(Ok, here he comes again with another crazy idea…LOL)
Last night I went to see my 4 year-old grandson “race” his go kart at a local dirt track.
This track is a recent startup by a local family and they’ve been working hard to improve it. During the races between the big boys, I noticed a couple things that I think would be pretty easy improvements—and with today’s tech can be more affordable. First—lighting on the track was pretty dismal. That’s fairly easy—install more lights. Second—the Caution flags. Two guys with flags along the track and the flagger. I’m thinking about some flashing yellow lights on the fencing situated about every 100 feet or so. Hit a switch and turn them on and off. (Much safer way of letting drivers know more quickly.) I’m wondering if some cheap solar fixtures could be used and all triggered wirelessly? I’m sure it can but don’t know enough about what’s available that could make it easier and affordable. (Again, family owned and not a lot of budget so far)
Thanks for any ideas.

 

Amazon has afew types of remotes, not sure if the range is suitable?

 

A Google of 4 Channel wireless relay card will bring up a dozen like suggested above. The ones I have are good for over 300 feet (a football field). They are 12 Volt so a few SLA batteries and you are in business.

Ron

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/QIACHIP-Tr...2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRm&psc=1

These work really well for me. 433MHz is licence free in the UK, other sub gigahertz frequencies elsewhere. There are two modes, toggle mode is probably best for your application, to go on with one button press and go off when you press again. Range best with 17cm straight antennas but the coil antennas supplied may suffice. I’d suggest using rechargeable batteries rather than solar for a more reliable solution

 

I would think that for the greatest reliability all the caution lights should be hard wired so that when a switch is flipped the lights come on. Otherwise what happens when a stray signal interferes with the lights? What happens if a jet flys overhead and a radio broadcast either turns them on or off?

Years ago I was trying to set up some parkway lights (driveway) and had a remote and a remote receiver. I wanted to test how far from the house I could still control the lights. Several minutes into the testing my neighbor came with his wireless doorbell. Every time I pushed MY button HIS doorbell would ring. He must have thought someone was messing with him until he saw me in the middle of the street pushing a button and correspondingly his doorbell would ring.

I stopped trying to light the lights remotely.

 

The "big deal" with any, maybe ALL, danger warning systems is what and when. Announcing a hazard when it is not really a hazard will soon result in it being ignored, or at least not being respected. for the Kart track, the level of hazard varies greatly, from debries on the track to a driver falling out during a rollover incident. (Yellow flag versus red flag)
AND nothing gets attention more than a human waving a flag!

 

(Ok, here he comes again with another crazy idea…LOL)

It's not a crazy idea, but I don't think it's going to be the best solution either.

 

(Ok, here he comes again with another crazy idea…LOL)
Last night I went to see my 4 year-old grandson “race” his go kart at a local dirt track.
This track is a recent startup by a local family and they’ve been working hard to improve it. During the races between the big boys, I noticed a couple things that I think would be pretty easy improvements—and with today’s tech can be more affordable. First—lighting on the track was pretty dismal. That’s fairly easy—install more lights. Second—the Caution flags. Two guys with flags along the track and the flagger. I’m thinking about some flashing yellow lights on the fencing situated about every 100 feet or so. Hit a switch and turn them on and off. (Much safer way of letting drivers know more quickly.) I’m wondering if some cheap solar fixtures could be used and all triggered wirelessly? I’m sure it can but don’t know enough about what’s available that could make it easier and affordable. (Again, family owned and not a lot of budget so far)
Thanks for any ideas.

You can use a wired 12V system to power amber LED beacons around the track fence. Install multiple flashing lights at regular intervals for full coverage. All lights connect to a single low-voltage circuit for simplicity. A central 12V power supply keeps the system stable and consistent. An automotive flasher module can synchronize all beacon blinking. Wireless RF relay control lets the flagger trigger caution instantly. One button press activates every light around the circuit. This setup improves visibility, response time, and overall race safety.

 

Is this a venue where the drivers rent carts from the track or do the drivers bring their own carts? I have seen indoor cart tracks where the warning lights are on each cart right on the steering wheel and maybe taillights. More visible lights but need batteries on the carts if they are not electric. It can even include kill switch for red flag emergency.

 

Is this a venue where the drivers rent carts from the track or do the drivers bring their own carts? I have seen indoor cart tracks where the warning lights are on each cart right on the steering wheel and maybe taillights. More visible lights but need batteries on the carts if they are not electric. It can even include kill switch for red flag emergency.

They bring their own karts. I believe most are teams. Also, I think this race course is part of a sanctioning body…still learning more about them…

 

I’m starting to rethink the details of this project. Reading LOVEFORCIRCUITS comment again (I think he simplified it a little more for my grasp ) as well as the others’ comments, it hit me I think I’m overthinking some. I started searching for Amber LED “flashing”, and then added “synchronized” lights and I’m seeing lots of 12v options that can be wired together and connecting an included sync wire then all would work together. I believe the race flagger in the elevated box dictates the Caution periods so a simple controller that would supply power with the flip of a switch should suffice. And a run of wire from that position to link the lights together might be the costliest part of it…but surely couldn’t be that bad for this small track? (I think 3 wires is all that is needed HOT, GROUND, and SYNC) I believe the wire could be ran along the top of the track fencing so it would be exposed to the weather…
Now—how about getting that 12v from the controller box out to all the individual lights?
I don’t think that individual 12v supplies located at each light would be good…

 

Ahhh I’m now seeing that suggestion about running higher voltage down toward all lights, but using a step-down converter to get the 12v to each light…and…maybe this main “trunk” wire will get expensive having to be pretty heavy and go a long distance…possible help to run two trunks from the controller—one to one half of the circle track lights, and another down the other side to the remaining lights? If there was a gap in the two banks say about middle of the loop, would that affect the sync between both light banks?