SCX analog throttles or Pit Box problem?

[duggla]

My slot car hobby has been on almost a 15 year hiatus, so I must admit I haven't kept up...I used to race a huge four lane Scalextric classic layout, but with limited space and kids coming along has been sitting in the attic.

I have used both the old Scalextric classic throttles and the Sport dito (with converter track pieces). Both with satisfying results.

When I finally brought down the boxes and built a small track i the living room I wanted to add something to make that small track more entertaining, so I got myself an analog SCX Pit Box (for the thrill of refilling fuel)....

And now to the actual problem...It is complete rubbish, at least for the moment.

The throttles that came along are terrible. The triggers are so sensitive/non-compliant, and the cars go unevenly and jumpy around the track.

I have a wide variety of cars, mostly Scalextric spanning from the 60's to now, and the majority of the cars are almost undriveable with the new throttles. This has not been a problem before, although the cars as you all know have their own characteristics.

I need some advice here..Is it the Pit Box/power pack itself that is causing this or is it the throttles?

Is it common knowledge that the SCX throttles have less resistance, if that is the case?

Are there any known compatibility issues when using SCX with Scalextric, power pack or anything like that?

Would it be a good idea to change connectors on some of my other hand throttles to use with the Pit Box?

Or do I have to go pro and buy expensive throttles like Parma to solve this?

Sorry for being long winded.

[Andy P.]

Hi duggla and welcome,

I prefer long winded and detailed to posts like:

cars wont go whats rong

:-D

I wanted that pit stop thing as well for a long time but just as I was about to buy it ARC ONE came out and I figured it wasn`t worth it as I had Scalextric SPORT track for the most part.

While I am not familiar with the SCX pitstop I do know a few things about the controllers and some of the circuitry and wiring as I used their "Trainer 1" until I got an ARC AIR that offered a similar function.

The older Hornby Scalextric and SCX cars can sometimes have motors that have a higher AMP draw than the modern ones. Ninco cars in particular are known for pulling enough power to trip the circuitry of ARC AIR. The recommendation there is to use a power pack from a Toshiba laptop that has a higher output.

When you add in that the motors might be gummed up and/or the connections are poor they may be causing irregular power flow.

Scalextric Classic and SCX track also tends to have higher electrical resistance when compared to modern Sport track. It is partly down to fine rust that may not even be visible with the eye but also the alloys and metals used. If you have a very fine Ohm meter you can see which pieces have the highest resistance.

Then there are the controllers: I seem to remember the SCX controllers being very similar to the old Tyco controllers at least in appearance. I don`t know what resistance levels of the controllers but I am pretty sure that the coils have likely become dirty and oxidized over time and can cause the crazy behavior.

So what are you to do?

First check a few cars and get them in good order.

Use a 9 volt battery or if you are electric savvy a 12 Volt DC output to make sure you have decent, smooth, constant power.

Check to see if the motor runs smoothly and if it heats up too terribly. The motor will get hot but you should still be able to touch it even after it has run 15 minutes or so.

If they are acting up check the electrical connections and clean them and improve them (solder) as necessary.

Lube the wheels and the bearings of the motors as well.

Once you have the cars behaving predictably take a look at the track.

Get the "powerbase" section and make sure it is in good condition with no rust, dent or broken parts. If the cars seem to run fine (hold the powered wheels in the air and move them up and down the track with 50%-75% throttle NEVER full throttle) and see if the motors surge or drop out.

If they do then likely there is something wonky in the powerbase or in the controllers.

Do this with all your power bases and controllers as best you can. (swapping lanes, swapping connectors, swapping power bases tracks etc)

Again, if you are electric savvy you can use a multi-meter that tests volts and ohms to check things...

If that all seems good start building a track one piece at a time and check the cars each time you add some track.

It is time consuming but there really is no other way. (unless you use a voltmeter).

If you find some pieces to be problematic you can see if cleaning and straightening helps.

