Max Track Size?

[james_stevens]

I bought my son 2 official Micro tracks for Christmas. We've been building my Digital sets for a year now and we have a few MINT set ups going from his room, to my partner's office and back. He loves being creative and making huge layouts.

Anyway, I was really disappointed that when we tried to make a bigger micro layout that it just didn't work at all. We tried plugging in both power points, with just one... Nothing happened. But when we made each set individually we had no problems.

I've seen a few HUGE Micro Scalextric layouts from Jedlam on YouTube and they seem to just run off off one power supply.

Am I missing something, he is disappointed and I am too. I gave up the ghost with it until today and we've been thinking about where to go for this year's birthday and Christmas. I'd like for him to be able to expand his Micro collection but if the larger set ups are beyond him it seems completely.pointless.

Any help and advice would be welcome. A feasible solution would be UTTERLY incredible.

Ps... I'm not very savvy. I can build track and change digital chips... But much beyond that I'm a bit of a novice... Largely becaus rice not had to go much further. So the simpler the better if possible! Or really clear explanations ;-)

Thanks in advance guys. Hugely appreciated.

[woodcote]

Hi James - welcome to the forum!

 

I’ve set up some pretty big Micro layouts, consisting of 2,3,4 or even 5 sets - and running off just one standard power track and power supply. So it is possible!

 

One thing to consider is that the track connectors are not the best - they can work loose and lose the electrical connection. What you would experience is a car going round and stopping, but it seems you are getting nothing at all after set-up... That suggests a short circuit somewhere. I wonder, if you are crossing between rooms, that you are running over a metal carpet door bar that is bridging the track rails underneath the track? Perhaps cover any metal in doorways with some paper or plastic sheet? I usually set up a track on a vacuumed floor or tables.

 

The best way to troubleshoot a track issue is to start with the isolated powerbase and then add one track piece at a time, running a car in both lanes to the end of the track. If the car goes to the end, the track you’ve added is fine. When it stops (or won’t go at all), the problem piece is the one before or after that final track joint. If all is good until you join the other end to the powerbase to complete the layout, then you have a lane crossing - usually an odd crossover piece (they must be used in pairs), although crossovers haven’t been produced for Micro Scalextric for nearly 25 years!

 

I’d also try swapping the controllers round, just in case one of them doesn’t work with one of the powerbases. Do the same with the power supplies. It’s a case of finding that point when a working set-up stops working - the final thing you added is the problem.

 

Let us know how you get on and I hope some of those suggestions help.

 

P.S. A brand new 9 volt Micro Scalextric / My First Scalextric system has just been released this summer. It is a radical re-design and not compatible with the older track and cars. I do like it very much and think it is a big improvement. You will probably want to stay with the system you have, but the new system does give you another option. There’s more here: https://www.scalextric.com/uk-en/forum/new-micro-scalextric-track-system/ and here: https://www.scalextric.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2019.html

[james_stevens]

Hi Woodcote,

That's brilliant and your advice was bang on. Problem seemed to be just one long straight. Removing that and everything works perfectly.

The 9V system does look good though. However he's just pushing towards wanting a digital set.

Silver lining through is that if the new set isn't compatible, there might be a flurry of joblots on older 12v micro sets for us to go at!

But thank you so much for that it's really sorted us out :-)