Programer from QSI for protosound

Chris, I believe that is intended for use with PS1, which had been developed by QSI from its own line of similar items, and wound up in litigation between MTH & QSI. 

I beleive it is similiar to the function the Z-4000 has.  It does the automatic cycling of the voltage from high to low to move through the reset states.  G

RJR is correct. A Power Programmer has nothing to do with a charging port in a tender. It is wired between a transformer and the track. It quickly selects RESET Positions.

QSIndustres introduced the first successful electronic E-unit around 1983. Sound systems followed. These units became more complex as QSI moved toward a Conventional version of Command control. RESET Positions set Engine ID, Train ID, chuff rates, volume, Whistle in Neutral, Passenger or Freight Station Announcements, and a host of others.

Before Command control, these features were accessed and programmed (Whistle ON or OFF in Neutral, for example) in RESET positions. When track voltage was turned on (10 volts or less), an engine powered up in RESET. The first was Position 1. Subsequent Positions were accessed by turning track voltage up to 16 or 20 volts, then down (but not OFF) to about 6 volts. A "clink" sounded for each Position. A "clank" sounded at Position 5 and another at Position 10 and so on. To set the Chuff Rate in Position 27, track voltage was turned up and down until an operator heard 5 "clanks" and 2 "clinks": (5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 2). As Reset Positions increased, a Power Programmer was introduced to speed up the process. Power Programmers evolved into SideKicks I and II. They replaced up/down motions of a transformer handle with high and low voltage. They also sent strong postive DC (+) for whistles and horns and negative DC for bells (-).

When I clicked on a Larger image, I noticed PowerGuard Equipped below the readout screen. That was QSI's protection against voltage spikes. I think QSI PowerGuard units were available separately. They monitored track voltage. A red light flashed when a voltage spike had been detected. They helped solve compatibility problems with MTH ProtoSound, Weaver ProtoSound, and Lionel Cab-1 walk-around throttles with PowerMaster set for Conventional use. They also had Whistle/Horn buttons and Bell buttons. But they didn't program locomotives.

The ASC-733 does program PS1 engines and has spike protection.

The Power Guard you are referring to is ASC-730 that only has the horn and bell lights and red spike light. It also has a switch for ZW, etc. or PowerMaster.

"The Power Guard you are referring to is ASC-730 that only has the horn and bell buttons and red spike light. It also has a switch for ZW, etc. or PowerMaster"

http://www.the-scaled-tin-rail...ipowerguardinfo.html

They are just lights to tell you the strength of the bell and horn, not buttons.

Brad,

Your right. They are just lights. I'll edit my posts. Thanks

wow,  great info guys.  just wondering because I saw this on trainz website. it would be cool if you could reset the boards in the PS-1 Loco and program the sounds back in.  With my 080 proto 1 steam switcher kind of goofing up, I thought oh, maybe this thing would reprogram them back in.  oh well....... 

thanks for the info!

Chris

Chris,

With my 080 proto 1 steam switcher kind of goofing up, I thought oh, maybe this thing would reprogram them back in.  oh well.......

PS1 boards have a sound chip (hardware), where as PS2 & PS3 sounds are software and can be changed by downloading different sound files form the MTH website.

What issues are you having with your PS1 engine? Maybe I or someone can help.

well.  I got it last year its a chicago northwestern 080 steam switcher. http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-1112-0   PS1.  smoke fan driven and freight yard sounds and all.  The battery went dead.  I went to put a new one in and it now acts strange.  did not start up at all, no lights or smoke.  Then, I got the tender to do the first sounds, then tried to activateclanks and clinks.  it was doing it off and on, but train would not move at all.  nothing.  then all the sudden, spiked the power and it took off running.  still no light or smoke.  So, it was running.  then next day, no running at all.    Ill have to set it on the tracks and turn it on for you guys to listen and evaluate it.  I am not sure what has happened.  something fried? when the engine ran, I got chuffing, but it was skipping and super fast, not like it was when I bought it. 

Chris,

Sounds like a problem with chopped wave form causing the engine to act up. Nothing fried.

Some PS1 engines will only run on on Pure Sine Wave form. The variable channels of a TIU even chop the wave form and can cause problems.

MTH Z-4000, old post war ZW and other Pure Sine Wave transformers run these fine. If you have one of these, try running it directly to the transformer.

What are you using for a transformer? Are you using a Variable channel to run it?

Need to make sure the battery is FULLY Charged.

well, funny thing, the engine started running forward and reverse again.  sounds started working, but the chuffing skips almost too fast for the speed?? I wonder if that is the trip wheel but how does  these proto 1 engines do the pickup for the chuff? 

I dont have the smoke or light,  so I guess I have to check contact plate. I wonder, do you have to screw the engine top to the bottom to gain a ground for light and smoke?  because I did not fully put back the screws when testing it.  it looks like the power ground to the smoke unit/light printed board is wired + and -. 

Chris

My proto1 chuff (4-6-0) is way off at high speed too. Tried adjusting with z1000 but gave up and turned off. Smoke and whistle are great, bell weak in sound.

Nice thread Chris and look forward to everyones response.

Alan

Yes some engines may use a contact plate to pick up power for the engine smoke unit/light.  Not sure for your model.  Others are wired to the tether PCB.  Chuff can be adjusted.  Did you do a Reset 18? Did it start working when you followed my directions?  G

I pulled the top off.  the contact spring plate has 2 black wires.  one to the center pickup and another to the switch.  so that must be for the smoke and the other is the headlight.  I can almost bet its not working because I did not screw it together. all the wires and such are in tact.  nothing broken off.  I am going to get my test light and prick it onto the orange wire to the switch.  the ornages are attached to the center power. the blue and the yellow go to the motor. I have to believe that not putting the screws back in must be the ground for the light and smoke unit.  that is what I have to do.  easy fix I hope 

Post a picture, but that sounds like a QSI after market item.  Early QSI had the volume adjust on the sound board.  MTH all used volume pot adjustment under the tender.  Is this a 3 board stack?  The buzzing could be a bad Voltage regulator or a capacitor going bad.  G

ill take a pic and send today.  here is my video from yout tube I just loaded.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzhNQD29flY

you can hear the sounds.   its a 3 stack system in tender and is an early model 1998? from what I see stamped on things.  yes, the buzzing occurs when you first fire it up before the sounds kick in. 

Ok, that is normal as long as it doesn't over ride the sounds.  It is the relay.  You have a QSI system. G

Had the same proublem with my engines and I was using CW80 too.. Got a new MTH Z750 and now everything works well.

I am using a Z1000 and controller for it right now.  I do have a lower line with power of a  KW, maybe I should put it on that to see what sounds it makes.  I wanted to keep something conventional because I have a few MPC engines I still run and of course the little ones thomas!

The lionel-branded TPC units, TPC-300 and TPC-400 have programming built in to deal effectively with both Proto-1 and proto - 2 systems. Lou Kovach is a pretty smart guy and he researched the QSI and MTH systems very well.