Controller hookup

[Red Jack's]

I have just put together my DiFalco conversion module onto my old controller. When I hooked it up to the track and put the car on the track it immediately started going.
I looked at the directions but they weren't much help. I did check for correct polarity.
I checked all the connections and everything appears to be correct.
Has anyone experienced this and how did you correct it?

[exxeter]

Go here http://www.difalcoonline.com/ an dlook under Maintenance and Support.

[HurricaneLarry]

The damage may already be done, and could have been caused just by hooking it up to the track. My guess is something was wired wrong, and by hooking it up to the track you most likely blew the transistor. That could explain why when you hook it up the car starts to move. And if I had to make a guess I would say it not only moves but on full power. I suggest replacing the transistor. Be careful not to wire it wrong again or you will just keep blowing the Transistor. Make sure that your track is either positivly wired or negitivly wired, ask your track owner. I would also check it on a power supply and bring the voltage up slowly. You can do this simply by taking an old motor clipping one lead the back of the motor or black lead of the supply and then putting one power lead of the supply into the white wire of the controller and the other lead from the controller to the other side of the motor. Bring up the voltage and pull the controller trigging to full slowly increase the voltage till the motor moves and then let the trigger go back to the off posistion, do not exceed 5 voltes on the supply. You should then be able to go from full off to full on and any range in between. If that test goes good you should be well on your way to racing soon. Good luck I hope this helps you.

[LesN]

Jack,

Sometimes we get too close to the forest to see the trees. Try hooking it up again, but this time leave the brake wire (red) disconnected. Have someone hold the rear wheels of a car off the track and if the power comes on (Larry is right about full power), try squeezing the trigger and see if the power doesn't shut off. If this is the case, reverse the black and white leads and try again. If no improvement disconnect immediately. Keep your hand on one alligator clip ready to quickly disconnect. If this corrects the problem, try the reversed black & white, then touch the brake wire to the red post. The key here is to be ready to immediately disconnect before you do further damage to your module or the track power. If all works well, resolder the clips after reversing the white and black boots and get ready to race. Good luck.

Les

[Red Jack's]

Tried the various suggestions and it appears the transistor is shot.
Thanks for the ideas...

[Red Jack's]

Well, it turns out the diode was connected backwards from the factory. Turned it around and bingo, everything is fine.

[HurricaneLarry]

Hey Jack, it is more then possible a PNP transistor got mixed in with an NPN's transistor, and that may have been your problem from the get go. They look exactally the same and this kinda thing can happen, atleast you got your trouble solved.

[DifalcoDesign]

Red Jack's, sorry but I have been on vacation (still on vacation until 6/27) and could not reply to post till now. Sorry for the reversed diode, first time I screwed that one up.

Transistors will rarely blow closed and give full power to car. Normally they blow open with the bands not working as the symptom. Anytime the car gets full power on hookup racers should check that diode is not blown by disconnecting the side screwed to heatsink. If problem goes away the diode is at fault. I hope you found answers in our troubleshooting section helpful. Some racers have thought their relay was at fault, and disconnected it, but I have never had a relay stick closed and it is impossible to have relay trigger prematurely the way it is done on controllers.

Jim Difalco

Found slight error in text above that needs clarification. Please make sure controller is correctly set for polarity track you are on before you start checking diode!

[Red Jack's]

Jim,

Thanks for the info.

Red Jack...