PS1 Procedure

Engine been stored for awhile you need to put a new 8.4 volt rechargeable battery from MTH or BCR or you can use a 9 volt battery just temp just to test engine. I would not power that engine up it will scramble your boards then you have to get a reset done  and also i would grease the gears and oil it up too.   

Yes, above all else, replace the battery before giving it any power.

Place the engine on your track and power up. Do not try to cycle power at this point or you risk scrambling the chip. Leave on the track with power on for 15 to 20 minutes then shut off power. If sounds do not stay on for at least 6 - 7 seconds replace the battery with new nimh battery or BCR. Always do the battery sound test before trying to cycle power. You said the engine has been stored for many years so it most likely needs a new battery. I do this test with all my Proto 1 engines before cycling the power to forward and have yet to scramble a board.

Just want to be clear here is what I have so far.  I don't think something like this has been written, has it? 

1. Open box and remove engine

2. Replace battery with new 9.v (either via a cover or shell removal)

3. Please engine on track

4. Turn power to medium with MTH Z4000

5. Let sit for 20 minutes (If adding a BCR)

6. Turn power off and listen to be sure sounds continue

7. Turn power back on

8. if it does not move, cycle power with direction button

9. If power is added and in makes 2 clanks the chip is scrambled and need a reset. 

Am I getting close?

You're close, just don't turn power up past about 10-11 volts when you turn it back on in step 7.  If you push it too high, you'll be in reset mode.

I installed a BCR in each of my Proto-1 locomotives (and a BCR-2 in PS-2). Apply 10 volts for 1 minute and a locomotive is ready to run. For details, go to www.jandwelectronics.com.

A BCR does not leak or corrode. As long as a locomotive is stored properly (no excessive heat or dampness), 10 volts for 1 minute will do.

There was a list of PS1 engines with chips that can scramble posted on this Forum a while back. Not all PS1 chips scramble.

With a battery the initial voltage should be about 8v - 9v before cycling the engine.

With a BCR the initial voltage should be 10 -12V

There are also several ways the PS/1 chips can get scrambled.

I have been trying to scramble a PS1 chip for over 10 yrs.

Have yet to succeed!

Guess it depends on what you mean by scramble, and how old the chip is.  I have an early PS-1 Dreyfuss Hudson that I managed to get in deselect mode due to low battery.  This is different than the 3 clanks of death.  When I called MTH and ordered a new chip and talked to the service department, I was left with the impression that the newest chips not only wouldn't get stuck in deselect, but they would also not fall into the 3 clank mode either.  It wasn't stated out right, but the way the answers to my questions were worded lead me to believe this.  But regardless, I will still replace batteries on old locomotives until I get them all converted to BCRs either bought or hand made.

Send them to me Charlie, I'll scramble them for you.

3. Please engine on track

I'm sorry but can't help to wonder how you Please you engine.

Why risk accidentally scrambling the chip by powering the engine. REPLACE THE 9V NiCad BATTERY FIRST!

I know your ulterior motive.

You just want to run the heck out of my MTH Pennsy steamers

Absolutely

This is a Southern Railking ALCO. Put a new alkaline battery and followed the above process and the engine went "clank clank" of the bell and the sounds turned on.  Let it sit a minute and pressed the direction button and it moved. Then neutral and reverse. So it runs, yea!  OK, I have a BCR and it is sitting on the track now with 13 volts from the Z4000.  Will see what happens.  Thanks for your help.

I believe the correct way to run a ps1  is to:  slowly advance throttle just to where you get 2 bells and then motor sounds [maybe approx 8 volts]  wait 10 seconds and SLOWLY retard THROTTLE to off, then within 2 seconds, open up the throttle.   This is how i do ps1.    works for me.  feel free to correct me if im wrong. 

I put it on the track, turn on the voltage and hope it is pleased.

If you follow the steps I gave and don't cycle the power until you know that the battery took a charge then there is no chance you will scramble the board. Nicad's loose their charge over time. They don't all go bad when they go dead.

A pleased engine is a happy engine.

Not necessarily true.  The problem occurs when the electronics doesn't have the battery power to write back the data successfully.  If the battery is truly dead, it won't charge enough to do the trick.  I might just charge enough to scramble the data before it dies.

Are you saying the board will scramble even though the sound stays on for 6-7 seconds after you turn the power off.?

No, I'm saying that even though you try to charge the NiCad, if it's really bad, it won't be able to support the shutdown no matter how long you charge it.

John, if the battery is really bad it won't take a charge and the sounds will drop out as soon as you turn off power. My whole point is to see if the battery will take any charge before you throw it out. If after 15 or 20 min of charging and the battery is still dead throw it out.

Some have suggested tossing the battery without knowing if the battery really is bad or not.

But there's the rub!  When you charge it for 20 minutes, then turn off track power, if the battery is truly bad, that's when the memory gets scrambled!  If you open one of these up and find the old white battery, it's a really good idea to replace it.

Then I may as well through out my training on this. We were taught that the chip scrambles when you cycle the power off and right back on trying to leave reset mode and enter forward while attempting to run the engine.

This is what I was trying to get with this question. A step by step procedure, because I have a PS1 SD70 what I bought and it just runs and runs and runs after sitting in a box for years. I will open it up this weekend and see what type of battery is in there. I bet it depends on the type of battery.

There is not a single answer for this.  Very early QSI did not need batteries, early MTH systems were more susceptible to issues.  Later software after 97 was more resilient.

I don't like charging batteries with the engine.   Would you run your car for 4 hours at idle to charge the battery?  Granted PS-1 is built better to handle this.

If a train has sat for a year open the shell and inspect the battery.  If white, throw out (long past expiration).  Yes some will still run fine, tolerance of battery and electronics come into play.

If a newer model battery measure the voltage under a light bulb load.  If not above 7V or so and holding the light lite it needs to be charged or temporarily replaced.

I have yet to run into a PS-1 top board I can't reset, unless there is a hardware fault. (1 or 2) to date.  But the average operator doesn't have the corrective chips I have.

The 98, 99 stuff is very forgiving, even some of the 97 stuff.  Earlier is more prone to issues, especially the identified engines that can have ID conflicts.  They had bad software on the chip.  The board can be reset, but the long-term solution is a new chip that corrects the software issues.    G