MTH TIU

Sounds like you are asking why the system does not operate your MTH loco's in command/dcs control.

How do you have your wiring set up and how is the TIU powered ?

Tried the no#1 and #2 thru ports,nada bought a brick and accessory cable still won't activate the ITU. The handheld says something about inactive loco. Will go out later and check exact wording. I never get the ITU to put voltage on the tractor the little red light in the ITU to respond. Thanks for helping out.

        This is a new unattached train room  with 100amp service from the meter in the front of the main house which also has a solar system. It's about 100 feet from the meter on the house to the panel on the train room. The new TV works ok as do the various battery charger's [Ryobi] and cell phone.lights. and fans

Richie is asking about how your track is wired, not the building. How are you connected to the TIU?

The TIU has to be powered, itself, either from transformer power into Fixed #1 IN or from an auxillary power source connected to the Aux input at the bottom of the TIU.

Just to clarify, are you saying that if you run wires from the red and black output connections of either handle of the Z-4000 to Fixed #1 IN on the TIU and then wires from Fixed #1 OUT to the track and turn the transformer on and raise the handle to 18 volts that the red light on the TIU does not come on and you get no voltage to the track as measured by your multi-meter ?

Yes exactly. I am using gargraves track. all connections are soldered and a new lead from the main feed about every 8 feet. With loco and tender removed from track  at 18V on meter I get .1 amps or zero amps. In conventional locos run as with a steady consistent voltage. Have tried both sides of Z4000. Both the same.

If the red LED isn't lit then the TIU is not getting power for its own use.

The TIU always passes track power straight through both Fixed #1 and Fixed #2 so it may work in conventional mode but, if the TIU isn't powered, there will not be a DCS signal at either channel's output, so command control will not work.

1. Is there anything plugged into the TIU's Aux. Power port?  If not, have you tried an auxillary power source ?

2. Has the TIU ever worked before ?

We're really going to have to know EXACTLY how the transformer and TIU are wired to be of much help.

Let me provide more detail and thank you on the kind words Charles

The customer purchased a new Remote and TIU set from another dealer some time ago.  Contacted me (Ray's Electric Trainworks) wanting to buy a new Remote and TIU since those(something) appeared to be defective (customer's evaluation, not mine) because could not get it working.  I only had TIUs available so I advised to send me the Remote and I would update the remote to 6.10 and test with the new TIU to confirm it actually worked before sending.  The remote was upgraded and tested fine with the purchased TIU.  TIU Address on TIU set to #1 and remote set to look for #1.  (Remote was upgraded from 5.00 to 6.10)  (TIU is of course 6.10) Received email not long ago indicating customer could still not get things working which clearly points to issue with setup/wiring or something else.  I agree with the comment that we need a detail explanation of how everything is wired and connected to understand what isn't right because the Remote and TIU does work fine. 

As I recall, the red light not illuminating was the issue reported with the original TIU.  I know as a matter of course that a DOA TIU is exceedingly rare but based on discussion back and forth up to that point it sounded like the TIU was in fact getting power correctly.  Clearly something else isn't right and yes the TIU isn't getting power to function.

First and foremost a very big thank you to all for helping out. We will let you know what develops.

TIU wiring should go power wire from transformer to the red terminal on Fixed 1 In, ground wire to Fixed 1 In. Wire from red terminal on Fixed 1 Out to center rail of the track, wire from black terminal on Fixed 1 Out to outside rails. Turn on transformer and apply power to the wires connected to Fixed 1 In. You should have power at the rails. This is all covered in the TIU instruction manual.

Another question: your MTH locomotives are PS2 or PS3 correct? Original Protosound locomotives (I.E PS1) are NOT DCS command equipped. 

Thanks  locos are PS 2 or 3 That is the way it is wired

@Richie C. posted:

...

Just to clarify, are you saying that if you run wires from the red and black output connections of either handle of the Z-4000 to Fixed #1 IN on the TIU and then wires from Fixed #1 OUT to the track and turn the transformer on and raise the handle to 18 volts that the red light on the TIU does not come on and you get no voltage to the track as measured by your multi-meter ?

@fastman posted:

Yes exactly....

So at the risk of being overly repetitive.  Confirm the following is the matter at hand:

1. You apply 18V AC to "Fixed IN #1".  Your HD meter measures 18V AC at the banana-jack screw-input terminals on the TIU.

2. The Red LED in the TIU never turns On, does not blink, completely dark, NADA.

3. You do NOT measure any voltage at FIXED OUT #1.

YUP. Exactly. A real head scratcher,I can connect my z1000 barrel jack to power port and light the red light but no thru power to the tracks. Thanks for trying.

That's not a head scratcher, it's normal!  The barrel jack on the side JUST powers the TIU electronics.  You have to connect power to an input power connection of one of the channels to actually get power to the tracks.

fastman

Can you give us some pictures of the connections to your TIU?

Gunrunner I'm not trying to power track with z1000 barrel port, using z1000 only to power TIU . Am using Z4000 for 18V. In a similar post "HEADSCRATCHER said not to power switches from track which I"M doing, also have some lighted passenger cars involved. AS soon as temperature gets below 90 out there will make some changes. Again EVERYBODY THANK YOU.

don't know how to upload pix

@fastman posted:

don't know how to upload pix

If you're posting from a computer, just drag the picture to the reply window and drop it.