The K1"$35 Son of a Cheap Kit" Timer
This is not for a beginner. You must have soldering skills in
order to build this kit.
(You may order this circuit board assembled for
$55.00)
Get this webpage as
an acrobat file!
Shipping for this timer is $4 by USPS.
Micro Wizard has been manufacturing Pinewood Derby timers for over 10 years. We are now marketing a very low cost timer based on our K1 timer. This Timer is geared more for the serious hobbyist/(tightwad). The kit requires soldering and is geared to save every penny. The only components we solder are the surface mount resisters - the rest is up to you. This saves us $$ on the cost of the kit and we pass the savings to you. We only include the electronics in our "cheap kit" - no enclosure or frame, so carpentry skills are also required for a nice finished product. To reduce the cost even more we will only post the directions on the Internet. You will not get any directions with your kit. So you may want to read these directions and print them before you order the kit. If you're real tough you will just look at the photos anyway, and discard the written directions.
What you get
| 1 | - Single sided circuit board with silkscreen | ||||||||
| 1 | - NPN 4401 | ||||||||
| 1 | - Preprogrammed microcontroller (Programmed for the timer to auto-reset after 10 seconds) | ||||||||
| 1 | - 4mhz resonator with build in caps | ||||||||
| 1 | - 18-pin socket for microcontroller (I debated this extravagance, but it only adds minimally to the cost of the kit.) | ||||||||
| 1 | - 7805-voltage regulator with mounting screw | ||||||||
| 4 | - 220-ohm resistors | ||||||||
| 1 | - 0.1mf caps. | ||||||||
| 6 | - 10mf caps - OR -1 10mf cap and 5 0.1mf caps | ||||||||
| 1 | - 68k ohm resistor network | ||||||||
| 1 | - 150-ohm resistor network | ||||||||
| 2 | - multi color ribbon cables with IDE connectors | ||||||||
| 4 | - phototransistors | ||||||||
| 4 | - IR LEDs | ||||||||
| 5 | - high bright LEDs (includes 1 test LED for serial port) | ||||||||
| 2 | - headers | ||||||||
| 1 | - 1 Max 232 chip - OR - 1 max 202 chip | ||||||||
| 1 | - female DB9 connector | ||||||||
| 1 | - IN4007 to replace 7805 voltage regulator if you want to use a 6 volt battery to power your timer instead of 9volt adapter or 9volt battery. | ||||||||
What is not included
|
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This is the component side of the unassembled circuit
board.
This is the solder side of the unassembled circuit board.
Notes on assembling the circuit board.
(Important! Be sure you are grounded before handling the
microcontroller chip. Static electricity can damage it!)
The silk screen on the circuit board is a pretty good guide to assembling the circuit board. The exceptions are: Disregard the 22 mf on the board. The flat side of the NPN4401 (Q1) should point toward the bottom of the board, unlike what is specified on the silkscreen. The square pad is positive for the electrolytic capacitors. Pin 1 is on top for the 68K network and on the bottom for the 150-ohm network. NOTE: When handling the microcontroller, you have to be very careful of static electricity. It can damage the chip. Most of the time static is not a problem, but if you can see or hear static, then take precautions
What does what
Power comes in on the top 2 pins of connector P1 and goes to the
cap C2 and then the 7805 voltage regulator. The output of the voltage regulator
is 5 volts and powers the rest of the board. The 1k-ohm surface mount resistors
are for the reset switch and laser reset. The 220 ohm resistors R1-R4 are
dropping resistors for the high bright display LED's. The 68K resistor network
RP1 is a pull up for the sensors changing RPI to smaller value so the resistor
network will make the sensors less sensitive to light. The 150 ohm network RP2
is the dropping resistor for the high output infrared LEDs. Next to the
microcontroller is a 3 pin ceramic resonator with build in capacitors. The
resonator is the clock for the microcontroller, without it nothing happens. The
ribbon cable is in two pieces- the sensor side (left side of circuit board)
will be longer than the output side (right side of circuit board).
