MTH PS-2 3v and 5v locomotives???

Avoid the 5V boards, they have not been nearly as reliable as the 3V boards. Some will last forever, but I see lots of them that just die for no apparent reason.  They get run one day, and put away for a spell.  When you get them out to run again, they're dead.  That has not been a complaint with the 3V boards.

Another point in favor of the 3V boards is there are a lot more possible repairs to the PCB if something does fail, many of the components on the 5V boards are buried in the board stack and can't be accessed.

Battery life is mostly a non-issue, either type of NiMh battery lasts for years.  If you're worried about the battery life, install a BCR, you'll never need a battery again.

Walt; I think most who have owned both would agree that the later 3 volt boards are much much better. The earlier 5 volt boards were prone to frequent failures and many have upgraded to 3 volt boards when they fritze. MTH used to supply (and perhaps still do) replacement boards with connectors compatible with 5 volt style wiring harnesses, so replacement is plug 'n play. If you have a choice, 3 volt is the way to go.

Rod

The current 5V replacement is the PS32 board with the stacker piggyback that has the 5V connectors.  If I have 3V boards, I still remove the connector shells from the 5V board and put them on a 3V board for replacement.

So when 5v board fries, then contact MTH for replacement PS32. Is PS32 a 5v board or a 3v board. I would like plug-n-play if possible.

So can I also remove any operable 5v board now and replace with a 3v?

Thanks.

Walter

Walter,

Is PS32 a 5v board or a 3v board. I would like plug-n-play if possible.

A PS32 board is not a PS2 board, rather, it's a PS3 board. It does not use a battery. It uses supercapacitor, instead.

While a PS32 board is, indeed, a direct replacement for either a 5 volt or 3 volt PS2 board, there are three important caveats:

• The PS32 board has the heat sink placed differently than on a PS2 board and therefore will often be unable to use the existing mounting bracket.
• The PS32 board is just a tad larger than a PS2 board so clearance and placement may be a bit of a problem.
• The PS32 board comes in two "flavors", one with PS2 5 volt connectors and the other with PS2 3 volt connectors. You need to order the correct board or, as John mentioned above, be able to swap the connectors from the failed board with the PS32 replacement.

So can I also remove any operable 5v board now and replace with a 3v?

Yes, subject to caveat #3.

Before the PS32 board set, MTH used to supply a 3V board with 5V connectors for replacement.

One thing you'll find in certain locomotives is any of the replacement options may pose some additional constraints.  The connectors are pin compatible, but they're in different places on the board set, so I've had to extend harnesses at times or mount the boards upside down or sideways, depending on the specific installation.

Remember, for any of the replacement options, you'll also be replacing the 16 ohm speaker with a 4 ohm speaker.  As Barry mentioned, the heatsink mounts for either replacement option are different, so you have to consider that as well.  For the 3V board set, you also need a different battery and harness.