MTH Stacker Board Installation Issues on a Dreyfus Hudson (20-3045-1)

I'm not sure how it would be a wiring issue if you just plugged in the PS32 board, I'd have to believe it's related to the sound and/or chain files.  Specifically, which sound and chain files did you load.  Where did you get the "recommended chain file list"?  Did you try installing the upgrade file from the original locomotive product page?  If you installed a later sound file, it could be that the later products remapped the lights to different outputs.

I have had this very same issue with PS3 stacker board lighting. The issue is in the chain file. It happens when the last segment loads. Once it is set (the lighting), it seems permanent. I have tied reloading the chain file over and over again and the lighting remains the same. I don't know what causes this. I finally had to send back to MTH for them to reset the board and load the file there. When I order the stacker boards I now have MTH load the files there.

I wonder if you load a completely different chain file you could also change that "permanent" nature of the problem with the chain files?

I've fixed one of these with a PS32 board. I loaded the correct chain file (steam with large smoke) and tried a PS3 sound file. Lights were all wonky, but everything else worked fine. I installed the upgrade file from here and the lighting worked as intended:

20-3045-1 | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com)

Point is that this locomotive is one of the few I've encountered that requires the upgrade file for all lighting to work properly.

Nice fix Lou, I always try any sound file that matches the locomotive if I have issues with one.

I have an update on this...
Using the upgrade file sorta fixed some things. The headlight is now always on, rather than the tender light. The tender light does now act like normal. The center driver running light is now controllable and no longer on track power, but the outer driver running lights are still on track power.
I think both Chuck and Lou are right. The lights do seem to be perma-programmed once a chain file is installed. I tried re-flashing and it didn't fix anything. Likewise, using the upgrade file seemed to fix some of the other issues.

I have to wonder if for engines like this one, the file order path should be akin to this (techs, please correct me if I'm wrong

Sound File
Chain File

Would that potentially eliminate this issue? I wonder if this is also a case of where it would be wiser to unplug those lights and plug them in afterwards.

Take board out, remove stacker and reseat the stacker board.  With the PS-32 chain, and UG sf, everything should work.  HL does stay on all the time for Steam.  The lights can't be on track power, they would over heat and burn out.  Now if you pinched wires that could do it.  G

Just to be clear, you mean separate the two PCBs from each other correct?
The running lights do heat up. I feel that they have to be on track power considering they change brightness based on the voltage.

CHECK FOR SHORTS.

The lights should not vary with track voltage. They get constant voltage from the PS32 board. None of the lights are connected to track power. Cramming a PS32 board in a Dreyfuss is no fun. It's a tight fit and you have to be very, very careful routing wires. Here's the one I did. Board barely fits.

I put the PS32 board in a Climax, I had to remove the plastic carrier and insulate it with Kapton tape to make it small enough to fit.  I also had to grind away a bunch of the diecast interior of the tender for it all to fit.

Lou I actually used your picture for reference. How did you manage to get it so low without the running light wires getting in the way?

@BBasalik posted:

Lou I actually used your picture for reference. How did you manage to get it so low without the running light wires getting in the way?

Wires are tucked into the lower boiler like stock. I didn't have to do much, they sat under the board without issue.

Yes separate board and reseat it tight.  You can get weird effects if board not seated properly.  I have done quite a few of the dreyfus and FEFs.  You need to seat the board low but ensure all the wheel lights wires are clear.  G

I tape the two boards together with Kapton tape before putting them back into the plastic carrier.  I've also had a number of "fails" with the PS32 installations before I started doing that.

Well, I'm at a loss. I took everything out and then re-seated the board, re-flashed the chain file, and I still have the same issue. I pulled the lights to check for shorts and the outer two driver lights are still acting up. Oddly enough, when I switch the light plugs around, whatever one I plug into the white receiver plug seems to work properly. Tracing the wiring back to the board, the white plug has a brown wire located in-between the blue wire and lilac wire. I checked the traces on the board and there don't appear to be any areas where there could be access to track power.  I have to wonder if the board only views the brown wire as being worthy of constant voltage and just passes through voltage to the blue and lilac wires.

Is there a wiring solution to this, in that could I wire all six bulbs to one plug? I feel like that's possible with LEDs, but not with the incandescent.

Did you do a factory reset after loading the chain and sound files?

Wiring didn't change at all when I uploaded the file I linked above. Everything worked as factory.

Yep, factory reset got the same result.

Purple wire is PV.  Look at the upgrade instruction wire diagram.  It feeds positive track voltage to all the bulbs, ultimately also couplers and heat element.

The light blue would be a return to ground via FET.  If the FET shorted you get high voltage ratioed to track voltage to the bulb with a short to ground.  Hence bright bulb.  The FET pulse to let an effective 6V to the bulbs normally.

Now FET can be shorted, or pins not properly connected between boards which usually let's all bulbs go bright.

Sometimes jumper wires are used to feed other connectors.  Your description is not clear.  Show a picture.

Either FET shorted, or return wire has been pinched and grounding to chassis.  Assuming your original owner and someone didn't do a wiring hack.  G

You are making too much work out of this. Like I said in an earlier post, the problem is with the loaded chain file. I had the same Dryfuss Hudson you are working on with the same issue with the driver lights. As much of a pain it is before you accidentally cause a short working on the engine, Pull the board and sent it to Don at MTH to load the chain file for the engine. I really don't think there is much you can do now at your end. Take my advise.

G, it's my fathers engine, so we're the original owners. No mods except a BCR a few years ago. Surprisingly this was one of the longer lasting 5 volt engines in the collection (out of about 13.) I've checked the FET board and the wires, everything seems in order.

Chuck, I tend to agree with you in this case. The amount of times I've done stuff with computers where they've had issues resulting from a bad driver or a tiny change to the registry makes my head hurt.

For now, the engine runs, smokes, makes noise, and lights up. It's better than the scale paperweight I've had since January. I'll unplug the two sets of iffy bulbs for now and just run the one set in the center. I'm planning to reach out to MTH anyway so hopefully I'll get a resolution from this.

If it turns out to be the board, I can reuse it somehow.  I've got other projects that need boards, with less lighting.

Thank you all for your help!! I'll post a resolution at some point for future needs!