(UPDATE 10/22) NEW help now.......Conventional runner needs PS help please!!!

Dave, pull the shell off and you will be able to change out the 9v battery with the 9v BCR. Then apply power not to exceed 10 and allow the bcr to charge. You will see the amps drop to .07 when it's charged.  Then it should start up and run. If you are getting 3 clanges of death you have issues and the PS1 board will need to be reset.

I got my BCR and installed it. Still sounds but no movement. Did the '18' reset...still no movement.  Tried a number of resets....and I got it to cycle F/N/R a few times....thought it was fixed...but while sitting in neutral it did the 3 clanks, sound shut down and now it's just doing random sounds with no moving. Is it just dead?? Will a PS Make force work?? I don't have one....already spent more than needed on this project......last resort is gut and Dallee DCRU so I can run her. thanks 

Your going to need to get the PS1 reset chip. You can still find them or I sure someone here might have one. If nothing else drop a Williams board in. Good thing about the reset chip is that it is reusable.

hi i would be glad to reset it for you but im in new jersey. just contact GGG he lives in WV and  he would not charge too  much to rerset it for you.

Alan

if you think a reset would cure my loco's ills I may just buy one.  I found one for about $25.......even if someone offered to do it for free.....shipping would be more than that.....so I may just buy a reset kit and try....I'd really like to save this one rather than gut her. thanks

Generally 3 clangs of death its needed.  If your going to run PS1 engines its good to have it. The 3 clangs of death is usually caused by a bad battery. I learned this the hard way.

I get a few clanks here and there when the battery is down. It won't move unless the battery is charged. Maybe there's something wrong with the battery circuit or the BCR did not charge fully?

Getting the engine to move with some transformers is more difficult. Running with the Z4000 is much easier.

Are you lowering the voltage enough to switch out of neutral?

As Engineer joe said, some transformers are not Protosounds friendly, and ironically, the MTH Z750 and Z1000 are among them, as well as the CW80 by Lionel. Try putting it on the track, using a postwar transformer, just turn the voltage up enough to start the sounds, let the BCR charge for 30 seconds, then turn the power off and then back on. It should start to move forward, then turn the voltage up to run it at your preferred speed. Protosounds locos, as long as a BCR is in them, are very long lasting, and gutting the electronics would deprive you of sounds and reversing. Let us know if we can be of assistance. 

I got my MTH reset chip and did as instructed. Put the Dash loco on test track. Everything worked but no horn????  Not a huge issue....it had sound and ran both directions as commanded.  Tested it for about 45 minutes.....FNR....idle.....FNR......bell.....just no horn....OK...put the shell back on.....one more test.......

A TOTAL HOT MESS!!!!!!!! A loud feedback hum/buzz sound constantly...sound spotty...on and off at will.  Direction control spotty.....works sometimes...not others. Unless someone has a idea of what happened she will go under the knife and not only remove all boards but motors too....a pretty dummy that will give me no more issues. 

I am thankful for the help.....and even thankful I bought this mess.......I told myself NO MORE TRAINS WITH BRAINS.....this was an expensive reminder....but I needed it evidently.   A big thanks to all!!

Dave

Only thing I can think of is to check all the connections going into the board and also the pig tails.  Some of these shells are tight and leave little room for play. Reinstalling the shell means making sure all the wiring is not catching on or being pinched by the shell. I know its a pain in the ####. 

Funny I am having a similar issue with one of My 3rd Rail FT A units. Shell off Full TMCC control. Shell on Starts up, Directional control, but once starts moving no control. In conventional mode operates only in forward no reverse. Take the shell back off full control again. Must be a Saturday thing.

Doug

OK......took the body off......working again. So I went with my old job's logic of finding a hardware issue. Body placed on chassis, tested, good. 

Two screws installed, tested, good.

Two more screws installed, tested, good.

Last two installed, tested, good.

Still no horn but good sound and direction control, all I'll ask of her right now.

Thanks

Glad its running now. Sometimes theses things just defy logic. Still having issues with mine.

The horn should only blow in motion, not neutral.  What transformer are you using.  The number listed did not come up on MTH website,  Sure it is 2179?  G

GGG posted:

The horn should only blow in motion, not neutral.  What transformer are you using.  The number listed did not come up on MTH website,  Sure it is 2179?  G

20-2179a part of a set I think....I did, after lots of searching, find it on MTH site. She is behaving ok right now. My test lop has a Z750.....I know not the best for testing. Thanks to all!!