Question with MTH Upgrade Kit

You can as long ss the ohms on the old speaker match the new speaker. The speakers ohms/watts  is usually printed on the speaker casing

Unfortunately, the replacement speaker does not have the ohms/amps stamped on the back. I’ll take a look through the manual and see if I can’t find anything. Thanks for the help.

Was able to find the information. The new speaker is a 4ohm 3watt speaker. The old speaker is a 16ohm 1watt. Measuring the old speaker, it is 1.5 inches long and 1 inches wide. Any ideas where I can get one?

Small rectangular speakers at Digikey

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Small rectangular speakers at Digikey

Thanks!

Well, I can't imagine why you're taking the smoke unit out of the Climax to replace the board, that makes no sense!  The battery and board are in the tender!

You're going to run into a major issue with the upgrade kit unless you plan on doing a complete upgrade, that will be a lot of work.  What you really need is the PS32 board with the 5V connectors, that makes this job much more manageable. The upgrade kit has the white 3V connectors that are NOT compatible with the wiring harness in that Climax.

When I replaced the 5V board in one of these, I had to take the plastic carrier off the PS32 board set and also grind out some diecast in the tender shell to make room to fit the board.  I did find a speaker on Digikey that exactly fit for the existing speaker.

The owner was told it needed to be fully converted to PS3 by an authorized service center in San Antonio. The reason why they could not fix it is because it is ran by one man and he is having health problems. Thus, I am doing a full conversion.
For the smoke unit, I am not having to replace the board. The manual shows I have to isolate it in order for the PS3 board to do all the work instead of a separate board.

Well, the person that told him it needed a full conversion didn't know what they were talking about.  FYI, I'm an ASC and I've actually done this repair, and I used the PS32 board with the 5V black connectors for the job.

Interesting, it looks like I have found myself in a bigger hole than I want to be in. I guess I should have consulted with you first before I made my decision to take the job. Live and learn.
Even though this is a full conversion kit, would I be able to do a full conversion, or do I need to stop and get the PS32 kit? If so, where can I get one?

Don't forget that a full conversion will require the replacement of all bulbs with LED's.

@Trainmaster04 posted:

Also, is the board a 5v system or a 3v system? Thanks for y’all’s help.

I bought my first PS2 loco a few weeks ago and was wondering how you know whether it is a 3v or 5v?  By the battery?

Thanks,

John

@Craftech posted:

I bought my first PS2 loco a few weeks ago and was wondering how you know whether it is a 3v or 5v?  By the battery?

Thanks,

John

Here is an old post talking about the difference and how you can tell.
https://ogrforum.com/...r-5v-for-mth-30-1306

@Chuck Sartor posted:

Don't forget that a full conversion will require the replacement of all bulbs with LED's.

If he's using the steam conversion kit, it still uses 6V bulbs.   Since the Climax is a steamer, trying to load steam sound files into the diesel board would be a real tricky issue.

@Trainmaster04 posted:

Here is an old post talking about the difference and how you can tell.
https://ogrforum.com/...r-5v-for-mth-30-1306

Thanks

Much appreciated.

John

I don't think a true PS3 board supports bulbs, only LED's. A PS3/2 will support the original bulbs. Is this not correct?

@Chuck Sartor posted:

I don't think a true PS3 board supports bulbs, only LED's. A PS3/2 will support the original bulbs. Is this not correct?

Correct, and the steam PS/3 upgrade kit uses a PS32 board!

OK, I didn't read the post in the right context. When the OP said full conversion, I was thinking a PS3 board.

It is a steam PS3 kit. I will take photos of what I have when I have a break latter today.

This could have been much easier.

Here is what I have:

You really just needed a PS32 board with 5V connectors to do this job. Load the chain file for steam with small smoke unit and you're good to go.

Thanks for all the help everyone! I am just trying to do my due diligence and get as much info as I can. After looking at some old OGR posts on similar matters, and through this one, it looks like I have what I need after all. (Correct me if I’m wrong John.)

As Lou said, you really need the PS32 board with the 5V connectors, then you can just replace the board without changing any wiring.  It is a tight fit in the tender, but since the full upgrade kit PS32 board is the same size, that problem doesn't go away with the full upgrade.

I also still have a few of the older 5V PS/2 boards.  If my Climax board ever croaks, this is one place that I may consider just dropping that board in.

In that case, I guess I am back right where I left off. I have tried to contact MTH to get one but they never responded. (This being a month ago.) I will go ahead and push through it and do the full conversion as that is what I have.

I can swap you a PS32 board with the 5V connectors for the one you have with the 3V connectors.

Just the boards, the PS43 5V boards were never offered in a kit.  FWIW, you won't be using anything else in the kit if all the wiring is still intact in the Climax.  You will need that 4 ohm speaker we were speaking of previously to swap out the 16 ohm one.

Send me an email to my profile email address.

Ok, just sent you an email John. Thank you again.

You are doing this repair and do not understand the basics, like the smoke unit.  You short one wire, or make one mistake and you are out the cost of a new board.

You are repairing a PS-2 engine, not upgrading a PS-1 engine.  You would be better off sending to John to do the repair.  You will also run into space issue with this repair and usually a custom heatsink.  G

Send it to George, he needs to try to cram that board into the Climax tender.

I already have on several But since I have some PS-2 3V boards I might cheat and use one of those. G

@GGG posted:

I already have on several But since I have some PS-2 3V boards I might cheat and use one of those. G

I've kept a few of the PS-2 3v boards for similar situations.  Sometimes it just isn't worth having to extend wiring, and a new mount of the board.

Jim