Bad BCR checking

First of all to charge the BCR the initial voltage should be set at 12 v. As soon as the BCR is charged you will hear the sounds initiate, which usually take 30 to 60 seconds.

Then follow the normal PS1 engine start procedure.

If you are starting up a PS1 in conventional the sounds should start right around 3-4 volts.  The sound is not dependent on the BCR.  The BCR(or battery) mainly needs to be charged for shutdown so the chip does not get scrambled.  It will also keep the sound going over a bad piece of track.  While charging the BCR 12 volts may be used but is not really necessary.  Also a PS1 won't get out of reset mode above 8-10 volts, so it won't run.   Remember PS1 engines start up in Reset, not in Neutral.  Once the engine is run then it is the normal F-N-R-N-F sequence.  After a certain period of time or shutdown it will start up again in Reset.  Pretty sure this is correct.  Just spent a bit of time with a PS1 Blue Comet that had a scrambled chip!

What I worry about is someone starting up a PS1 engine and turning off power before the BCR is fully charged which can then scramble the chip.    

Isn't it great that we are still working out how to start/run engines that have not been made for 13 years!  

PennsyDave. tell me about it.....2 of my engines are proto1s and the other is a pre-proto{no battery-whistle only}...and "I'm" just starting to learn about them. I agree about the "as soon as they get voltage they start"...I thought even proto1s had a start up proceedure..I guess they do- toss it some voltage and its started!

Keystone{others}, should I pop the top off of the battery today and see what's in there...I was thinking this may cancel any warranty it had/has.

I was messing with that steamer again last night with a plain battery and towards the end the whistle quit working...hit whistle and got the bell - hit bell and got the bell...I think that 9v is getting low now. I had just finished restting the factory defaults{18} and a few other things...the headlight and lock-on flashed the number count of each when done...funny, one can reset the chuff per this way, but it doesn't give you the "amount" of chuffs to play with.

You won't be giving anything away, check out this post.

https://ogrforum.com/d...71#14804764794364271

Well, seems the cat's out of the bag then..I respect those who come up with these ideas to better the hobby...if I was the guy who made this I'd want to keep a good thing going too...but in this world folks are always trying to make there own solutions - or better exsisting ones...I'm just trying to see if it's my battery replacement or the board.