PS2 Upgrade Issues

It sounds like the marker lights are wired directly to track power through the original constant voltage board, which is not unusual. It won't hurt anything.

As for the MDS keys; that's a new one to me.

Hopefully Barry or one of the others will jump in with info on that.

Rod

Ben,

If the soft keys all read "MTC", that's an indication of low DCS signal strength when the engine was added. Try deleting it and re-adding it on a test track, and see if things improve.

If that doesn't do it, test the DCS signal on the test track and see if it's low. If so, it could be a TIU channel issue. In that case, try deleting and adding using another TIU channel, being  sure to also provide power to the TIU via either the Aux. Power port or Fixed Channel #1.

If it's none of the above, try reloading the engine's sound file from one on MTH's web site.

Regarding the marker lights, I agree with Rod that they were most likely wired to track power during the PS2 upgrade.

This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site!

CLICK HERE go to MTH's web page for the book!

Thanks! 

If this does not improve after following Barry's directions, who ever installed the PS-2 may not have added the inductor in line with the CV board that powers the engines other lighting.  The CV board maybe effecting signal strength.  Easy to check or fix.

Does this engine have Cab light and firebox glow too?  Most likely they also come on with track power.

The reason for this is that the Upgrade kit goes into the tender and the number of control lines is limited by the 10 wire harness.  So the only feature you get to control on the engine (besides smoke and motor) is the headlight.  PS-2 5V engines of this era would have the board in the engine so access to all the features were available, and the 10 wires would go to the tender for speaker, battery, rear light and coupler.

One of the reasons when I do upgrades if I can I place the PS-2 3V in the engine and customize the wire harness, I do.   G

George, that's a great idea.  Do you have a diagram of a typical customization of the wiring harness for mounting the PS/2 in the locomotive?  I know I can figure it out, but if it's already figured out...

GRJ, weren't you working on a small board pair (one tender, one engine) for PS2 that would allow you to control multiple lights up in the tender?  IIRC it was to be like the MTH mux board pair but with more independently controllable lights.

I was looking at the possibility, it doesn't appear all that difficult.  Basically a simple mux and demux on the other end.  Of course, moving the PS/2 board to the locomotive solves the issue, you free up a bunch of wires in the harness, and it would make it easy to have your cake and eat it too.

My basic issue with creating the boards isn't the design, it's the board layout and production.

I use a diesel kit, a universal harness and a Engine rear PCB without diodes.  Basically follow the diagram for a engine with board in engine as far as wiring.  Red and black for AC, Yel/White Speaker, etc...  G

Interesting idea about using the diesel kit, never thought of that.  You could also use the straight tether which looks better IMO anyway.

George, a timely post. I am getting ready to do my first PS2 steam engine (PS1 NYC ESE). I only have steam kits. It appears the 8 pin connector drives the marker/class lights, at least on the diesel boards. Do you know if steam boards have the same pins available for Class lights? If so what would the pin numbers be? I may get around the 10 pin connector problem by either replacing the ten pin connector with a 12 or 14 one or adding a second connector to drive the engine lamps like class and cab lights.

Pete

The light outputs are the same for diesel of steam boards.  The real question is, does the sound file you're using support the extra lighting.

Pete,  This one may be doable.  Premier engines that have PS-5V model are usually better suited to this mod as the 5V board was probably in the engine.  For your ESE the 20-3105-1 is the PS-2 5V model and it looks like it has a PS-2 3V file associated.

As John states the boards are identical, and as long as the sound file supports it, the lights and associated Soft Keys should be available.  the 3105 has Interior and Fire box with markers.

You can load this into the board and then see have Soft Key Light functions come up. 

On a GS-2 upgrade I did the sound file had ditch lights and MARS output on constant so this allowed various number boards, lights to be powered.  Usually you can use the interior to light the cab and fire box.

So you need to send the rear marker to the tender if it has them, the PV, plus reverse light and coupler control line, 2 speakers and 3 volume control wires (gray wire doubles as power for marker); one line for + battery and ground to the blue of the volume control.  That uses all 10 wires.  If you use BCR free up one line, if you go with out volume control you free up 2 more, or some combination.  The pin out is on the wiring diagram inside the instruction manual.  This is a little complex for your first upgrade.  G

Thanks G, I will give that a try. I am assuming the wire harness that connects to the 8 pin connector and powers the tender markers does not include the wiring for the class lights like the diesel harness has. As I don't have a diesel harness to use to read back to the 8 pin connector I was wondering what pins on the 8 pin connector are used for the front class lights? I don't see markings on the PC board that I normally see on Lionel Command boards.

Pete

Here's a diagram with the pinouts of the 8-pin connector.  The pinout of the 3V board is the same, so ignore the 5V comment on the diagram.

Thank you again John. Thats what I was looking for. On the steam harness only three positions are used.

Pete

Note that the markers and beacon are LED's, the others are the 6V bulbs.  The markers and beacon return to APWR, the other lights return to PV on pin 2 of the 12-pin connector.

If you prefer LED's for any or all the bulbs, a white LED with a 220 ohm resistor or colored LED's with a 330 ohm resistor works well for individual LED's.  I like LED's for the headlights as they are a lot more focused and look way more prototypical in operation.