Change strobe rate on PS3 Upgrade

Have you tried uploading the file of the engine you have into the new one?

Chris has the answer.  Since they're both diesels and PS/3, loading the chain and sound files should make the strobe rate match.

Excellent; thank you both!

Bad news guys... loading the new file did not change the strobe rate.

Any suggestions?

thanks!

-Mario

call mth and ask them if they can help you or they can create a flash code for your engine you so the flashing light will be correct ! Alan

Did you load the sound files AND the chain files?  Hard to believe the strobe didn't change to the desired rate with all the files loaded from the engine you're trying to match.  Also, it's possible that the files shown on the page for your engines don't match what was loaded into them to start.  You could also load the sound and chain files into the other engine to match the upgraded one.

If that fails, have you thought if perhaps interposing a little circuitry and creating your own strobe drive?  Since there is a signal you can tap off, I can think of a fairly simple method of sensing when the strobe is active and just driving your own strobe generator.

Did you load both the chainfile and the sound file? G

Great minds think alike George.

@GGG posted:

Did you load both the chainfile and the sound file? G

Thanks all. I’ve got bigger fish now... it’s completely shot after updating the sounds.

@GGG, I emailed you for help.

😢

@CentralFan1976 posted:

Thanks all. I’ve got bigger fish now... it’s completely shot after updating the sounds.

@GGG, I emailed you for help.

😢

Try turning it on in conventional. After sound file changes (albeit subways I did this with) I had only horn and bell after a change. Turning it on in conventional got me full sounds again.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Yup.

This is what happened after about a minute of the new sound file...

No sound, no movement. It would move in conventional only, but the fan would still pulse. So I opened her up and started with pulling the connector for the fans, also to no avail.

Then I went deeper... and now it’s truly dead. Only thing I get is track power to the lights. All the lights, at the same time.

So... I’ve called in a professional.

To close the loop, this was not a true PS-3.  It was  a PS-2 engine repaired with a PS-32 board.  So the strobes would be different.  Remember with PS-32 you can't change the flash code, it must remain PS-32 flash to work bulbs.  You can use a PS-3 Sound file only.  Unfortunately the board is dead.  G

@GGG posted:

To close the loop, this was not a true PS-3.  It was  a PS-2 engine repaired with a PS-32 board.  So the strobes would be different.  Remember with PS-32 you can't change the flash code, it must remain PS-32 flash to work bulbs.  You can use a PS-3 Sound file only.  Unfortunately the board is dead.  G

Thank you for everything you’ve done so far. It has been a great help and I emailed you back, I have some questions before we proceed.

Thanks!

- Mario

Update from @GGG.

thank you again!

Ok folks!

Special thanks @GGG on this one, again! It’s back and sounds great!  I just painted the wheels before putting the shell, fuel tank and side frames back on, but a quick sound check makes me very, very happy!

even the smoke works now! Not that I smoke...

thanks!

-Mario

All back together; smokes and sounds like new!

I want to make sure I got this right.  The strobes flashed at different rates on engines that were similar.   And now after significant efforts you are back to where you started?  If so congratulations.   I've not always been that lucky.

Well, you make it sound silly, when you put it that way.
I can try and make a long story, shorter.

First the earth cooled, then the rains came. Then I purchased an PS3 F40PH that had been upgraded to PS3 and tried swapping the sound files, and there was a short that ended up frying the board (when I messed with it) and yes, I’m back to a PS3 upgraded locomotive that now has the sound file I wanted (Lake Shore) but the stock strobe rate.

Whew.

It doesn't sound silly cause at least you got back to where you started.

I opened up my Williams Amtrak engine because it seemed to be running terribly slow.  While getting it open one side frame on one power truck crumbled.   I went ahead and took out any grease in the truck and repacked it.  While putting it back together the other side frame crumbled and the coupler broke.

Although the problem and objectives were a little different, I thought your outcome was much better than mine.

If you go up to the 4/2/21 post I explain.  They were not the same engine board set.  One is PS-3 and LED and the other is PS-32 for bulbs.  So the flash codes are different and must remain that way for PS-32.  Hence the different strobe rate. G

Got out to the club this weekend and was able to play with the F40PH.

Thanks!

-Mario

update!

I think I found an appropriate add on to help with the strobe rate.  I have purchased a few Circuitron PS-3 power supplies and FLA Amtrak flasher kits. 

From my research, I can use the PS-3 to convert the AC track voltage to the DC power needed for the FLA circuits, of which you can see a short video here (video not my own)...

I apologize for the video, but it is the only one that I could find of the kit installed.  The bulbs are small enough that they should fit inside the MTH strobe housing.

Stay tuned!

Thanks!

- Mario

Amtrak strobe kit FLA from Circuitron...