Bumper car

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JJWalecka

JJWalecka

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It is my understanding that a bumper car works as such...the floor is metal and the ceiling is metal. The 240Vac is applied to the floor and the ceiling. There is a wiper that drags the floor to get one polarity and each car also has a rod going to the ceiling with a wiper on the end of the rod. This supplies the 240Vac for the car. The floor switch in the car applies the voltage to the motor which makes the car move.

Why question is why this method? Why not have a battery or combustion engine? Who came up with that idea? Whats the reason... other than the pretty sparks? :)

I'm still researching but feedback is always welcome

JJ
 
The dodgems I've come across some years ago ran on 100V DC if my memory serves, supplied through a single resistance regulator in the operators booth.

As to why - easy central control, no fumes, so can use indoors, less hassle than batteries.
 
Its just that I can't think of anything else that works like that. Please enlighten me as to anything else.

Its just the kid in me asking questions. LOL

JJ
 
JJWalecka said:
Its just that I can't think of anything else that works like that. Please enlighten me as to anything else.

Its just the kid in me asking questions. LOL

JJ
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Speaking of kids, you really want your kids in a confined space with 20 or 30 2-stroke engines running? Carbon Monoxide, 120 dB, and highly-flammable liquids?
 
I would also thing that motors can handle the constant crashing better than engines.

Plus, we like the pretty sparks. ;)
 
I also would work as a bug zapper... if some really HUGE alien bugs touched the floor and the ceiling at the same time. :D

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JJWalecka said:
It is my understanding that a bumper car works as such...the floor is metal and the ceiling is metal. The 240Vac is applied to the floor and the ceiling. There is a wiper that drags the floor to get one polarity and each car also has a rod going to the ceiling with a wiper on the end of the rod. This supplies the 240Vac for the car. The floor switch in the car applies the voltage to the motor which makes the car move. JJ
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The bumper cars I worked with for five years ran 120 VAC, the floor was the grounded conductor the ceiling was the ungrounded conductor.

That said, rides come from all over the world and regulations get tighter. You may find AC or DC systems and likely any voltage from 24 to 240. I suspect most new rides will run under 50 volts as that has become a standard for voltage inside the ride where the passenger is.

For instance our "House of Horrors" used 120VAC motors in the cars and our insurance company forced us to retro-fit them to less then 50 VAC.

Why question is why this method? Why not have a battery or combustion engine?
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  • Low cost
  • Low Maintenance
  • Easy for the operator to turn them all on or off at once.
 
I guess I should add that the feeder to the ceiling was 120 VAC 400 amps.

In fact the entire building was supplied with a single 4160 volt to 120 volt transformer. Kind of different, the circuit breaker panel that supplied the lighting controls and outlets was a standard panel with both phases jumped together.
 
JJWalecka said:
Why not have a battery or combustion engine?
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Many years ago, I used to be a maintenance man in an amusement park on the side of Pikes Peak. We had a bumper car ride that ran on 3 1/2 HP Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engines. It had a roof, but no walls. Each car had it's own engine and drive train which contained a little automatic clutch. While I liked the job security, I HATED those darn cars. Hauling fuel, changing oil, warming them up every morning, cleaning the floor of oil drips, etc..

Always wanted to meet the man who invented them, so we could take a little stroll farther up the side of the mountain... :roll:
 
When bumper car rides started to appear in the 1920's, electric motors were readily available and fairly reliable, small combustion engines were not. The early bumper cars use 1/2 HP motors, an equivalent engine might be 3 HP and much larger. Also, anything new and electric was going to be popular.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
I had know idea the voltage was that high. Assumed something safer like 24 or 48 volts. Been few years since i been on one.
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I would imagine voltages this low would produce huge sparks given the current the motors draw at those voltages. I guess there has to be a happy medium between safety and praticality.

On a side note. I wonder who changes the light bulbs? Hopefully not some idiot. (Plops an alumnium ladder down and hustels up to the ceiling, bumps his head, and POW). Although I guess the grid would have to be on for a shock.
 
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JJWalecka said:
Why question is why this method? Why not have a battery or combustion engine? Who came up with that idea? Whats the reason... other than the pretty sparks? :)
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G0049 said:
Many years ago, I used to be a maintenance man in an amusement park on the side of Pikes Peak. We had a bumper car ride that ran on 3 1/2 HP Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engines. It had a roof, but no walls. Each car had it's own engine and drive train which contained a little automatic clutch. While I liked the job security, I HATED those darn cars. Hauling fuel, changing oil, warming them up every morning, cleaning the floor of oil drips, etc..

Always wanted to meet the man who invented them, so we could take a little stroll farther up the side of the mountain... :roll:
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There you go! :smile:
 
iwire said:
The bumper cars I worked with for five years ran 120 VAC, the floor was the grounded conductor the ceiling was the ungrounded conductor.

That said, rides come from all over the world and regulations get tighter. You may find AC or DC systems and likely any voltage from 24 to 240. I suspect most new rides will run under 50 volts as that has become a standard for voltage inside the ride where the passenger is.

For instance our "House of Horrors" used 120VAC motors in the cars and our insurance company forced us to retro-fit them to less then 50 VAC.
Click to expand...

Why do I get a strange vision of Bob in a little yellow duck roller coaster car? :confused:
 
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