Latest: (Captain’s Log)
I received 2 new strobing beacons today with programmable flash (2 for 29 bucks! and they work great!) Also on a whim, I got a 250’ roll of 12gauge landscape wire.
Tonight, (as you know I’m not too smart at these technical things) I cut two, about a 60 foot lengths of the cable. Ran one to each beacon. Started off powering by an old computer power supply, 12volts, 10a I think. One worked fine, two of them it would shut down. I then moved to a lawn mower 12v battery. Both worked great, and I even added another smaller Belden audio-type cable that I have spliced in 5 small strobing marker lights. All of that worked great and I left them on for about half an hour with no issues and no hot wires.
I have very little in the “clue” department—I usually jump and run with an idea, so, what am I I doing here? LOL
I’m still waiting on new power outlets to be installed closer to my four lighting regions, so I can use a real AC power supply and eliminate such long cable runs. I still need to figure out how to use one ON/OFF switch to turn them all on and off. Low voltage and relays?
(I tried to add a short video of the working lights but failed)

 

I’m still at it…
I’ve been “exploring” possibilities and I’m sure not in good ways but…
(I’m including a drawing of what I have currently, and options I’d like to try)
Remember, I started with 4 Federal Beacon units, of which 2 were barely working, if at all. Those 2 I pulled and replaced with 2 new Amazon beacons. And then I replaced the old wiring to those 2 (located on the back straightaway) with a new 12/2 landscape wire. This wire went from the flag stand tower across the track and down a pole, split to feed the 2 new units. Ended up using all 250’ of the roll.
After running the new wire and beacons I cleaned up the junction of the other wires feeding the front straightaway and the battery/switch feed. Flipped the switch, and amazingly ALL 4 worked perfectly, and even leaving on for half an hour with no problems.
88.8 watts if I figure right. Again run by lawn battery 230cca.
But…I want to end up adding more lights in the turns you can see by my drawing. This would make the total watts running of 324 total. I know I still need a better supply and a way to trigger them all (relay) and I’m studying that. More info coming shortly in what I’ve found…

 

The question I have now is aboutthepurpose of the lights?? Is it for safety, warning of a hazard condition?? Or for edge marking during normal operation?? That is two very different functions.

 

The question I have now is aboutthepurpose of the lights?? Is it for safety, warning of a hazard condition?? Or for edge marking during normal operation?? That is two very different functions.

Sorry about the confusion I bring—I keep confusing myself even more
To answer, it’s not for “edge marking”.

I’m just “trying” things to see how, why, and IF they work, and with you guy’s guidance, I can usually get to where I need to be—with some detours here and there.

For starters, I couldn’t believe they had in the past been operating 4 beacon lights with a household switch attached to a 12v lawn battery. I was assured that at one point they all worked. When I first looked into them, the 2 farthest away were barely doing anything. I then found voltage at them was down to about 10.5v and I found a lot of poor wiring conditions. So to continue their system I put in 2 new 60 LED beacons, and replaced the wiring long distance wiring to them with new 12gauge pair. Then, they all came to life and ran beautifully. Even for a 30 min. period. Learning from you guys, I know 12v isn’t meant to run that kind of distance without critical voltage drop, but yet here it is, working. I’m thinking the newer lights and wiring has lessened the load enough to run not optimum, but OK.
While this setup is working again, I feel the visibility is lacking, and the system could be expanded with more lights for much better awareness. And so…(more next)

(again I thank you sincerely for trying to help guide me, and deal with my hard-headedness)

 

On the EXPANSION side of things…
I’m thinking of adding the two original beacons back into the scheme (I found them to work perfectly once hooked to good wiring and a battery) and 8 larger strobe marker lights. 1 of the beacons and 4 of the markers to each of the two track turns. (See diagram I posted on post 42)
Now I’m sure this will surely be excessive for power draw in that lone battery.

Here’s what I have found spec-wise:
Diagram A: original Federal beacons 12-24v, 14.4 watts at 12v. ea.
Diagram B: new no-name beacons 12-24v, 30 watts ea.
Diagram C: original Federal single mode beacons 12-24v, 1.8a or 21.6 watts ea.
Diagram (==) Marker lights 12-24v, 24 watts ea.
If my thinking is right, all of those would be a total of 324 total watts.
I need to handle 27amps current, a supply of 12v with at least 30-35 amps capacity (per Google and recommends a MeanWell HRP310-12 at $82.80.)

I’ve been waiting on owner to get me an outlet near 3 sections or quadrants—the back straightaway, and each of the curves. That way I could have 120vac close by each section of lights, and attach possibly a 24v relay to turn on/off the power. And then a 120vac to 12vdc adapter to feed the light section.
While waiting, I’m still exploring…what if I had a lawn battery located at the 3 sections to supply the 12v needed? I’d still need to turn them ON/OFF though…could I use an automotive relay at each location—send a 12v control wire from flag stand switch to the relay?
Questions in my mind:
1. Adding a second lawn battery to the original one—I believe parallel would give me more “lasting power” and Series would give me 24v minus voltage drop which would be better supply for all these lights, since they can be run up to 24v?
2. By running separate “feeder” wires, do I gain anything? (example on the back straightaway now I have 1 feed running across track and then split to go to each beacon—if I run a separate wire from tower across track to each beacon)

so many things colliding in my mind. So sorry to be aggravating.

