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I have an MTH propane Turbine #20-2261-1 with 4 motors and two smoke units that needs a PS complete set. Its smoke units, lights and 4 motors are in excellent working condition. I have an MTH SD70-2 #20-2831-2 PS2 Donner that works perfectly.

 

Will the PS2 board set from the SD70-2 fit and work inside the Turbine to drive the four motors and the two smoke units? will the Strobe light work? Do I simply wire the motors in parallel? same with the smoke units?

 

Also, I plan to use 2x 8 ohms speakers in series or parallel as the PS2 circuit requires, will this work?

 

Any help, warnings and ideas are greatly appreciated....

 

 

 

 

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Last edited by BigBoy4014
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... it was not going to be trashed, it was going to be converted to a non powered unit with operating smoke and lites. I have its sister powered unit for an MU.
 
Originally Posted by RJR:

Why would you trash a perfectly good Premier loco, when it is simpler to buy an upgrade kit and slave   board?  or skip the slave and follow grj's advice.  You could probably sell the Premier for more than the price of an upgrade kit.

 

Sam, how are you going to power the smoke and lights, without a board?  You could obtain a Chinese CV board---AC/DC buck converter (they're cheap) and set the output voltage to whatever these units require, but would not have control over the on/off or volume functions.  You would also have to buy couplers.

 

From the requests for help on the forum from persons seeking to move the DCS electronics and on-board wiring, it would seem that getting an upgrade kit might be easier.  But it's your call, of course.

Originally Posted by RJR:

Sam, how are you going to power the smoke and lights, without a board?  You could obtain a Chinese CV board---AC/DC buck converter (they're cheap) and set the output voltage to whatever these units require, but would not have control over the on/off or volume functions.  You would also have to buy couplers.

 

From the requests for help on the forum from persons seeking to move the DCS electronics and on-board wiring, it would seem that getting an upgrade kit might be easier.  But it's your call, of course.

RJR, you got it, I was going to use an AC to DC adjustable converter for the smoke unit/lites in the SD70 unit, move one of the couplers to the rear unit and control it from the head unit, use track power for the lites and smoke thru the regulator...BUT, I am considering your ideas too...

 

 

Originally Posted by Engineer-Joe:

Do you have the 2 rail version??

 

Joe, the Donner unit is a scale wheeled 20-2831-2. I got TWO of these units, different cab#'s a while ago for about $400 if I recall correctly, and I do not need two powered ones so my thinking was to get the Propane Turbine running (looks like a bad PS2 in it) and have the other SD70-2 units MU'ed up (is there such a word; MU'ed up ). I want to keep the cost to a minimum...

 

John, I like to keep the four motors in the Turbine if at all possible, but it sounds like a slave board is needed because the standard PS2 board can't drive four motors...

 

I have not decided on the final plan yet, that is what this board is all about, get  ideas/opinions....

Last edited by BigBoy4014

Sam, many years ago I upgraded a Williams Shark A-A unit to PS2.  I used a subminiature plug socket to feed ground, coupler, and light to 2nd unit.  The units had a rigid non-operating coupler.

 

Another alternative worthy of consideration is to contact GGG, who is the acknowledged board repair expert, and discuss whether he could check the main and slave boards or possibly repair them.  Postage for the boards is cheap, compared to the cost of what you're considering.

RJR is correct.  What doesn't work?  This is a PS-2 5V with slave, so you really are looking at board replacement only.  You probably have to do some modifications to mounting if you go with a PS-2 3V board, or find a doner 5V engine.

 

Need to make sure slave board works even if 5V board is dead.  G

Hi George; Does a PS3 upgrade need a slave board for four motors? Any time a four motor loco/locos are involved, do they need a slave board with a PS2 (5V or 3V) and a PS3 systems?
 
Thx!
 
Originally Posted by GGG:

RJR is correct.  What doesn't work?  This is a PS-2 5V with slave, so you really are looking at board replacement only.  You probably have to do some modifications to mounting if you go with a PS-2 3V board, or find a doner 5V engine.

