[jnr_seahorse]

This is probably a really daft question but I am very ignorant when it comes to things electrical. What is the little brown / orange thing between the connections on a slot car motor? I guess it is a resistor or capacitor, but why is it there and what difference does it make if it is removed?

JS

 

[McLaren]

It's a capacitor if it is across the motor terminals (Scalextric and SCX) and it is a resistor if it is inline with one of the leads (Ninco).

Neither makes any difference to the running of the cars, but are there to reduce electrical interferance produced by the cars. They were introduced so that Scalextric cars could be run in the same room as a TV. Without them when the motor runs, it starts snowing on the tele.

McLaren

 

[jnr_seahorse]

The reason I ask is because I have two Scalextric F1 McLarens. One is much faster than the other and the slow one is also very noisey! I have switched the motor and the running gear from one to the other and the slow one is still slow.

The noise sounds electrical and occurs under full throttle. The only difference I could see between the two cars was that one didn't have a orange 'thingy'. So I had been hoping it was the magical cure!

JS

 

[McLaren]

Nope, sorry.

Can't think what the problem is if you have swapped everything but the body and chassis...

Maybe the chassis is warped or you have contact problems between the braids and the motor?

McLaren

 

[astro]

which car is slow?

the capacitor sould not affect the speed, but scalextric arrange it and a black spacer to make sure the wires dont short out to each other or the motor casing. chech thant the bare wires near the motor on the slow car are not touching anything, or else are insulated.

however, this could be a red herring

 

[McLaren]

If the slow one has a cap, remove it. If it has blown then it will slow the motor down.

McLaren

 

[daleg]

McLaren is right, if the cap itself has gone (ie blown) it will be reading a very low resistance and just basically arcing the power away inside itself.

Cut it off!!

 

[Guest]

Hi there.

There is only one place for the irritating resistors and capacitors that you have found and that place would be the bin.

Baz

 

[astro]

baz - what about inside your next door neighbours slot cars? Then you wouldn't have snow on your TV when they felt like racing

 

[ProfFate]

Hi

These noise supressors do burn through. When they do, and if this is what is causing your motor problem, you are already causing snow on the neighbor's TV!

Grin.

Just clip them out on all your cars. An unnecesary point of failure.

Fate

 

[Guest]

Astro my fellow

You should well know that Inte is my neighbour and do you really think I care if he has an antarctic blizzard when I'm enjoying my toys?

Baz

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Inte is your neighbour?

There I was thinking you were Inte. Or rather, Inte was Baz. Or do I mean....

Anyhoo, my SCX Corollo (sic) certainly slowed down when the brown thingie blew.

 

[astro]

hmmmm - that last post did sound more like inte than the bespectecaled mild manared Baz

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Raw nerve?

Only joshing with you Inte/Baz. Lord knows, I used to playaround with multiple IDs. I think I have two here as well.

 

[Guest]

HI Wankel.

I'm on wireless connection which myself and Intergrali share.
Intergrali is busy at collage training to be an electrician so doesn't have much time to come online anymore and offer his pearls of wisdom.

Baz

 

[McLaren]

My second one got deleted before I even managed my first post. Boy, Nuro was on the ball that day...

McLaren

 

[mtucker666]

Capacitor = cut it off

 

[Wankel Ickx]

One message above now deleted.

 

[MR MAX]

I have found this on many old and brand new Scaley cars, I would just leave them for home racing. The Scaley GT40's still run one of best out of the box laps with them on.

 

[RichD]

Most likely the slow car has a guide flag wiper that is making a poor contact. Pull off the guide flag, if one wiper is higher than the other pry up the lower one to match. If both wipers are the same pry them both up a little. Replace the guide flag and see if the car runs better. If a capacitor becomes shorted it will usually blow apart.