I just tried to install my engine on DCS and having no luck at all what am I doing wrong

What kind of engine?  PS2 or 3?  Let the battery charge a bit if applicable?  

Proto 3 I guess that is PS3 right?

What batteries? I put new batteries in the remote.

I think I can help with one.

 

First of all, I am very jealous of your Chapelon Steamer,  I realllllllllly want one but its just not in the budget.

 

Anyway, It looks like you have the power into the variable input of the tiu.  In order for the tiu to work it has to have power into the fixed terminals or the separate power input.

 

Either switch the power to the fixed input terminals or take those scraps of wire sitting on your table and jumper the the fixed input to the variable input.  I can't tell if you are on fixed or variable output, but if you are on the variable you have to first hit the track button on the remote, select the variable output you are using, and scroll the voltage up.  The you should be able to add the engine.

 

Simplest thing is to make sure you are on fixed input 1 and fixed output 1, and have fresh batteries in the remote.  At that point if nothing is working post some more questions with a little more info as to what is happening.

The power appears to be going into the fixed #1 in and he's connected to the fixed #1 out.  That is correct, do you get a relay click from the locomotive when you apply power?

 It looks as if you have a new French locomotive.  It must be either PS-2 or 3.

 

It doesn't appear to me that you have the TIU hooked up correctly.  The power from the brick needs to go to Fixed Input 1 (it appears to be in fixed 2) or you need a separate 12 volt power supply for the TIU.  I don't see the separate 12 volt TIU power supply in the photo but I really can't tell.

 

Make sure that the TIU is hooked up correctly.  Also make sure that the link between the handheld and TIU is working.  Hopefully you have the instructions for both the TIU and the handheld?

 

Good luck.   Joe

 

 

 

Again, the power is connected correctly to the TIU, at least the brick goes in to FIXED #1 and the track is connected to the FIXED #1 output.  Look at the picture again Joe.

 

 

does the track clip light up when you power up the tiu threw the remote?

Alan

I do have it hooked up to the fixed going in and out but how much voltage
should I dial up for the track?
thanks for your help,
Ross

On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 3:16 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <
alerts@hoop.la> wrote:

What do you mean by 12 volt power supply I do have the Brick hooked up
thanks for your help,
Ross

On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 3:22 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <
alerts@hoop.la> wrote:

18-20 volts.

no click at all,
Ross

On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 3:26 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <
alerts@hoop.la> wrote:

The track lockon lights up when I plug in the brick otherwise nothing else
is happening
thanks,
Ross

On Sat, Apr 4, 2015 at 3:33 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <
alerts@hoop.la> wrote:

A few really basic points:

 

1) When the brick is turned on, with the circuit-breaker reset, does a small red light come on deep inside the TIU?

 

2) Is your handheld "matched" to the TIU?

 

3) When power is applied, does that red light come on at the track power connector?

yes red light lights up in TIU when I plug it in, how do I match up handheld to TIU? Yes the lockon for the track lights up when I plug in brick

Please read the DCS instruction manual/guide for that.

 

Also, make sure that the switch on the tender/engine is in the "3-Rail" position, and not the "2-Rail" position.

 

You are providing very good feed-back information. Keep it up and one of the guys here will get you through this.

Ross,

 

Your connections appear to be correct. Now, proceed as follows:

• Unplug the brick from the wall
• Place the engine on the track
• Plug the brick back into the wall. The internal red LED in the TIU should turn on
• Turn on the remote by pressing the power button for a second or two
• After several seconds, the remote should display "NO ACTIVE DCS ENGINES"
• After that message clears, press the READ button and watch the screen. The remote should report that it found a TIU
• Now press MENU, then turn the thumbwheel to highlight SYSTEM and press the thumbwheel again
• The words ENGINE SETRUP should be highlighted. Press the thumbwheel
• The words ADD ENGINE should be highlighted. Press the thumbwheel
• The words ADD DCS ENGINE should be highlighted. Press the thumbwheel
• The remote should find your engine, add it to the DCS Remote, and display its name
• Press STARTUP and your engine should turn on with lights and sounds.

