PS2 SD70 Not Responding to DCS Remote Commander

Mike,

First, you most certainly can operate two PS2/PS3 engines at the same time with the DCS Remote Commander. You just cannot operate them independently of each other.

If the new engine immediately powers on when you turn on power, either there's something wrong with it or with the DCS Remote Commander.

Place both engines on the track together and turn on power. If ones stays silent and the other powers up, the one that powers up is the problem.

If both power up, the DCS Remote Commander is the problem.

If both stay dark and silent, press Startup on the handheld. Both should power up. If not, the one that doesn't power up has a problem. If neither one powers up, the DCS Remote Commander has a problem.

Barry,

I stand corrected then!  I assumed that if you had two on one loop, only one would respond.

Okay, I will give that a try.  Out of 4 times I put it on the track, it came on twice and stayed off twice.  Do the Remote Commanders just go bad?  After having it out for maybe a week last year, its been put away since.

But I'll give that a try and report back. 

thanks

-Mike

Mike,

Do the Remote Commanders just go bad?

Not that I've heard.

How is your DCS Remote Commander powered and connected to your tracks?

It is connected via lighted lock on.  Okay, the original engine starts up and runs just fine.  The "new" one... does not respond at all. When it does not power itself on, if I "wiggle" the back of it a little bit, it turns itself on.

If it is indeed the engine (which is what it sounds like), any idea what it could be?

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

It sounds like there's an intermittent break in the electrical path between either the pickup rollers and the PS2 board, or the wheels and the PS2 board.

Clean wheels and pickup rollers, and test for electrical continuity from the rollers to the board, and from the wheels to the board. Look for broken wires, possibly inside their insulation, or loose connectors.

How bout a FACTORY RESET using a full DCS system?

Could this engine have not been "factory reset" when you received it.  It is acting like it has not.  Then when you jiggle it, are you breaking contact with the rollers and then re-establishing contact, but then your missing the original watch dog signal so it starts up.

That's sure what it sounds like to me.  If the previous owner was operating with full DCS and then shipped the engine to you, there's a better than even chance that he did not re-set it to factory default before shipping.  That needs to be done via the full DCS system.  Sure worth a try!

The problem sounds to me like the engine isn't getting power until it gets "wiggled". This would indicate to me that the engine isn't seeing the watchdog signal and therefore isn't responding to DCS. Rather, it powers up after the watchdog signal has come and gone, and does so in conventional mode.

When it gets pushed around a bit it makes contact and starts up in conventional mode. This would indicate a loose power connection between the pickup rollers or wheels, and the PS2 board.

If it wasn't for that, I'd also suspect that the engine is in need of a Factory Reset or a Recover Engine command.

" I bought a second SD70 from a fellow forum member and finally had time to put it on a test loop today. "

Just a thought here, and I'm kind of new to all this still, but the above line jumped out at me calling for the full DCS reset, as this is the one that he is having trouble with. Surely might be worth a try? Especially if that forum member had a full DCS system. If not then I'll get out of the way.

Ok...first, I'd like to thank all of you for taking time out of your evening to help.  I was just at Patrick's for his big train meet.  Bob (I hope he finds this because I can't remember what he told me his display name was) had a FULL DCS System setup.  When I told him what was wrong, he stopped running his own NYC engine and helped me out.  I told him (maybe he told me, can't remember) that it might need reset (my initial thought and later read thats what you guys suggested).  Put it on his little set up he had, reset, works.  So, thats all it needed.  Came home, put in on the little loop I set up and it works just fine.

Problem solved.  I have the full DCS System.... in the basement.....in the box.....never set up.  I was in a rush today and it probably would have taken me forever to figure out how to reset it.  Thanks to helpful people in this hobby, I didn't need to go far to find help, so thank you all (and Bob).

-Mike

Bob Wheeler, I think was on his name tag.  Bob was very helpful explaining some basics of the DCS to me also.  I will be in the market for one in the coming months.  Many thanks to Bob.  I'm glad that was all the problem was, Mike.  Nice meeting your cousin, Scott.