Triplex drawbar issue?

Look at the harness that plugs into the draw bar. See if it’s wiggled itself loose, and trying to pop out of the drawbar, ….re-seat and test again if so. If it fixes your issue, usually have to cut the first zip tie closest to the draw bar side. Sometimes the factory zip ties the harness too tight and there’s no swivel room for it……check & see how your drawbar pivots with the harness plugged in……

Pat

I did that when I swapped draw bars and it did not help. My suspicion is a bad / broken wire in the harness that plugs in to the drawbar either in the locomotive or the tender. Does anyone know where I could get the harnesses? Even if I can get just the plugs with enough wire to splice, I could do that and I think it would fix it.

It looks like mth part numberBC1200238 or BC1204000 would be what I need but they are out of stock. I would really like to find the draw bar pin assembly with the wires attached, ANYBODY know where I could find one?

Do you have a volt meter with continuity test?…..ring out the path,…..do not take the new drawbar for granted, I’ve seen new ones bad out the package. Tossing parts at it in hopes of a solution is never a good idea, …..it can get frustrating and expensive …….best to diagnose the issue …..

Pat

Yes I do have a meter and both drawbars I tried had continuity from end to end as they should. Tonight I will start checking the wires from end to end looking for a break. I am really thinking about ditching the connection with the drawbar and putting in a wired tether of some sort. I have had way more trouble with wireless drawbars than I should and with no parts available from MTH what else can I do?

did you push up on the engine side of the drawbar?

You may have to go inside the engine and fix the pins in their housing or bring it to a tech!

Yes I pushed the connector in on both the loco and the tender with no luck. I am seriously thinking it broke a wire or something as they are tied down very close to the connector and they bend pretty sharp. I will be checking them with a meter tonight. I really wish that I could find a part BC1200238 or someone that could recreate one for me and I think that would fix my issue.

@terryd73 posted:

Yes I pushed the connector in on both the loco and the tender with no luck. I am seriously thinking it broke a wire or something as they are tied down very close to the connector and they bend pretty sharp. I will be checking them with a meter tonight. I really wish that I could find a part BC1200238 or someone that could recreate one for me and I think that would fix my issue.

We’re kinda politely trying to tell you not to think or hope that fixes your issue, …..diagnose the issue, ….and know with authority,….dart board diagnostics leads to surefire disappointment…….😉

Pat

I understand and when I get home I will thoroughly check the wiring harness in both loco and tender. If that checks out it will probably be headed to Gcubed, as checking for continuity and basic soldering is where my skills end. Does it make sense that it will do everything except run if something on the board failed? I can add and delete it, all sounds work, and the start up and shut down sequence work, it also stopped once and i pushed the connector and it ran fo a short while then quit again. I hate to send it to George and have him tell me it was a loose or broken wire that could have easily fixed.

It can be a board issue, but it can be a wire issue……with the shells off, verify continuity on all 10 pins if it’s a PS2, 6 if it’s PS3 ……could be something stupid as a broken wire right at the motor itself, ….you might be chasing the wrong thing, …..we’ve all chased out tales before, …..I believe that engine has two motors, but it’s daisy chained from one motor to the next, so if the motor that has the double wire has a broken link, neither motor is gonna run, and you’ll get the very symptoms you describe ……that’s why we say from one end to the other…..don’t fixate on your drawbar just yet…..

Pat

Ok, it is a wire issue or a small plug issue. The wires that run from the draw bar towards the front of the locomotive (mth part number BC1200238)  seat in to a small black plug. If I sit the train on the track and start it up and it does not move, a light touch to that connection and the loco moves. Since MTH does not offer that cable any longer I am wondering if I could remove the plug both male and female and splice the wires?  I spread the pins very slightly but no luck, it appears that the break is right at the point where the wires go in to the male plug, how do you fix that? The wires and connection under the female plug are solid and check good.

Thanks for the help, at least I have it narrowed down and it does not need a new board!

@terryd73 posted:

Ok, it is a wire issue or a small plug issue. The wires that run from the draw bar towards the front of the locomotive (mth part number BC1200238)  seat in to a small black plug. If I sit the train on the track and start it up and it does not move, a light touch to that connection and the loco moves. Since MTH does not offer that cable any longer I am wondering if I could remove the plug both male and female and splice the wires?  I spread the pins very slightly but no luck, it appears that the break is right at the point where the wires go in to the male plug, how do you fix that? The wires and connection under the female plug are solid and check good.

