I tested a MTH PS-1 shelf queen and got 2 clanks when I first applied voltage. I powered it down and turned the voltage back on hoping the engine would move forward. I just got 2 clanks again and every time I applied voltage. I did not get the 3 clanks of PS-1 death. I did replace the battery before testing. This is the first PS-1 engine I have tried to run in 10 ears. Is it me or the engine?
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probably the program chip failed send it to a asc tech mth tech for repair!
Alan
Which locomotive is it? There were some early PS1 locomotives that had a 'de-select' issue. I had one that entered this mode and this is exactly how it acted. The solution was to get a new chip from MTH.
The deselect issue is the three clanks, and that's the single problem that the fix chip that MTH sells is used to correct. Two clanks is not addressed by the chip that fixes the "three clanks of death" deselect issue.
3 clanks of death is not the deselect issue, they are different, and the MTH chip kit does not fix the deselect issue. You have to buy a brand new chip for the locomotive. GGG can go into more details on it.
@sinclair posted:3 clanks of death is not the deselect issue, they are different, and the MTH chip kit does not fix the deselect issue. You have to buy a brand new chip for the locomotive. GGG can go into more details on it.
Sorry, wrong this time, the three clanks is the deselect issue, usually from a low battery. It's the single problem that the MAKE PS chip that MTH sells (or used to sell) was made to correct once you have a good battery.
Really early MTH QSI and PS1 locos have a battery switch on the bottom of the tender. Be sure it's on or the battery is removed from the circuit and it will react like a dead battery. If no switch, check continuity of the battery connector and leads. Corrosion can cause a discontinuities in these harnesses.
John, 3 clanks is not deselect. Make PS with the MTH retail chip. Deselect is the software glitch that assigns a deselect ID that keeps engine shutdown.
CLank clank is a software conflict. So not sure if this 10 year old engine has the correct chip with board.
Alan, Chips are a rare failure item, so not sure why you would go there especially with the software conflict symptom.
Jon, my experience with early switch units is the run with switch off, just loose sounds. But worth checking.
Post item number and this can be sorted out, but you may need to send to a tech that understands PS-1 to sort out the software conflict. G
I decided to test some of my other PS-1 Shelf Queens. They all showed the same problem. The test track I was using had both TMCC and DCS. I built a test track with just a simple traditional transformer. On the new test track 6 of 7 PS-1 engines worked properly including the original engine. The 7th engine still exhibits the 2 clank problem. When I want to run or sell that engine I will either upgrade or exchange the PS-1 electronics.
Sounds matter. Is it a Clank, or a Bell Ding.
To my ear it is a clank. The engines still do the 2 clanks when first powered on but then reset and are transformer controlled forward and reverse. It is not the bell of PS-2 engines.
On several occasions, when I was preparing to sell my old shelf-queen MTH engines on ebay, I ran into the same prevalent clank problem. I felt I could not sell such an engine until I fixed the problem first. In almost all situations, replacing the battery with the BCR was the solution. It reduces profit in the sale, but its the right thing to do to ensure a happy ebay buyer.
Are you sure you're getting the track voltage above 10 volts before you push the direction button? PS-1 won't leave reset otherwise.
BELOW 10 V to come out of reset. G
You're right, I got it backwards.
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