Now, use the thumbwheel to get it moving, and the bell, whistle and other keys as appropriate.

 

Follow the above steps exactly and, if something doesn't go as expected, tell us exactly what happens instead.

 

Then purchase a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition!  

I get Out of RF Range what is that about?

cycle the power on the tiu off and on then  immediately count the number of the blinks of the red led inside the tiu you can see the led threw the slots in the plastic, it should blink 1 time check it and get back to me ok!

 

Alan

Not to worry. Happens to me all the time, i.e. welcome to the world of DCS.

Alan, 

 

Please stay out of this discussion. You have no clue how to help this guy and the TIU number means absolutely nothing at this time.

your getting out of range because your remote is not communicating with  the tiu that's why i want you to count the led number of blinks on power up ok.Alan

Ross,

 

Pleas just read and follow my previous post.

Alan,

your getting out of range because your remote is not communicating with  the tiu that's why i want you to count the led number of blinks on power up ok.Alan

That's wrong!

 

If the remote can't find the TIU, it reports TIU NOT FOUND, not an error message.

 

Please stand down!

OK, you two guys are WAY over my head! I'll go back upstairs and run some more trains.

Ross,

 

In my profile you will find my E-mail address. If you send me an E-mail with your telephone number, I'll walk you through getting your engine to operate under DCS.

Hello Ross

      If our Fellow Forum Members can not resolve this issue call,

MTH at 410-381-2580 • This Monday and they will supply a technician, that will stay with you until this problem is resolved. MTH has phone support, the operator will give you the hours of operations.

     If you made this purchase from Authorized MTH dealer, give them a call.

Good Luck

 

It blinked one time only

Ross • Talk with Barry on the phone, he knows his stuff.....

Try checking the 2rail switch sometimes  they come in with  2 rail on instead of 3 rail or they are in dcc instead of dcs .

It has DCS and Dcc which is 3 rail DCS right?

Ross,

    Now that you have as DCS you need to invest in Barry's DCS O Gauge Companion book, and the OGR Video Guide to DCS, both are great education on your DCS.  The OGR Video Guide shows you visually, from the beginning how to set up and operate the DCS.  Rich does a great job, this video is especially good for beginners, if you are a visual learning type person.  Barry's book is the educational Bible on DCS.  I highly recommend that if Barry is willing to talk to you either here on the OGR, or on the phone, listen to his advise and follow his directions, he has helped me learn the DCS operation down thru the years, and nobody knows more about DCS than Barry. 

PCRR/Dave

I just got off the a Face Time call with Ross.

 

His issue was simple - the engine is a 20-3388-2, which was set up for 2 rail track from the factory. The center rail pickups were never installed.

 

He'll be taking it to an MTH dealer to have the pickup rollers installed and the switch set to 2-Rail (he couldn't find the manual and it wasn't on MTH's site).

 

It appears that all of the couplers on the engine and 3 passenger cars he also acquired (via his son and an estate sale) have Kadee's so he should be OK in that regard, at least for now.

 

I also checked and his remote finds the TIU just fine.

Good job Barry 

The customer asked the waiter to "taste my soup." 

The waiter replied, "to much salt?"

Customer, "taste it."

Waiter, "To hot?"

Customer, "taste it."

Waiter,"to cold?"

Customer, "taste it."

Ok give me your spoon!

Customer, "Ah ha!"

No pickup rollers...I think everyone here would haven't a chance without that tidbit of I formation. 

Marty,

 

Yeah, it didn't occur to me until after he told me the engine was a -2. Then, I used Face Time to look for myself.

 

Ross is brand-new to O gauge railroading and didn't notice this himself. Every so often, it's good to take a step back and realize that some things that "everyone knows", aren't truely known to everyone!  

Ross,

   Glad you found out what the problems was.

Have fun

PCRR/Dave