Magracing - where now?

Here we post news from MAGracing.
WesR
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 17:37

Magracing - where now?

Post by WesR »

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I have only recently become aware of new 1/32 rc car toys, usually buggies, using the 2.4GHz
frequency and including a small inbuilt lithium ion battery in the car which can be charged from the
4 x 1.5 volt alkaline cells in the controller. The motor is very small but the low gearing enables speeds similar to our Magracers for 5 to 7 minutes .Quite amazing! The one shown can be obtained post free from China for £11.60 ( approx. 14 euro, $18)!!.
Not sure that these cars could be converted to Magracing (although I may well give it a try) but
they do show what is possible. I.e. F.1. single seaters would be no problem. If we needed a pit
stop every 5 minutes, so much the better.
Unfortunately they make our Magracers look expensive in comparison which does not help sales.
I don't think that 2.4GHz is actually any better or cheaper for us, it's just the massive production
quantities which make this possible.
blu-m
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon 17. Nov 2014 20:46

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by blu-m »

Hello,
I've just spent hours looking at your website/Utube having found it fascinating. However, the main drawback for me is that the body is a vac-form sports car. Having recently re-discovered slotcars due to digital and the highly detailed classic 1960s F1 cars, the unavailability of a Cooper-climax or sharknose Ferrari meant that I would not be interested in Magracing. I had considered buying a car, just to see if it could fit but comparing an AAA battery to scalextric's F1 Cooper made me decide it wasn't feasible.
So, if you do find a way of providing a Cooper, I'd be very interested...
Regards,
Michael
Nor Cal Mike
Posts: 183
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 22:22

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by Nor Cal Mike »

Hi Michael,

First let me say welcome back to your slot car hobby. I think that you will find that most of us here are slot car racers too. I don't wish to speak for Wes even though your post was directed to him. I can tell you that given todays battery technology, I doubt that we will ever see a classic F1 in 1/32 scale carry a battery plus the required electronics board and a steering coil under the body. You also mention your interest in digital slot car racing. Even in a slot car, which doesn't have to carry its power supply, it currently is not feasible to fit a chip on board. You probably know that currently modern F1 cars with their wide side pods are the smallest 1/32 slot car to carry a digital chip. Perhaps if some ingenious person integrated the board as part of the chassis smaller might be feasible some day and who knows where batter technology will go in the future.

Mike
WesR
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 17:37

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by WesR »

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New cars
WesR
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 17:37

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by WesR »

As you can see, I built up a couple of cars using the electronics from the two 1/32 buggies which I
acquired recently. Very pleased I did as the results are quite amazing! The motors used are apparently 'coreless' motors. Other websites will explain this better than I can but basically they are
very efficient. One car uses a similar motor for steering, the other uses a servo actuator. I understand that most small model aircraft/car/boat servos use coreless motors. They are instant start and very lightweight. These toy cars come with very small 'hard wired, lithium ion batteries which can be charged using the USB cable shown.
Now for the amazing part. The glass fibre chassis car has a 70mAh battery (our AAAs are rated around 300mAh) This car ran at similar speed to our standard cars for 12 minutes. The other car
has a 120mAh battery and ran for 45(yes 45) minutes. Again, acceleration and speed possibly greater than standard. I think this is partly due to using a motor instead of a coil for the steering
actuator.
This is certainly food for thought as we say.
Obviously single seat, F.1. style cars would be no problem. Personally, I would like to see pit stops
in races, as full size. I have been looking at button/coin cells which are now available in lithium ion
and in a variety of sizes. Cost are around £1 ($1.50). These should be suitable for quick changing and with the use of a small lightweight button cell, we could have say 15 minute races with 2 pit stops. Whether these small cells will take high discharge rates is perhaps the only doubt. I have some on order so will soon find out.
From a manufacturing point of view, lithium ion cells are a worry. The smaller they are, the less
safety problems. Apart from babies swallowing them!
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Joel, LeNoir
Posts: 107
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 21:47
Location: Washougal, WA.

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by Joel, LeNoir »

Hello. I have picked up the trucks that have the same chip. Was thinking the same.

Here's a link. ..... http://www.ujtoys.com/mobile/Product.aspx?id=46979
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Keld
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Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by Keld »

I think this sounds very interesting, and I have the same opinion about pit stop, but guys I talk too about MagRacing think the low running time is a problem.
for a race for a pro it is good with 5 min. and then pit stop.
but for a newcomer and practice it is a problem, (they think)
/Keld
Ned
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun 13. Apr 2014 01:02
Location: Sedona, AZ USA

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by Ned »

Joel, LeNoir wrote:Hello. I have picked up the trucks that have the same chip. Was thinking the same.

Here's a link. ..... http://www.ujtoys.com/mobile/Product.aspx?id=46979
Joel, how do you like the trucks? Have you been able to adapt them to MagRacing? Would like to hear about your experience and to see some pictures of modifications.
WesR
Posts: 371
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 17:37

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by WesR »

As you can see, I have build and run 2 cars and learned a lot. As Keld says, a long run for practising is good but a short battery duration would make interesting race pit stops. One thing I have found is that the smaller batteries do not like high current draw and they may not give enough power. Not for our existing cars anyway. The coreless motors seem to use less current but they are high revving and so need complex gearboxes. No problem for Chinese toy makers making millions of cars but expensive for a low volume product such as a Magracer
I have looked a all types of lithium batteries, coin discs and the parcel/pouch types, other chargers and coreless motors, 2.4gHs radios and using servos or motors for steering, but, at the end of the day, I can't really see anything that would be a major improvement. The AAA cells are still the cheapest, easy to charge and the magnet fixing system is still the quickest and simplest that I can think of.
I can only see two definate improvements; a price reduction and an adjustable or alternative length chassis.
The former is dependent on building a large quantity of cars (I am trying to work up the confidence to go for this!) and the latter would probably be necessary to help sell all the extra cars!
I would personally be very disappointed if we don't continue as this has been my hobby for 5 years
and I can't think of anything else half as interesting.
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Joel, LeNoir
Posts: 107
Joined: Fri 21. Dec 2012 21:47
Location: Washougal, WA.

Re: Magracing - where now?

Post by Joel, LeNoir »

Wes, have you checked to see if the chip transmits it's signal? I am sure it does. Going to have to start playing with the chips that I have.
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