protosound 3 dead twice

What transformer?  What type of engine is the E-8?  You can try a feature reset with a combination of B/W buttons as listed in the instructions.  Though it does sound like the engine may have died.  If this was bought at a Hobby shop you can take them back and see if they run there.  Otherwise return, or send to your LHS or MTH for warranty repair.  G

mth z750..mth e8 1999...lionel fastrack..checked high track voltage no load is 16v..2 engines in 3 days hudson and sd40 dead..both bought at mth dealer

Wow. Must have been some colorful language after the diesel quit. George is the expert here but I would like to follow along on this topic. For factory reset there is a whistle and bell button sequence you push on the Z750 controller. The manual should describe it.

Not only are both failures identical but both are time dependent.

Did you try running with an alternate power supply? I have had a Z500 controller fail on me.

Did you retry to run each engine after a while? Do they start or just sit there?

S

I'd be leery about putting another locomotive on that track with the Z750, I can tell you that!

I am leery about it thanks .I ordered a 4000 and am trying to wait until it arrives..im tempted to try the button reset and see if either at least lights up but i'm leaning towards waiting for the new transformer. I did let both sit for a couple of hours with no change..still dead

and since this was the third such event in the last few weeks I guess I just shook my head and walked away. some days you get the bear...

I think this is one of those days where the bear won!

it's ok there's tomorrow.... which can be optimistic at my age

I'd call MTH and talk to someone.  Maybe they can tell you something you are doing or not doing.  I wouldn't be able to wait for a new transformer.  Or take it back back to where you bought it.  Maybe they know or could test it for you.

Rick

The E-8 is a PS-1 so that can be more robust.  If both engines failed, you either have bad luck or a problem with that Z-750.  Even though it is a good transformer.  Let us know the out come of this if you send them in for repairs.  G

thanks everybody..I'll try to get at least one of these to the nearest MTH repair and see whet they come up with on Friday and let you know

today while I was at work the z4000 arrived. hooked up and set the sd70ACe on the track..nothing..tried the reset to factory but it didn't work and I really didn't expect it to since there appears to be no power to the engine..again track voltage is good so Friday i'm off to the local mth repair shop ...nice transformer..

Have you checked the pickup rollers?  I ran one of my engines the other day...ran fine.  I ran that same engine today and NUTTIN.  Deader than dead.  While checking the engine I noticed one of the pickup rollers was stuck in an up position.  Just barely noticeable.  I oiled it and VOILA!!!  No more sticking, at least for now, and it runs fine again.

Have you checked your track for dirty spots?

Rick

Bummer, but not totally unexpected.  Time to send them back.

tracks clean. one roller is nice and loose the other seems kind of tight but both are on the track...the shop I bought them in has offered to get the RMA and ship them back but Friday I'll head to the local  and see what he comes up with. I don't mind paying for a diagnosis. the authorized repair shop seems to deal mostly in HO and N rolling stock so I didn't buy either one  there.

I compared the new transformer output reading with my fluke.  the transformer says 10V and the fluke says 10.5 so the power is there and the pickups are on the rail

for those of you following this adventure...today I took the sd70 back to where I bought it. the store owner told me to bring it in and he would do a factory reset whatever that is. he sat it on the track and put power to it and I guess that was a factory reset. then when nothing happened he told me he would exchange it if he had anymore but he didn't and that I should ship it back to MTH. I wouldn't deal with this place except if you can think of it he has it in stock except of course a replacement SD 70 ACe..this was 35 miles west one way. I then took it 40 miles south to an mth repair center. he took it apart while I waited and no power to the board so he's going to fix it . the Hudson i'm boxing up and sending to mth for repair next week. the guy at the repair shop did say I might want to consider a dcs unit for the ps3 stuff..anybody have any thoughts on this. I did spring for a z4000 to replace the z750..deeper and deeper  

The full DCS system does give you much more flexibility and utility in running the trains over conventional.  IMO, it's well worth it if you want to run multiple DCS locomotives.

That's the long term plan..long term at my age starting mid 2014. my main concern for now is protecting the equipment. the service guy did tell me that wasn't the first ps3 sd70 he'd seen dead so maybe they got some bad boards...

and it looks like maybe a motor for the 99 Hudson turned up. I'll know when the parts order comes in

its been a month and nothing on the dead sd70. I got an rma from mth on the imperial ps3 Hudson but as I was boxing it up I noticed the in cab drawbar connection had come apart. reconnected it ran but it comes apart randomly as best I can tell. i read the drawbar info here but most don't seem to be a problem on the cab end. as soon as I can figure out which part number to use i'll order a new drawbar but I suspect a problem with the in cab harness since they don't 'click' together. in cab drawbar is a real pain to connect unless someone has made a tool to keep the connector from squirming around