MTH # 30-1726-1 Clinchfield Challenger Interior cab light lostl0

Boiler board only has a 30-pin connecter.  Interior light should go to pin 27.  You could move it to another pin, if that output was turned on by the chain file, but it will not turn off when moving (like PS2 does).

Master Electronic Engineer    here Jon.

Thank you for the reply sir.                                                       On the left bank of the connecter : 1st wire white ( 29 )  ,2nd wire yellow (27)   , 3rd wire black (25) and then three (23) (21) (19) open cavities.          Would one of those pin openings satisfy the yellow wire move possibly ?

No problem with cab interior being lit always in an unprototypical manner.

Thank you.

19 and 21 likely don’t have any output.  You could try 23.  

@Jon G posted:

19 and 21 likely don’t have any output.  You could try 23.  

Can't wait to try it Jon. Thank you

You nailed it Jon

Thank you very much sir.    A Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours .      God Speed in all your endeavors.

Jon G. ,if I need any more assistance for another mth engine are you OK being called upon or are you pretty busy with all your other activities? 🤔

@Jon G posted:

19 and 21 likely don’t have any output.  You could try 23.  

Perfect operation on the interior cab light Jon......on conventional.........I believe that #23 pin is probably for number boards ....this Railking steamer doesn't have them and the DCS / Remote brain won't accept the command to turn #23 on.

I'll have to figure out how to get this sorted out. 🤔

I might have handled the situation slightly different, especially if I had a fleet of PS3 engines.

As an example, take the extremely common 2-8-0 starter engines. They are great engines- but given the starter nature, are not equipped with cab lights, but since PS3 platform (the boards) are the same, well, I'd just swap boiler boards. In other words, put this possibly damaged board with a dead light output not used in that wiring harness into an engine it didn't matter in. Then I'd swap in what I believed to be a good working board into the engine that needed the output. Obviously only do this if you can confirm board versions (EMI vs non EMI, and in some cases the new steaming whistle enabled boiler board) I'm just saying, if you happen to have such an engine in your fleet, an absolute zero cost way.

Edit- also, you probably want to reflash the chain files because that does program the boiler board and tender board as a "set".

I'm not saying the changing wiring and pinning to a different output is not another way to skin the cat, but it might not get the function right and that's what we are running into.

Yes, fully realize my approach is not for everyone. Put another way, this is where having a mixed fleet of high end PS3 steam, and a couple of starter engines- possibly purchased used or on the cheap when they come up for sale,  parts or "spares" can pay off in the long run.

Otherwise it's expensive, but boards are in stock at this exact moment.

I do have a starter ps3 /2-8-0 and I believe a ps3 /2-8-2 in the ' BONE YARD '  Vernon.   

With the aformentioned Challenger and the bone yard locos , I'm not sure how to id the EMI and non EMI versions.    [ reference my "   MASTER ELECTRONIC ENGINEER " ].

This is really very interesting .  I'll have to open the ' bone yard ' 

This topic covers some of that about the boiler boards.

https://ogrforum.com/topic/question-about-ps3-boards

Edit- this is why I slipped in that comment about wanting to program the board chain files- before using it- just to make sure on the compatibility.

I have in the past seen first hand the incompatible state, where the boiler board shorts both directions of the H-bridge (happened on a repair to a MTH Tinplate steam engine that happened to be a mismatch of boards). So, I am extra careful and use a low current power supply when programming (which really is good practice anyway- a pinched wire or all kinds of problems, you don't want to kill an engine under repair on the bench. Again I made the mistake, found out the hard way, and now have rules etched into memory to not make that mistake again- or at least kick myself when I do it again.

You do not need to reflash the chainfile if already compliant.  The boiler board is flash by the tender board at power up.  G

Challenger boiler board and connecter.  ( known good except for interior cab pin. )

BONEYARD  FIND  2-8-2  boiler board and connecter  ( NOT sure if good .)

Yellow ( #27 )  interior cab pin on the Challenger did not work.

An additional third connecter with blue and grey wires was in the 2-8-2 boiler ......not   present in the Challlenger.

Does the 2-8-2 board look compatible when dropped in the big C  ?

Thanks

@GGG posted:

You do not need to reflash the chainfile if already compliant.  The boiler board is flash by the tender board at power up.  G

Does that 2-8-2 board look OK to try in the Challenger George ?