If
you want to run your timer on a 6 volt battery, replace the 7805 with the
IN4007 diode, skipping over the middle regular hole. See
P1C
directions on our website for the older version of the Cheap Kit that was
wired this way.
The specifications for the AC Adapter are: 9 volt -200
milliamps or better - center positive. - Or, you can purchase one from us, or
get one from Radio Shack - part #273-1767, with adapaplug#273-1717.
NOTE: If you have less than 4 lanes, don't hook up the sensors for the
lanes not in use.
How to wire the ribbon cable connection
What the ribbon cable connections are:
(We will
provide headers and put the IDC connectors on the ribbon cables)
|
Left side of circuit board |
|||||
|
Power + |
Brown |
* |
* |
Red |
Power + |
|
Power - |
Orange |
* |
* |
Yellow |
Power - |
|
Common |
Green |
* |
* |
Blue |
Laser |
|
Laser Rest |
Violet |
* |
* |
Gray |
Sensor/Timer Rest |
|
Sensor - |
White |
* |
* |
Black |
Sensor + for Lane 1 |
|
Sensor - |
Brown |
* |
* |
Red |
Sensor + for Lane 2 |
|
Sensor - |
Orange |
* |
* |
Yellow |
Sensor + for Lane 3 |
|
Sensor - |
Green |
* |
* |
Blue |
Sensor + for Lane 4 |
|
Right side of circuit board |
|||||
|
Display LED - |
Brown |
* |
* |
Red |
Display LED + for Lane 1 |
|
Display LED - |
Orange |
* |
* |
Yellow |
Display LED + for Lane 2 |
|
Display LED - |
Green |
* |
* |
Blue |
Display LED + for Lane 3 |
|
Display LED - |
Violet |
* |
* |
Gray |
Display LED + for Lane 4 |
|
IR LED - |
White |
* |
* |
Black |
IR LED + For any lane over any sensor |
|
IR LED - |
Brown |
* |
* |
Red |
IR LED + |
|
IR LED - |
Orange |
* |
* |
Yellow |
IR LED + |
|
IR LED - |
Green |
* |
* |
Blue |
IR LED + |
 |
 |
 |
| Phototransistor | Hi-Brite LED | Tinted Infrared LED |
Your kit could be either of these boards below- they do
exactly the same thing-they just have different components
On this board, here is no polarity on R1-R4, C3-C8 or
RES.
On this board, most of the 10mf caps face the same
direction except for C4, which is reversed. The square hole is the one for the
positive (longer) lead. There is no polarity on R1-R4, C3 or RES.
Caution! The flat side of the NPN 4401 (Q1) should point
toward the bottom of the board, unlike what is specified on the silkscreen.
DB-9 connections: Top (Blue) is position 2 Middle (Green) is position 5 Bottom
(Yellow) is position 3
The board will come with the surface mount resistors already
soldered in place.
This is the circuit board in the enclosure we use
for our timers. When building your enclosure the emitters should be around 6"
above the track. You might want to refer to the K1 kit instructions we send
with our regular timer. It's at:
http://www.microwizard.com/links.html
The "$50 K1 Cheap Kit with Serial Interface"
Timer
(Important! Be sure you are grounded before handling
the micrcontroller chip. Static electricity can damage it!)
(You may order
this circuit board assembled for $65.00 +$5.00 S&H)
You can upgrade your K1 Cheap kit to use with a computer for an additional $25. The serial interface will permit your K1 to time races to one thousandth of a second and send the time to a computer or our remote time display unit (RTD). If you have the serial interface you can run race management software packages like Raceview, Grand Prix Race manager, Race Tender or DerbyMaster. The K-Series Timers have powerful Data Options that come with this kit. They are Serial Race Data, Mask Lanes, Reverse Lanes, Eliminator, Force Print and Reset Laser. A description of each of these options is listed further down in these instructions.
