2nd-Feb-21, 07:14 PM
Hello Kev,
Yes, your summary above is the essence of the dynamics of a slot-car power train.
Firstly, let me reveal that I have only once used an electronic controller (Scorpius WAM).
To my understanding, the fundamental benefits are analogous to the computer control in high performance road cars.
1 - Power delivery from the engine is controlled by electronics so that when the driver "stamps on the gas" the driven wheels are not allowed to break traction.
2 - Braking effort is controlled so that when the driver "stands on the brakes", the wheels/tyres do not lock up and lose adhesion with the road surface.
The knobs on the slot-car controller allow the computer/human to pre-set these aspects to suit the car/motor, track and driver skill. In a 1:1 car, the system is "closed-loop" type where the computer has feedback from sensors at the wheels and can detect wheel spin and/or lock-up, and nowadays, the power distribution to each wheel can be governed.
With slot-cars the system has no feedback and therefore has to be regulated by the driver's pre-judgement.
Some of the benefits are:
The same controller can be matched to cars that have hugely different motor specs.
The delivery of power to the driven wheels is more consistent than simply having a human finger on the trigger.
The releasing of the trigger is smoothed so that "coasting" around curves is smoothed rather than sudden braking.
The set-up is a compromise matched to the flavour of the track layout and of course there is a learning process as the driver tunes in to how the car will re-act when the knobs are twirled.
Leo
Yes, your summary above is the essence of the dynamics of a slot-car power train.
Firstly, let me reveal that I have only once used an electronic controller (Scorpius WAM).
To my understanding, the fundamental benefits are analogous to the computer control in high performance road cars.
1 - Power delivery from the engine is controlled by electronics so that when the driver "stamps on the gas" the driven wheels are not allowed to break traction.
2 - Braking effort is controlled so that when the driver "stands on the brakes", the wheels/tyres do not lock up and lose adhesion with the road surface.
The knobs on the slot-car controller allow the computer/human to pre-set these aspects to suit the car/motor, track and driver skill. In a 1:1 car, the system is "closed-loop" type where the computer has feedback from sensors at the wheels and can detect wheel spin and/or lock-up, and nowadays, the power distribution to each wheel can be governed.
With slot-cars the system has no feedback and therefore has to be regulated by the driver's pre-judgement.
Some of the benefits are:
The same controller can be matched to cars that have hugely different motor specs.
The delivery of power to the driven wheels is more consistent than simply having a human finger on the trigger.
The releasing of the trigger is smoothed so that "coasting" around curves is smoothed rather than sudden braking.
The set-up is a compromise matched to the flavour of the track layout and of course there is a learning process as the driver tunes in to how the car will re-act when the knobs are twirled.
Leo
Forum Precepts: Don't hijack or divert topics - create a new one. Don't feed the Troll. http://www.scuderiaturini.com
![[+]](https://slotracer.online/community/images/bootbb/collapse_collapsed.png)