PS3 Upgrade RMT Beep 1/11 Update

What engine are you upgrading with a plastic frame?  What is the engine you are taking parts from?

 

What you are going to do is a transplant.

PS3 is set up for led lights.  Plastic frame sounds like an Atlas. should not be an issue but it would help to tells us what engine its going into

If this was able to be connected to a dummy engine or aux tender, there might be a switch to select a different coupler via the harness connection.  Yes the metal is a heat sink.  You could add a longer strip of aluminum to the frame and attach to that.  Would spread out any heat, though it shouldn't be an issue for a smaller motor train.  G

Ok gents... Let me provide some more data.  In a different thread I was trying to upgrade a Railking F3 Dummy and make it a powered unit using a Rugged Rails F3 as a donor.  That did not work out as the trucks are different and were not swappable.

 

If you are interested in those details, https://ogrforum.com/t...03#39300407058356103

 

else, just read on.

 

So I thought about installing the PS3 board from the MTH RR F3 to a pair of RMT Beeps.  I know it all won't fit into one Beep, but I have two I planned to tether together like an A/A.

 

I removed both motors and modified the plastic base of the Beep to install the MTH motor with the tack reader.  I had to elongate the hole to fit the larger gear and make a new hole for the screw which would be misaligned with the existing hole.   Then I installed the PS3 board.  To do this I had to remove all of the posts on the Beep so the board would fit.  I also had to remove the weight.  I have a plan on how to put weight back in a different area.  Will show later in another post.  I also removed the second motor.  I have a test video below.

 

The plan is to tether these by using all 4 pickup rollers (from both engines) to power the unit.  I had also planned to connect the 2 can motors from the 2nd Beep to the MTH flywheel motor so they all worked together.  Does anyone see a problem with that?  Or should I remove them both and use the 2nd MTH motor?

 

For some reason the LED light does not work.  It did work when it was in the F3.  I assume I have to use LED lights and can not use the lights that were in the BEEP.  Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

Ron

 

Where did the light come from.  The red side of the plug needs to be with the purple wire which is common + voltage.  You can pull the pins out and swap.  G

The light came with the F3 donor.  I swapped them as you suggested and nothing happened.  I put them back the way they were (Red = Brown and Black = Purple).  I hit the HDLT button on the DCS remote and it came on.  So I must have accidentally hit that during some test.

 

When I plugged the light into the other white connector, the light slowly flashed like a Mars light.  Like I said the RR F3 did not have a light connected to that connector.  Maybe a Premier version would use that?

 

If I download different sound sets will that light work differently?  Like for marker lights or ditch lights? 

 

Thanks!

Ron

 

I do bet the other is the MARS light for certain F-3 models that had MARS Light

 

It is possible but no way to know how a different sound file works without testing.  Or you can move that connector pin to the marker spot on the 40 pin connector.  This is a delicate connector so be careful.  G

Here is a better picture of the wires for the light.  Also, Since this came from an F3 which would typically have a tether for another B and A unit, I assume this four pin connector is for a tether to control directional lighting in the trailing A unit.

 

One purple goes to the 40 pin, grey to the on/off, green to the 40 pin and the last purple to the Tac reader.

 

I'm not sure I'm going to mess with that 40 pin connector and attempt to move wires.  I have big clumsy hands and feel as though I've been lucky thus far.

 

Ron

 

 

 

Ron, Yes.  For PS-3 the common wire is now PCB Ground (normally Purple).  PS-2 it was Positive Voltage (Purple).  So the wiring was correct. Interesting the LED died on you. 

 

The purple is propably the PCB ground.  Green is reverse light, and gray coupler via the switch.  Trace the other wire on the switch, one probably goes to 40 pin and the other to the rear coupler of lead unit.  That was you select which coupler fires.

 

Where was that 4 pin connector located?  In the shell or attached to the truck?  Which position on the tach reader is the second purple wire?  G

Interesting the LED died on you. 

Well it did not really die.  I must have inadvertently hit the HDLT button on the remote.  Because I pressed it and the light works now.

 

Trace the other wire on the switch, one probably goes to 40 pin and the other to the rear coupler of lead unit.  That was you select which coupler fires.

 

Correct... So does that mean the on/off switch really controls the firing of the rear coupler on the leading A or the rear coupler on the trailing A?

 

Where was that 4 pin connector located?  In the shell or attached to the truck?

It was attached to the Truck of the F3.  Not sure where I will put it on the Beep.

 

Which position on the tach reader is the second purple wire?

From left to right... Purple, Orange, Grey.

