Trying to diagnose an issue with my engine 20-3474-1E (PS3.0 Santa Fe 4-6-4 Hudson). The engine runs very well, but an issue occurs when the smoke is turned on. When smoke is turned on the front headlight and two marker lights flicker to the beat of the steam chuff. When I turn the smoke unit off there is no flicker. I am using a ZWL, with Atlas track and DCS (Rev L,latest software).
Thanks for your help and recommendations.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Sounds like a loose connection somewhere, or it could be a bad smoke motor. If the smoke motor draws too much current, it'll cause what you see.
Could even be as simple as turn the ZWL up a few more volts.
Thanks for the input,
ZWL is at max - 18 V on fixed channel. John, have not broke into the unit yet, was going to take the shell off to see if a loose ground. Does anyone know if there is a regulator board which controls both the smoke unit and marker lights/headlight, I seem to remember something like that.
I have a premier big boy that does that. Not proto 3, but it is proto 2. Mth recommended lowering voltage to around 16 volts. It seems to work. Worth a try.
Steam Loco Greg posted:Thanks for the input,
ZWL is at max - 18 V on fixed channel. John, have not broke into the unit yet, was going to take the shell off to see if a loose ground. Does anyone know if there is a regulator board which controls both the smoke unit and marker lights/headlight, I seem to remember something like that.
Not for a MTH PS engine. Smoke unit is dumb and fed from the PS-2 or 3 board. The smoke fan motor is the most likely suspect for PS-3 LED lights. G
The fan would be where I'd be looking first.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
