JoshuaRC10

iTrader: (4)

Awesome! I'm absolutely fine with a makeshift track at the moment. I'm in North Seattle and there don't seem to be any permanent road tracks anywhere nearby. So I'll definitely be dropping by when the weather clears up.

Thanks!

skypilot

iTrader: (14)

some of us will be there on Thursday for sure, Wednesday is possible not buy for sure.

RcHammer

iTrader: (2)

What is a good set of tire compound to try on asphalt for 1/12th?? or are we going to be doing a spec tire?

Jpdanger

Is there a plan for adding power?

Magnet Top

iTrader: (4)

Race Central will be running on wind and solar power until next year.

However I think Alex's nuclear fission power plant might be finished soon. Amazon is supposedly shipping him a flux capacitor. Same day shipping too. Gotta love it.

roger206

iTrader: (1)

My flux capacitor from Amazon prime is still on back order 😩

JoshuaRC10

iTrader: (4)

Whelp, I made it out yesterday with my road car, and broke it.

So I went back out today with my Slash, and broke it.

The budget doesn't reset until Wednesday, so I lost my day of driving either car.

Oh well! I guess I know how I'm spending my discretionary money this month!

PutAwayWet

iTrader: (1)

There are plans for power at the track. And by plans, I mean plans plural, parallel visions for the present and future.

Plan A: Bottom line, the city isn't paying for power to the track this year. This past February it was looking like they would, but come April, "Yes we can do that," morphed into, "Sorry Todd, the budget...y'know...the budget."

So. I'll wrangle a generator for the paddock and figure out something for race central.

Plan B: Longer term, as in next year, the city of Seatac may pop for power to the stand which could be distributed to the paddock. That would be swell.

That may also be a fundraising item. But, at the moment, outdoor is going to be paying back indoor, or Bodine will extract and auction one of my kidneys.

Plan C: Do you know that there are hard racing clubs in other parts of the world where self-powering one's pit with a battery is the norm? It's built into everyone's program. And attendance is good.

And for those who scoff, I've been self-powering my pit for years. Anyone who has raced with Stuart and I has seen us do it. It's simple, reliable, clean, and quiet. It works. Also, I can go practice anywhere anytime with my own portable power. It's great. And I don't stink up the SS Mason with a gas can and generator.

Granted, travel racers, particularly those who fly, might reasonably expect on-site power.

So. Probably some iteration of Plan B is the longer term solution.

Plan D: I've priced out a solar panel atop a pole and a sealed battery bunker with inverter for $1200 +/- (our own labor and know-how would be hugely economical in this case). We could incrementally add those over time.

Imagine the track perimeter, with 10-12 poles, each with a weather tight battery bunker at the base with power for 4-6 racers, and LED lamps mounted to the poles for night racing, available all season long. Clean, quiet, and free.

Also, I would have one pole centered on the back straight with an American flag flying, and then over time, we could add flags from other racers' countries as they visited us. Those would go on the other poles. That would be pretty cool. Imagine a Union Jack, a Maple Leaf, Le Tricolore, a Bandera de Mexico, a Circle of the Sun, a German tricolor, and so on, surrounding the track, honoring our visiting racers over the years.

All that said, in this hydropower-abundant corner of the country, the greenest option is probably to tap into the Seattle City Light grid and avail ourselves of the region's bountiful resources.

All of that said, expect power to be available only on race days. You'll still need a self-power solution for all other free and open park hours.

PutAwayWet

iTrader: (1)

Spec tires will work. Start at 45 rear, 44 front, black can Paragon, and you'll be fine.

If they don't work, or if there is a general uprising, then pink rears and magenta or double pink fronts will be the ticket. Which is to say, if spec tires get the middle finger, then open tire will be the fall back. Let's just hope no one shows up with Ulti Zs and crushes us like grapes on a sidewalk.

In any event, the heavenly wintergreen smell of Paragon will soothe all regrets.

mtveten

iTrader: (29)

I even do this at indoor venues were power is provided. Its just easier to plug into a battery than wrangle extension cords and pack a power supply.

BTW for those looking for a lighter alternative to the conventional car battery hobby king has 16ah 4s packs for $50.- that will easily charge 3 cars all day long.

Jpdanger

I've never thought of doing this. I have an iCharger 308 Duo. I can connect a lipo as a power source and charge off of it?

Logi Maker

iTrader: (56)

Yes... 4S =14.8 volts...

I still.have the battery that Tracy handed out... small riding lawnmower type... small car batteries aren't that expensive and provide plenty of power.

Carnage9270

iTrader: (6)

One of my best investments for outdoor racing. I've charged 16 7500mah packs in one sitting. Still wasn't dead but it had to have been close.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/replac...5j/sladc12=35j

I think Jake took some pictures of my setup. Nice and compact with handles for easy carry! haha

Magnet Top

iTrader: (4)

Its a rockin' setup, thats for sure.

Speaking of rocks,just wish peeps would stop running gravel onto the onroad track. Lets hope it stops when the exterior pipe is installed.

Gotta say it... Huge thanks to Todd for making all this happen. Can't be said enough, that this would not have happened without him pointing the ship in the right direction day in and day out, and for over 6 years. Thanks Todd ! The finish line is not too far off now !

Jake

malkiy

iTrader: (10)

I agree, without Todd there wouldn't be a hangar 30 or the seatac tracks. Big thanks to Todd.

I have a battery similar to Boyle's. Mine is 3 years old and still going strong. I got mine at batteries plus. Definitely worth the investment if you like to race outdoors.