Professor Motor Electronic Slot Car Controller Review

1/32 Home Set Controller - Plus Model
by Professor Motor

Features for Item #PMTR2045:

two wire or three wire with brake operation
heavy duty 13-gauge super flexible wire with solid copper alligator clips and color coded insulating boots (user installed)
Trinity Slotworks high impact Lexan handle with all new Professor Motor circuitry
electronic semiconductor design with wide range of control, low friction wiper button, brass alloy wiper contacts, and upgradeable modular design

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 tires

1/32 Home Set Controller - Plus Model

Purchase this item at RadTrax's Online Store!!!

Finally we have an affordable line of electronic controllers for all scales in the slot car hobby!!!

Test Drive Observations:

This controller is from the brand new line of 2001 Professor Motor Electronic Controllers. What makes these electronic controllers is the price, they are affordable at under $45 for most units. This one here has a retail price of $43.79 which is only a few dollars more than your average resistor type Parma HO Plus unit. I was very happy to receive this review sample courtesy of Rad Trax.

Note: I was informed by Andy Smith / Professor Motor via an email message that pricing has been revised for this controller from $43.79 to $49.95 Jon at Rad Trax has also informed me that by soldering some connections together you can make the controller more sensitive. Contact Andy Smith (Professor Motor) www.professormotor.com for more information.

I wanted to give this controller a thorough testing so I picked out a few 1/32 and 1/24 cars to test with it on my Carrera layout. Now my layout was wiring up by me with heavier gauge wire to accept clip-on units like the Parma models. The instructions that come with this controllers has you either attaching the clips and boots to the ends of the wires or using the plug from your existing controller as a bridge to connect to your track. I think it is best to wire your own if you have a large layout like mine since you need an aftermarket power supply, etc. It was fairly easy to crimp the brass clips to the wires and I added some solder to the ends just to be safe so they don't pop off during a race.

The controller feels similar in your hand compared to the Parma model. The trigger response is a little faster and smoother compared to the Parma models but all in all it matches the performance of the Parma HO Plus 45ohm unit. I tested each controllers with a variety of cars from a 1/32 Scalextric VW NEW Beetle to my 1/24 4wd Corvette with dual vintage 16D motors. The lap times for each controller were about the same with only a slight difference between them. The electronic controller handled 36Ds, stock 16Ds, Plafits, Cartrix, and Mabuchi S motors with ease.

I am very eager to try it with a variable sensitivity dial because as it is now, the controller is similar in function to a Parma HO Plus (Turbo) model with a slightly different trigger feel and hold. The Professor Motor Electronic Controller is not hard to hold and the less resistance trigger helps with fatigue a bit. I found the PM controller easier to grip and hold than the Parma HO Plus one. If I had to choose, I would go with the Professor Motor controller. Now remember when wiring this up with stock Carrera tracks that the wiring is swapped to avoid blowing out the controller. When I set-up my track, I custom wired it up as the standard "positive" polarity type instead of the opposite way for Carrera since I would be running standard 1/24 and 1/32 cars on it - I decided if I wanted to run Carrera (before they came out with the switch) then I would just swap the lead wires on the car.

This electronic controller is going 4 out of 5 tires. I am giving it this rating because it is a good value for the money plus it has a nice feel to it for racing. I love it with the smooth operating trigger and easy to hold design (ex-Trinity Slotworks handle) without being too bulky for an electronic controller. I would give it 5 out of 5 if it came with a dial installed for adjustments to the throttle response. I know Carrera and Ninco has their own electronic programmable controllers but all that is really needed is an adjustment for the throttle. I hope in the near future to get a module from Professor Motor to upgrade it with an adjustable throttle dial for better response if using it with 1/24 cars on my track or cars that have higher power motors, etc.

If you are looking for an electronic controller for a decent price, go with one of these models - you can always upgrade it with extra parts as noted in the two page sheet that came with it. I hope added parts will be easy to install without much fuss and the prices not too high - stay tuned to the site here for future updates on this controller to see if it works out with the added dial, etc. This is a much better value than buying a Ninco or Carrera Electronic Controller :)

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