replacement PS 2 boards

You would have to do a complete upgrade. first generation PS-2 boards are no longer available. Sure it is not just the speaker gone bad?

chuck,

     Thanks for the resonse, I've checked the speaker, the trim pot, the wiring as best I could. Just not  that familiar with  this to do a proper job, no repair shops in this area and I don't want to send it to MTH if i don't have to.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

Have you tried resetting the engine?

Barry,

    I'll borrow a Z 4000 and try and reset to default settings. I have what looks like a new board, sealed in the static bag, it was in the  box when I got the engine, it has a sticker on it says ROM, if this is the board for it  would it have come programmed from MTH or would I have to download it like doing an upgrade?

Thanks for your help, its a beautiful engine and I'd like to see it run, I've seen it on you tube and wow.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

There appear to still be a lot of 5V sound files for the older Proto2 boards available on the Proto2 site if you need to reload one.

If you are running in conventional, have you turned up the volume pot on the bottom of the tender?

Rod

Thanks Kerrigan and Rod for your input, I did test the  trim pot and yes its up all the way. I am running in conventional mode. I'll do as Barrysuggested and try a reset, w/o sound I can't hear the clinks and clanks, so I'll be borrowing a Z 4000 and try a reset. I'll let you all know how that works.

Regards,

joe geiser

Joe,

I have what looks like a new board, sealed in the static bag, it was in the  box when I got the engine, it has a sticker on it says ROM, if this is the board for it  would it have come programmed from MTH or would I have to download it like doing an upgrade?

Could be either, however, I suspect that a factory-sealed replacement board would not have a sound file installed.

w/o sound I can't hear the clinks and clanks, so I'll be borrowing a Z 4000 and try a reset

There are no clinks and clanks for PS2. A transformer reset is a Feature Reset and uses the Bell and Horn/Whistle buttons.

Joe,  First of all, if a board is ordered by a MTH ASC or customer, they can also specifiy a sound file to be preloaded.  It may or may not have the sound file installed.

If this is the MTH PS-2 5V system (has a 8.4volt battery installed) the speaker can go bad but still have good ohm reading.  Look at the metal band around the magnet. Is it deteriorated?

Worst case is you could mail both boards to a MTH ASC with a test set.  He can test the boards, and install any sound file you want, and send them back.

If no one is local around you, I can do it for you.  G

G,

     Appreciate the offer, a friend of mine has a test jig for PS 2, so he can test it if necessary. It bothers me that I have forward and reverse as well as smoke synced to the wheel rotation, but no sound,I'm thinking the programming is intact and the problem is elsewhere. You just gave me a good place to look, I did not know about the speaker being bad even though it ohmed out ok, it is a 5 volt system. Will check it out and keep this thread updated so you'll know just what was wrong.

thanks for the input to my other thread, "cheap tools for an easier fix" your expertise is appreciated.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

Joe,  You are welcome and thank you for the response.  I enjoyed your tool post.  Before I got a Lionel press, you would be surprised how I was setting wheels perfectly and pressing rivets with a variety of larger sockets, punches and a vice!

If the board test fine, and the speaker is good, then it is a matter of tracing wires from the connector to the volume pot and speakers looking for damage.  If the board is in the engine and speaker in the tender, then you also have to test pins and harness wires.

If the board is bad, there is an Audio chip that may have gone bad, usually from a short via the speaker or volume pot.  Since you have smoke sync'd to motion the tach read sounds fine.  So far the most common fault with the 5 volt systems have been bad 16ohm speakers.  G

  Before I got a Lionel press, you would be surprised how I was setting wheels perfectly and pressing rivets with a variety of larger sockets, punches and a vice!

G,

     Sounds like a good post for the  "cheap tools" thread, a lot of  people don't have a press and would benefit from your experience and ingenuity. Appreciate the heads up on the speaker problem, will keep this thread advised of  the progress.

Thanks,

Regards,

Joe Geiser

If your board does not sound in the MTH test fixture, the audio amp is gone.  I have a box with 4 of those boards that work with no sound.  Someday I might find a guy who hates sound and he will have a board.  I know I will probably have a better chance of hitting the lottery.  Check what the guys told you and you might get lucky.  Do what GGG stated and check all wiring if you test good in the test fixture. 

marty,

     Thanks for the input, can't wait to get this board in the test jig. Maybe you would know this, is there a wiring diagram of the boards showing the individual  pin outs and what they are, where they go? would make signal tracing a little easier.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

Marty,

     Thanks for the advice, as I mentioned earlier when I got this engine there was a board in the box, still sealed in the  static bag. If I can't breathe some life into this one, I'll swap boards and install a new sound and operating file. I'm assuming the files for the PS 2 upgrades would work.

Thanks again.

Regards,

joe Geiser

JOe,  5V sound files for 5V oards and 3V or Upgrade Sound files for 3V boards.  Do you know if the board in the static bag is a 5V board?  G

G,

     Its a 5 volt board. that is in there now the one in the bag marked ROM looks to be the same. Are there identifying numbers on these boards, if so where to look.

Thanks

Regards,

joe Geiser

The key is the 5V board can't be separated and it has the external 3 wire harness for the Voltage regulator.  The 3V board can be separated, no external harness (mostly) and has a different looking FW Bridge rectifier (thin) and angled over.  Sound like you just need to load the original Sound file.  The 5V board doesn't have the memory to handle the 3V program, and the loader won't let you do it.  G 

to all who contributed to this thread, thanks, finally tested the board and Marty was right, everything but the sound  tested good. Tested the board that came in the box and it was not only good but was loaded with the correct sound file, complete with passenger sounds. Feeling really lucky, all it took to complete the engine was a new speaker, (tested open) and a new 5 volt regulator and a batterey. Marty if you want to add a board to your collection I have one for you.

    Next up converting a 1996 rk1107 UP Challenger to PS 3, gave up on getting a PS 2 upgrade kit. Might try a little kit bashing in the mean time just to get it running, if I can get the additional parts. Thanks again.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

Joe,  If Marty doesn't want the board, I would take it.  JLMK,  G