I have a MTH F7 with PS3 and it shows a low battery. Second question, has any every set of a smoke alarm while running their trains. I did today and had a visit from the local fire dept as I could not turn off the alarm fast enough. A little embarrassing to tell them my electric trains set off a smoke alarm.
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Your PS3 engine shouldn't have a battery so perhaps your hand-held is the culprit?
A P3 has a super capacitor and a low battery indication is normal. I too have set off my smoke detectors, but managed to "NOT" involve the fire department.
The way mine smoke I would set off my alarm..
Hi RJT,
As Sam and mrmacher noted, PS3 engines do not have batteries. The "Low Battery" reading on the DCS remote query is normal for all PS3 engines (HO, O, and Std. Gauge).
The ability to set off a smoke detector with model railroad "smoke" depends on the type of smoke detector. The "smoke" emitted by our trains is actually condensed vapor, not a product of actual combustion. Ionizing smoke detectors are highly insensitive to this kind of condensed oil vapor because it has little effect of static electric fields. Photoelectric detectors are much more sensitive because the vapor easily refracts light. If you have a dedicated train room an ionizing detector is a better choice for that space.
RJT,
As Dave states, " The "Low Battery" reading on the DCS remote query is normal for all PS3 engines (HO, O, and Std. Gauge)".
That's because the remote is checking the battery charging circuit and reporting its state, not that of teh battery. Since the PS3's Supercapacitor charges fully very quickly, the battery charging circuit is hardly working and thus reads "low" to the remote.
One would think that MTH might consider fixing that. 
I agree. Since DCS has two-way communications, the software should be able to detect an engine with PS3 and turn off the Low Battery indication for that engine.
Earl
Wow Thanks for this. I was feeling like an idiot for wanting to ask if a smoking locomotive could set off a smoke alarm. I have been told that wisdom is learning from others experience. Therefore I will monitor smoke output in my apartment! My Polar express loco barely puts out but my MTH is a potential fogger.
Earl,
Since DCS has two-way communications, the software should be able to detect an engine with PS3 and turn off the Low Battery indication for that engine.
That's interesting. I was discussing that very subject with MTH R&D last week.
The answer is basically "yes", however, it's "complicated".
If I set off the smoke alarm, I blame it on my wife, I tell them she burned something in the oven! 
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