TIU problem

Larry,

When you give power to the engine, does it remain dark and silent or does it come on with lights and sounds?

Does it do this with all of your PS2/PS3 engines or just this one?

If the answers are "lights and sounds" and "all of them", try presing:

Menu/System/DCS Setup and the AON soft key.

Thanks for the reply Barry. Three different PS2 engines react the same way; no lights but do hear the soft "click" when power is applied. Don't have any PS3 to try.

Larry,

Based on that, the TIU is, indeed, putting out a DCS watchdog signal on Fixed #1.

Swap the TIU inputs and outputs with those for Fixed #2 and see if the problem moves to Fixed #2. If the problem remains on Fixed #1, the problem is the TIU's Fixed Channel #1. If it moves to Fixed #2, the problem is in the wiring or tracks where the problem is occurring.

Barry, the problem stayed on fixed #1

Larry,

From wbat you describe, it sounds as if Fixed #1 is failing.

Can you get any PS2 enginr to start up when connected to Fixed #1 so that you can do a DCS signal strength test?

Barry
  Haven't had any luck starting engines on track #1 (fixed #1). What I tried was to start engine on track #2 (fixed #2) and then switched engine to track 1 via crossover switches.
The engine continued to run when on track 1 but I had no control over the engine with the remote.

I have tested the track signal on track 2 with this TIU and get 9 to 10 on complete circuit around the track.
The signal level with the old non rev L TIU is consistently 9 to 10 on tracks 1 and 2. 

Barry
   I was hoping that the problem with the TIU was something that could be fixed without sending it back to MTH. The main reason for buying the rev L was to simplify upgrades using the USB port.
My computer always seems to dislike the drivers for the USB to serial cables. However I do now have an old laptop with the DB9 port so it's not an issue anymore.

Thank you for all the help. I did download your book this AM and have already found several good tips; the book is well worth owning.

Larry,

Unfortunately, it sounds as if a return to MTH is in your TIU's near future.

Thanks for purchasing my book!

Larry, FWIW, I had the exact same failure, one channel stopped sending the DCS signal, yet the engines would come up dark on the channel.  Resets of any kind didn't help it.  It works fine after it's trip to MTH.  They are replacing some buffer chips and adding some diodes, at least that's what my repair order says.  I talked to the MTH tech and they stated that some of the Rev. L units needed these.  Also, my other Rev. L unit has a different PCB layout, so there is at least two different spins of the Rev. L hardware.

Thanks for the input gunrunner. I tried to call them this afternoon and was on hold for ten min and then was cut off.
I will put the TIU away and call sometime when they aren't so busy.