I just picked up a MT-2080LP Milwaukee FM H10-44 diesel. It has a freshly charged MTH battery. I am using 3 Z1000 transformers on my layout. It will not come out of reset. The loco works fine with a 1950s AF transformer. All other PS1 locos work fine with the Z1000s. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Or is it just a matter that this old loco needs a pure sine wave to work.
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Could be that your MTH engine needs the older transformer to work correctly with. I have a Weaver engine that runs on post war transformers really well but doesn't like the Z-1000 transformer.
Lee Fritz
Try lowering voltage some more on the Z-1000. But as stated could need pure sine wave. Early QSI and Protosounds do need it. G
Thanks to everyone for the input. I have a newer board that I can put in the loco.
A 2080LP was made in 1995. it requires pure sine wave AC, as Lee and GGG posted.
I had a similar situation with a MTH 1994 Premier model of Southern Ps-4 1401 in the Smithsonian that I purchased from a Forumite. It ran only with postwar transformers, as I had suspected it would. I got a board for a 1997 RailKing Ps-4 from MTH Parts, and Wayne Renga of J and W Electronics installed it. I gained Passenger Station Announcements (PSA), and now it runs with newer transformers.
Early ProtoSounds systems (a MTH adaptation of QSIndustries boards) are designed for Lionel Electrical Operating Standards (L.E.O.S.). They have low tolerances for newer transformers with "chopped" sine wave AC. Later PS-1 systems are a bit more tolerant, but "chopped" AC can damage or destroy them, especially when voltage is increased to pull trains.
ReadingFan posted:Later PS-1 systems are a bit more tolerant, but "chopped" AC can damage or destroy them, especially when voltage is increased to pull trains.
How many destroyed PS-1 boards from non-sine wave transformers have you seen? I've never used anything but so called chopped sine wave transformers on lots of PS-1 locomotives (1996 and newer), and never hurt one, and they get lots of run time pulling long heavy trains. Yes, PS-1 locomotives can be picky when running on anything but the recommended transformers (Some are way pickier than others.), but it doesn't hurt them.
To the OP, make sure the track voltage is under 10 volts, and put a lighted caboose or passenger car in the same power block as the locomotive, then try the direction button. If that doesn't work, make sure it's not locked in neutral and has a new battery. Charged battery doesn't mean anything if the battery is more than 3 years old in these locomotives.
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