Proto sound repair

I'd just get one from one of the several repair folks (like myself) on OGR here that has a whole stash of these.  Change out the sound chip and be back in business.

Jim

GGG does component level repairs of those boards.  Outside of the original designers, he probably knows the most about them.

But you can actually still buy the boards new from MTH.

I know the PS1 boards very well.  I am currently sitting on 55 PS1 board sets that were obtained from doing PS2 upgrades.  All are tested and in perfect condition.  The Ps1 boards are still available to buy from MTH as new old stock.  The PS1 was a very good system.  Also being an MTH tech, we have chips that can repair some situations.  

I have folks that have me put these board sets in Williams locomotives.  I also have a PS1 board and chip tester.  PS1 is user friendly to work with.  They play well with a BCR.   If you buy, choose someone you know and stay clear of Fleabay.  Jim would be a great source and George can fix just about any board if it has a pulse.

Marty, need help with a proto 1. I have a Florida East coast # 601  MT-2130LP. First, New fresh charged battery. Using Z controller with a 1000 brick eng does start up with 2 clanks. Will not move. Did reset 18 got 3 clanks two times horn blows 2X then 1 more.  When I use a old Lionel 1044 transformer it will run and reverse. If I switch to the Z controller before eng totally powers down train it  will run on the Z controller normally with all functions horn, bell, and fyr sounds and reverse properly. Once train powers down it goes back to a 2 clank start and will not move.  If I need to send it to you do you need whole train or just the boards?  Yes I do have other proto 1 that operate properly on same track set up.   Respectfully  Roy O

Marty, what do you use as a chip tester for PS/1?  Never heard of that before.  I have a little test harness to test the boards.

Roy O posted:

Marty, need help with a proto 1. I have a Florida East coast # 601  MT-2130LP. First, New fresh charged battery. Using Z controller with a 1000 brick eng does start up with 2 clanks. Will not move. Did reset 18 got 3 clanks two times horn blows 2X then 1 more.  When I use a old Lionel 1044 transformer it will run and reverse. If I switch to the Z controller before eng totally powers down train it  will run on the Z controller normally with all functions horn, bell, and fyr sounds and reverse properly. Once train powers down it goes back to a 2 clank start and will not move.  If I need to send it to you do you need whole train or just the boards?  Yes I do have other proto 1 that operate properly on same track set up.   Respectfully  Roy O

Some early MTH original Protosounds locomotives do not like the chopped wave AC output of some modern transformers. They run fine on old postwar transformers and on the pure-wave modern transformers such as the MTH Z-4000.

So far, I have had only one — a 1996 MTH Premier K4 (20-3018-2) — experience this drawback using a Lionel ZW-L transformer and running conventionally. It runs fine on my MTH Z-4000.

I tried several solutions, such as trying start-up while a car with an incandescent bulb is also on the track. But my K4 stays in reset in conventional mode.

I have been told that the only solution would be an upgrade, which I might do at some point.

do you have ps2 board also?

You need to be careful mixing and matching software versions of the top board, especially for early stuff.  94-95.  By late 96 up the software type is less problematic.

Your board sounds like an ID conflict.  Can you do a reset 18?  IF it won't move out of reset, it is a software conflict.  If it does and still does not work it can be a bad bottom board.  Burned trace, faulty diode, etc..  Boards are repairable.  Bottom boards easy replacement.  Top boards and chip you need to be careful of the software issues.  G

I'll have to stand with George on this one, I've gotten myself into some interesting situations trying to get those old boards running with different chips!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'll have to stand with George on this one, I've gotten myself into some interesting situations trying to get those old boards running with different chips!

GRJ...

"Interesting situations" is an understatement.  I hate to tell you how many of those boards I went thru making the TAS UCUB board.

Lou N

Is it even possible to do a reset 18 when the only thing the eng will do is run in forward. The only thing the eng will do when trying to reset is race around track and fly off.  GG can is send you the boards both?   Roy

Lou N posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'll have to stand with George on this one, I've gotten myself into some interesting situations trying to get those old boards running with different chips!

GRJ...

"Interesting situations" is an understatement.  I hate to tell you how many of those boards I went thru making the TAS UCUB board.

Lou N

I can't even imagine Lou, that must have been a real picnic!   Any more, I kinda' figure a board with a working chipset is just that, a board.  If I don't swap the chips, normally they keep working.

Roy O posted:

Is it even possible to do a reset 18 when the only thing the eng will do is run in forward. The only thing the eng will do when trying to reset is race around track and fly off.  GG can is send you the boards both?   Roy

Yes you can send me the boards, my e-mail is in my profile.  IS this the same engine you mentioned in a different post?  I thought that was a PS-2 engine?  G

Roy O posted:

Is it even possible to do a reset 18 when the only thing the eng will do is run in forward. The only thing the eng will do when trying to reset is race around track and fly off.  GG can is send you the boards both?   Roy

If it only runs forwards when under power, it's probably locked in forward.  Make sure you have a good and fully charged battery in it and follow the instructions from the manual:

WHILE THE ENGINE IS MOVING, PRESS THE WHISTLE BUTTON. WHILE THE WHISTLE IS BLOWING, TURN THE THROTTLE OFF AND THEN LET GO OF THE WHISTLE BUTTON. After three seconds without power you will hear one chime of the RESET bell. TURN ON THE POWER AGAIN. Your engine is now in RESET and will operate normally once you interrupt power and enter the forward direction.

The whistle does not work. The bell does not work,  the lights do not work the eng makes no sound at all. I only moves forward that's it.   Roy

to GGG  no this is not the same eng as before. The other one was a qsi proto 1. It works as long as I do not use a chopped wave transformer.  This is a ps 2 that the only thing it does is move forward without hesitations. and that is all it does. Respectfully  Roy

Jim Sandman posted:

I'd just get one from one of the several repair folks (like myself) on OGR here that has a whole stash of these.  Change out the sound chip and be back in business.

Jim

Jim, need help with a Railking RK- 2500 has QSI for direction and horn.  No proto sound with battery. I has two boards which one will I need also have one for a proto sound 1 that works and price?

Actually has 3 boards  2 of them sandwiched together

I answered your pot in the other forum topic.  This is a DCRU cut in halve with sound board on top.  Done because of confined space in the RK GG-1 from that vintage.  I have an original, if the lock out switch is not the issue.  My e-mail in my profile.

GGG let me send you a photo and look at the set up with 3 boards and tell me which ones you would like to attempt repair,  Roy

I responded to your email.  I would need both bottom boards. One is the logic which can be bad, and the other is the relay and diode section which also can be bad.  The horn board can be removed.  G

I have thoughts about  using a aftermarket board that I can purchase inexpensive and I have a horn board already. I would like to keep it original but I can probably buy another GG1 For what the repairs will be. Your Thoughts   Respectfully Roy 

OOPS

Jim R. I have a Florida East Coast BL 2 engine that only runs on a pure sine wave.  I thought it had a problem but looking at the manual it states what transformers work at the time it was printed. Yes it works on a ZW and a Z 4000 but will not on a Z 1000 or CW 80 or any transformer with a chopped sine wave.  View UTUBE and you will find a explanation why they went to chopped wave.   Roy O