Simulator Build for an Inherited Swing Track/Full Swing Simulator

[mtduffer]

New member with my first simulator build project:

I've been lurking on this forum, checking out the amazing builds. I can only dream of having a room as nice as many of the ones shown in this forum.

Anyway, I invite you to follow along as I stumble through this process.

The back story:
I inherited a "free" 2016 Swing Track system from a friend's father. The catch was my friend thought the CPU and hard drive (SSD) were fried from the basement flooding. Miraculously, I was able to salvage the computer and SSD with all the software (E6 1.6 & swing analysis programs) and now have a working sim computer.

I'm excited to fire this thing up and am working hard to get the room properly setup, but I am trying to focus on making the room usable and getting the equipment up and running reliably. The paint and proper flooring will come later.

The Build Plan:
The dimensions of the room are 16'6' front to back (15'6" screen to back wall) x 14'5" wide (effective). The screen framing is 11' wide. The room color is currently a nauseating two shades of pink. Paint is phase two, but can't come soon enough.
Construction layout

The ultimate goal:


Saturday AM:


Sunday night progress:


Monday night:
I found this surprise while working to run power to the camera and projector and feed power to the recessed lights. I hate previous owners. Looking at the bright side, this allows me to fix a potential disaster and wire everything properly. Though, now I cringe at what else is lurking in the ceiling of the rest of the basement.


I'm a total newb to this and and hope I am going about this the right way. I've tried to pay attention to the "must haves" in a sim room, but I'm sure I missed something (things).

I welcome your comments and advice as I continue this build.

Cheers,
MTDuffer

[bubbtubbs]

Lovely junction box there - the bond is a work of modern art.

Multiple wire nut types and electrical tape on the joints are usually red flags to look for other things when I'm in a customer's house. Hopefully you don't find anything else that's too frightening.

[mtduffer]

Yes, I bought a 4 11/16" x 2 1/8" metal box that should have more than enough fill room.

Yeah, none of the wires running through the punch holes line up, of course. The ceiling needs a repaint anyway, so I'm not too concerned about cutting it up, other than the extra work from patching and mudding/sanding overhead.

Excellent point on the 3 conductor wire. I have a roll of 12 AWG that was left over from a 20A garage wiring project and it is only about a 15' run from the box to the switches. I am using Lutron LED dimmer switches, but didn't notice if they had neutral provision on them.

This is probably beyond the scope of this forum, but I'm not sure how to connect the 3 conductor wire from the supplied power into the box and at the switches. Would I just cap off the red or white wire and use the white/red and black wires? Or could I connect the red and black wires to the black supply in the JBox and use the red to supply one switch and black to supply the second?

I'm comfortable with electrical wiring, but as a weekend warrior, it takes me a bit to get the concept. Lots of wiring diagrams on scrap paper.

Thanks again!

[bubbtubbs]

Typically - assuming the electrical feed to the switch is coming from the ceiling junction box - you would connect white to neutral, black to line voltage, red to whatever lighting is being switched. For the dimmer, black would be line voltage, red would be switch output and white is just capped with an insulated wire nut if the device doesn't require it.

If you have any questions you can PM me, I have both my PEng and journeyman electrician license, though I'd still recommend having someone qualified at least look at it locally to make sure you don't have too many devices on a circuit, or interactions between multiple circuits. The original install obviously wasn't done by a licensed tradesperson, so anything is possible there.

[bubbtubbs]

From the photo, it doesn't look particularly complicated (appears to be one two-wire switch drop but you indicated you might be deleting that?) other than the conductors being outside the enclosure and the box fill violations.

Keep in mind you can't bury the box again - it has to remain accessible.

[mtduffer]

Copy all.
There are two switch loops connected in the box. My intent was to eliminate the loops and go direct from the switches to the lights.
At least one of the light branches inaccessable, so it will have to stay at 2 conductors. I appreciate the help. I will have my electrician buddy give it a check once it's done. I try my best to limit the freebies from my friends in the trades. My payment will be in sim time .
Cheers!

[mtduffer]

Well, it seems Full Swing tech support is a swing and a miss...
After two calls in two weeks to their tech line and two assurances that a technician would contact me, I dug into the program files and found the overhead calibration camera program. I discovered that the previous owner had the camera mount reversed, so a simple 180* flip of the camera itself, BOOM! All sorts of club and ball data.
now I can see just how bad my outside in is and start working to correct it.
I have to say, I am really impressed with the system, though it is only about 6 years old.
Now that i know i have a fully viable product, i'll move ahead with purchasing and installing the hitting and putting turf.

[mtduffer]

More pics of the room as it looks today.

[Brettster]

Looks great, certainly different than green! Are you planning on dropping in putting turf throughout?

mtduffer - I was wondering, how close are your curtains on the Right-Side hanging to your wall? I have a similar situation and about to mount them over there. I actually have a Window in about the same spot you seem to have a screen/TV? Have you had any shanks head over that way and does the curtain stop them?

[mtduffer]

Brettster Sorry I'm just getting back to this, I was down at TPC Sawgrass (The last day the course was open before they shut it down ahead of the Players) for the weekend. The highlight was hitting the 17th on my first try. It will make watching the Players extra fun, having played it ahead of the tournament.
From my understanding, the mats from full swing were covered with synthetic turf, but were thrown out after the basement flooded. I plan to install the mats and overlay with putting turf as well. I may trim out the perimeter with some fake fescue that they have at my local HD, to add some character to the room. Paint is also coming soon.

We haven't had any shanks yet, but it is a bit tight for a lefty. I may mount a piece of Lexan over the monitor as an added level of protection. We can pull the curtain over most of the monitor if there is a shanker in the bunch. IIRC, the curtain is a around 6"-8" from the wall.
I hope this helps.