Thanks for the help, at least I have it narrowed down and it does not need a new board!

Take a clear, well it picture of what you’re talking about, and maybe we can advise on a plan…..sounds like a possible cold solder joint,…..might not have to re-invent the wheel here, …..if cold joint is suspected, a touch of the soldering iron can get you back in revenue, and out of the shop,…..

Pat

Finally got back in to the Triplex and the issue is definitely with this socket / board. The locomotive will run for a while and then stops and the firebox glow lights quit. If I just touch the socket the firebox comes back on and the locomotive will move. I pulled the board off and the wires are soldered securely, I spread the pins very slightly and still no luck. My question is that the small board seems like just a place to hold the plug, and if it is not needed I am confident in cutting the plug off and soldering the wires from the male plug to the wires from the female plug BUT is that board/socket more than just a holder for the socket? Please help!  I have tried looking for this board/socket on the MTH site and they do not appear to be available

It’s either a problem with the male end of the plug, or like I mentioned before, a cold solder joint on the back side of the female plug socket. Look to make sure none of the pins are pulling out of the male end, and carefully inspect the soldered wires on the back side of the female end, ……if you can suspend the engine while running, it may make diagnostics a little easier. I suspect a cold solder joint on that female plug. Very hard to pin point, not easily seen,…..one trick I’ve done is to make the room very dark as possible, and get the engine running and look for the tell tale little spark where a connection is being lost…..if you suspect a cold solder joint, you can simply re-flow the joints with a fine tipped iron,….but be careful you don’t bridge two or more joints together……bad things can happen!…

Pat

Thank you Pat for the advice and I will give that a try but I don’t think my skills are up to reflowing that small of a joint. What I did do was hook my meter to each wire and then checked continuity  from each pin to the wire while pulling and wiggling  the wire pretty vigorously. My meter has a tone setting for continuity and the tone never even changed. This is driving me nuts😊, I love the engine but it is testing that love!

@harmonyards posted:

It’s either a problem with the male end of the plug, or like I mentioned before, a cold solder joint on the back side of the female plug socket. Look to make sure none of the pins are pulling out of the male end, and carefully inspect the soldered wires on the back side of the female end, ……if you can suspend the engine while running, it may make diagnostics a little easier. I suspect a cold solder joint on that female plug. Very hard to pin point, not easily seen,…..one trick I’ve done is to make the room very dark as possible, and get the engine running and look for the tell tale little spark where a connection is being lost…..if you suspect a cold solder joint, you can simply re-flow the joints with a fine tipped iron,….but be careful you don’t bridge two or more joints together……bad things can happen!…

Pat

Pat ,do you knowwhy that small board exists ?   

I've seen these before but can't recall what its purpose is or what the wire arraingment is or if it has some trace patterns that perform some function.     It must be more than 6 wires in and 6 wires out !?! 

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Pat ,do you knowwhy that small board exists ?   

I've seen these before but can't recall what its purpose is or what the wire arraingment is or if it has some trace patterns that perform some function.     It must be more than 6 wires in and 6 wires out !?! 

Some components live in the boiler, some live on the chassis. That connection is for ease of maintenance, or in this case, a Royal PITA for the OP, ……problem is, a successful diagnosis can be daunting given the nature of the failure……intermittent failures can be tough to solve….

Pat

@terryd73 posted:

Thank you Pat for the advice and I will give that a try but I don’t think my skills are up to reflowing that small of a joint. What I did do was hook my meter to each wire and then checked continuity  from each pin to the wire while pulling and wiggling  the wire pretty vigorously. My meter has a tone setting for continuity and the tone never even changed. This is driving me nuts😊, I love the engine but it is testing that love!

A cold joint can be a pest, …..sitting cold, ie: nothing energized, a cold solder joint can ring true and drive you nuts, ….then, once power is applied, the connection can be lost. DO NOT probe around with your meter while the engine is powered up!!…again, bad things can happen!!…..look carefully at the soldered joints on the back side of the female plug. A cold joint will look like a miniature volcano with a pin sticking out if the crater…..a good joint won’t have a crater around the pin…..A trick if you find one is to heat the pin and the little mound of solder at the same time to heat both quickly for a re-flow…..a tiny dab of fresh solder helps solidify the repair ….

Pat