Whats a safe battery voltage to start up a PS1 loco on, to avoid any problems. The battery is charged to 6.7 volts currently. Thanks Stephen (cTr....Choose the Right)
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Above 8 you don't want to risk a weak battery. That is worse than a dead one, because the micro processor will try to write data with a weak battery, but won't allow the process with a dead battery.
Use a 9V alkaline for short periods until you get a properly charged battery installed. G
You can start up and shut down a PS1 with a weak battery (Even without a batter per a posting by MTH that I found once, but I'd never try it.), as long as you don't try to do any programming or feature setting. I've done it lots of times. I only had an issue when I was trying to lockout direction with a weak battery, that hosed the locomotive. But like GGG said, just be safe and use a 9V alkaline until you have a new and charged PS1 approved battery.
For information, checking the voltage of a battery not under load is not indicative of charge status. It must be checked under load or with a tester that applies a load.
Voltage is also not a good indication of the percentage of charge, since voltage does not rise in linear direct proportion to the degree of charge.
Originally Posted by sinclair:
You can start up and shut down a PS1 with a weak battery (Even without a batter per a posting by MTH that I found once, but I'd never try it.), as long as you don't try to do any programming or feature setting. I've done it lots of times. I only had an issue when I was trying to lockout direction with a weak battery, that hosed the locomotive. But like GGG said, just be safe and use a 9V alkaline until you have a new and charged PS1 approved battery.
Sinc, Every time a PS-1 starts up or shuts down it attempts to transfer data. I don't think it is wise to try it with a weak battery. Sure you can do it, but sooner or later you will scramble the memory. Older units are more susceptible to this then the later models. It is the reason a PS-1 with a BCR can still be scrambled. If you try to come out of the reset/neutral state before the BCR has charged sufficiently it acts just like a weak battery and the voltage drops to a level low enough that data gets scrambled as it is being transferred. High enough that the processor tries to write data, but low enough that as shutdown sounds play the charge and the voltage drop to unsustainable level for successful data transfer. At that point the memory is scrambled and future startup attempts are unsuccessful until you use the tech chips to rewrite the memory correctly. G
Thanks everyone! great info and much appreciated. Thanks Stephen (cTr....Choose the Right)
