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This is one of the most powerful DC power supplies in the World.
Suitable ONLY for 16.4 volt Slot car track use. DO NOT, UNDER
ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CONNECT TO ANY BATTERY! Click
Here to go to
the Drag Track page
Warning!
This power supply is designed,
and built for, the extra voltage that Slot Car Drag Tracks need!
Voltage output without the voltage plug installed is 14.1 volts! At
this lowest setting it is STILL TOO MUCH to connect to a 12 volt
lead acid battery ... Doing so will over-charge the battery
and can cause it to EXPLODE. Most slot car tracks actually use
this power supply with the voltage boost plug installed which raises
the voltage to 16.4 volts for Drag Tracks. This higher voltage
gives the drag track noticeably better et's. It is internally
capable of slight voltage adjustments, but only by taking the cover
off and adjusting a small pot. Do so at your own risk!
Never remove the cover with the power plugged in!
Capacitors: General Recommendations;
We Recommend the
"Hydra II" Super Capacitor that we offer.
It is designed to work with this power supply and will provide all
the reserve power you will ever need. There is no other capacitor
like it anywhere.
Or
You must also use extra caution when
you connect a capacitor to this power supply. We recommend
large capacitors be rated for 18 volts. and NEVER MORE THAN TWO CAPACITORS.
Click here
to see a diagram of correct capacitor connection.
Why?
Because voltage spikes caused by the sudden start of a race can
exceed the voltage output of the power supply for a few
milliseconds. This spike comes from the coil windings in the
electric motors of the cars themselves, not from the power supply.
Its called reverse emf and is well documented in the world of
electronics. If you want reliable performance, use only a
high quality capacitor with a voltage rating of a minimum
of 20 volts or higher (recommended). If the capacitors you are
looking don't have a voltage rating, do not buy them. If they
do, try to ask someone who has used that brand before and see if
they are reliable.
Why no Batteries?
This power supply voltage is too high for connection to any kind of
battery bank, even at its lowest setting of 14.1 that is higher than
ANY (continuous) battery charger. Lead Acid batteries are
fully charged at 12.8 volts and fully discharged at 10.2 volts.
Most modern chargers put what is called a "service charge" of
13.2-13.8 volts on a battery. This actually overcharges a
battery but is considered ok because in most cases the battery is
under a load and in order to maintain 100 percent charge the
batteries are actually charged at a slightly higher voltage.
This is for several reasons which is too detailed to discuss here.
But, suffice to know that if you continue to charge batteries with
too high a voltage the life of the battery will be shortened.
Our regular power supplies actually shut their charge off at
approximately 13.2 volts and resume charging when the voltage drops
to 12.8. This maintains a full charge at all times so the
battery is always ready for full service. (This is the same method
that a car alternator system uses) But the RDC90 Slot version is
putting out far too much voltage, even at its lowest setting.
If you connect a lead acid battery to the slot model, it will start
to immediately over-charge the battery, and if left connected, it
will cause the battery to boil internally and produce flammable
gasses. These gasses will escape and create a fire hazard that
a single small spark can ignite which will cause an explosion that
can cause severe damage and even loss of life. And sometimes the
spark happens inside the battery from too much heat that causes the
internal plates to warp and touch which shorts out the cell and
causes a spark. (Boom!) So PLEASE, DO NOT CONNECT THIS POWER
SUPPLY TO A BATTERY !
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