Many have successfully put copper tape with conductive glue on top of the rails. I did this on my few Scalextric Classic/SCX pieces of track I still use.

The great thing is because the "male" end is levered into the "female" end you can wrap the tape around the peg of the "male" end and fold the tape into the female in so there is a copper to copper connection.

At some point you can plug in the SCX Pit Stop into the mix and see if it behaves any differently. If it is still acting weird you will have to open it up and have a look round for loose connections and rust etc.

If it won`t behave you could look into ARC ONE or ARC AIR for your pit stopping needs:

https://uk.scalextric.com/community/advice/app-race-control

If you don`t like the controllers of ARC ONE (they have no brakes) you can modify it easily (I don`t think it would void your warranty but I am not sure!) to use a different power base but keep the pit stop and lap counting functions.

I have used ARC AIR and ARC PRO for a long time and it always goes well with the kids.

So you see.. I can also be long winded but I hope it helps!

[duggla]

Hi! Thanks a lot for your answer. I was giving it a go again earlier today. I actually tried connecting a different power adapter but nothing really changes.

I've tried all of my 25+ cars and I gave the track a good clean before putting it together a week ago. I've gone back and forth with the other power bases I've got, and they still run smoothly. Could it be that the Pit Box is more sensitive to dirt or rust than an original Classic base or the Sport base I use normally?

I'm worried that it's basically not up to the task. I mean, it's fiddling with voltage/fuel consumption from the beginning, so there's maybe some sort of interference in the overall performance? Can't find any reviews of it online, so maybe it was a shot in the dark from the start.

I was actually into buying an ARC one, but unlike you, I went for the more analog/retro feel. I just didn't want to have a phone or tablet intruding on the slot car track...but after hearing you, AND spending big bucks, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea, if keeping the Sport power base in the mix that is.

Would you say that the ARC has any impact on the performance of throttles/cars/track?

[Andy P.]

You only need the mobile device/app if you want to take advanatge of lap counting and/or other features.

It works as a regular analog set with ARC ONE or ARC AIR (Air being the wireless controllers... which are very good).

ARC ONE without the "brake mod" should have no affect except that the cars do not have motor braking. If you mod it and use it only as a pitstop / lap counter you use the standard power base so it all acts exactly the same as before.

ARC AIR you cannot use with another power base and the braking is done with a button on the top. It takes a little getting used to but it is just as fun, particularly for young folk used to controllers with multiple buttons. It also has more features with the cars slowing if they get a puncture or motor damage.

The apps are fairly linear meaning one lap uses X amount of fuel every lap regardless of throttle or speed.

There is an independent app called Magic ARC that does a better job of this and also releases more features than the standard app.

It also works on a PC with Bluetooth.

I reckon your best bet for info on the SCX pit stop would be in Spanish as it is most popular there. I know in a German forum a user was also having problems as the circuitry is a bit fussy....

[duggla]

I think I found that german thread you mentioned. Seems like the problems with the SCX Pit Box are not just a one time event. Even if my german is really bad, when translating his post, I recognize a lot of what he's describing. The last thing he wrote was that he had disconnected the pit box and was using it just as scenery...I'm hoping to be able to sell mine, because I won't be digging deeper here. I've ordered an ARC one to use with my Sport power base (I want to use my truspeed contollers). Hope it'll arrive soon. Thanks for your tips and guidance.

[Andy P.]

Good luck!

Feel free to post the link to the German forum you found. I speak fluent German so maybe I can find a few bits of info....

To mod your ARC ONE to work with your existing power base you simply remove the screws on the bottom. Remove the covering plate and you should see 3 white plugs. Unplug the middle one (maybe put some tape on it to be 100% sure it doesn't connect to anything) and put the plate back on.

Now the ARC ONE is just a pit stop and lap counter.

Piece of cake and totally reversible,...

Important note: In order for any of the ARC products to work the guide blade must be black. You can usually get away with using permanent marker or nail polish to color them....