Turn off Smoke unit without DCS

Note:

If your locomotive is so equipped, the smoke unit is not controlled by this remote. In

order to turn the smoke unit off/on you must first disconnect power from the track, manually

turn the smoke unit control to the “OFF” or “ON” position, full counter-clockwise or some

degree of clockwise position, and reapply power. (Small screwdriver may be required for this

operation)

I would test the Pot.  Red to gray should be 10K when you want the smoke off and Red to Blue 0 ohms.  If not maybe a defective switch.   G

My Alco S2 PS3 does the same thing with the Remote Commander. Smoke unit would turn off with the pot in conventional but not with the Remote Commander. There was a thread on this but it was deleted

I have the same problem with a Genesis PS3 that has no On/Off smoke switch, just a smoke volume control unit that I fully turned CC but it still smokes. Any workaround to stop the smoking while running with the Remote Commander. 

Interesting....turning the pot under the engine fully shut off the smoke on all my PS2 and PS3 engines when running via the DCS Remote Commander. 

By POT, do you mean the Potentiometer under the engine?

I will ask MTH if they are seeing an issue with this.  It seems weird that some won't fully turn off.  I know they are using a new flash code that includes the ability to do a full DCS reset conventionally so that folks with the remote don't have to find a DCS system if the address on the engine get changed.  Maybe some of these newer engines have a glitch.  G

Guys, Please try this method at report if it works.  First, turn power off to the track.  Wait 60 seconds.   Turn the smoke pot to the off position.

Reapply power to the track and see if smoke is off.

For the remote commander it looks at the switch settings at start up, and adjust smoke and volume based on that first look.  If you are adjusting the smoke switch while power is applies, it will not have an effect.

If this doesn't work, please let me know your product #.  G

I will try this technique later today. My engine is a VIA Rail Genesis PS3 cat. #20-20302-1.

As I asked previously, does the term POT you use mean POTENTIOMETER or some sort of On and OFF toggle switch?

If POT means potentiometer, then it cannot be put to OFF but rather to the lowest setting by turning the knpb Counter Clockwise. Please clarify.

Thak you very much.

Yes, the pot is the blue and yellow potentiometer.  In the low setting the smoke signal is ground and it is the off position.  G

I talked to an MTH repairman and he told me to do this also.It worked! I think the key is that you have to keep the loco off the track for a period of time.

When I was having the problem the other day we were taking it off the track and dialing it down and putting back on too quickly. We set it down to minimum but it was only off the track for a minute or so. Power was shut off but it must not have been long enough.

Thank you very much!

Your welcome.  The key is power off, and waiting a period so the processor completely shuts down.  Even though sounds are off the processor may still be powered.  G

The Genesis was on the track but with no power applied. It spent a full night and a full day before I started it up again and it smoked as before.

As requested, I am reporting the observation.

Any more suggestion?

Are you sure the smoke pot was turned fully off?  What about the other direction in case the pot is wired backwards?

If it still won't work, let me have the product # and I can send to MTH so they can see if there is a code issue.  G

The POT is fully turned counter clockwise. As for backward wiring, I do not think so because of the small amount of smoke coming out. I previously had this engin run on high smoke (POT fully turned clockwise) and the difference is obvious.

My engine is a VIA Rail Genesis PS3 cat. #20-20302-1.

Thank you for your help.

So does it smoke a little even in conventional when the control is turned fully CCW?  Measuring the resistance to see if red and blue wires at POT have 0 ohms when fully ccw.  If some level of resistance the pot may be bad and the smoke is not fully off.  G

Ok,  MTH now recognizes some flash code does have this anomaly.  I have reported your specific model to service.  G

Brian,

   The manual smoke control problem is one of the glitches with the P3's,

I have not heard of a fix at this point.

PCRR/Dave

Open the locomotive, unplug the smoke unit, job done.

Thank you all for the info.

I wish for all of you a wonderful and resful holiday season.

That is not as easily done for a PS-3 with one 40 pin connector unless it has the individual 2 pins at the motor and heater.  Which I hope they do.  You must disconnect both heat and fan also.  G

They have new flash code, I think it is a matter of identifying model units with it and getting the code posted for a file update.

JB,  MTH has the new file on the web.  All you need to do is load the "Chain File"  Not the sound file.  Load the Chain file and that should correct this issue for you.  G

I could turn off with DCS...

Seems like you missed the opportunity to sell the customer a DCS system too. 

GGG,

   Thanks for the update on the smoke control fix I appreciate it.  GGG if you get time please look at my post on DCS Program problem after shut down, I would appreciate your input.

PCRR/Dave

I know I have turned off the pot with no track power as I don't set locos or rolling stock on live tracks. The pot does nothing with the remote commander but is fine in conventional.

The engine is a Alco S2 Green Bay and Western 20-20326-1

I wonder if this would more common in Premier engines compared to RK since JP's engine is a Premier like mine.

It is possible, I made that same comment when talking to a tech.  The engineers figured it out, but the info just recently made it's way to service.  The good news is the updated chain file was already on the web.  G

Hi I cant find the firmware upgrade on the MTH site. I have a brand new MTH 20-20262-1 Nickel Plate Road (NS Heritage) ES44AC Diesel w/PS3 that I cant get the smoke to stop. I leave on my track constantly and Im worried I may run it dry. Plus i'm in a basement with poor ventilation.

Thanks in advance for any help.

wont the smoke on off button on the remote turn it off instantly.

The key words in the title are "without DCS".

No with it totally off it still leaks a little.

Call MTH service, they can probably e-mail you the chain file with the code change you can than update your engine.  G

I will call today.thanks for all your help

Here I am a year later and the same problem except no matter how long you leave it off the track power smoke stays on. If we put it on conventional track, no smoke, works as it should.

As soon as it sees the DCS signal it smokes.

It has to be a problem with new 3.0 sets. Anyone have any suggestions?

This might help.

https://ogrforum.com/t...-for-ps3-rtr-engines

Thanks,

Nickstrains.

Jeffrey from MTH just called me. It is a chain file issue.  No good. It can be fixed, but going to take some time that is in short supply around here.

Yes, they found out some engine codes had a bug when used with Remote CDR.  The flash code is out there.  G