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RaceAmerica Model 3850 Timer AC4

THEORY OF OPERATION

 The Model 3850 Timer AC4 is a completely 

self contained race timing system made with the 

latest technology CMOS circuit components 

to provide a highly accurate autocross timing 

solution.  The system contains an internal quartz 

crystal clock to maintain time accuracy and display 

of race results to one thousandth of a second.

The AC4 can operate with a single sensor (lap 

timer) or with dual location Start/Finish sensors.  

The system can receive data from either wireless 

track sensors (T-Links), hard-wired track sensors 

or manually from the console keypad.  Desired 

settings are selected in a configuration menu and 

retained until changed at a later time.

T-Link2 Wireless replaces track cables normally 

used to connect track sensors to the timing system.  

Model 5810 T-Link2 connects to an external track 

sensor using a short interconnect track cable. 

NOTE:  THIS PRODUCT  OPERATES ON 

HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO WAVES.  DO 

NOT POWER ON THE T-LINK2 WITHOUT 

ATTACHNG THE ANTENNA AND DO NOT 

OPERATE UNITS CLOSER TOGETHER 

THAN FOUR FEET.  ADDITIONALLY, DO 

NOT PLUG ANY DEVICE IN THE CHAR-

GER PLUG BUT  THE CHARGER.  PLUG 

ONLY DESIGNATED RACEAMERICA 

CABLES IN THE T-PORT CONNECTOR.

Power is supplied to the timer console and 

track sensor components of the 3850 Timer AC4 

by the 12VDC automotive battery connected to 

the RED and BLACK alligator clips or regulated 

DC power source.  Under normal conditions, a 

properly charged battery will operate for an entire 

day of racing without requiring a recharge. 

The Beam Emitters and Track Sensors 

operate on invisible (to the unaided human eye) 

Infra Red (IR) light.  The coded light frequencies 

are constantly received (aligned) by the Track 

Sensors until a car interrupts reception (‘breaks’ 

the beam).   

Model 5040/5050 - IR Beam Emitter

Note On/Off switch and placement for four AA 

batteries for each Beam Emitter. All Beam Emitters 

are fully interchangeable with one another.  Picture 

shows top and bottom of units.

Model 5140 - IR Track Sensor

Note cable connector is located in the side 

facing away from the track.  Track Sensors are  

interchangeable with one another.  Track Sensor 

is pictured with both top and bottom sides up.

The IR Beam Emitter to Track Sensor 

transmission operates on Line-of-Sight principles.  

This makes alignment of these units critical but 

simple. Tips are provided to aid alignment on 

surfaces that are other than ideal.  These units 

will operate over a wide range of conditions but 

should not be operated beyond the specification 

parameters (less than 4 ft or more than 50 ft).

  Each T-Link2 unit is configured with a unique 

ID code and a wireless optimizer code.  These 

codes are listed on the identity label located on 

the bottom of the T-Link2 unit.  Valid T-Link2 ID 

codes are Z, A, B.  The wireless optimizer code 

is also listed on the identity label for wireless 

communications optimization and compatibility 

with other T-Link2 units.  T-LinkOne and T-Link2 

can operate on the same optimizer code.

Summary of Contents for 3850B Timer AC4

Page 1: ...er AC4 Rev E Four Timer Autocross Timing System Owner s Manual RaceAmerica Corporation P O Box 3469 Santa Clara CA 95055 3469 USA 408 988 6188 www raceamerica com info raceamerica com Copyright 2014 R...

Page 2: ...NS 11 CONSOLE FEATURES 12 POWER ON SELF TEST 12 System Settings 12 CONFIGURATION MENU 12 Configure Print Header 13 ALIGNMENT MODE 13 Hard Wired Sensors 13 T Link Wireless Sensors 13 CONSOLE CONFIGURAT...

Page 3: ...quiring Limited Warranty service during the warranty period should be returned to RaceAmerica with proof of purchase If return of merchandise is by mail the customer agrees to insure the product prepa...

Page 4: ...ulated DC power source Under normal conditions a properly charged battery will operate for an entire day of racing without requiring a recharge The Beam Emitters and Track Sensors operate on invisible...

Page 5: ...eet Timer Capacity m ss fff 9 59 999 sss fff 999 999 sec Time Accuracy 0 001 seconds Model 5810A HD EXR T Link2 Frequency 900MHz band Internal Battery 9 6VDC Lithium Ion T Port Connections 05 5825 to...

