Hello Iam trying to do a protosound 3 upgrade on a proto sound 1 engine. On the seven pin connector going to the board there is a black wire with a metal loop that looks like it would mount under a screw is this a ground? Thankyou for your help
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Correct, it's a ground wire that goes to the tender chassis. That is pointed out in the instructions, but not very well. Apparently they thought it was apparent that it was a ground wire. 
I was just wondering this myself. There is literally NO WHERE in the instructions where this wire is mentioned. It's pictured on the drawing of the wire harness, but totally ignored otherwise, at least in the version of the manual on MTH's website https://mthtrains.com/sites/de...ction/50as10709i.pdf
Yep, I looked again and other than the picture, it's really not mentioned. 
Oddly, they actually mentioned it in the PS/2 steam upgrade instructions on the diagram, and then removed the label in the same diagram for the PS/3 upgrade. Given that the upgrades are exactly the same except for the PS32 board in place of the PS/2 board, that's truly odd!
Knowing that there are two grounds on the 7-pin connector made it easy for me to know where it went, but if you're not that familiar with the PS/2 environment, it is pretty odd they'd actually remove that label!
Thankyou I figured it would be a ground. Thanks again for the response
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Yep, I looked again and other than the picture, it's really not mentioned.
Knowing that there are two grounds on the 7-pin connector made it easy for me to know where it went, but if you're not that familiar with the PS/2 environment, it is pretty odd they'd actually remove that label!
Maybe the guy who removed the info about the PS2 charge circuit accidentally erased the ground wording at the same time, and no one noticed.
It wasn't like they actually included it in the written instructions anyway! 
I guess it got lost somewhere along the way. I'm in the middle of doing an upgrade, and while I understand with the vast number of different steam locomotives and configurations released over the years things change, but some things just don't make sense. Is it really necessary to replace the wires from the pickup rollers, when it's a lot easier just to undo the wire nut and connect the existing ones to the wire to the new tender harness? The smoke unit hookup seems a bit vague too. Doesn't anyone at MTH know the polarity? Just a note about " If the smoke unit motor terminals are hooked up backward, the impeller will spin in reverse and fail to pump out the smoke". It had white and yellow wires on it, but now gets gray and green, you'd think someone, somewhere, had notes as to which color got which polarity in a polarity sensitive item. And last, but not least, it tells you to put the tach tape on the flywheel, then put the flywheel back on the Pittman motor. If the tape is on the flywheel, you can't put the setscrew back which holds the flywheel on the motor (guess how I know). Can't say it's not an adventure!
@Magicland posted:I guess it got lost somewhere along the way. I'm in the middle of doing an upgrade, and while I understand with the vast number of different steam locomotives and configurations released over the years things change, but some things just don't make sense. Is it really necessary to replace the wires from the pickup rollers, when it's a lot easier just to undo the wire nut and connect the existing ones to the wire to the new tender harness? The smoke unit hookup seems a bit vague too. Doesn't anyone at MTH know the polarity? Just a note about " If the smoke unit motor terminals are hooked up backward, the impeller will spin in reverse and fail to pump out the smoke". It had white and yellow wires on it, but now gets gray and green, you'd think someone, somewhere, had notes as to which color got which polarity in a polarity sensitive item. And last, but not least, it tells you to put the tach tape on the flywheel, then put the flywheel back on the Pittman motor. If the tape is on the flywheel, you can't put the setscrew back which holds the flywheel on the motor (guess how I know). Can't say it's not an adventure!
No harm in connecting to the original pickup roller wiring if it's still good. I've not had an issue with the tach tape covering a flywheel set screw, as it's usually in front of the set screw. I usually just spin the smoke fan motor on 3V DC and figure out which side is positive.
I've installed 10 of these kits in my own Premier steam locomotives. It's basically second nature for me now.
@Lou1985 posted:No harm in connecting to the original pickup roller wiring if it's still good. I've not had an issue with the tach tape covering a flywheel set screw, as it's usually in front of the set screw. I usually just spin the smoke fan motor on 3V DC and figure out which side is positive.
I've installed 10 of these kits in my own Premier steam locomotives. It's basically second nature for me now.
Guess it depends on the flywheel. On mine, it's right in the middle (from top to bottom) and there's no way to get the tape on without covering it. I'm sure after the first one it's a lot easier.
Trying to figure where to pull power for the constant voltage board. Previously, it picked it up from the board that connected when the shell was installed to the springs on the tether board. I'm assuming that as there are no springs on the new one, I can just remove this board, and run the wire that previously was soldered to it and the constant voltage board (with the new inductor added) to the wire nut connection coming from the pickup rollers for power.
I just ditch all the constant voltage PS1 stuff and run all LEDs off the headlight circuit. I've run 6 LEDs off that circuit without issue (headlight, class lights, number board lights, cab light, firebox light). Just use a 220-500ohm 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor on the LED anode, connect the anode to the PV side of the headlight circuit, and you're good to go.
I do the same thing as Lou, I like the fact that all the lights go out when you shutdown.
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