@Paul Kallus posted:I am interested in buying BCRs for my PS2 engines. Is it correct that they will help both the 5 volt and 3-volt PS2 engines by eliminating the batteries? You simply plug them into the battery clips/plugs, and then let engine sit on track 2 minutes before hitting startup on DCS remote?
And will they decrease the probability of failure of the 5-volt electronics that I read are notorious (is that the applicable word) for capacitors blowing up?
Paul, the BCR's you would purchase for the 5-volt and 3-volt PS2 engines will eliminate the batteries that are currently in your PS2 engines. One needs to remove the batteries, as the BCR's utilize the battery clips/plugs to connect to. From past experiences, some of the PS2 battery locations take more work than others to access, in order to change out the battery to a BCR.
In regards to your last question, IMO the BCR does not affect the probability of a capacitor failure. If it's going to go, it will. The more savvy electronics guys on the forum can correct me, if I'm wrong on that. I have an MTH PRR Q-2 steam engine (5-volt board) that I changed the battery over to a BCR a long time ago. Recently, after a long period of being in the box, I put it on the track and increased the power to the track to power up the BCR. After about 20 seconds of power (above 10 volts) I heard the "pop" and saw some smoke as the capacitor had blown up. The engine now has a PS2/3 stacker board in it and it operates fine now.
