I have three PS3 engines that I keep on my layout at all times that I run with DCS. Whenever I first apply track power for the first time, two of them will almost always start up without using the command on the remote. It's not a huge deal because I can just start them up with the remote after and they run fine and respond as normal but is there anyway I can prevent them from starting up on their own or is there something I'm doing wrong? I run 18 volts into the TIU and come out of the fixed one port and I have auxiliary power hooked up for the TIU.
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I have the same problem with all 6 of my MTH Premier diesels that have Proto 3.0. I'm anxious to hear what the response is from MTH or Barry on this peculiarity.
As a precautionary measure, you should make sure you have those engines locked in conventional neutral (1 horn, 3 bells with Z controller). If for any reason power momentarily gets interrupted after they started in conventional on you, their going to take off at full speed and throw YOU into a hilarious panic mode for anyone watching. Been there, done that.
The problem, or the lack there of, is the watchdog signal that is missed by your engines. The TIU should be powered up first, then the power supply to the tracks. The watchdog signal tells the engines that they should remain silent and wait for the startup command. The signal is only present for approx. 5 seconds after powerup.
Tyler, are there any other engines sitting on the tracks that "don't" start up? If there are, it's not a problem with the TIU because those other engines received the watch dog signal.
Dave Zucal posted:As a precautionary measure, you should make sure you have those engines locked in conventional neutral (1 horn, 3 bells with Z controller). If for any reason power momentarily gets interrupted after they started in conventional on you, their going to take off at full speed and throw YOU into a hilarious panic mode for anyone watching. Been there, done that.
I thought that PS3 eliminated that issue?
I would think that it would be a condition of normal conventional operation when an engine would start up without it seeing a watchdog signal. Did PS3 eliminate conventional use?
Happens to my PS3 Railking ES44AC Southern Heritage unit about 8 out of 10 power up times. None of the other engines (all PS2) start up, only this one
Dave Zucal posted:Tyler, are there any other engines sitting on the tracks that "don't" start up? If there are, it's not a problem with the TIU because those other engines received the watch dog signal.
Yes I have a PS3 sd40t-2 that won't startup. I also have some ps2 engines on my layout too, no issues with them starting up without commanding them to.
choochoopaul posted:The problem, or the lack there of, is the watchdog signal that is missed by your engines. The TIU should be powered up first, then the power supply to the tracks. The watchdog signal tells the engines that they should remain silent and wait for the startup command. The signal is only present for approx. 5 seconds after powerup.
I always have the TIU powered first, then I apply track power.
Does this happen anywhere on the layout or just in certain locations?
How do you power up the tracks?
I would clean the tracks, wheels and add a drop of oil to each side of the pick-up rollers for best continuity. See if that helps.
BobbyD posted:Does this happen anywhere on the layout or just in certain locations?
How do you power up the tracks?
Anywhere, I don't have a big layout, it's only 8x8 but I have tried pretty much everywhere on the layout. I know my DCS signal is a 10 everywhere, I have checked just to be sure it's not weak signal.
Do you have any continual loops on your 8x8 without an insulated break in the loops? If you do, you should break the loops with insulating pins or connectors to create a track block.
I've experienced the same issue with most of my PS3 locomotives. It has proven more to be an inconvenience than anything else. I feel that I likely need to do a factory reset on all my PS3 locomotives and see if that clears some of the other issues I am finding with PS3.
Dave Zucal posted:I would think that it would be a condition of normal conventional operation when an engine would start up without it seeing a watchdog signal. Did PS3 eliminate conventional use?
no
I have a recently purchased PS3 engine that started doing this. It seemed like it was missing the watchdog signal. Sat there smoking with the volume louder than the normal DCS setting. Odd thing was it would respond to some remote commands such as directional change and horn without doing a startup command. This is a question for the DCS experts. Do you need to issue the startup command first in order to do a shutdown ? It would respond to the shutdown command. It wouldn't respond to throttle commands. I sometimes turn the layout on simply to move things out of the way to work on an area. The startup was getting to be annoying as this wasn't the engine I intended to move.
I decided to move it to a different spot on the layout that was fed by another channel of the TIU. Fired up the layout and it sat silent. Moved it back to where it was initially and it started up when powering up the layout. Decided to switch the output leads on the TIU so that area ran off the other channel. Engine now sat silent. Figured I maybe on to something. I switched the wires back expecting the engine startup when the layout was powered up. It has sat there silent for about a week now. Before it started up every time for a week. There may be a logical reason for this. But after a while you just shake your head to some of the things that go on.
Tyler, is your DCS system up to date with the latest upgrade. I believe PS3 engines behave best if the TIU and remote are at least 4.3 or 5.0.
Dave_C, I'm not one of the experts, but you don't have to do a start up before doing a shut down, you can just 'shutdown' directly. Some of the newer PS3 engines can also be started up by just scrolling the thumb wheel. I have a few that do that and a few that don't.
I have all PS3 engines on my layout, maybe about 5 or 6 right now, and I have yet to have the problems described here. However, I have seen the same problems reported here several times before and am also curious as to what is happening to cause them? It will be interesting to see if a cause can be determined.
I have 2 isolated loops of track each using one of the fixed TIU channels. Legacy is also connected to all of the TIU output commons, whether the channel is used or not. I am not yet using either of the variable channels, only the two fixed channels are in use.
I upgrade my TIU and Remote as soon as a new version is released, so I currently have version 5.
Try this...
- Remove the Hot input from the input to the TIU channel from which the engines get power.
- Power up the TIU via the Aux. Power port.
- Turn up track power to 18 volts.
- Connect the Hot wire to the TIU channel input.
This will put 18 volts on the track at the same time that the TIU issues the watchdog signal. See if things improve.