PS3 misses watchdog-Update

Do a conventional reset.  Without a TIU in the circuit, apply power to the track, holding the loco so it won't fly.  Press transformer whistle button once and bell button 5 times, at 1/2 second intervals.  Timing is critical.  Two toots indicates success; otherwise try again.

OK RJR, I'll try that. I have to do a little rewiring to bypass the TIU.

Loco may be locked into conventional forward.  It happened to me.  Jeff Strank told me of this cure, and it worked.

John,

Does it take off when you press Startup or as soon as track power is turned on?

After 2 hours, I have some results. I was able to get a conventional reset after about 25 tries and burning traction tires. First restart came up in command. After that, all restarts came up in conventional with full sound, smoke, and lights. The startup button took care of that and all was normal(resetting sound and smoke). Four or five restarts later, same old. It would take off like a bat outta hell immediately on power. 30 attempts later I got another conventional reset. Now at least it starts every time in regular conventional, and I just use the startup to get it into DCS,

Probably don't need more than about 12 volts on track; it's easier on the tires.

John,

The last time I saw this kind of behavior was when one of the smoke unit leads was touching the boiler on a friend's PS2 RK Imperial FEF.

I did figure the voltage out. I just let it go around slowly and finally got the reset. I could do it easily when it was actually in conventional, but what a struggle when it was in "rogue mode". Barry, you may have it. I have had it apart two times lately for anemic smoke, and it's a real chore putting the shell back on because of the ditch light wires. I took the top off the smoke unit to check the wick, but all was ok so I just put it back together. I'll take the shell off tomorrow and see if I can find something.  Thanks to you and RJR for the help.

I took the shell off this morning. There were no obvious wires with problems. I put it on the track without the shell and it started perfectly five times. I carefully put it back together and it has started in command for another five times. The only notable thing I did was to straighten up the row of capacitors, as they were leaning on all the wires going across the top of the board. Obviously there was something wrong; it's just isn't obvious what it was. Thanks for all the help.

I was watching this, and this issue has been addressed before.  Sorry I did not chime in earlier.

First, a Track signal test is also dependent on the engine.  Because you have 10s with other engine, means your track and TIU are wired properly,  BUT that does not mean another engine can't have and issue that effects how it reads DCS signal.  That engine could be a 1 on your same track.

For diesels, it has been documented that if the wire bundle is too close to the Signal transformer Toroid near the 8 pin connector/relay the DCS signal to the engine is effected.  When you went in and straightened the wire you probably moved them away and restored DCS Signal reception for this engine.

I have seen engine work fine on TIU but not on a DCS Remote Cdr, read signal strength and that engine reads 6 or 7.  Move wires and it goes up to 10 and starts working again with DCS Remote Cdr.

The other issue is that PS-3 have had some issues reading watch dog, depending on how the TIU is powered (AUX versus F1) and how rapidly the TIU is powered up.  So that can factor in too.   G

GGG, I wonder if it would be a help if you could post a picture of the toroid proximity issue.  While I haven't had the problem, I'm sure others have.  Would this not also be an issue on steam?

I hadn't heard of the means of powering the TIU as affecting PS3.  Can you elucidate?

I am not totally out of the woods yet. Now this engine has terrible track signals, all the way from a scarce ten to "out of RF range", with mostly threes and fours. Taking the shell off didn't help. The only thing I noticed was signal improved if it wasn't pulling a consist. Starts ok, no matter how I power up.

John, what is in the consist?  If one or more cars has a constant voltage board for lighting or other devices, it MIGHT kill the DCS signal.

I'm pulling a lighted dummy that may have a cv board, I can't remember. But that has always been in the picture without problems. Just took time out to go to a movie and when I got back the engine is starting in conventional again. I can live with that because startup works to get it into DCS. I would like to get the problem figured out, because it used to be fine. I guess I'll have to decide whether to send it out To fix it.

If it starts without taking off, I'd live with it if past warranty.  Not that hard to press startup.

What version of the software and what channel are you using?   . I know it shouldn't make a difference but ya never know?

 I did notice you're using the same transformer for the aux power supply and track power.. You must have the polarity right else there would be bigger problems. (I think). 