 

Oops…Question 3: if I’m running the 12v lawn battery to the controlling switch and then sending that down a feed wire to a track section where I might have another battery then feeding that section’s lights—would the switched 12v then coupled to the section battery cause a problem?

 

Oops…Question 3: if I’m running the 12v lawn battery to the controlling switch and then sending that down a feed wire to a track section where I might have another battery then feeding that section’s lights—would the switched 12v then coupled to the section battery cause a problem?

Multiple batteries in parallel over long wires can work,but if the batteries are not the same voltage part of the power is used for charging batteries, not lighting. Charging will also be "interesting" as well

 

Multiple batteries in parallel over long wires can work,but if the batteries are not the same voltage part of the power is used for charging batteries, not lighting. Charging will also be "interesting" as well

Here’s the latest on it, see what you think now…
The lights: (8) rectangular marker lights, 24 LEDs in each, 30 watts each. 4 are around turn 1 and 4 are around turn 2.

(2) original Federal Beacons, 144 watts each. On front straightaway.

(4) Beacons, 60 LEDs, 30 watts each. 2 are on back straightaway and 2 are mounted on 2 sides of the flagger stand.

total of 648 watts.
All these lights are 12-24vdc input, with programmable flash patterns and most are synced together. I thought I’d add a second lawn battery in series, figuring if I started with 24volts, surely after voltage drops I’d have at least 12v to run the lights…
And, I’ve replaced all the old wiring with new 12gauge landscape wire…I would say I’ve used approx 500 feet of wire…
There are three cable runs feeding the banks of lights, all originating from the Flagger Stand, and turned on and off by a household wall switch.
I’ve turned them on for periods of half-an-hour and all still work fine. Last race they worked great except for one short period where I tracked it down to a loose connection and had it back in short time.
(there’s another race tonight but I’m not able to be there to monitor it, so I’m hoping it all goes well )
I’ve talked to an outfit that sells supplies and looking at replacing the batteries with a commercial unit with specs of 960 watts, and 40 amps output. About 270 bucks…
But..so far it’s working…

 

"Working" sounds good indeed!! So these are warning lights?? not illumination,I don't think. The last time that I raced Karts on a circle track was quite a while back. They also had what they called a"Road Track" that was full of turns and switchbacks. But the Kart I was running was set up for a circle track, so Idid not go well on a road track because half the turns were the wrong way.

 

"Working" sounds good indeed!! So these are warning lights?? not illumination,I don't think. The last time that I raced Karts on a circle track was quite a while back. They also had what they called a"Road Track" that was full of turns and switchbacks. But the Kart I was running was set up for a circle track, so Idid not go well on a road track because half the turns were the wrong way.

No, not illumination lights. Amber/flashing Caution Lights…yes, “warning lights”

 

"Working" sounds good indeed!! So these are warning lights?? not illumination,I don't think. The last time that I raced Karts on a circle track was quite a while back. They also had what they called a"Road Track" that was full of turns and switchbacks. But the Kart I was running was set up for a circle track, so Idid not go well on a road track because half the turns were the wrong way.

I’m gonna go “off-track” a little here …but I happened upon some big car dirt track racing videos recently—those that seem to drift pretty much all around the track, and thought my eyes were deceiving me—these cars appeared to have steering wheels on the back—all-wheel steering! I asked and sure enough, it’s a thing! Wow! Blew my mind…

 

Guys, I have been studying this situation over and over, and digging in on all of your comments/suggestions…and I’m still scratching my head wondering how this current setup I have is even working? This morning putting in some questions to the “all and powerful OZ” (Google) I’m getting even more of “it won’t work” type answers. Maybe I’m not giving enough details to everyone—example, I have three feed lines running out, and 4 light fixtures on each. Instead of having all lights on one line. Would that be the difference?

 

Guys, I have been studying this situation over and over, and digging in on all of your comments/suggestions…and I’m still scratching my head wondering how this current setup I have is even working? This morning putting in some questions to the “all and powerful OZ” (Google) I’m getting even more of “it won’t work” type answers. Maybe I’m not giving enough details to everyone—example, I have three feed lines running out, and 4 light fixtures on each. Instead of having all lights on one line. Would that be the difference?

YES, it could make a difference in less voltage drop so brighter lights.

 

I wasn’t able to be at the racetrack Saturday night and was a bit nervous being 4 hours away…turned out to be the biggest night so far—about 189 entrants and about 400 visitors! But all the lights worked fine and looked great, they tell me.
Wish I could post a video of the lights in operation…

 

Wonder if you can get to this and see some racing and a little Caution Light action? https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EWdfSPzZJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
(If not allowed I apologize)