Question on Permanent Plastic Track Setup

[Nor Cal Mike]

[chappy]

http://www.radioshack.com/caig-circuitw ... 60037.html

http://comingsoon.radioshack.com/bare-c ... 60267.html

Ok Mike ill try this again, I got frozen on my first attempt.
Radio Shack used to sell a pen for pc board writing, it had liquid solder in it and I recall guys using it to
put in the track joints for a better connection. I dont know if it is still sold or not, certainly not in Canada anyway.
Jumpers and digital im not sure about so I cant comment.
The other thing I have seen done is the laying of copper tape over the rails, of course thats just what your getting away from too, but I know the thinnest venture tape works well on scaley rails and gives good continuity.
Thats it Mike my ideas are tapped out because I know squat about digital.
Hope some of this may be of help, though.
All the best
Bob

[Nor Cal Mike]

Thanks Bob, Digital or analog, it is really the same when it comes to sectional track. I mainly thought of putting power directly to the changers because 1) you want good power there and 2) they are convenient places to tap current to the rest of the track and they are pretty evenly spaced. I have thought of using copper tape. I probably will if I have any issues.

There is a white paste that is used on connections. Do you remember the name? I forget. I was wondering if that was any good.

[WB2]

Check out this post: http://homeracingworld.us/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8270 .
While HO track, I would think the treatment is applicable to Scalextric.
Basically, he cleaned the contact surfaces and put a drop of Rail Zip on the connection.

[WB2]

"There is a white paste that is used on connections."

There are many brands out there. Google 'electrical contact paste' or ask in the electrical department of the local hardware store. Better yet, bum some from an electrician - I doubt that you want to pay for a whole tube for the small quantity needed.
Beware: this stuff is a nasty mess to work with.

[chappy]

Was it dialectic grease Mike or something like that.
B

[chappy]

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/gre ... paste-847/


Was it a conductive grease or paste Mike or something like that.
B

[Nor Cal Mike]

I did some reading over on the SCI website. They seem to be digital information central especially for SSD. What was recommended there was to crimp all of the connections as they go together and to use Inox MX3 lubricant on them. Inox is also recommended as a braid dressing on digital slot cars to cut down on arcing which can confuse the digital signals to the chip. I ordered a bottle of Inox tonight.

[Nor Cal Mike]

Hi Guys. Your last posts came in while I was writing my last so missed them.

Yes Bob, dialectic grease is the name that I was having trouble recalling. It is an age thing I recon.

WB2, That is a great write up on a lot more than my contact question. I will be referring to it as I begin to paint my borders & track. I was planning on painting the plastic too so this is a bonus.

[dw5555]

Mike, while everything discussed is great and overkill is good I think if you just make sure your tabs are making good contact and a jumper at the changers you will be good.

Always a plastic track guy... :mrgreen:
Dave

[zilger]

I recently coated my analog Sport rails with the INOX MX3 and the difference is unbelievable. It's like it tripled the amount of power going to the rails from the stock Scaley power source. That alone should make a huge difference.

Brian

[CVGshadow]

[oldtymer]

Just to add to this I have 84ft of Carrera Digital without jumpers or adding to the track joints .Ttack is 2yrs old and I get the same power readings everywhere on the track .
Fred

[Nor Cal Mike]

I will continue with my plan of making sure that all the joints are tight on final assembly, add a dab of Inox or dialectic grease to each joint and run a power tap to each of the three LCA's. I am not worried so much about getting the required amount of current all around the track because my track isn't that large. I am adding the taps to build in some redundancy because a bum joint can gum up the works on a day when I have the track out at an event with my model train club. This track isn't going to be stationary. It's going to bounce around on a trailer and leaned up against a wall when not in use. I am building the borders pretty tight around the edge, so tearing up a section of the track on the fly to fix a continuity problem isn't going to be that easy.