Qs about the new Xmas trees in racing.

[ProStarPony]

So now that they have these LED lighted trees, what is considered the perfect light now? I heard its 0.00 but is that for every tree (i.e.- classes)?
And what are the officail names of the tree classes?

Joel

[PeeWeeC5]

Originally posted by ProStarPony
So now that they have these LED lighted trees, what is considered the perfect light now? I heard its 0.00 but is that for every tree (i.e.- classes)?

Joel Interested aswell:)

[SVT Lurch]

Originally posted by NeedAcoupe
Interested as well:) yeah

[PeeWeeC5]

Damn, I guess knowone knows....:rolleyes:

[Chopped54]

A "perfect light" is measured on the time delay between the 3rd amber light and the green.
On a Full Tree there is a .500 of a second between the 3rd amber and the green which means a .500 light is perfect.
It is different for every tree based on the delay.

[PeeWeeC5]

Originally posted by trigen
A "perfect light" is measured on the time delay between the 3rd amber light and the green.
On a Full Tree there is a .500 of a second between the 3rd amber and the green which means a .500 light is perfect.
It is different for every tree based on the delay. Well, were talking about the new LED trees. I know that .500 on a standard light is perfect but is it the same for an LED tree?

[Chopped54]

Originally posted by NeedAcoupe
Well, were talking about the new LED trees. I know that .500 on a standard light is perfect but is it the same for an LED tree?
I have not seen the LED trees, but I would think that the same would apply....
The reaction time is just based on the time delay between the lights.
I would think the perfect time on the LED would be the delay between the 3rd amber LED and the green LED...

[PeeWeeC5]

Right, but LED will illuminate a little bit quicker. I was just curious if there was any difference.

[Bad90lx]

Originally posted by NeedAcoupe
Right, but LED will illuminate a little bit quicker. I was just curious if there was any difference. No there is no difference

[Stimpy]

I believe .000 is a perfect light now. They might just be subtracting .400 from the light or it could be that the lights are faster, I don't know.

[OrangeS10]

That NHRA decided against it for this year! Suposibly the LED light is about .030 thousanths faster than the stardard tree. I dont know if this is true, but this is what I was told by Jerry Goss out at Redline!

[breadfan35]

I was told that .050 is perfect now.

[J-MAN]

I got some .043,.075,.103,.055 lights the other night in baytown and none were red lights. So I would assume that .000 is perfect now

[vwprostock]

IF the track you are at is using the new LED's...a .000 is a perfect light. The old theory of it taking .5, or .4 on a pro tree, to illuminate the incandecsent bulb is now gone. The good racers will see the LED's a bit quicker than the old bulbs. The key is to ask the track when you get there. So far, it appears the NHRA tracks that actually have a national event are the only tracks that have the LED's.

I have not ran on them yet. May post after I do.

Greg

[Strychnine]

I'll end this once and for all ;)

http://www.nhra.com/2003/news/January/013104.html

New reaction times, LED Christmas Tree lights in Pomona

1/30/2003

Beginning at the K&N Filters Winternationals, the opening round of the 2003 POWERade Drag Racing Series, NHRA will implement two significant changes on the starting line for the NHRA national events.

First, the numerical value of a driver's reaction time will be modified at each of the 23 national events. The modification simplifies the process of understanding a driver's reaction time to activation of the green lights on the Christmas Tree. Previously, a perfect reaction time for professional, and some sportsman drivers, was a .400. For the remaining sportsman competitors a .500-light was considered a perfect reaction time. Under the new changes, the timing system will be modified to display a perfect reaction time as .000 for all categories. This change only applies to the 23 national events that make up the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

On a pro Christmas Tree, a .399 light, or anything lower, would be considered an early start, activating the red light, which would result in a disqualification. Under the new system, a .399 will now be displayed as a -.001, a.398 will be a -.002, and so on. Anything from a perfect reaction time of .000 and above will be a legal start. The new timing system in no way affects any driver, vehicle set-up, or any other significant aspect of the competition on the drag strip.

Also, as previously reported, NHRA will implement the use of LED amber lights on the Christmas Tree starting system, replacing the traditional yet damage-prone incandescent lights.

"The biggest advantage is that the vibration, especially that caused by the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, won't cause the LED bulbs to burn out like it will an incandescent," said NHRA's Graham Light. "Amber bulb failures, especially during full Tree countdowns in the Sportsman classes, lead to re-runs and other problems. We are trying to avoid that problem as well as step up our technology.

"We tested the new bulbs without problem during preseason testing in Tucson," added Light, "but racers attending the Winternationals and subsequent events are advised that the LED lights illuminate quicker, by about three-hundredths of a second, than the incandescent lights."


And that's that.

-Matt