 

Need to make sure slave board works even if 5V board is dead.  G

 

Originally Posted by BigBoy4014:
Hi George; Does a PS3 upgrade need a slave board for four motors? Any time a four motor loco/locos are involved, do they need a slave board with a PS2 (5V or 3V) and a PS3 systems?
 
Thx!
 
Originally Posted by GGG:

RJR is correct.  What doesn't work?  This is a PS-2 5V with slave, so you really are looking at board replacement only.  You probably have to do some modifications to mounting if you go with a PS-2 3V board, or find a doner 5V engine.

 

Need to make sure slave board works even if 5V board is dead.  G

 

Yes.  G

Thx Joe. I got them because they were less than $400 for both shipped. I have bought many enignes just because they were a "good deal" . I usually do not do FEC RR but they look good and my plan was to use the PS2 from one of them to upgrade another non powered loco... May be I should sell them as is, make some money and then purchase a steamer!!! What ya think?
 
Originally Posted by Engineer-Joe:

 What a deal you got. I search high and low for the two rail versions most of the time. There's plenty of the three rail ones but usually not the scale wheeled fixed pilots. They are usually spoken for.

 

Thx George.  This "slave board" is the same for  PS2 5V and 3V and the PS3 too? whats the part number please?
Now that I understand this requirement, my plans may change.
 
Originally Posted by GGG:
Originally Posted by BigBoy4014:
Hi George; Does a PS3 upgrade need a slave board for four motors? Any time a four motor loco/locos are involved, do they need a slave board with a PS2 (5V or 3V) and a PS3 systems?
 
Thx!
 
Originally Posted by GGG:

RJR is correct.  What doesn't work?  This is a PS-2 5V with slave, so you really are looking at board replacement only.  You probably have to do some modifications to mounting if you go with a PS-2 3V board, or find a doner 5V engine.

 

Need to make sure slave board works even if 5V board is dead.  G

 

Yes.  G

 

Originally Posted by BigBoy4014:
Thx Joe. I got them because they were less than $400 for both shipped. I have bought many enignes just because they were a "good deal" . I usually do not do FEC RR but they look good and my plan was to use the PS2 from one of them to upgrade another non powered loco... May be I should sell them as is, make some money and then purchase a steamer!!! What ya think?
 
Originally Posted by Engineer-Joe:

 What a deal you got. I search high and low for the two rail versions most of the time. There's plenty of the three rail ones but usually not the scale wheeled fixed pilots. They are usually spoken for.

 

I don't know if you use KD's or like the fixed pilots?

If not, let me know. I too have bought many engines because of the deal. The problem now is there are too many. Sometimes the conversion to two rail, leaves them backed up in storage. That pile is forever growing!

 I do have a RK B&M mountain steamer looks new in box, if you're interested, we could do a deal. I also have some diesels.

 Most of my other steamers, are two rail, or have been converted. I mainly hunt for modern diesels.

PS-2 3V and 5V slave boards are the same.  AC-0000011.  PS-3 is not, it is totally different as PS-3 slave units have tachs.

 

The slave upgrade kit for a Turbine is ii-0001903 and for F-x ABA is ii-0001905.  But as John states they are sold to ASC only because of the extra complexity of the install.  G

Originally Posted by Engineer-Joe:

I don't know if you use KD's or like the fixed pilots?

If not, let me know. I too have bought many engines because of the deal. The problem now is there are too many. Sometimes the conversion to two rail, leaves them backed up in storage. That pile is forever growing!

 I do have a RK B&M mountain steamer looks new in box, if you're interested, we could do a deal. I also have some diesels.

 Most of my other steamers, are two rail, or have been converted. I mainly hunt for modern diesels.

I prefer fixed pilots of course and 2R track too, but I like so many locos the selection in 3R meets my needs so I am stuck with center rail and moving pilots which I certainly dislike a lot.

I do have a few MTH 2R steamers and Diesels, Like them all...Plz email me and we can talk...Cheers!

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