Issue with PS 3 brand new out of the box engine attempting to run conventionally with AC.

Item number and picture always helps.

 

Thinking DCS is AC, POLARITY is DC as in +/-.

 

John good morning. First the switch needs to be set at DCS the other is for DCC. Next Try this. Set engine on the track. Raise voltage to 11. Watch Amp meter. Once capacitors charge it should drop to about .7. Once that happens every thing should work.

There should be 2 light blue square pots under the engine.  With a yellow Philip head in center.  This is the conventional smoke and volume controls.  Find the volume one and make sure it is turned CW.

 

After that, the engine may be locked in neutral, once you get sounds let the engine start up and then do a conventional reset, 1W and 5B following the instructions in the manual.  You will get 2 confirming toots.  After that it should run in conventional. G

the polarity switch is bypassed in three rail mode I believe.

That is a problem.  There is no DCC switch.  One side of the switch days DCC the other side POLARITY.  There is no DCC anywhere.  I'm completely guessing this switch should be set forPolarity for AC conventional operation.  Am I correct?

Thank you.
       

I have adjusted the volume control. No sound.  Engine front light comes on for a second or two then goes off.  Then rear light comes on.  Then as it warms up smoke starts.  Nothing else.  I will try a reset after 7 this evening.div class="quoteHeading">Originally Posted by GGG:
       

I'm completely guessing this switch should be set forPolarity for AC conventional operation.  Am I correct?

As Sukovich noted, "polarity" is for the DCC system.  Try it to "DCS."  MTH never has had a switch to chose between conventional and DCS; without going into details, that is generally determined by the presence or absence of a DCS signal emanating from the TIU.

Does it say "DCS" or "DCC"? (Typo?)

Find the MTH product number yet? It will make it a lot easier to assist.

Hey wait a minute!  Your posts are not consistent.  Does one position say dcs or dcc?

PS-3 doesn't have polarity switch.  It would only have a 2 Rail/3 Rail switch and a DCS/DCC switch.

 

The frame could be modified from a PS-2 version and maybe the markings are wrong.

 

Conventional Ops should not be effected, but you can try it in one position and then another.

 

Your symptoms are not making much sense.

 

Apply 12 Volts and observe the headlight.  It should come on quickly at about 2-3secs.  Then wait.  Once the capacitor charges the rest of the lights, sounds, and smoke should come on.  (Interior light and markers if the engine has them).  If the volume pot is not controlling volume, try a 1W and 5B while in neutral, before you try changing direction.  You just won't get a confirmation toot unless sounds do come back.

 

If still no sounds, try hitting direction button once for forward.  If no motion do it twice more for reverse.  Does reverse light come on, and headlight go out?

 

May be time to take to a tech.   G

Just make sure the switch is set on DCS. I have been in meetings all morning. If you still have issues take it to a tech.

Power supply?   also..... This is just a question but might help down the road. If no DCC or DCS  switch how does the engine know what mode it should be in?

Steam will have a jumper on the board to lock in DCS.  Remove jumper and board is in DCC.  Diesel has the switch, or else it must be hardwired with the Rev D board.  G

reads DCS on one side and POLARITY on the other side.  Which position should this switch be in when running AC conventional?

 

What is the model number of your engine? By any chance did it come with an instruction manual? Select DCS.

As posted by GGG you could try one position and then the other. Polarity switch was used in a 2 rail environment with PS 2.0. The DCS Signal only went down one rail and electronics only looked for the signal on one rail. If the signal was on the other rail the electronics couldn't find it. This all went away with PS 3.0. I suspect the switch is really a DCS/DCC. It won't hurt anything to do as GGG suggests and try both positions. Good luck.

the Mikes train house item number is 202-0172 - 1. thank you everyone for their suggestions. I have tried everything as everyone has suggested. the results are the same. There is no sound coming from the engine. I have adjusted the volume control fully to both ends and to the center getting no sound in any three of the positions. I have the conventional transformer. and per the instruction manual and per the instructions I have received on here I attempted to reset. it was unsuccessful. thank you everyone. It looks like this will have to go to a Tech.

20-20172-1.

 

Last question. What are you using for a transformer?

THANK YOU!!!  To all for advice.  Finally after pushing a restart sequence with a Conventional Transformer the engine is moving!!!!!!!!!!!

 

NOW:  The new issue.  There is no sound.  No sound at all.  I have turned the volume control on the Engine as directed in the instructions clockwise to make the sound louder.  NOTHING.  I turned counterclockwise.. NOTHING.  I put at a point in the middle.  NOTHING.

 

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE CORRECT SEQUENCE OF BUTTONS TO PUSH ON A CONVENTIONAL TRANSFORMER TO TURN ON THE MASTER INTERNAL VOLUME CONTROL??????

 

John Robert Coy

do you mean this one?

http://mthtrains.com/search/20-20172%20-%201

Yes



       

None of my PS3 have a polarity switch.A PS3 feature is its ability to detect the rail with the signal. Your 20- #should be a Premier which uses a 2 / 3 rail switch, and a DCS DCC switch along with two pots for for volume and smoke for non command use. Like GGG said, old frame and markings possibly adding to the confusion. Did you restore your sounds yet?

I'm not sure what a restart sequence is?

look at G's post....

this resets the engine and may fix the sound.

Manual Volume Control To adjust the volume of all sounds made by this engine, turn the manual volume control (fig. 5) clockwise to increase the volume and counterclockwise to reduce the volume. Turning the manual volume control completely counterclockwise will turn of all of the engine sounds and announcements.

 

And my question again: what type of transformer are you using?????

Now that it is running and all features work except sounds, you have two options.

 

One is to find a club or LHS with DCS set up and have them test the engine under DCS.  IF sounds work, I would suspect a wiring issue on the pot,

 

If still no sounds you can take the shell off and look for a broken wire to the volume pot, the speaker, and possible remove and reseat the 40 pin connector.  If your not skilled in this type of work, I would take to a tech.  May be a simple issues, but best if your skilled at working on engines like this and understand how to be delicate and manage wires when reassembling.  Plus if you don't solder, you can't fix anyway.

 

G

Z4000.

If I can't get working.  I will take to a skilled man who has DCS.

Still hoping I can find a sequence code to use on this engine with my Z4000 transformer

I just had the second one in a month come in with those exact symptoms.  Runs fine under DCS, everything but movement works in conventional.  A conventional reset of one whistle and five bells fixed both of them.

 

No sounds either?  He did do a reset and got motion, but still no sounds.  G

I missed that, mine had sounds, just wouldn't move.

Still hoping I can find a sequence code to use on this engine with my Z4000 transformer

GRJ restated it in the post immediately following yours, if your looking for the sequence to do a "conventional reset."  1/2 second intervals.

The volume is controlled by the volume pot, but if for some reason the processor is conflicted.  The 1Whistle and 5 Bells is the conventional reset and restores all features to factory default, except ID (But do not worry about that for conventional operation).  All of this is in a chart in your instruction manual.  G

George has there been many failures of the audio chip in these ps3 engines or does 1 whistle and 5 bells generally fix these issues?

Alan

Anything is possible.  Don't have a high sample size on PS-3 diesel yet.  The few were either simple or dead.   G

It's going to an authorized MTH repair place.  No sound.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

G

Something to note. All the PS3 engines I have had issues with one thing was common. The wiring bundles were zip tied very tight causing the wires either to be pulled lose from the connections or the connectors were being pulled sideways. Resulting in bent pins and bad connections. 

Same question. Is that?Samsung Galaxy S6 cover

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge cover

 

please let us know the final outcome, and the solution!

Good luck hope it don't cost to much to repair!

Alan