Afternoon gentlemen........I'M BACK!!!!!
Life and doctors appointments (for the wife - Sue) have kept be very busy, and away from the layout.
Anyway, I was finally able to do a couple of videos this afternoon showing me using the Z4000 (both throttles), and the Z1000......trying to get the "North Western" PS1 Dash-8 diesel moving.
I also read the Owners Operating Instruction booklet again for this loco, and on page 5 it clearly says......."In order for ProtoSounds to properly initiate the system check, do not advance the transformer throttle past 10 Volts when you first enter RESET, wait for the diesel startup sounds to begin, and then slowly turn the transformer throttle to the off position, and then back on again to enter the forward phase. Interrupting the power too quickly may cause the system to enter RESET (signaled by two dings of the bell)".
Well that is exactly what is happening....two bell dings every time.......no matter how slowly I drop the throttle handle on the Z4000, or hit the direction button at the lowest voltage it will go down to (8V thereabouts).
hokie71: "Buco, I may have missed it, but have you tried or did the four errant locos work ok on a standard sinusoidal transformer like an old 1033 or similar?"
Not sure what you mean by a sinusoidal transformer, but I was originally using a Lionel RS-1 transformer when I first started running American trains (Lionel, Williams, and then MTH), and it ran all of my PS1 loco's with no problems. It was only when I advanced to the PS2 loco's it showed its short-comings in getting the various "features" to work. On advice from the Forum members, I purchased the Z1000, and all was well again, even running PS3 loco's that eventually graced my layout.
Thanks also for the waveform output details......it appears to me that the two transformers put out different waveforms. I think this is just crazy coming from the same manufacturer (MTH), and purporting to be able to run all of their different PS1 loco's.
What I do know is that my old Swiss Buco transformers will not get these loco's out of the RESET mode either. The Buco transformers start at 10V, and go up to 23V to get the stator coils and open framed motor armatures to start turning. They need a bit of grunt to get going.
GGG: What you're suggesting is "well beyond my pay grade" and skill sets!!!! I was a forensic structural engineer in my past life, and know nothing about modern electronic circuit boards. I would be afraid I would plug the wrong thing together, and blow the whole thing up!!
Anyway, have a look at my attempt to video the Z4000 trying to start-up the Dash-8. There are 2 videos......the first using Track 1 throttle, and the second using Track 2 throttle, as well as the Direction button.
I did a third video showing the Z1000 in use, and how it gets the loco up and running, just like the manual says to do it, with the horn and bell features working just fine. I will attach that video to my next post, due to the size of the three videos combined.
Sit back and enjoy (and I hope everyone can open them this time).
PS: I had already charged the BCR before I started doing the video, so you didn't have to sit through 60 seconds of nothing happening.
Peter.......(Buco Australia)
