MTH B powered units - can run without an A Unit ?

If it has a plug to plug into another locomotive, or a receptacle for a plug, usually in the door it probably can't run alone.

It has a plug. Good point.

Thanks.

It's a PS2 5v slave board in it if it's powered. You'll need an A unit with a PS2 5V board in it to run that.

@CristianG posted:

It has a plug. Good point.

Thanks.

Sure thing. Now Lionel powered b units you can run alone.

The photo shows a four pin connector thus it is not Proto2. This should run by itself. Inside should be a Proto 1 DCRU.

I attach photo with the board inside.

The manual mentions DCRU reverse unit.

If it does not run alone, it means the board is gone ?

Thanks.

If I remember correctly there was a slide switch on the F unit powered B units that could lock the unit into one direction including neutral. I am not sure for your B unit. I have never seen one that has a smoke unit with it as your picture shows. My experience with the DCRU was that they were pretty reliable unless one did something dumb to short them out. If the DCRU is bad some times one can get a DCRU on eBay for a good price.

Cristain:

I looked back at an old DRU conversion manual and noticed that jumper wires are need on certain pins. In your photo I see a jumper wire between pins 3 and 4 on front  side of the board. There should be jumpers or the switch that I mentioned for the pins on the backside of the board.  The QSI manual shows jumpers for pins 1 and 2 plus pins 3 and 4 on the back side. Note that for the numbering on the front side I am starting form the left as you look at the bard in  your picture and Starting from the RIGHT when referring to the backside pins. Call me if you wish 906=635-9553.

Paul

@CristianG posted:

I purchased a MTH 20-2222-3 DL-110 powered unit.

Is this unit designed to run alone too ?

Does it get damaged if you try ?

Thanks,
Cris

Cris , I went to the MTH site and clicked on the " support "panel and brought up the manual for the 20-2222-3 .  It shows that the A unit must be used for operating the B unit .  This also includes the smoke unit operation when hooked up with the A unit. 🙄

That is a powered B unit and does not look like the harness is connected to the DCRU.  So it should run on it's own.  No harm if you try it.  G

Cris , GGG should be right about the B unit being able to operate on its own as the instructions say it has to be synchronized in the Forward , Neutral and Reverse with the A unit if you plan to run it in tandem . 🤔

So it seems you don't necessarily have to have it hooked up to another unit to have it operate under its own power. 😁

Have fun.  Be safe.

@Paul Duesing posted:

If I remember correctly there was a slide switch on the F unit powered B units that could lock the unit into one direction including neutral. I am not sure for your B unit. I have never seen one that has a smoke unit with it as your picture shows. My experience with the DCRU was that they were pretty reliable unless one did something dumb to short them out. If the DCRU is bad some times one can get a DCRU on eBay for a good price.

This B unit has only one on/off switch for smoke.

I hope you are right with DCRU being reliable

@Paul Duesing posted:

Cristain:

I looked back at an old DRU conversion manual and noticed that jumper wires are need on certain pins. In your photo I see a jumper wire between pins 3 and 4 on front  side of the board. There should be jumpers or the switch that I mentioned for the pins on the backside of the board.  The QSI manual shows jumpers for pins 1 and 2 plus pins 3 and 4 on the back side. Note that for the numbering on the front side I am starting form the left as you look at the bard in  your picture and Starting from the RIGHT when referring to the backside pins. Call me if you wish 906=635-9553.

Paul

Paul,

For now, I manage mechanical part and some electric.

I need more self training to go for electronics.

Thanks for the phone #, I will call when I am ready for pins, jumpers and co.

Cris

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Cris , I went to the MTH site and clicked on the " support "panel and brought up the manual for the 20-2222-3 .  It shows that the A unit must be used for operating the B unit .  This also includes the smoke unit operation when hooked up with the A unit. 🙄

Dallas, I think you are right; in the manual that came with the B unit, wherever is mentioned is mentioned together with A unit.

But it does not say "do not use it alone", and I was imagining that if MTH sells a set AB, ABA, and so on, it has to be used as a set, but when MTH sells a individual unit, it should work by itself ?!

@GGG posted:

That is a powered B unit and does not look like the harness is connected to the DCRU.  So it should run on it's own.  No harm if you try it.  G

I try it and it does not move, conventional with a MTH Z4000.

Cris

Thanks to everybody for input and ideas.

I have to look for a DL-109/A unit reasonable priced, for the ultimate test.

Long time since I've seen one of these units. Is it possible the cable is to operate the rear coupler? Didn’t MTH have a similar deal when they sold the N&W Auxiliary tender where the harness transferred the tender rear coupler function to the Auxiliary tender rear coupler?

Does it have a switch on it?  If so moved to on position.  A better picture of the other side of the board would be helpful.  G

@GGG posted:

Does it have a switch on it?  If so moved to on position.  A better picture of the other side of the board would be helpful.  G

It has only one switch for smoke unit; you can see it toward top/right.

I close it for now. I open the engine only to look for battery to charge and because something was moving inside. It was one of the fans that got loose.

I see the plug right now.   The white 4 plug with only 3 wire is the direction control for the engine.  This is set up as a slave unit only and will not run by itself.

If you remove that plug and place 2 small jumper piece of wire that looks just like the on on the other side header you can return it to a reverse unit. 

One jumper into where the white wire and open spot is, the other jumper into the black and red wire spot.  G

@GGG posted:

I see the plug right now.   The white 4 plug with only 3 wire is the direction control for the engine.  This is set up as a slave unit only and will not run by itself.

If you remove that plug and place 2 small jumper piece of wire that looks just like the on on the other side header you can return it to a reverse unit.

One jumper into where the white wire and open spot is, the other jumper into the black and red wire spot.  G

Thanks for the instructions, I saved them for later reference.

First I wanted to test the DL-110 as is.

I found a DL-109 A unit, arrived set to go forward only and I had hard times to re-set it to factory settings.

Z4000 instruction for Re-set 18 were general and didn't work with DL-109 and instruction from owner's manual did't work either.

Long story short, I found an youtube post, user "Kenny MTH Lionel for less", which worked !!!

Now I have the set DL-109/DL-110 in good working order.

Thanks everybody for good ideas !