Zeron 88 Multi-split Rally Chronometer, Rally Racing News

ZERON-88
Multi-split Rally Chronometer

ZERON QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
MULTI-SPLIT MEMORY WITH SIMPLE FIRST IN/FIRST OUT SYSTEM FOR STORING UP TO 16 TIME SPLITS
QUARTZ CRYSTAL ACCURACY
COUNTS TO 59.99 MINUTES THEN ZEROS TO BEGIN NEXT HOUR
REMOTE ENTRY JACK WITH ALERT BEEPER
1/2" HIGH LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY
POWERED FROM SELF CONTAINED BATTERIES
STRAIGHT-FORWARD, ERROR-PROOF OPERATION
MAR RESISTANT, BRUSHED ALUMINUM FRONT PANEL WITH LETTERING PERMANENTLY ETCHED INTO PANEL
(no paint to chip or stain)
SMALL, RUGGED CONSTRUCTION IS IDEAL FOR CLUB OWNED CHECKPOINT TIMERS OR ON THE ROAD COMPETITION

SIZE: Approximately 5" x 4" x 2"
BATTERY LIFE: Greater than 1000 hours
OPERATING TEMPERATURE: 20 degrees F to 160 degrees F
ONE YEAR GUARANTEE: Your ZERON is backed by a demonstrated, 11 year record of after-the-sale service and assistance. Not built by a "here today, gone tomorrow" weekend operation, ZERON products hold their value and provide years of dependable rally use.

OPERATION:

To set your 88 to time of day, turn the rotary switch to ZERO. When an even minute occurs on your time reference (WWV, CHU or correct watch), turn to SET. Exactly 0.01 minute later, the hundredth and minute digits will begin counting at 100 counts per minute. Turn to RUN when the correct minutes are shown. The 88 is now set to time of day.

The 88's memory is a first in first out system which can keep up to 16 checkpoint times in the correct order of arrival. The following example will demonstrate how it works. After the 88 is set and running, push ENTER. The display will immediately split (hold) the time shown when the button is pressed. The colon will appear over the decimal point to indicate a split is in memory. In this case, it's the one you are now seeing. For checkpoint timing, you would record this time in your log. Now push RECALL. The display returns to time of day with the colon off (memory empty) and split time discarded. This would be the normal checkpoint sequence. Should a second car arrive while the first car's time is still being logged, push ENTER again. The second split time will go into memory directly behind the first one. When RECALL is pushed this time, the second car's time will now appear in the display. After logging the time, push RECALL to discard the time and come back to time of day (colon off). Had more cars arrived at any time during the above cycle, push ENTER for each one. Each time goes into memory directly behind the preceding one and is called up in order by RECALL. When you have several cars back to back, it's easiest to call up and log the times all at once as opposed to doing one car at a time as they pull up to the workers' area. When their times are logged, the 88 is empty and ready for following cars.

The 88's memory can hold up to 16 splits without need for recalling (clearing) one. Once the memory is full, additional ENTERs are ignored. This condition is indicated by having decimal points appear between all the digits. Pushing RECALL with an empty memory has no effect.

A remote jack is located on the left side of the case. A worker located at the timing line can enter arrival times by closing a normally-open, momentary switch. This switch should be wired to the plug supplied with your 88. Connect one conductor to the center pin, the second to the plug body. By turning the rotary switch to REMOTE, splits from either the remote or ENTER push buttons will be indicated by a short, audible beep from the 88. You may use the beeper whether or not you want to enter times remotely.

MOUNTING:

The 88 is small enough to normally be hand-held. For mounting to a clipboard or car dash, small holes may be drilled in the case. Be sure your hardware doesn't contact any internal parts. Do not mount (or leave) the 88 so that it is in direct sun light in a parked car. Temperatures which exceed 160 degrees F may often occur during this time and will cause the display to darken and become hard to read. Prolonged exposure to excessive temperatures might cause the display to permanently darken. At extremely low temperatures, the digits will exhibit a sluggishness as they change from number to number.

BATTERIES:

Four ordinary zinc-carbon pencell batteries are installed in your 88. These batteries will provide over 1000 operating hours (about one 24 hour rally each week for a year). Although typical rally usage will not come close to running down the 88's batteries during a year, it's recommended that new batteries be installed at the beginning of each new rally season. This will help eliminate any possible leakage damage from a deteriorating battery case. When following this suggestion, there is no advantage in using more expensive, heavy-duty type batteries.

To check the batteries' condition, turn the rotary switch to LO BAT. If the display blanks, the batteries are GOOD. When the display stays on, the batteries need changing. Don't worry if you check the batteries during a rally and discover that they now are indicated as low. Once this happens, several hundred hours still remain over and above the rated life.

Never leave the 88 on so that it completely drains it batteries. The 88's electronics will eventually stop working but sufficient voltage may remain to run the display. This condition can cause the display's digits to polarize in a permanently ON state.

To install new batteries (or remove them during long term storage), back out the screws in each corner of the front panel and pull the 88 from its case. Follow the polarity diagram in the battery holder when inserting the replacements.

ACCURACY:

The ZERON 88 will typically stay within 0.01 minute per day when operated between 50 degrees F and 100 degrees F. Operation at the temperature extremes will yield no worse than 0.02 minute per day error. Battery voltage variations have a negligible effect on accuracy as long as the LO BAT check is okay.

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