PS2 LMK softkey will not work

sounds like the FET that controls the light is shorted so light can't turn off!  The board could be repaired! you could take the board to a ASC  tech and he could test it and or repair it for you!

Alan

@Alan Mancus posted:

sounds like the FET that controls the light is shorted so light can't turn off!  The board could be repaired! you could take the board to a ASC  tech and he could test it and or repair it for you!

Alan

It turns off fine when used with a diesel file as a "ditch light". Just won't work with a steam file with the LMK softkey. Does it have anything to do with the fact the board is from a diesel and now in a steam engine?

I am confused.  LMK is markers and they are LEDs not run off any of the Bulb outputs on the 8 pin.  The markers run off the Marker outputs.  What does ditch have to do with this?  Diesel steam has nothing to do with this.  Diesels use markers also.  G

GGG, you're not the only one who is confused.  The parts diagram for the 30-1164-1 RailKing Mikado does not show any marker lights, other than what is illuminated indirectly by the headlight bulb.  The LMK softkey turns LED markers on and off, but this engine does not have LED markers, which means that the LMK softkey on a 30-1164-1 would be turning a circuit on and off that has nothing connected to it.  This would explain why it's not working.

https://www.mthtrains.com/site...loded/30st14381e.pdf

@GGG posted:

I am confused.  LMK is markers and they are LEDs not run off any of the Bulb outputs on the 8 pin.  The markers run off the Marker outputs.  What does ditch have to do with this?  Diesel steam has nothing to do with this.  Diesels use markers also.  G

The sound file for this Mikado uses the ditch connector (pin #3) for the Marker (incandescent) bulb. The sound file lists “Marker light on ditch” in ADPCM.

@700E posted:

GGG, you're not the only one who is confused.  The parts diagram for the 30-1164-1 RailKing Mikado does not show any marker lights, other than what is illuminated indirectly by the headlight bulb.  The LMK softkey turns LED markers on and off, but this engine does not have LED markers, which means that the LMK softkey on a 30-1164-1 would be turning a circuit on and off that has nothing connected to it.  This would explain why it's not working.

https://www.mthtrains.com/site...loded/30st14381e.pdf

There is an incandescent bulb that illuminates the Markers indirectly. There is a senate bulb for the headlight on the shell. They are two different bulbs. I used to be able to turn it on and off with the LMK softkey prior to the original 5v board dying. When I had a tech upgrade it to 3v, they could not get the Marker bulb to work. Hence, I swapped the board with a diesel I have and now the bulb works, but I cannot control it with LMK like I used to. If you’re familiar with the ADPCM program, it allows you to change the soft keys for a sound file. The default for the Mikado’s file is listed as “Marker light on ditch”

I added some pictures for clarity. Note how the headlight and marker bulb are indeed separate. Also note the use of the 8 pin connector for the marker bulb.

Have you owned the engine since new?  If not, I'm wondering if someone did an "upgrade" by adding the marker bulb and using the sound file from a Premier steam engine.  I didn't think RailKing steam usually had working marker lights.

Try Interior light.   Again, Markers controlled by LMK are LEDS on front rear of Diesels, and Only Tender of Steam in PS-2 3V unless the board is in the engine like many PS-2 5V were.  PS-2 3V steam PR and some fancy RK used a MUX to power the Engine LED Markers and they were not controlled by LMK only the tender.   For the early PS-2 5V that had the HL and extra bulb for the Green marker lens, normally it was duplicate off the HL or off the Interior, possible with a Firebox if it had that.   Either way, LMK would not control it, and if someone modified a SF all bets are off.  Now maybe MTH did something weird with that engine, but I am not thinking so.  I bet that was originally powered off an orange interior light and some one may have powered it off the ditch because the interior fet died.

Hook up a 8 pin that has the LED Markers and I bet LMK might control them.  G

@rplst8 posted:

Have you owned the engine since new?  If not, I'm wondering if someone did an "upgrade" by adding the marker bulb and using the sound file from a Premier steam engine.  I didn't think RailKing steam usually had working marker lights.

This one did. I did own the engine as new old stock from eBay. It has 0 miles on it when I unboxed it. The original 5v board died very quickly. I’m using the official MTH 3v upgrade sound file for this.

@GGG posted:

Try Interior light.   Again, Markers controlled by LMK are LEDS on front rear of Diesels, and Only Tender of Steam in PS-2 3V unless the board is in the engine like many PS-2 5V were.  PS-2 3V steam PR and some fancy RK used a MUX to power the Engine LED Markers and they were not controlled by LMK only the tender.   For the early PS-2 5V that had the HL and extra bulb for the Green marker lens, normally it was duplicate off the HL or off the Interior, possible with a Firebox if it had that.   Either way, LMK would not control it, and if someone modified a SF all bets are off.  Now maybe MTH did something weird with that engine, but I am not thinking so.  I bet that was originally powered off an orange interior light and some one may have powered it off the ditch because the interior fet died.

Hook up a 8 pin that has the LED Markers and I bet LMK might control them.  G

The firebox glow, which this engine also has, is powered off the interior connector and can be turned on and off with the LFB softkey. Were the 5v and 3v board different in this regard for incandescent marker lights? Again, the engine was originally a 5v, upgraded to 3v, board in engine.

Edit: I tried “interior light on ditch”, and it now works with the LIN softkey. Thanks for the tip, GGG. Now this really has me wondering if the 5v and 3v board differ this way.