DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

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DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby mattb » Fri Aug 04, 2017 2:11 pm

I installed this today, it was a gift from another slotter. I am having issues with it counting laps every time a car crosses the dead strip, sometimes it does OK, sometimes it won't count at all. It is clean and I cleaned the brushes on the cars. It has directional arrows on th sensor tracks. I have them installed backwards according to the arrows on the track, but that is the only way they hook up to the counters in the order I want. In the directions (on line) it says something about cars only running one direction if you use a sensor track:

TRACK: Let you connect the sensor for lane 1 and 2, different options are
available: dead strip (available on most track systems, only 1 direction of running), infrared
bridges (available on most track systems and for 2,4,6, and 8 lanes and works in both ways
of running).

I can't grasp the idea that car direction makes any difference for a dead strip in your track, but maybe this stuff is not as simple as I think it is. Anybody think car direction actually makes a difference with the dead strips. The strips are about 3 inches long and the friend bought them. I guess they worked OK for him.

Is it possible I need to rewire the dead strips for the opposite direct and for the counters I want them to feed?

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Re: DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby frank9129 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:22 pm

Matt,
I am interested in your problem. I have had a DS-300 for several years, In the box.
I am building a new track and want to install dead strips.
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Re: DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby RichD » Fri Aug 04, 2017 5:59 pm

Dead strips only work properly with the cars running in one direction, this article explains why: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzLR4 ... GJkSTVEMkE .
The short of it is that you need to reverse the wires that go to the dead strips.
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Re: DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby mattb » Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:39 pm

thanks Rich, i see direction does make a difference, why is still a little over my head. I will pull the track apart and change the leads to where I need them to be so the lanes correspond to the correct displays. It is a pain to pull a 4 lane track apart and remove just one track section. I cheated a little bit and broke off all but 3-4 tabs on those sections of my carrera track. that made it a lot easier to pull out those tracks and insert the new counters.

I am surprised that direction did matter, but I wasn't understanding just how the dead strip worked. I also have a light bridge, but the dead strips are a much neater solution.

Maybe tomorrow I will get back to it and then report back thanks for the info.

There it is Frank, direction does matter. Have you got wiring instructions so this is no problem for you?

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Re: DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby frank9129 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 8:15 pm

Mattb,
I have to read the manual again. It has been a while.
I want to paint the track parts nest week. As the track will be used out of doors, I am going to paint all sides. My existing track is not painted on the bottom and I didn't think to do it when I had to retape it. I had some help assembling the track and the infield was drug across all four lanes. I now thank everyone and do it myself. It is cheaper.
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Re: DS 300 lap counter dead strip issues

Postby mattb » Sat Aug 05, 2017 12:33 pm

Went to my storage garage this morning and pulled the sensor tracks out and flipped them. Counter worked fine with the cars going in the direction of the arrow on the track! I am reading the counter backwards from what I intended. I can cut the wires and swap the connections or I can pull the tracks apart and re-solder the wires. I should re-solder and will probably do that sometime! For now it works fine. It's just reading lane 4 on the counter when I am running what I consider the #1 lane.

Next I need to find out the options this counter offers. Currently it is hooked to the track 110v source and turns on with the track. It reads laps and lap times. You can push the first button and it re-sets then turns green on start. Not really anything I need, but it was free!
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