High Power variable voltage mod for C7042 APB

90942 Views 306 Replies 59 Participants Last post by Gavin84, 7 mo ago

RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · Jun 26, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

7

How would you like SH type power, the ability to adjust voltage all for next to nothing? Yes? Well read on!

You need
Craft knife
Soldering iron
solder sucker
2x R010 resistors

Difficulty level 2/10 easy enough for teenagers or adults.

Stage one, remove power connector, bend up a leg and refit.

Use solder sucker to remove solder.

Be careful there is a small track on the connector side. If it breaks just use a wire to link from the diode to the side leg.
Prise connector up when all solder has gone

bend up the end leg

Solder back onto board with remaing two legs and solder a thick wire to the bent up leg. Feed wire through 5 volt regulator hole as shown

Stage 2, cut track and solder wire to it
flip board over and with the craft knife cut through the large track shown, cut back and forth until it is cleanly cut. Check with a meter if you have one

Scrape off some of the green stuff and tin the track with some solder. Now solder the wire to the track

Stage 3, add two resistors to double the current trip point
Identify the two resistors R010 in the centre of this photo. Add extra solder either end as shown.

Now solder your new R010 resistors (size 2512) directly on top.

Use a standard C7024 power supply for the untouched connector (this powers the computer)
Use a 0-15V 20-30 Amp power supply for the modified connector (this goes to the power section)

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Reactions: 1

41 - 60 of 307 Posts

DaveLat

· #41 · Jul 20, 2011

Question for Colin,
were the intial four power upgrades you listed in post #33 the first and last or are you still offering this service?

thanks, Dave

RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · #42 · Jul 20, 2011

I'd need to get a supply of resistors, but if you twist my arm...

DaveLat

· #43 · Jul 20, 2011

Colin,
i`m still using pb-pro sh, but for me to consider a swap to the APB at some point I would have to have the power upgrade so I can use my variable psu.
So if I twisted your arm in the future do you see it being a service you could provide as you did the simple H upgrades?

Dave

dJomp

· #44 · Jul 20, 2011

QUOTE (RikoRocket @ 9 Jul 2011, 23:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'll take that back, if you do this mod and use a standard psu tyou will get more speed as the power goes unchecked to the rails, compared to a standard APB it is +2 Volts! So you can more for less. Super! Super Advanced Power Base! SAPB

Is this true though? We are told to use two power supplies for 4+ cars, presumably for the extra amps. If this mod sends only the power from one power supply to the rails, then that'd be less?

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RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · #45 · Jul 20, 2011

Well its true, and you are right. It will give more speed, but if you want to use 4 cars then you need a bigger than standard PSU to give the oomph (can't spell oomf?) welly!

zipp

· #46 · Sep 15, 2011

Nice work as always Riko,

When using a variable power supply, is there any minimum or maximum voltage that can be used?
Or does this not matter, as the apb and functions are powered by the other standard power input, so you can set the variable power supply to whatever level you like?

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Barnesboy

· #47 · Sep 17, 2011

Hi, as with many of you, i don't want to pay silly money for a second Scaley PSU (transformer) to run 6 cars well, so have read this thread and the 'C7042 The Power Thread'. I'm also interested in variable voltage (both for digital and to run Carrera 1:24 analogue cars at 18V or so) but the missing info for me is finding a suitable PSU. The only one at Pendle Slot Racing now is the 'PSRT3' for £59.95 which does 0 - 20v, but am i right in thinking the 2 Amp current is inadequate to make good use of the C7042 powerbase?
The other one i've seen is at Maplin also for £59.99 (but goes back up to £90 on October 5th) which has adjustable current to 5 amps and voltage to 20v. It says you could use two of these in parallel to give 10 amps.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/1-20v-0-5a-slim-be...d-screen-219129

The Power Thread (page 5) suggests 10 amps as a minimum for untroubled racing. Is there a cheaper or better way to get that than spending £120 (or £180) on two of these? What circumstances if any would really need more than 10 amps?

Many thanks for any suggestions on variable PSU's etc.

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RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · #48 · Sep 17, 2011

2 Amps insufficient

I bought a 12-15V 30A supply for £25 so you need to keep searching...

RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · #49 · Sep 17, 2011

QUOTE (zipp @ 15 Sep 2011, 10:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice work as always Riko,

When using a variable power supply, is there any minimum or maximum voltage that can be used?
Or does this not matter, as the apb and functions are powered by the other standard power input, so you can set the variable power supply to whatever level you like?

Once you have made the mod then there is no lower limit and the upper limit is around 15V (I remember the mad Ozzies running at 18V but that risks some components in the lane changers)

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Michael363672

· #50 · Sep 17, 2011

What psu do you use then riko ?

Barnesboy

· #51 · Sep 18, 2011

Hi, well i've found this for £68.90 delivered, which would give 25 amps.

http://www.rapidonline.com/Electrical-Powe...Display-85-1824

It was suggested by RichG in another thread from 2006. Limited to 15v, but then so is the Advanced Powerbase, so maybe a separate small 18v supply for my 1:24 Carrera analogue cars which i don't need to run through the Advanced Powerbase.
BUT i would really like variable 3 - 18v, and 10 Amps in one power supply if possible - anyone know of one (in the UK)? I found this, but it's £126!

http://www.rapidonline.com/Electrical-Powe...05-48b162c20a36

Cheers

zipp

· #52 · Sep 18, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Cheers for the info Riko.

Regarding affordable, variable, regulated power supplies with decent amp, would this one be any good @ £38?

Looky here

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Ade

· #53 · Sep 18, 2011

hi
that looks like a bargain compared to the one i purchased from maplins a few years ago.The fun part begins when you try and find the jack plugs that fit into the apb....

zipp

· #54 · Sep 18, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

OK, Bigbird,
fill me in, why are the dc plugs hard to find, are they a funny size?

I thought they were 6.3mm x 3mm x 9mm These??

Barnesboy

· #55 · Sep 18, 2011

Hi, Thanks for that Zipp. I think i could settle for that, even though it doesn't go to 18v. It's easliy the best bang for the bucks that i've seen. I could make other arrangements for the large Carrera cars if needed, as they aren't a big part of the hobby for me,

Cheers, David

MrFlippant

· #56 · Sep 18, 2011

I think one of the problems with exceeding 15-16v is that the electronics in the lane changers might overheat/overload. You'd want to take out all SSD pieces (lane changers, base, etc) before running cars at 18v. I've read from several Carrera 124 fans, though, that running them at lower speeds is more fun.

Ade

· #57 · Sep 18, 2011

hi
nice find Zipp.They were hard to find..The funny size is the id.

RikoRocket

Discussion Starter · #58 · Sep 18, 2011

QUOTE (zipp @ 18 Sep 2011, 11:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Cheers for the info Riko.

Regarding affordable, variable, regulated power supplies with decent amp, would this one be any good @ £38?

Looky here

Looks great Zipp, better than mine! Nice to have proper voltage and current readout at that price. Well found!

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MrFlippant

· #59 · Oct 12, 2011

I humbly suggest that this thread be linked in the sticky thread "C7042 - The instructional threads..." to make it easier to find in the future.

Thanks!

zipp

· #60 · Oct 12, 2011

2

Good call Greg.

It is done.

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