Track Power???

[loosenuts77]

monty,


In many posts i read of track power. how do i determine how strong it is? ive never explored this feild. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

[Monty @ B.O.W.]

Nick,
Power in electricity is measured in Watts, and is the product of current (Amps) x EMF(Volts).

Most racers feel they're dealing with higher power when the track voltage is higher, but its more complex than that because of the current factor. To get higher current flow, a track needs to be wired more heavily, and have a power source capable of delivering more amps. Traditionally, this has meant large storage batteries, whether from trucks (8D type, for instance), forklifts (big individual cells) or marine/RV applications. All will run low on power, however, unless they are wired in parrallel with a power supply capable of maintaining a suitable charging voltage. For most nominal 12 volt systems, this figure is 13.8 volts. Less, and the batteries will not fully charge, and more will overcharge and eventually ruin the batteries.

Tracks, in order to be considered high power, also need to be set up as a power "grid", to avoid lower power areas within the lap. This is accomplished with power and ground "taps" spaced at intervals around the track. A good rule of thumb is to have a set of taps approx. every 30 feet of track length. The total capacity of the ground taps should exceed that of the power taps. In the every 30 foot example. #10 guage wire is plenty for each power tap (one per lane!) and 1/0 guage is great for grounds (all 8 lanes together).

To determine these factors, ask the trackowner. Most will know the specifics of the wiring. If not, heres another way to form an opinion of track power: Note the lap times, in the hottest class raced, of cars alone on the track. Compare times acheived by the same cars during a race with all lanes in use. If they are nearly identical, you're looking at a high power track. If the times are several 1/10 s off, the power could be considered rather mild.