[Slotracing Al]

Good point in post #17 Rich - There are lots of ways of making a good controller.
Just about everybody's wish list for a controller includes one that suits their cars: suits the tracks they run on : suits their driving : is totally reliable : if it's adjustable ease of getting the right adjustment to suit the circumstances.
What shape handle, what sort of action, how much stroke, how strong should the return spring be are all down to personal preference.

Rich D made another good point earlier - It would be better if you could try the controller before you bought it. Personal preference and suiting the conditions is an important part of controller choice. I've tried quite a few controllers with lots of impressive sounding high tech features, some were just what I wanted and some weren't as good as a basic Parma.

Doing things on that wish list better is important, I don't see why it matters how it does it.

 

[Michael363672]

But if you have an old parma already ????

And a bit of time and if you like that sort of thing.....................

 

[Slotracing Al]

QUOTE (Julian_Boolean @ 7 Jun 2012, 15:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What about getting a 45ohm controller to feel more like a 60ohm - is this possible, or would you have to start off with a 60 and make it feel like a 45, or would it just be easier to buy a second 60 ohm controller and make an adjustable brake pot for both?
Parallel resistors (like Rich was describing) reduce resistance , so they cannot make a 45ohm resistor feel like more than 45 ohms.
In theory you could add a series resistor to make 45ohm resistor feel like more than 45 ohms, that would make a big step between almost full power and full power which may or may not be a problem to you, and in some circumstances might even be an advantage.

You can put the brake pot in a separate plug in box, so you can share one between all your controllers.

 

[MrFlippant]

I look forward to Rich's take on the Avant Slot Hammer. I share his appreciation of dedicated knobs for functions on a controller. I love knowing exactly which knob to tweak when a car isn't performing how I like on the track of the evening, and being able to tweak it while I'm driving is great. One of the guys in my club has a Hammer, and if he doesn't get his controller set up just right during practice, or if he arrives after practice, he often loses a lap or two while tweaking his controller mid-race. I think the Hammer uses the buttons and the trigger itself to make adjustments, which works, I'm sure, but seems a bit hit and miss, especially if you're in a rush to make the change. Great price, though, and certainly worth getting, even if you sell it on after having your fun with it.

I have a slot.it SCP1, and like it quite a bit. It's infinitely adjustable with linear and curved throttle response. It can also be max power reduced in one mode, or use a special linear with step curve. My favorite feature, second only to adjustable brakes, is the Power Trim knob. It's really more of an anti-spin or traction control knob. In it's min position, when you pin the throttle, the car gets full power instantly. In the max position, the throttle slowly applies power, even though you've pinned the trigger to max, in order to prevent the car wasting power by burning out, or hopping right out of the slot when there's plenty of traction. In max position, that time is still only about half a second (though I wish it had even more time above that), but it makes a big difference for twitchy cars on any track, and is especially helpful for people who tend to hit the power out of the turns a little too soon.

 

[RichG]

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 7 Jun 2012, 16:06) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I look forward to Rich's take on the Avant Slot Hammer. I share his appreciation of dedicated knobs for functions on a controller.

Its interesting that when I started looking at adjustments for my Wireless contollers that my first thoughts / approach was a single knob and multiple selectable functions aided by a multicolour LED. Without knowing it at the time this is close to what the ASH does, albeit also aided by multiple buttons & a single digit display.

In trialing my controller I then found it close to impossible to make on the fly adjustments so decided to ditch the LED and replace with a second pot. This I have found much better and can easily find / feel the knobs and make an adjustment, also a quick glance at the knob position can be done to confirm setting.

So I can see why the ASH is designed as it is, also it has a lot of adjustments that would have required a lot of knobs. So it's probably my biggest concern? My feeling without even picking one up is that it's greatest strength, lots of adjustments, may also be it's biggest failing? I suspect it would be improved with the addition of a knob or two, and if it had the ability to remember a few setups that could be recalled?

Good review over on SCI to some degree confirms this. That said still potentially a lot of controller for the money at the current Pendle price. A massive step up from a non adjustable controller, even if you only use a fraction of the functionality.

