PS-2 Challenger wont start

Rick,

I would follow the procedures that you described. It is most likely the battery.

Keep us posted.

Eric Hofberg

TCA, LCCA

MTH ASC Tech

Rich,

It's not the battery and you cannot do a Factory Reset if DCS cannot see the engine. A transformer reset is only a Feature Reset.

Your problem is most likely one of the following:

• Broken connection between the pickup rollers and  the PS2 board
• Wire pinched/shorted to ground
• PS2 board failure.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

I would agree with Barry.  The only thing I might add would be the following.  Open your tender and look at the 7 pin plug that goes into the PS-2 board.  Pull it and reseat it.  It will have red and black wires and three wires that go to the tach reader.  That is where all power comes into your board.  With the tender plug hooked into the engine, check for continuity between the pickup rollers and the red wires.  Also check ground and the black wires.

Marty,

Open your tender and look at the 7 pin plug that goes into the PS-2 board

Agreed! That falls under my first bullet point.

Does this engine have a 2-rail/3-rail switch??  Confirm it's in the proper position.

If this is the older PS-2 5V board, I would be interested in what the condition of your battery is when you check it.  G

If you have the shell off, and there is continuity between the rollers and the red wires in the wire nut by the board, put the loco on the track and power up the track. Take a screwdriver and tap on the black boxes on the boards, which are the relays. I have a customer's loco that won't start or cycle, unless you tap on the relays.

Curious, would the tether not plugged in correctly to engine be a contributing factor?

Sorry for getting you all involved guys....

Seems the guy who bought the engine from me

was trying to run it 3rail without the rollers installed.

Good News nothing is wrong with the unit.

Thanks,

Trinkle-Trains : )

That's great!  A minor omission.