How much transformer power needed?

[jwhk]

Just got into slot racing. Bought a used Digital Race Line set, with a 4 car transformer base. Also have 2 used non digital sets, with some new cars and other new track sections. I intend to create a track of misxed digital/sport and classic track, covering an area of say 8' x 4', with bridges and hairpins etc. Also I have bought a used 6 car power base. Will the transformer with the digital set (comes with a 4 car transformer) be sufficient to power six cars around an extended track using the 6 car power base? Will the cars run, but run slow? Do i need to get a bigger transformer, if so, which one?

  thanks

[greg_gaub]

Both the 4 car base, and the OLD 6 car base (C7030) are, unfortunately, underpowered for more than 3 cars. It's not the power supply, really, but the electronics in the base that share that power out to all the cars. Don't even try 6 cars on the 6 car base, unless the base has been upgraded. If you're lucky, the previous owner of the 6 car base had the upgrades done, but chances of that are slim if he sold off his stuff... probably didn't like how bad the power was.

What you'll see is that when one car goes full throttle, the others will slow a bit. When one car stops or crashes off, the others will get a power boost. This often results in a domino effect of crashing as each car coming off gives the remaining ones more power.

The solution? Get the new 6 car base, the C7042. Scalextric finally learned their lesson, and that base has really good power sharing electronics. The C7042 can use the power brick that works on the 4 car base. With one, you'll have good power sharing for 3, maybe 4 cars if they're not modified. Get another power supply and you'll have great power for 6 cars.

The power brick for the old 6 car base cannot be used for any other base, but having a 6 car base spare can be handy for programming cars off your track, especially if you often race 6 cars.