Race Coordinator, Trackmate, ECT.

We had the random power off issue at Howie's when we first switched his DOS computer system running SRT to a newer PC running Race Coordinator. Some testing indicated to me the relay we were using for track power was dropping out due to margin voltage at the relay coil connections. This applied voltage from the computer would fluctuate and the relay would drop out. We fixed that issue by installing older Trackmate system hardware. The Trackmate board includes a relay with a separate power supply that is used to power the track relay. Howie's system has worked perfectly since.

Recently Bob Nakamura's track experienced a random power off issue using a newer Trackmate system. Bart Ouchida did some diagnostic work on Bob's track and determined the small wall pack style power supply that comes with the Trackmate hardware was not putting out sufficient voltage to keep the replay powered up. Bob called Trackmate and they decided the power supply was defective.

Here is the data Bart obtained through testing:

30 amp relay - Switch on @ 6.9 volts. Switch off @ 4.2 volts. Coil = 82 ohms. Coil current draw = 70 ma.

80 amp relay - Switch on @ 6.3 volts. Switch off @ 5.0 volts. Coil = 46 ohms. Coil current draw = 180 ma.

In my years and experience with the gas company we commonly worked on pilot light safety systems which worked with low voltage electromagnets. In that industry we commonly referred to the voltage required to energize the coil in the electromagnet as the "pick" voltage. This is the required voltage for the electromagnet to do work (in the gas industry the electromagnet holds a small flap open over a port. In the case of a relay the electromagnet holds the contact points closed or open depending on the relays function). This "pick" operation takes more voltage/current than it takes to "hold" the the operation in place (hold the flap in place in the gas industry, or hold the contacts closed on a relay). The switch off voltage is the minimum voltage it takes to "hold" or maintain the electromagnet's operation. If voltage drops below this minimum the electromagnet will not maintain its hold on the relay contacts and they will open (or in the case of a normally closed relay, the contacts close). I still believe this can be an issue with computer controlled race systems.

I believe one common problem with the track relays dropping out is minimal voltage to the relay coil contacts. Any slight voltage fluctuation can cause the relay to drop out shutting the track power off.

As Monte knows very well I am NO computer guy. But I still think there may be issues caused by supply voltage to the relays used to control track power. The reason I still believe that is I first encountered this power off issue on a relay controlled track around 1998 or so. On that track I believe the voltage issue was caused by poor electrical connections. But still the relay was dropping out due to low input voltage.

I ran Race Coordinator on my track in Fairview for a few years and never experienced any of the "power off" issues. My track was equipped with the Trackmate hardware wired through a serial port. I now have this same set up on the Checkered Flag four lane 1/24 track, using a different computer, and as of this date I have not experienced any problems running Race Coordinator on this track either. I don't question the serial port diagnosis because I don't understand all that computer stuff anyway, however I still think it is a good idea to diagnose the relay's operation to at least eliminate that as a possible problem.

Monte: " If only the stop and go boxes that went to the track at the Museum of Speed would resurface." Yesterday Jeff Fields said the Museum Of Speed track went to another car museum, I believe he said in Salem. Jeff said they contacted him because they are having "electrical problems" with it.........

That right there is a very good reason to volunteer to hold a proxy race!