I have 4.2 software and am using Var1 and Var2 as fixed because I have a couple conventional I run once in a while. I have had the engine(used) since October with no problems.

Seems you've   tried just about everything . The engine should remain  be dark and silent upon track power up (var set to FXD)   . I don't know whether it's worth trying  a small test track with only the engine  and perhaps a different channel....    .  Yep! just 1  or 2 sections  of track....   Same thing?? 

I haven't used a test track. I normally run two trains on the same loop and the other one always starts in command. I have two separate loops and it is the same on either one. I may take the shell off one more time and try moving wires around. Manana.

 Did you   try the engine with no other engines or cars on the track?.  

No, but I'll try it tomorrow. I had no other engines on the track, but the dummy and a caboose were, just as they were when everything used to work.

So coming back full circle.  If you place this PS-3 GP-40 on the main track, apply power does it still take off at full speed?  Or has that stopped and it just starts up in conventional?

Besides doing a DCS factory reset, do a conventional reset with a transformer.    Let it start up, hopefully not moving, but keep voltage around 10V or less.  Press 1W and 5B in rapid succession.  Hear 2 confirming toots. Shut off power. Wait 1 minute and try on DCS.

Picture attached.

Press 1W and 5B in rapid succession

The MTH specification is to use 1/2 second presses, with 1/2 second pauses in-between.

The engine does not take off at full speed any more. I was able to do the reset and it hasn't done it since. I'm used to the procedure, because I had a PS2 before I got DCS. It was very difficult to do when it was taking off, but no problem when in conventional. I'll do it again, because I did another factory reset. I haven't got to the train room yet, so I'll try it shortly. I will set up a test track and go from there.

Set up a test track and had a crazy spell where it jerked forward and took off backwards. I put it on the layout and got a conventional reset again, so now it's back to starting up in conventional every time, both on the test track and on the layout without anything else on the track. If I put another PS2 on with it, that one starts in command and the PS3 starts in conventional. Same results with shell off. Like I said before, it's not something I can't live with as long as it doesn't take off like before.

John, have you phoned MTH tech support in Columbia and spoken to them.  They might be aware of some unpublicized issue they've seen before

John i would check the wires going to your DCS/DCC switch are not touching. I have MTH GP35 with PS3. I kept losing signal and i found the wires was touching on the switch and the horn would stick or engine take off or start up in conventional.  

I haven't called, but that is something I might yet try. As for the wires, I have tried to inspect all places visible with no obvious problem. Thanks for all the help, as it is not as bad now as it was before.

Is it possible a bad super cap would cause a missed watch dog signal ? John, how long is the sound playing after you shut it down ?

I am with chessie.  I would pull the 8 pin and 40 pin carefully and reseat them.  Inspect DCC/DCS switch for good continuity.  G

After all the troubles this engine came back to near normal for a while. In the last week it got progressively worse. Track signal nonexistant to 2 or 3 all over when the other engine on the same track gave all 10s. It does not take off on startup like before, but misses the watchdog and loses settings all the time, such as suddenly no lighting until I turn everything back on. It turns out RJR had the solution. I took the MTH dummy off and track signal went to 10 all the way around. I had done this before, but maybe I hadn't done the resets when I did, I'm not sure. I know when I was running just the chassis the dummy was not on the track and I still had problems, and they ran together for a long time without problems. So thanks, RJR and all the rest of you who helped. My question now is will the chokes recommended by Gunrunnerjohn solve the voltage board problem and where should they go in the wiring? It looks to me like 2 cv boards and 2 terminal boards in the picture.

It looks like the only thing that improved is the track signal. With nothing else on the track the engine always starts in conventional and some of the time goes rogue again. Rogue is a slight jerk forward and then full speed reverse. Other times I can't get it into neutral to do a reset. I have done all three resets, but I am never sure how it is going to start. Sometimes in conventional the horn button acts like a direction button, and cycling the handle off to change direction blows the horn. The last two times it has started in conventional and I can go to command with startup or shutdown. I expected better result when the signal improved, but got the opposite. Not sure where to go next. Everything worked fine for two months with the lighted dummy before all this started.

Reload flash and sound file.  G