Anyone have problems upgrading?

I have done many and no problems exist.  The only thing that is an issue is getting all the components properly set in the right location inside the shell so everything will fit.  No problems exist with sound files.  They are a slam dunk.

Marty, how do you intall the sound file, do you use a test track or the test fixture to install prior to putting the board in the engine?  G

Loading the sound file is the last thing I do and as Marty stated it's a slam dunk. I have my work/repair bench set up with it's own TIU, Z4K and computer and test track and do everything on the bench.

One thing you must watch for; Is the file correct for that Voltage and Ram size board. This can cause a file to not work.

I'm trying to figure that out; what size is the RAM and voltage the kit I purchased in 04/2009 ... any easy way to tell before installing?

I have the same setup at the workbench as Paul.  I do them in the locomotive.  They can be done in the test fixture.  I do not think many 1 meg boards are still floating around. 

If you attempt to load a 5V onto a 3V board or vice versa the loader will tell you right off and will not load it. Also does the same thing and will not load a 2 meg into a 1 meg RAM board. The very first thing the loader program does is check for the engine and it's parameters, compares with what file you are trying to load and if they do not match it goes no further and tells you the error.

Paul/Marty, the reason I ask is I have seen some weird reactions when downloading or uploading a sound file.  Granted I am using an older loader program, but yesterday I was uploading a file out of a 5V board using the test fixture and the motor turned on a full throttle at one point.  I had all harnesses connected.  I had to pull the motor harness since the program was not completed.

I realize you only need to have the power harness installed when doing this.

This is why I have been leary of uploading on a test track in case the engine decided to take off during a program fault.

I have had some difficulty using the test fixture, in that I have had the program lock up, and I have to start over.  Some of this I attribute to the harness length. 

So, I find it interesting you never have an issue uploading.  I need to re-evaluate my set up.   G

Granted I am using an older loader program

Why??? That makes it extremely difficult to troubleshoot problems.

Because it allows you to upload files and it was installed in the shop.  There are still plenty of files not upload to MTH site and with all the Web site conversion issues.......

Having said that I do have the latest program on my home computer.

I loaded the file today but switched to a fixed DC input for the TIU and the file loaded in record time.

MTH has said they have seen better results with DC power.

I was just surprised that others have said they never have problems, loading sound files, especially since there are so many notes on what to do if the program stops.  G

MTH has said they have seen better results with DC power.

That's for PS3 not PS2.

Since you're a tech and have  the service loader, do what I do.

Have the service loader 2.3 installed along with the consumer loader 2.2. Use the consumer loader only for transferring sound files from engines to the PC.

I'm surprised at how tight a fit the upgrade board and heat sink is in the roomy GG1 shell!  Making progress.   Trying to figure out how to re-use the spring contact system for the lights in the shell ... does it hurt to cut or lengthen the wires for the lights?

Three of the seven upgrade kits arrived today and checking with MTH they don't have any record of a back order for the rest.  I referred her to the 8 pages of emails back and forth with Parts ... have to call Midge when she gets back next week ...

I cut and recut most of my lights as i muddled through the upgrade. One thing to note (and I may have already mentioned it to you), if the number boards on a GG1 need 2 bulbs (1 for each side, not 1 for each end), you can order more of the cab double lights

. Any of those connectors can power 2 bulbs.

As for reusing the spring contact boards, I will open mine tomorrow night or sunday, but when i readded the boards, it really simplified things. I just dont remember exactly what I did. My upgrade was a GP7 and I couldn't fit everything, the way Jim Barret does in the o gauge video. I went straight to a BCR, which allowed me to put the heat sink and boards on the loco floor. This helped with space.

Lastly, I don't like the way MTH makes the marker lights for the upgrade kit The 2 wires just dont fit.

I stripped the insulation off 1 and trimmed the outer insulation on the other. This left a barrier between the 2 leads. I took another piece of shrinkwrap and encased both leads. This allowed the marker lights to slide into the holes.

Kerrigan,

I've a BCR on order but it probably won't get here by the time I'm ready to lock'n'load for the software test.

FYI, the original BCR2 (the 3 volt board battery replacement) caused the Loader Program to not load a sound file because it thought the "battery" was too low. I don't know if that's still the case.

I was figuring on having the fully-charged battery pack installed for the software loadup and testing.  Then put in the BCR and install the shell.  Going to use the existing spring pads for lights and wire in the new ones the existing connectors, so getting the shell on and off will be a breeze.  Depending on the sound I might get one of those cones from MTH to put over the speaker later.

Gluing the tack reader bracket on with too-old Epoxy was fun.  Holding it for 1/2 hour instead of the "5 min to bond" time   Hope it's on right cause it's never coming off.

Looks like the reader will sit 0.30 from the tape.

I was able to load a sound with a BCR2 installed. Of course my DCS unit is now back at MTH for repair. It failed the next day. Coincidence? I hope so!