The additional parts you get with Serial interface
The circuit board looks exactly the same, only we will program the PIC Chip with the serial and data options. These options would normally cost you $60.00 with our assembled K1 Timer, only the remote start switch is not included in this kit.
What you don’t get
| - | Cable or wire |
| - | Disk or software (you can download some freeware at ftp.microwizard.com) |
| - | Hard copy of the directions |
| - | Hood for db-9 connector |
| - | Remote Start Switch (You can purchase one assembled from us: RS $10.00 + $4.00 S&H, or you can make your own. The instructions are below.) |
| - | Male/female DB9 Serial Cable to attach timer to your computer |
Troubleshooting
To test the serial interface put the high bright LED into the db-9 socket. Connect the short negative lead of the LED to pin 5 of the db-9 and connect the long positive lead of the LED to pin 2 of the db-9. Now when you power up the board the LED should be unlit. If the LED is lit then the LED maybe plugged into the db-9 backwards or you may have some deeper problem. If the LED is off (like it should be) then trip each lane sensor while watching the LED. When the last sensor is tripped the LED will flash briefly and go out. The LED should flash once more when the start/reset switch is closed. If you get the LED to flash, then your serial interface is most likely working. Plug the db-9 into a PC com port and run HyperTerminal program to display the times for your race. The data is sent out of our timer at 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity and no flow control. A HyperTerminal set-up file can be found on the last page of these instructions.
If you have problems after the unit is built and on the track...
1) If you are not getting any readings at all, the problem could
be that too much ambient light is getting to the sensors in the bottom rail. To
test for this, put your timer into a dark room, plug in the AC adapter, and
trip the bottom sensors with your hand. If the timer works, there is a light
problem with the bottom sensors. Possible problems: the hole might be too big
(it should be 3/16"), the sensors might be placed too close to the surface of
the track (they should be recessed at least ¼" from the top edge of the
track), or there might be too much light getting in from under the track (solve
this by covering the sensors underneath with duct tape, or dark plastic).
2) If nothing is working: unplug the power adapter from the side post of
the finish line banner. Make sure the outlet is functional. Reconnect the power
adapter and plug it In.
3) If you still have a problem: give me a call,
Stuart Ferguson, at (888) 693-3729 (office) or (859) 380-3882 (cell phone). We
have a two year warranty on the Fast Track system. If it hasn't been abused,
we'Il fix or replace it free, (including ground shipping), or refund the
purchase price if we are unable to meet your satisfaction.
If you are trying to use the timer in direct sunlight
You may have trouble running our timer in direct sunlight,
although it may run in shade. Here are several ways to improve the performance
in sunlight:
- Make sure no light is getting to the back of the sensors.
Cover the back of the sensors with black tape.
- Use a small hole in the
track. 1/8 inch hole should work fine.
- Make the interior of the hole flat
black, or other dark color, so indirect light is not reflected down to the
sensor.
- Make the sensor hole deep. It should be at least 1/2 inch deep
for best results.
We have used J-B Weld, or J-B Kwik epoxy to fix holes
that were too big. You can fill the big hole with the epoxy, then redrill them
to a smaller size. The new hole is a flat gray color that works well.
How to Make Your own Remote Start Switch for the K1 Cheap Kit
| Ribbon cable | RJ11 wires | Micro Switch | ||||
| Purple | - | Yellow | - | |||
| Green | - | Green | - | negative or common | ||
| Gray | - | Red | - | positive, or normally open | ||
| Blue | - | Gray | - |
Computer Data Options
Your K1 timer is fully duplexed and software upgradable via
your computer com port.
NOTE: In order to run Race Management Software
with this timer, it must have the Computer Serial Interface (PS) option.
