Transponder

[Robyn Slater]

I need to get a transponder.
Where's the best place to buy one?
Do i have a choice?

[R59]

The only way you might get one cheaper is second-hand.
So, I'd go with the "from the manufacturer" approach.

[Al Weyman]

Or hire one at the track, either way expensive.

[Tim Falce]

There's loads of choices as long as you don't mind going here I heard somewhere that the aren't hiring transponders at circuits this year, not sure how true it is though.

[Paul D]

They were charging around £20 to hire them last year, so if you intend doing more than a few meetings, then I guess it makes sense to buy one.

But they are bloody dear - circa £300 depending on which type you want.

However, it may interest you to know that I got mine last year off eBay for about half that amount. And before you all jump on me - yes, I know it's a gamble buying secondhand, but hey... welcome to the real world - I'm operating on a pretty tight budget! If you choose your seller carefully and ask the right questions before bidding, then you may just bag a bargain - mine was claimed to have been used on a 'bike for just a few sessions, and sure enough, when it arrived, it did look almost as new and takes a charge as good as new as far as I can tell.

Something to think about if you need to save money.

[Al Weyman]

The ones that run off the car electrics are cheaper and easy to connect up, I just take a live feed from the back of the alternator and then earth the other wire and swap between cars, it takes a few minutes tops. I have had it confirmed a few weeks back that the BARC at least are definitely still hiring them out.

[Colin McKay]

I had more than one rechargeable transponder when karting and they were always a pain, even when you remembered to put them on charge before the race. Nothing worse than qualifying then finding your transponder still in its box in the back of the van.

Unless you've got no power supply on the car I would always go for a hard wired one, fit and forget.

[Paul D]

Despite mine being the rechargeable type, I do actually agree with the comments above - I would have gone for a hard-wired one myself. No chance of forgetting to charge it up etc. However, as stated - being on a tight budget also means you can't afford to be too picky! My next race was looming, didn't really want to hire one (again!) and as no hard-wired ones had come along for the right money, I got the rechargeable one. Haven't regretted it though - I just keep it fully charged and make sure I don't forget to fit it to its clip on the day.

[Robyn Slater]

Thanks for the link Tim, i'd previously only found the "mylaps" site. They want over 20euros for postage.

I'm looking to get a hardwired version,there's secondhand ones on ebay but keen competition on the bidding front.

[Tim Falce]

I have a rechargeable one and it is a PITA. On one occasion last year I forgot to charge it and had to take it to the timekeepers for them to do it for me.

[tristancliffe]

I use a wired one.

I don't have an alternator, but I work on the principle that it draws such a small current that it barely makes any difference to my battery levels, and if I run out of juice enough to stop the transponder then the whole car will stop anyway. No point having a working transponder it the car has retired.

Plus I can't forget to charge it, or forget to attach it to the car etc etc.

I suppose there is a one-in-a-million chance that I end up retiring from a race due to lack of volts that I wouldn't have retired from without the extra drain of the transponder. But I'm not THAT unlucky, surely?

[Al Weyman]

Even if it packed up during the race you wouldnt get pulled in