PS2 steam conversion help

Did you use the MTH locomotive tether connector for the engine?  It has provisions for all of that, including the headlight.  Note that a couple of the wires serve double-duty coming across, which may explain why you're running out of wires if you didn't install the kit as per the instructions.  Specifically, the purple wire is used for several of the returns, and it's actually generated by the diodes on the engine connector from the motor leads.

Do NOT ground anything going to the smoke unit!

John,

I don't have the kit and was trying to only use the tender side of a tether and direct wire to the locomotive. I can't stand the plug!  I am running the headlights from the 3rd rail constant voltage board directly wired to track power.  I guess I have to run another wire for the smoke alongside the tether.

Thanks

Scott

No not necessary.  Where did this tether come from?  Are you sure purple is purple?

The gray wire to the tach is +5VDC and is double duty to one terminal of the smoke fan.  The green is the return(control).

If purple is connected to the 12 pin as purple (Positive Voltage) it becomes one lead of the smoke unit element.  The brown is the other (Control).

Normally there would be a light blue wire for the headlight.

You need to ensure that the brown and green wires you use in the engine is terminated on the 4 pin connector in the tender.  Then you need to see where the purple wire goes to make sure it is Positive Voltage and not part of the headlight control.  Picture of the engine close up would help.  

You could use diodes off the motor lead to create your internal engine PV then use it to the heat element and headlight, then connect the current harness purple wire to the headlight for control, and make sure it is in the headlight position of the 12 pin.  You could then have headlight control and everything else with out extra wires.  Probably use the same bulb if the CV board is a 5 to 6V board.   G

You can do what GGG says there, the 10 wires manage to run smoke, headlight, motor, and tach sensor in standard conversion, no reason you can't get that functionality from this conversion.  If you used the standard wiring to the tender side, this should be pretty easy.  I'd still like more controls, but my conversions manage to get all the standard stuff running with the 10 wires.

Don't know what I would do without everyone's help,

Many thanks

Scott