Software Options
| S | - | Serial Race Data | Sends the actual time race data from the Micro Wizard timer to the computer. This is the raw data for any race management software. |
| M | - | Mask Lanes | This command will prevent data from being sent from unused lanes - useful for eliminator races or trials. |
| R | - | Reverse Lanes | This command reverses the data stream sent from our timer. Some race management software will require the data sent from the timer in reverse lane order. This can also be used with our remote display to make a double-faced timer at the end of your track. |
| E | - | Eliminator | Eliminator Sets timer to score only a first and second place, for lane pairs. Makes 3 races on a 6-lane track or 2 races on a 4-lane track. |
| F | - | Force Print | Forces the timer to end the race and send the results of all lanes that have finished. This is a great feature for when a car crashes, burns and falls off the track. |
| L | - | Reset Laser | When the race is over, you can actually reset the laser gate from your computer! Does nothing if you do not have a laser gate. |
| C | - | Not used with the K1 timer | |
| U | - | Unused | For future use. |
Commands that can be given through the serial port using hyper terminal
| M (A-G) |
Mask unused lanes | MA would mask out lane A. MB would mask out lane B and so on. MG would enable all lanes by clearing the mask. |
| RL
(0-6*) |
Reverse lane if 0 is
set to normal * Number of Lanes of your track |
This command reverses the data stream sent from our timer to your computer or remote time display - ie- Lane ABC becomes CBA on your computer. |
| RE | Reset Eliminator mode | If the timer is in the Eliminator mode it will reset back to the standard mode of racing. |
| RF | Return Features in binary | This command will return 8 binary bits like 0011 0111. A 1 means the option is enabled (see next page for definition): 1111 1111 all feature bits set. 0000 0000 all feature bits clear |
| RS | Return Serial Number | |
| RA | Reset Lane - Force Results | Force the timer to end the race and send the results of all lanes that have finished. This is great feature for when a car crashes, burns and falls off the track. |
| LR | Reset Laser gate | When the race is over the computer can reset the laser gate. This can work like the RA command but does nothing if the customer does not have a Laser Gate. |
| LE | Set timer for Eliminator mode | Eliminator will score only a first and second place, for lane pairs. Makes 3 races on a 6 lane tracks or 2 races on a 4 lane track. |
| LF | Load Feature | This feature is enabled only with a password - guessing a serial number will give you an error and may disable features in your timer. |
| LX
(A-O) |
Change Time or Disable Automatic Reset | To change the automatic
reset time to 6 seconds enter: LXC To change the automatic reset time to 25 seconds enter: LXO To disable the automatic reset enter: LXP |
| N0 | Old Format | Converts the race time
data to the old timer format: A=3.001! B=3.002 C=3.003 D=3.004 E=3.005 F=3.006 <LF> <CR> |
| N1 | New Format | Converts the race time
data to the new timer format: A=3.001! B=3.002" C=3.003# D=3.004$ E=3.005% F=3.006& <LF> <CR> |
| RM | Read Mode | Shows the current modes
set for the timer: 6 000011 0 0 0 Number of lanes used in reverse order mode - 6 Lanes E and F are masked - 000011 Lanes are not reversed - 0 Not in eliminator mode - 0 Old data format - 0 |
| PCXX | Not used with the K1 timer. |
Race Data Finish Order Punctuation:
| 21h | - | ! | - | First Place |
| 22h | - | " | - | Second Place |
| 23h | - | # | - | 3rd |
| 24h | - | $ | - | 4th |
To change Options in Hyperterminal:
- Plug your timer into a power source
- Using the computer
serial cable, plug your timer into the com port on your computer
On
your Computer desktop - go to Programs
- choose accessories
- choose
communications
- choose hyperterminal (the one with the phone icon)
| 1. This window
will come up: - put a name on it - click OK |
2. A New Window
will come up: - choose COM1 or the Comm port your timer is connected to. - click okay |
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 |
 |
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| 3. A
New Window will come up: - Choose the options below (Change the bits per second to 9600 and the flow control to none.) - click okay |
4. You should now be able to type commands to the timer
through the computer. All commands are in upper case. Type RV and hit enter The version number of the timer display on your computer screen. If it does, you are ready to enter the option commands of your choice. If you don't see the version number, you probably have a comport conflict. See Frequently Asked Questions on our web site for a list of ways to trouble shoot the problem. |
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