[BAracer]

I was so worried it was going to be a simple one line answer!

Thank you.

[CMOTD]

Excellent 'How to' Andy. Perhaps Jason would like to add it to the home page as a permanent resource.


A couple of questions:

1) How does the fuse protect the controller? As it is fitted between the power supply and socket any overload/short circuit is going to hit the controller first before it reaches the fuse.

2) Why 5 amp? Wouldn't a lower rating be safer. Home set slot cars would hardly pull 2 amps even at start up.

[woodcote]

Thanks Brian.

It is always safe practice to place the fuse after the power enters an electrical circuit. This video explains it well...



Of course, there’s nothing wrong with also adding a fuse in the controller handle. Most US controllers have fuses fitted as their crocodile plug hook-ups are notoriously unsafe and often not protected with a fuse.

I do routinely use a 5 amp quick blow fuse at the input to each controller box on my layouts. These are to protect against a fault anywhere in the circuit and avoid any collateral damage. My controllers are all rated above 5 amps - or have their own fuse - and all the other components in the circuit are also rated at 5 amps or more. That’s why a 5 amp fuse works for me. I could use a 2 amp fuse, but it wouldn’t offer any more protection to my components. And I do use some hot motors which might blow a 2 amp fuse (the power supplies I use are 5 amps and 8 amps). 

Exactly what amp rating someone uses is up to them - the 20mm fuse holder is very versatile. The two important factors are that 1) the fuse is rated less than the lowest rated component in the circuit and 2) it is a quick blow fuse.

[BAracer]

Have ordered the parts to make two boxes for my rally tracks.

I have some spare inline fuse holders, so will be going down that route for my first attempts.

[BAracer]

All set up with my UK Club Controller Box for some weekend proxy car tuning...

   

Armco barrier in place for protection!

Thank you Andy for the early birthday present!

[BAracer]

And here is the result of my morning's effort...

   


It's a temporary set up on the rally track at the moment, I'm going to introduce some inline sockets at the track end so I can reverse the track voltage and run the cars the other way round as well. 

And it looks like it's a 60 ohm track when running standard Scalextric.

[a_st74]

Just starting down the path of replacing my Scalextric track with a Carrera track. As I will hopefully be a regular at FLBT in Marlborough I was wondering whether a +ve wired track would be a good bet. As someone with almost zero electrical knowledge this may be the best post I've ever seen! Thanks for all your hard work in putting it together.

[BAracer]

For me, as I was looking to use my analogue controller on both home and club tracks, it made perfect sense.

[woodcote]

As I will hopefully be a regular at FLBT in Marlborough I was wondering whether a +ve wired track would be a good bet.

That's a coincidence - the first boxes I built were from instructions sent to me by Andy Whorton at FLBT  

It's a really nice, friendly club - I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun there, with lots of advice and help on tap.