isolated from the ascent/descent section. This is easily achieved by cutting out a 2.0 mm strip from across the conductor tapes where the loop starts. If you are thinking of doing this then once the relay is purchased, all will make sense, hopefully!
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When I'm not racing slotcars,
I'm out in the back yard, burning food!!

When I win, it's because of my talent, not my car or my controller!
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