Kerrigan, I havent forgotten you, but I'm laid up with a cold, and don't want to open a can of worms (aka the shell full of wires)

Got the tach reader and tape installed, motors back in place, and started hooking up the various wiring harness.

The upgrade manual seems to indicate the two red wires from the 7 pin should each be hooked to a power pickup, not together with both pickups.  The two black ground wires it says to hook together with the chassic grounds, so I assume that means all four together.  Is there a reason not to hook all four red power wires together also?

This GG1 doesn't have a smoke unit so should the 4-pin smoke unit harness be left out all together or does it need to be plugged in to the board even if it won't be hooked up to anything?

Thanks!

No smoke unit=no smoke unit harness needed.

http://www.jandwelectronics.com/BCR2.htm

FYI, the original BCR2 (the 3 volt board battery replacement) caused the Loader Program to not load a sound file because it thought the "battery" was too low. I don't know if that's still the case.

Barry, According to J&W using the v2.1 loader, the download will not fail using the BR2.

Joe,

As I stated above, "I don't know if that's still the case."

Original BCR2's did, indeed, prevent sound file transfers.However, it's good to know they no longer do.

Barry,  good idea about the consumer loader.

I am pretty sure I was told the DC works better for PS2 also, in fact I think they use the DC Commander at the loader station at HQ.

Having said that, I know it has worked for me with PS-2 and the program seems to fly through the steps with no issues.  So I am going to reconfigure the bench that way.  G

The upgrade manual seems to indicate the two red wires from the 7 pin should each be hooked to a power pickup, not together with both pickups.  The two black ground wires it says to hook together with the chassic grounds, so I assume that means all four together.  Is there a reason not to hook all four red power wires together also?

Talked with a guy at the club meeting today who has worked on a couple of Proto2 engines and he said he noticed the pickup wires from the harness were each connected to a seperate pickup.  Suggested I leave it that way ...

Doesn't matter.  Many engines have a red wire that jumpers the 2 pickups together, with a single lead from one that goes to the 2 red wires from the connector.  As long as both pick ups can provide power to the red leads, you are fine.

The front pickup is connected to red wire one pin and the rear pickup to the other red wire pin without a jumper between the two.  Must be something inside the pin recepticle , or circuitry, that connects the two feeders.  I didn't want to bridge the two and screw something up.

Wish these instructions were more specific about these things.

yes on the board if you did continuity check between the 2 red pins or 2 black pins you would find they are connected.

Your method is fine.  Requires an extra wire nut but if you can fit it in the engine no issue.  You could also run all 4 red wires together and connect with a single wire nut if they reach each other.  G

I was just at MTH last week. I took an engine that had a new board blow up after about 15 minutes of running. I took the engine down to have it looked over to see if I missed something that might have made the board go bad. Anyhow Jeff loaded the sound file and stated how much faster the loader ran with DC current feeding it. This was a PS-2 board. He used the DC Commander for power.

After just completing a DCS upgrade, I can testify that the Loader Program 2.3 itself is a speed demon. The TIU upgraded in less than a minute, down  from 1.5 minutes with 2.2. This was using ac.

This new loader works the same, except faster?    Does it require de-installing anything, or loading up a new .net, etc.?

You'll have to uninstall Loader Program 2.2 in order to install loader  Program 2.3.

Barry, that may be, but I can attest that sound files load much quicker and error free on DC as compared to AC, with same loader program.  G

I think I've the 2.3 Loader installed, put it on a couple of months back, and think I needed to upgrade .net as well as de-install the old loader when I put it on the laptop.

Does that sound right?

I can attest that sound files load much quicker and error free

 As can I, using AC with 2.3.

I load a file today for a RK S-2 Turbine.  3V file.  It loaded in less than 8 minutes.  I have a MRC HO transformer that has a fixed DC output also.  I use a 80 w AC power pack to power the TIU, and the MRC DC Transformer through Fixed 1.  I am very happy and I know that MTH has said they have found DC much better for loading files of all types.  I am a believer.  G

Thanks for the heads up on using a DC power source to get the sound downloads to work.  I recently got an engine back from a repair center, (My engine is a SD-40-2, I got it back with a DD-40 file loaded) Needless to say it sounded wrong and the speed was way off.  I decided to try my first sound download.

 Well I tried a ton of times and it would never find the engine, (I even tried multiple engines, and it would not find any of them), I ended up pulling all wires off of the TIU and hooking it up just to my test track, I got 10's for signal quality but it still would not find the engine when trying to download the sound file.  I read this thread and thought what the heck I have a DC power supply so I powered up the TIU fixed 1 with a DC power source and then the loader found the engine on the first try and downloaded the sound file in 6 minutes.

I normally power my TIU with a Lionel 180w Power supply. With my normal setup I had no problems updating the TIU and remote.