Can a TIU Fry Proto2 Electronics?

It's extremely unlikely that your TIU damaged your engines.

However, if you had 2 TIU channels, with two different power supplies, connected to the same track, that most certainly could have damaged our engines.

Barry - only 1 channel connected to loop with the engine that had suffered from fried electronics, probably "infant mortality".  

Any idea why this same circuit when connected in a geographic TIU 2-circuit assignment causes odd behavior (jerkiness, head light out)  when the loco enters that zone?  Tom

Tom,

Do the input connectors on the TIU feel warm after running a train?

Tom,

Any idea why this same circuit when connected in a geographic TIU 2-circuit assignment causes odd behavior (jerkiness, head light out) when the loco enters that zone? Tom

There are several things that could cause such behavior. However, without more details it would be difficult for me to render an opinion as regards what could be the exact cause of the problem.

Wow... One might think different power supplies out of phase could create a difference  of 40 volts going from one channel to another. However it seems your using 1 Z-4000.

I know lash-up can be hard on engines if the scale speeds are  different, but that usually take a few laps around the layout  before you can smell or notice a slow down.. 

Yes you can combine 2 tiu on the same layout however you have to give each one a different ID number and if trains move from one tiu 's zone to another tiou'zs  you have to operate in super mode...(.It's easy)

My guess is that the board suffered from ARD: age-related deficiency.  The 5-volt boards apparently had short-lived capacitors and yours may have failed when power was first applied.

As to the zone transition, put a light bulb or voltmeter across the gape between them, with both set to same voltage.  If bulb lights or meter shows voltage of more than a few tenths of a volt, you have an out-of-phase issue.

[Edited to change "amp" to volt"]

As to the zone transition, put a light bulb or voltmeter across the gape between them, with both set to same voltage.  If bulb lights or meter shows voltage of more than a few tenths of an amp, you have an out-of-phase issue.

Yes.  measure center rail to center rail between channels.

The problem could be a reversed wires   between the z-4000 and tiu input. 

Did you do this with the original battery?

How about giving some information about the engine.    Did it have a new green 8.4 volt battery?  No such thing as a 5 volt battery in an MTH premier locomotive.  Headlight voltage????

If you are trying to feed one block or section of track from 2 different TIU channels and one is fixed and one is variable, what are the Inputs to the TIU channels, how do you measure the voltage coming out of each TIU channel.

3 trains with lighted passenger cars and multiple motors is causing a Normal High Amperage condition.  Either reduce the size of the block so 3 engines and all their lighted passenger cars are not on the same track at one, or you going to need to get into advance power distribution which certainly can be come catastrophic if not managed right.   G

Tom,

  Sense the TIU is actually a pass thru engineering set up, for your layout power, you either have  something wired incorrectly or your breakers are not working correctly.  I see no way way for your TIU causing your problem, even with a TIU malfunction of some type.

PCRR/Dave 

Thanks everyone for your feedback.  I know it is hard to pin point the problem without seeing the effect or examining the wiring.  I created a video to illustrate the issue.  There are two TIU circuits; one servicing (4) uphill blocks and the other connected to the (4) downhill blocks.   In the video, the steamer lashup works normally as it climbs the grade, but as it reaches the top of the grade and is next to the station it transitions into the downhill TIU circuit (variable voltage 2).  Notice that the lead loco headlight goes off and there is a bit of jerkiness in the forward movement.  I get the same behavior when running a single steam engine.

I use banana plugs on the input and output of the TIU.  When I move the IN/OUT banana plugs from the Variable Voltage 2 to either of the two remaining circuits, there is no disruption in the movement of the train.  I have the transformer voltage of both TIU inputs set to 19v.  I measured the voltage on the track blocks and they are at 19v as they should be. 

And Marty, I was wrong about the battery in the locomotive that suffered from fried electronics.   The locomotive that failed is an Amtrak Genesis (20-2230-1) and it has a NiCad 7-cell 8.4v.  The failure occurred on a simple loop that was being serviced by TIU Variable Voltage 2 that is giving me problems as described above.  The original battery was in the loco.

I am going to continue testing additional combinations to see if I can figure out what the problem is.  I have a second TIU and may decide to dedicate this to an underground loop that doesn't connect to the main layout and not use the problem TIU circuit.

Any additional comments or suggestions are welcome,

thanks, Tom

Tom,

When I move the IN/OUT banana plugs from the Variable Voltage 2 to either of the two remaining circuits, there is no disruption in the movement of the train.  

Based on your statement above, it would appear that you've successfully identified the problem as being the Variable #2 channel in the TIU. You can stop looking and contact MTH for an RA#.

Barry - could this circuit issue damage loco electronics?  thanks, Tom

Maybe.. If the engine enters a dead section or shorted out section  and the engine's  rollers are straddling both sections of track is there a power surge through the engine?   there would be at least between rollers.  not good anyways.

Tom,

could this circuit issue damage loco electronics?  

It's extremely unlikely. I'd say "impossible", however, I try to never say "never".