I'd suspect you pinched a wire or similar doing the swap.  Obviously, it's time to break out the meter and find out what is going on.

Congrats on getting the shell back on with those pesky sliding doors!  Gunrunner is right. Time to open her up again and take a look around  without the outer and inner shell on to see if you pinched a wire or disconnected something.  There’s a lot going on in there and it is not hard to do.  I know it stinks having to remove everything again, but it’s a must. Whatever you do, do NOT let power run through it again. If you’re tripping power, something is shorting and you do not want to blow those electronics.  The ps3 upgrade on these is a real bear to do. I know because my ps2 board failed and I had to go through that.  This model has the dreaded 5 volt ps2 board, so be extra gentle with it, if it hasn’t blown already.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'd suspect you pinched a wire or similar doing the swap.  Obviously, it's time to break out the meter and find out what is going on.

The fact that the breaker trips is that a “good” sign? I mean in the sense that the board isn’t fried? Or would that also happen with a fried board. Also in terms of the meter you give me too much credit, lol…I have two left feet (or hands) when working with these things. Thanks for answering!

Actually, the 5V PS/2 board has a propensity to fail shorted, and maybe it didn't like your BCR swap.

You can unplug all the connectors from the board  and then apply track power connector and then apply power.  If the breaker still trips, you have a wiring issue.  If it doesn't, step two.

Plug in ONLY the 7-pin connector to the PS/2 board and apply track power.  If the breaker now trips, you have a dead PS/2 board.

And keep in mind these sage words...

Don't fix stuff that ain't broke!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

And keep in mind these sage words...

Don't fix stuff that ain't broke!

Yes, words to live by for sure….I was under the impression if the original MTH battery dies for good then the ps2 board can malfunction forever (i.e fried).   Is this a myth that I believed or is it true? Preventive maintenance is what I was thinking, lol. If this cannot happen I will leave well enough alone moving forward…thanks. 👍

@Strap Hanger posted:

Congrats on getting the shell back on with those pesky sliding doors!  Gunrunner is right. Time to open her up again and take a look around  without the outer and inner shell on to see if you pinched a wire or disconnected something.  There’s a lot going on in there and it is not hard to do.  I know it stinks having to remove everything again, but it’s a must. Whatever you do, do NOT let power run through it again. If you’re tripping power, something is shorting and you do not want to blow those electronics.  The ps3 upgrade on these is a real bear to do. I know because my ps2 board failed and I had to go through that.  This model has the dreaded 5 volt ps2 board, so be extra gentle with it, if it hasn’t blown already.

Lol, yes the doors (and gear) was a b*tch to get back on but was successful…but thats where my success ends. Didnt see any pinched wires and out of ideas right now.

@Maverick0394 posted:

Yes, words to live by for sure….I was under the impression if the original MTH battery dies for good then the ps2 board can malfunction forever (i.e fried).   Is this a myth that I believed or is it true? Preventive maintenance is what I was thinking, lol. If this cannot happen I will leave well enough alone moving forward…thanks. 👍

Well, some folks have suggested that the BCR is too hard on the 5V board charging circuit, and could cause a failure.  True or not, I tend to put a NiMh battery in those as the charging currents are much less and it mimics the NiCad battery that was stock.

Did you try my simple tests to see if the board is the culprit?

FWIW, it's the early PS/1 boards that got scrambled with a dead battery.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Well, some folks have suggested that the BCR is too hard on the 5V board charging circuit, and could cause a failure.  True or not, I tend to put a NiMh battery in those as the charging currents are much less and it mimics the NiCad battery that was stock.

Did you try my simple tests to see if the board is the culprit?

FWIW, it's the early PS/1 boards that got scrambled with a dead battery.

I disconnected the 3 wires circled in red in the picture and left the 7 pin connector attached, the engine still trips the power…did I do this right?

I have no idea what the wires are, but my instructions were clear I thought.  No disconnecting wires!

With everything connected normally, go back and follow the two steps I outlined.

Step 1: Unplug all the connectors from the board  and then apply track power connector and then apply power.  If the breaker still trips, you have a wiring issue.

If the breaker no longer tips, then do step two below.

Step 2: Plug in ONLY the 7-pin connector to the PS/2 board and apply track power.  If the breaker now trips, you have a dead PS/2 board.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I have no idea what the wires are, but my instructions were clear I thought.  No disconnecting wires!

With everything connected normally, go back and follow the two steps I outlined.

Step 1: Unplug all the connectors from the board  and then apply track power connector and then apply power.  If the breaker still trips, you have a wiring issue.

If the breaker no longer tips, then do step two below.

Step 2: Plug in ONLY the 7-pin connector to the PS/2 board and apply track power.  If the breaker now trips, you have a dead PS/2 board.

Ok I think my confusion lies in distinguishing from the “track power connector” and the “7 pin connector”…what is the “track power connector” and how many wires (and colors if tou know) are coming out of it.

thanks John. 🙏.

Unplug the 7 pin connector.

@Vernon Barry posted:

Unplug the 7 pin connector.

Thanks, got it 👍

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'd suspect you pinched a wire or similar doing the swap.  Obviously, it's time to break out the meter and find out what is going on.

When 7 pin is detached there is no “short” or tripping…also now see 3 wires loose, a blue, grey, and some other one, but not sure if this was loose already and when it came loose…either way still shorting out. John I sent you an email, had it from a previous repair you did for me. Can you review email and let me know? Thanks.

OK, if it shorts with the 7-pin connected and not without it, you have almost surely killed the 5V PS/2 board.  Since right now MTH has no boards, you'll have to wait until they become available again for a repair.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

OK, if it shorts with the 7-pin connected and not without it, you have almost surely killed the 5V PS/2 board.  Since right now MTH has no boards, you'll have to wait until they become available again for a repair.

Oh rats! I remember seeing a post of yours recently (on another forum) where you said You had a bumper crop of the PS32 boards that are replacements for blown PS/2 5V boards. Was hoping you still had some. <sigh>

Thanks for all your help John.

@Maverick0394 posted:

Oh rats! I remember seeing a post of yours recently (on another forum) where you said You had a bumper crop of the PS32 boards that are replacements for blown PS/2 5V boards. Was hoping you still had some. <sigh>

I did have about a year ago, but they evaporated quickly.  We've "expecting" that maybe MTH will have them sometime this summer, we'll see.

@Maverick0394 posted:

Oh rats! I remember seeing a post of yours recently (on another forum) where you said You had a bumper crop of the PS32 boards that are replacements for blown PS/2 5V boards. Was hoping you still had some. <sigh>

Thanks for all your help John.

Don’t feel too bad, Maverick. That PS2 5 volt board in your hot r-32 subway was going to fail eventually in this almost 20 year old engine. They all do after enough run time, just like mine. Sit tight and keep in touch with a reputable repair technician. When they get the ps2-3 upgrade boards, you won’t be disappointed. Just remind them that the speaker in the upgrade kit is too big for the r-32. They will need to get the appropriate thinner speaker to fit properly under the electronics. Trust me on his, having gone through an r-32 upgrade already. Unfortunately, that bcr you bought won’t be of any use on the upgraded engine. Save it for another ps2 engine.