PS2 Engine Wire Issue

@Mike D. posted:

I have a PS2 engine that was recently repaired.  It was running fine, but recently began shorting out and shutting down as soon as it begins to move.  Also it seems to gain and then lose the watch dog signal at times when power is applied to the track, as you can hear it clicking on and off multiple times with the engine and sounds starting up at times without my pressing the start up button on the remote.

While it is stationary, all sounds,  lights and other functions seem to work fine, it is only when it turn the thumbwheel to start it moving that is shorts out.  I thought it might be a pick-up roller issue, and I switched out the original singles for doubles on each truck, but it did not fix the issue.  I'm wondering if it might be a wire between the pick-up rollers and the board.  Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

What type of loco is it?  The reason I ask is that one of the issues with the steam PS2 (and PS3) locos that have the wireless tether is that the tether will sometimes disconnect when running and the engine comes to a dead stop.  A zip tie or other retaining measure will remedy this.

If it's a diesel or wired tether, you can ignore my rambling.

My bad, I should have specified.  It is a GP-40 with a 3 volt board.

Product number?  Turn the locomotive upside down.  Check the center rail pickup, depress it slightly and see if it clears the housing it is set in.  I have seen several steamers, especially Railking RTR's where the center rail pickup hits the engine frame causing a direct short.

Bruce

Bruce,  it's a Guilford GP-40  product #2521-1.  The problem started while it still had single pick-up rollers but I switched them out for doubles and added the insulator pads for the doubles and the problem persisted so I don't think that is the issue.  Wondering if it could be the wire from the pick-up?

It's really weird, in that it is fine until it starts to move and then it just shorts out and dies......

IF it "shorts out", wouldn't it trip the breaker?  Is it really not getting power momentarily?

I didn't think of that John, but it certainly makes sense.  Would a bad connection somewhere explain it?  It doesn't trip the breaker, and the movement of the engine immediately causes it to stop and lose power, then it  typically cycles through multiple watch-dog signal sounds suggesting it gets the signal, loses it and gets it again.  It also starts up at times on its own when it gets power and misses the watchdog signal momentarily........

I'm guessing you have a bad connection somewhere, and possibly a bad board, though I'd exhaust the wiring/connector possibilities first.

Thanks John.  I'll do some more checking......

What transformer?  A short won't trip a breaker on a Z-4000, the Z will roll back power.  It can be an AC issue, and the wires from the pickup can get damaged and ground out on the chassis or motor block.  It can be a poor ground connection.

It can also be a PV short which are motor leads, Coupler power, and smoke heat element.

If the whole board gets knocked off, it can be a 5V issue too.  Speaker or smoke fan.

Are you sure those double pickups are not striking the truck and shorting in motion?  G

G.,

I took the the light bulb housing off from around the motor to get a better look at what that motor was doing.  I also took the elastic band off of the motor lead wires.  When I started the engine the motors both turned a little bit but then stopped as they have been doing every time I try some kind of a tweak.  Because of the slipping, I took a look at the trucks and there was a traction tire missing on one side of an axle.  I put 2 new ones on the wheels on that axel and when I tried it, it ran fine in both directions.  I suppose that it is possible that it was the motor leads, but it did not run after I tinkered with them a little, it was only after I switched out the tires... I use atlas track so maybe the combination of a missing tire and that track causes the slippage and a short?

Mike

@Mike D. posted:

G.,

I suppose that it is possible that it was the motor leads, but it did not run after I tinkered with them a little, it was only after I switched out the tires... I use atlas track so maybe the combination of a missing tire and that track causes the slippage and a short?

That is really odd.  Maybe the height difference with out the tires allowed the center roller to compress the spring more and short out against the frame or other part connected to common.