Page 6: ...gnal is received During normal operation the LED on each T Link2 will flash red during transmit and flash green each time signal is received from another T Link2 The 4 CONFIG menu in Fig 11 is used to...

Page 7: ...T Link2 power and external connections WARNING To avoid damage to wireless units do not operate any wireless device without the antenna installed Do not operate wireless units within four feet of eac...

Page 8: ...s STEP 3 Layout the wireless links or cables on the track site The large connector RJ45 connects to the console or T Link Wireless unit and the smaller connectors RJ11 connect to the Track Sensors at...

Page 9: ...Fig 1 Laptimer hard wired plug into START Fig 2 T Link wireless Laptimer Track Sensor Laptimer Single Track Sensor Configuration Dual Track Sensor Configuration 45232A PC CABLE Fig 3 T Link wireless 2...

Page 10: ...ack Sensors Fig 5 T Link wireless with external Track Sensors DATA CAPTURE SOFTWARE 06 TW01 Y CABLE Y CABLE 06 TW01 PC ST FN 232 LDD CONSOLE 12VDC 5140 SENSOR START LINE FINISH LINE 5040 EMITTER 5140...

Page 11: ...PODs Fig 10 Wireless Digital Displays Connecting System Options CONSOLE DIGITAL DISPLAY DIGITAL DISPLAY 12VDC 06 X025 25FT CABLE 4520 LINK 12VDC 12VDC ST FIN TLNK PRNT CONSOLE DIGITAL DISPLAY DIGITAL...

Page 12: ...ired and ON one column of dots at the right edge of each dis play line will flash periodically if they are properly aligned When the Z unit is ON and connected to the timer one column of dots at the r...

Page 13: ...f slightly out of alignment or continuously if they are not functioning properly or way out of alignment Once the emitter sensor pair are aligned properly the digit will stop counting If the alignment...

Page 14: ...99 999 Start Sensor Lockout 5 Finish Sensor Lockout 5 Timeslip Header 3850 Timer AC4 4 timer Autocross Timing System T Link Wireless Enabled L1 C01 to C39 XXXX L2 C01 to C39 XXXX L3 C01 to C39 XXXX L4...

Page 15: ...ndicated by bAtt A X b X Z X X represents 0 for 0 1 for 10 2 for 20 etc and a dash for 100 A sensor Start B sensor Finish and Z unit can be seen on the display Any reading above 50 should be adequate...

Page 16: ...press hold 0 to view lap number press hold 8 to view the Best lap Each finish freezes the console and sends the time to the serial ports PCs and displays If a car goes off course and cannot finish pre...

Page 17: ...ill flash intermittently about every three seconds If the start sensor goes out of alignment the display will show StArt SenSor test FAiLEd with test failed flashing to get the operators attention If...

Page 18: ...nt XX XX representing minutes and seconds re maining Press 1 again to stop the count StoP Count will briefly display and the screen will blank KEY 2 The 2 IGNORE key will stop and give no time for the...

Page 19: ...and navigate the CONFIG menu KEY 1 Pressing 1 will print the current configuration in he system to a connected serial printer See sample Use 5 CONFIG to make changes KEY 2 The 2 key is used to toggle...

Page 20: ...mes KEY 9 Pressing 9 will display T Link battery levels as follows bAtt A X b X Z X where X is the relative charge 1 to 9 plus 100 If you press 9 when no T Links are not connect ed the display will sh...

Page 21: ...nter Prod This message appears during the power up sequence and indicates the product number of the RaceAmerica timer StArt SEnSor tESt FAiLEd This message indicates the alignment of the Track Sensor...

Page 22: ...correct charger for different batteries To maintain the highest level of timing accuracy and minimize false trips annual preventative maintenance and calibration should be performed on all system trac...

Page 23: ...17 2 18 3 19 4 20 5 21 6 22 7 23 8 24 9 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Character Code a 65 b 66 c 67 d 68 e 69 f 70 g 71 h 72 i 73 j 74 k 75 l 76 m 77 n 78 o 79 p 80 q 81 r 82 s 83 t 84 u 85 v 86 w 87 x 88...

Page 24: ...19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 Printed Character Character Code Printed Character Character Code Printed Character Character Code Priinted Character Character Code TIM...

Page 25: ...1 Separate the Base of the Foam Stand from the Top 2 Connect the cable to the sensor 3 Place the 5140 5158 Sensor into the base open end down 4 Slide the Top on the Base paying attention to the four c...

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