Dying PS2 locos = killer TIU?

It only blinks on initial set up. It will blink one for TIU one and twice for TIU, etc. if you have more than one TIU.

Your issues sound either a wiring issue or your batteries are not charged. My guess.

I did charge the batteries (so I don't believe that's the issue) but I don't know their current state of charge. Is it possible to check the charge with small voltmeter needles on the charging post or do I need to access the battery directly after removing the shell?

When I plug in the ZW/TIU, the red light is constant on the TIU. The system did operate nicely for a brief bit but then things started to go haywire. My Jie balked and cut out and back on and then died in its tracks. My SD70 ran beautifully for sometime but it too gave way (refused to properly come on and move). My FP40 will fire up but not move or sound off. I love the concept of DCS but oh my! This is all on an over-and-under loop with two trains operating silultaneously. Won't go even with one engine. I get various (brief) messages on my remote: "out of range", engine not on track (most common), etc.

     Wally

I dont use DCS so I can be too much help. . From your description I would question how the layout itself is wired. Intermittent short for example somewhere in the track wiring. Try it without DCS in a conventional mode to see if the wiring is OK to the track. . If engines are being damaged I suspect voltage spikes. If the TIU is not functioning properly perhaps it is generating some or it is being induced by bad wiring past the TIU output. . The TIU has a TVS in it but I would add an extra one to each track loop if engines are being damaged. .

If your ZW is a post war one,not the modern brick,make sure you add a fuse or circuit breaker to the loop.

Dale H

Wally,

When  you power on your TIU, does it blink between 1 and 5 times before the LED comes on steady? If not, or if the LED never comes on, there is a a problem with the TIU. Period.

If the TIU's red LED does blink when it's powered on, count the blinks. This is the TIU's ID#. When the TIU's red LED stops blinking, press READ on the DCS Remote and copy down any messages that appear in the window.

Report exactly the behavior of the TIU's red LED and the messages that result from pressing READ, and we can proceed from there.

Hi Barry;

   I'm still struggling after following your suggestions from weeks ago. I plug in ZW @ 18V and red light in peephole in TIU comes on red and is constant red. No change. The remote reads and finds the "TIU 1", no AIUs (O.K.). That's it. With my "dead" J1e on the track it says "no engine on track" or some such. Amen. Bad TIU? I bought it from a local store as "slightly used".

     Wally

Did you try more than one channel on the TIU?

I had a similar problem, engine running erratically ..  changed the channel on tiu and all is well...  looking to replace soon as now have 2 bad channels..

There may be a repair that can be done on the TIU, and it could be just the fuse in the defective channel(s) is blown.

Wally,

With all due respect, I simply cannot reconcile your two statements:

red light in peephole in TIU comes on red and is constant red. No change.

and

 The remote reads and finds the "TIU 1", no AIUs (O.K.).

with each other. That typically does not happen. Are you absolutely certain that the red LED isn't blinking once?

I am a bit confused. I thought the boards in the engines were physically damaged. Dont see ow a bad TIU could damage the boards.

Dale H

Hallelujeh! All three DCS engines are working again! May have been a simple wiring problem(?). Careless/embarrassed  me(?). More later after I've run them through their paces at length. Yes, Barry one blink! (I only have one TIU).

J1e Hudson still not a smooth operator at getting started (the original troublemaker) but we'll see. I'm going run its legs off this weekend.

   Thanks Barry, GunrunnerJohn,DaleH, JoeG,DMASSO.  Everybody got me thinking. And checking. And analyzing. And checking some more. Keep your fingers crossed! I am!

       ChoCho Wally