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I have a PS2 switcher I really love that's died on me -- again. GGG did a great repair for me changing out one of the boards a while back and it ran great for about a year but has since died same as last time. Tried all of the usual stuff (delete and re-add to the remote, recover lost engine) but no response. Basically you don't hear the little click of the relay when the track power comes up. As it happens I have a another PS2 with what looks like an identical board set. Can I just swap out the whole board set from one engine to the other and reload the original sound file? Thought I would check here first.

Thanks!

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I'd be leery of popping in another board.  Assuming they are 3-volt boards, they should not be failing.  Possible, but improbable, indicating that GRJ's point is well-taken.  Nicks in wire insulation are sometimes very hard to find, and not visible unless you turn a wire over.  Intermittent failures of some board-driven components are also hard to find. 

 

If they're 5-volt boards, which are similar to 3-volt boards, it could be recurring natural death.

Scott, What was the model number?  You do need to be careful occasionally with certain models because it could be a flash board.  For example small smoke with single element use a flash board that alters power to the single element smoke unit.

 

Otherwise in general terms a board swap is not an issue.  Just load the sound file.

 

For a 3V to replace 5V just swap the 5V connectors onto the 3V board so the harness connectors fit.  Change speaker to 4 ohm and change battery harness and battery to the 2.4V version vice 8.4V.

 

Could send me the boards, could be an audio amp failure, or something repairable.  G

Originally Posted by gunrunnerjohn:

George, do all the locomotives with the small smoke unit use the FLASH board?  What about PS/3, is there also a different board for those?  This is the first time I've heard about this, so I'm naturally curious.

 

John,  Yes.  There is a flash code list MTH has, but small smoke is one of them.  So camelback, some switchers.

 

Not applicable for PS-3 since you can load the flash code and the sound file.  You use the appropriate flash code for the PS-3 engine and that code is present.  G

Originally Posted by Scott T Johnson:

Woops, you're right GR the correct number is 30-2296-1.

Scott, I found it in my records.  We replace with a used PS-2 5V board as yours was dead.

 

So back to you original question, yes any PS-2 3V will work, just swap connectors so your harness plug in.  You will need to change the speaker to 4 ohm or you will have reduced volume.  What speaker size is in the engine?  Switchers tend to have smaller sized speakers, or flat ones, which tend to be harder to come by in 4 ohms.  Change battery to 2.4V.  AAA may fit better than AA, or go with BCR.   G

Originally Posted by GGG:
Originally Posted by gunrunnerjohn:

George, do all the locomotives with the small smoke unit use the FLASH board?  What about PS/3, is there also a different board for those?  This is the first time I've heard about this, so I'm naturally curious.

 

John,  Yes.  There is a flash code list MTH has, but small smoke is one of them.  So camelback, some switchers.

 

Not applicable for PS-3 since you can load the flash code and the sound file.  You use the appropriate flash code for the PS-3 engine and that code is present.  G

Thanks, didn't realize the small smoke unit had to be FLASH.

Success -- for now. Easy swap and I now have a Ma&Pa NW-2 that thinks it's a BNSF GP9. Just hope the new 5V board set has a longer life than the previous one did. Thanks for help!
 
 
Originally Posted by GGG:
Originally Posted by Scott T Johnson:

Woops, you're right GR the correct number is 30-2296-1.

Scott, I found it in my records.  We replace with a used PS-2 5V board as yours was dead.

 

So back to you original question, yes any PS-2 3V will work, just swap connectors so your harness plug in.  You will need to change the speaker to 4 ohm or you will have reduced volume.  What speaker size is in the engine?  Switchers tend to have smaller sized speakers, or flat ones, which tend to be harder to come by in 4 ohms.  Change battery to 2.4V.  AAA may fit better than AA, or go with BCR.   G

 

Scott the board you put in now is a ps2 3 volt board not a ps 2 5 volt board as you stated, and no need to worry the ps2 3 volt boards were much better then the ps 2 5 volt boards.ps 2 3 volt boards hardly ever have a failure, you only need to make sure your battery is charged before using unless you installed a BCR 2.4 volt super capacitor!

Good luck and enjoy your train now.

Alan

P.S. if you installed a BCR only has to charge for 45 seconds to a minute then run as usual 

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