Rich

 

[Slotracing Al]

QUOTE (RichG @ 7 Jun 2012, 16:39) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>My feeling without even picking one up is that it's greatest strength, lots of adjustments, may also be it's biggest failing? I suspect it would be improved with the addition of a knob or two, and if it had the ability to remember a few setups that could be recalled?
Good point.
It's no problem taking time with a new controller to try the adjustments and see how it makes the car feel and what difference it makes to lap times.
If a driver can learn all that and then know what needs adjusting within a lap or two of putting the car on the track, the adjustments can be an advantage.
If a driver is confused by all that and spends lots of time fiddling with the controller - time that could be better spent practising driving the car, the adjustments can be a disadvantage.

The big variable there is the driver, some are much more perceptive about what needs adjusting than others. So how much adjustment is useful isn't the same for everybody.

 

[JCS100]

RichGQUOTE Seems like a lot of work when a Parma Plus is £45 & the Avant Slot controller is £55?

Seems like a dimissive answer to me as the Parma plus is a fixed resistor, fixed brakes controller only suitable for a limited range of cars/motors due to the fixed resistor and the Advant is difficult to adjust duing racing, and being sold at a temporary low price. The club controller gets round both these issues for a basic cost of £20 plus controller if you DIY.

As Mike says, for those who like doing this sort of thing.

Cheers
JCS100

 

[dangermouse]

JCS100 Wow - I would love to be able to build one of those club controllers - could you make it using any Parma controller? Do you recommend the turbo because of the need for an open top on the controller? I will have to see if I can get all the parts here in Australia for the equivalent of 20 pounds. I have read your thread previously but thought it would cost a lot more than that.

cheers
David

 

[JCS100]

Not wishing to divert from the main thread on the Advant controller (which at £55 for a PWM controller looks a good buy if you don't need to reset during racing) info on the club controller costs has been added to the controller thread here.

http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?...0&start=180

 

[RichD]

If you were to add a fixed resistor in series with the one in a Parma Economy controller you would not be able to get full power. You would have to modify the controller to add a full speed contact like Plus and Turbo controllers have. As someone pointed out there would be a considerable gap between the voltage at the full power end of the resistor and the full power contact which could be a problem. Building your own controller is a nice project, what would be the total cost of the parts? One would have to source the parts and perhaps pay postage, which gets more expensive if you can't get all of them from the same place.

 

[JCS100]

Fixed resistor = Resistor fixed i.e. bolted in chassis offering a pre-set value at initial sweep

Not an added resistor to the one already fitted by Parma..............

Explanation for the obtuse.

Cheers
JCS100

 

[pfj]

Hi, using resistor's in parallel with the main controller resistor only allows the ohm's rating to be reduced but you retain the 'feeling' of the original resistor, I have both Eco/Plus controller's and have modified both in different way's when first trying different add-on's. Putting a 10ohm pot in series with the resistor on a Eco handle I made a separate full power contact for the wiper arm to touch as it reached the resistor full power band attached the power in (white cable) to this new contact then another wire from this to the pot which was on a bracket on front of controller handle the other wire from pot to resistor full power band it gave added resistance but didn't give the suitable feel, the Plus controller has it's own separate full power contact. Adding resistor's/pot's or rheostat's in parallel it's still linear until the added resistance is reduced to far 10ohm is the limit we use this for Johnson motor's we race going below this does make the car erratic, I started using a 45ohm main resistor but it felt a bit soft on response so changed to 35ohm this with mag and nonmag car's on our wood /plastic track's currently these type of controller's at the club use this with 3watt wirewound resistor's soldered vertically around a 1pole 12 position rotary switch starting with 180ohm and depending on how many step's you wish to have( I have 11step's ) then 150,100.68.47.33.27.22.18.15.10 as to the brake control you can use 1amp schottky diode's 1n5817 on another rotary switch.As said earlier doing it this way you have the feel that your used to from your controller over the trigger range yet are able to increase the car's speed gradually as you run the car round a number of lap's at each setting and adjusting the brake's also you start to get more control of the car without realizing how fast your able to push the car and how much adjustment youv'e made it's then you want to zero both control's and run it again and see how slow and less driveable it is the way you run it before.Haveing a softer trigger spring help's alot aswell ( I know some prefer a strong spring but onece you give your self some time with it it add's extra to the control of your car,back to the post about a 60ohm the power in this case would be coming in to far down the resistor to be suitable if you run with lot's of mag's you can go the other way to a 25ohm where the quicker responce is enhanced more but to much for nonmag raceing. phil.