 

Ron

 

Yes to the coupler selection.  This is very similar to the aux tender set up.  Allows you to operate the lead A rear coupler if you don't want to run it with a dummy.

If you measure the continuity of the 2 purple wires does it read 0 ohms?  If so they probably put it on the tach reader (PCB Grnd) to save wire going to the connector.  I assume the rear motor had the tach so it made it easy.   G

The PS3 Beep works...  Now on to the next step to install the speaker into the 2nd beep and tether them together.  I also learned that the existing can motors in the 2nd Beep do not run very well with the PS3 stuff.  I used the wires for the 2nd PS3 motor from the transplant donor engine to try and power the Beep motors.  They were jerky and inconsistent.  So I will install the 2nd MTH flywheel motor into the 2nd Beep with the Speaker.  I'd like to try and find an 8 pin tether like the one used on steam engines to try and keep everything neat and clean.

 

Also below are some pics of how I re-added the weight I removed to make room for the PS3 board.  And then a video of PS3 Beep running.

 

Ron

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's cool!  Everything works , I believe you are the first to do PS2 or 3 into a BEEP. All I ever seen posted was with EER Cruise CDR Lite 

 

Doug

It is a PS3.  I did say PS2 in the video.  Sorry.  I think a PS2 would not fit because of the battery needs.  This PS3 fit is VERY tight.  I even had to take out the plastic windows to fit the motor without rubbing on the side frame.

 

Ron

 

I know you used a PS3 board, Just saying you might be the first. But think about. For PS2 you would just add two wires to the tether and put the battery into the second unit.Another thing noted is that the motors from the RR F3, the worm gear was a match for the Beep and thats import info too.

. Doug 

Nice job.  That would have been a bear, if it was a metal chassis.  G

Ok gents... looking for some thoughts on this problem.

 

I have installed the 2nd MTH motor in the 2nd Beep.  I am using the stock Yellow and White wire for that second motor / PS3 board and have tethered it from Beep 1 to Beep 2.

 

When I test run the engine the 1st Beep with the tac reader fly wheel appear to run correctly.  The 2nd motor tethered to the 2nd Beep races like it's at 18volts and not using the SMPH from the PS3 board.

 

Any thoughts why one motor runs right and the other races?

 

Ron

 

Check the wires to the second motor to insure that the were connected properly. Also make sure the wire are sitting in securely in the plugs.  Also do a reset of the engine on DCS

 

Doug

I'll bet that is the problem...  When I wired them the 1st time then ran "scale like" but it was backwards.  So I reversed the wires thinking the motor would just run the opposite way.

 

Ron

 

Well reversing the wires on the motor wires did not help.

Reset the engine... Did not help.

Check connections.  Seated well... did not help.

 

In creating the tether from one Beep to the other I did solder an extension of the yellow and white wires to the 2nd motor.  Could that be a problem.  Is there a limit on how long the wires can be?

 

Ron

 

GGG Nailed it.  He suspected a short on one of the contacts of the can motor.  It was sloppy soldering on my part creating the short.

 

I will try to get a final video/pics out by the end of the week.

 

Thanks George! 

Ron

 

OK... I could not wait.   Here is the final product.  Video and Pics.

Thanks to Doug and George for the encouragement, help and advice.

Ron

 

 

 

 

 

Ron

 

That was cool and the most important part was the reason for doing the conversion. " I did it for my son" The first ones are always the hardest. I am glad I could help but G provided the critical advice. As for not doing it again. Never say never. The next one will be a lot easier.

 

Doug

Now you can add a big steam sound file and really throw people for a loop.  G

Very cool, and I suspect you're the only folks with a PS/3 BEEP set!

Well done. Thank you for sharing the jouney, with those of us that could just watch.  My son would have heard that it couldn't be done! And not in a bad way, because, in my house, it couldn't have. I will try to remember this, next time something can't be done. Before I could submit reply, I'm now thinking of putting ps2 in a boxcar, for 1 navy beep to pull a few navy cars.... because apparently, it isn't impossible.

I'm now thinking of putting ps2 in a boxcar, for 1 navy beep to pull a few navy cars

 

Funny you say that Marty.  No sooner am I done with that demo video (My son was running the train while I did the camera)... and he says to me, "You think you could make Lionel Thomas run on DCS?  You could put the guts in Annie and Clarabelle".

 

I gave him one of these...

 

Ron

 

Ron , I was thinking about what G had posted. I think a Big Boy or Challenger sound file would be just right.  Imagine someone visiting and hear the engine. Wow you got a big Boy can we see? They walk in and only see a Beep running.

Yeah.... They figure you out quick, huh?