QSI QS-2plus!, Manual

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Appendix I Troubleshooting
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105
Troubles with Older Transformers
Older Lionel transformers (ZW, KW, 1033, etc.) are well designed power
supplies that work reliably for many years. However, some of these old work
horses are getting tired and the horn button in particular may need some repair.
If your QS-2+ is not responding correctly to the horn button, there are probably
not any problems with the QS-2+ unit or how you are operating the controls;
the problem is likely to be with your transformer.
Do you have one or more of the following problems when you press the
Horn Button?
••
When the Horn Button is pressed to blow the horn or whistle, the
engine moves a little faster, slows down or there is a pause before the horn
or whistle blows.
••
When the Horn Button is pressed in neutral to ring the bell, the bell
does not come on until the Horn Button is pressed slowly.
••
When the Horn Button is pressed slowly to turn on the bell (or arm the
coupler), the bell turns on but it turns back off when the Button is released.
••
There is a "ding" when Horn Button is pressed but there is another
"ding" when it is released. Or there are no "dings" at all.
•
When you press the Horn Button down slowly, the engine changes
direction.
All these problems are caused by these older transformer horn buttons.
The horn button actually goes through two positions when it is pressed, one at
the half-way point, and the second when the button is pressed all the way down.
Pressing the horn button in all the way gives you lots of track power but a weak
horn signal, so your engine may not pick up the message you are trying to send
it. Pressing the horn button in half-way gives you a strong horn signal, so your
engine responds to the command quickly. But this half-way position leaves your
engine with less power, so the engine slows down when you blow the whistle.
Also, pressing the horn button down half-way can sometimes cause a power
interrupt if the horn button contacts are worn.
Here are some things you can do to improve matters:
1) Press the Horn Button down slowly so it reliably goes through the first
horn position before it goes to the second position.
2) Or press the Horn Button in all the way and wait. When QS-2+ gets a
weak signal, it will wait about 1/2 second before it responds. This delay was
built into QS-2+ to ignore false signals that might cause the horn to go off
accidentally.