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Just got a new MTH Genset Switcher in Pacific Harbor livery and it's awesome, except for one thing: the Horn button makes the loco's bell ring, and the Bell button makes the horn blow - they're switched!

Am running in conventional mode using a Z-1000 for control.

Is there something obvious I should be checking for here? A Williams NW-2 runs fine with normal control of bell and whistle using the correct buttons.

Thanks!
Steve
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Steve,

 

For the bell and whistle to work correctly in conventional, the transformer must be wired so that Hot is on center rail and Common is on an outside rail. Reversing them reverses the bell and whistle buttons.

 

If you only have the two engines, one or the other is, indeed, wired incorrectly. If you are wired correctly, the MTH engine is wired wrong. If not, then the Williams is wired wrong.

 

Regardless, reversing the wires between the transformer and the track should also reverse the bell and whistle buttons on the transformer, as well.

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

Ah, you know, that's probably what it is: this was on our carpet central loop, which my kids have access to during the day when I'm out. They frequently adjust the layout and might very well have reversed the wires without me realizing it.

 

I did not - but should have - run the NW-2 to confirm whether or not its bell and whistle were reversed. It got to be bed time and we ran out of time. In the past, the NW-2's whistle and bells worked normally, but that was when I had wired the layout myself, making sure to run hot on the center.

 

I'll check it out tonight - thanks for the fast reply!


Steve

Last edited by surfimp
Originally Posted by surfimp:

Ah, you know, that's probably what it is: this was on our carpet central loop, which my kids have access to during the day when I'm out. They frequently adjust the layout and might very well have reversed the wires without me realizing it.

 

I did not - but should have - run the NW-2 to confirm whether or not its bell and whistle were reversed. It got to be bed time and we ran out of time. In the past, the NW-2's whistle and bells worked normally, but that was when I had wired the layout myself, making sure to run hot on the center.

 

I'll check it out tonight - thanks for the fast reply!


Steve

Two Words: Polarized Plugs.

I think the kids most likely got the wires reversed at the lockon itself, as opposed to coming out of the Z-1000 controller box. This is on a temporary tubular track layout that they play around on with other (less expensive!!) locomotives and trolleys. The Genset is only allowed to be run when Daddy is present

 

Steve

But you can get polarized plugs for the layout side too.  We use them in Ham radio all the time.

What kind of plugs are you referring to? The only ones that make sense would be banana plugs. I've never seen nor heard of such a plug or jack. Color coded, of course. Polarized, I don't think so.

 

Could you provide a specific product reference?

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

The only thing that I could find that calls itself a polarized banana plug is actually a BNC connector that breaks out into a color coded dual banana plug or jack.

 

 ConnectorA-1059.jpg

This doesn't really appear to do anything for connecting MTH banana jack-equipped devices such as the Terminal Block, TIU, Z4000, RealTrax lockon, or Z-Controller. It's still color coding that determines polarity.

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Last edited by Barry Broskowitz
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