Yes they are both EMI boiler boards.  G

@GGG posted:

Yes they are both EMI boiler boards.  G

Really getting to be too long on this project. 🤔

Tried the boneyard 2-8-2 board and had buzzing coming from the tender.     Reinstalled the original board and everything was as described originally.

IF..... I HAVE TO HAVE an interior light I suppose the best option is to wire to the hot and ground track voltage with the appropriate LED and resistor .  Or just lay out the $60 for the new board. 🤔

Don't give up just yet Dallas.

Either Jon G, Vernon, or George (GGG) will come up with an answer....they are some of the best in the business!!!

Peter.....Buco Australia.

No pain no gain.... or.... if you can take it, you can make it.

Thanks Peter

@Buco posted:

Don't give up just yet Dallas.

Either Jon G, Vernon, or George (GGG) will come up with an answer....they are some of the best in the business!!!

Peter.....Buco Australia.

Maybe a little patience is called for sir. 🤔

Does the 2-8-2 work in the 2-8-2? Or does bone yard mean it has bad boards? G

@GGG posted:

Does the 2-8-2 work in the 2-8-2? Or does bone yard mean it has bad boards? G

Boneyard had to have a bad boiler board George.  Wasn't sure but the 2-8-2 has been in the boneyard disabled for quite some time.

Your lucky it did not take out your good Tender board.  Assumption is you are taking a good board from a starter set that does not use IL.  G

@GGG posted:

Your lucky it did not take out your good Tender board.  Assumption is you are taking a good board from a starter set that does not use IL.  G

The board for the 2-8-2 wasn't a board from a starter set .    I'll have to get a number off the box  .I'll have to go through my boxes to see if I actually saved a box from a boneyard unit.

  I did have a board that had the cap loose and I tried it after I jury rigged it but I need to do a better job of connecting it , maybe with a couple of female ends from a connector since there are two pins protruding from the bottom of the cap ( what are the two pin connectors called ? )

    This board was visually an exact match for the original Challenger board.   This board worked the interior light correctly in neutral with all functions ....lights foward and back , bell , whistle , king signal  , foward whistle , rear whistle  sounds, cab chatter , etc., .....but no joy in foward or reverse movement.        It just sits there making all the appropriate lights and noises. ( I did reinstall the original board again and the only thing that didn't work was the interior LED with the DCS /Remote .....again. )

I know that a test unit would be good to trace the problem area down but it perplexes me that a visual inspection of the components on the board and using an LED probe light can't see anything amiss on traces through the sandwiched ps3 baord.

Thanks for your patience George.

I know expensive, but the boiler board is available and would give you a spare board for the rest of your fleet for an engine sans cab light. In other words, fix the engine now with a new board. Take the suspect damaged board out- that still works for everything else and put in your spares box or restore an engine to function that is broken in your fleet.

@Vernon Barry posted:

I know expensive, but the boiler board is available and would give you a spare board for the rest of your fleet for an engine sans cab light. In other words, fix the engine now with a new board. Take the suspect damaged board out- that still works for everything else and put in your spares box or restore an engine to function that is broken in your fleet.

AE1000E32

BOILER BOARD / PROTOSOUND 3 / O GAUGE STEAM / W/FETS / EMI-COMPLIANT

$60.00/ea

Thank you Vernon.    Easy to use the site that you posted previously when you follow the instructions .

@GGG posted:

You do not need to reflash the chainfile if already compliant.  The boiler board is flash by the tender board at power up.  G

@Vernon Barry posted:

I know expensive, but the boiler board is available and would give you a spare board for the rest of your fleet for an engine sans cab light. In other words, fix the engine now with a new board. Take the suspect damaged board out- that still works for everything else and put in your spares box or restore an engine to function that is broken in your fleet.

AE1000E32

BOILER BOARD / PROTOSOUND 3 / O GAUGE STEAM / W/FETS / EMI-COMPLIANT

$60.00/ea

Received that exact part from MTH just now.  Very fast shipping time.   Good experience .

George and Vernon ,  is there any procedure for the installation or just connect to the boiler ?   

Just connect like you did with the others.  G

Thank you George.   

Stay warm and God Speed sir.

THANK YOU ........

Jon G.  /   Buco  /   Vernon Barry  /  GGG   /   MTH Sales and Service.....................FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE  and PATIENCE.