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RailPro => RailPro Specific Help & Discussion => Topic started by: sieggs1 on October 07, 2025, 05:12:40 AM

Title: Problems with speaker pins on LM-3S
Post by: sieggs1 on October 07, 2025, 05:12:40 AM

Hey all,

I have installed a used LM-3S in my old Athearn blue box GP-35 diesel. I have all the light functions working including a PBM-2.

The one thing I cannot seem to get working is the speaker. I have a single, wired speaker that will NOT work when plugged into pins 1 and 2 of the 6-pin connection on the LM-3S. I have another GP-35 with the SAME speaker plugged into another LM-3S module that functions beautifully.

Has anyone ever had specific pins on an LM-3S fail? Doesn't sound right. I tried another speaker and it still didn't work.

I changed up the sound files on the buttons on the HC-3 for the locomotive and I can't get it to play any sounds.

I did have to flash new firmware for this module and the new version was confirmed in the controller.

Is there some kind of reset I need to do to get this to work? I don't see any physical damage to the pins and I have confirmed the speaker works with another module.

Any ideas?

Thank you,

Rob

Title: Re: Problems with speaker pins on LM-3S
Post by: CPRail on October 07, 2025, 08:30:39 AM

Hey Rob,

I've had two of the older LM-2Ss have bad pins, so bad they blew out speakers - twice! All because I thought I did something wrong with the hook-up, not that the module was bad. Expensive mistake.

Have you connected a multi-meter to the pins to see if they are putting out any juice?

Pics of the install can help us diagnose the issue, so if you have any, please attach. The gurus on here are super helpful in these kinds of issues!!

Title: Re: Problems with speaker pins on LM-3S
Post by: sieggs1 on October 07, 2025, 12:59:26 PM

Hey Ian,

Thanks for the response.

I'll take a reading with my multimeter and get back to you. It's discouraging to hear that the older modules can blow out speakers. In this case, it seems as though the pins are dead.

Did you end up returning your modules to Ring Engineering for replacements?

Rob S.

Title: Re: Problems with speaker pins on LM-3S
Post by: CPRail on October 07, 2025, 01:28:50 PM

No, I cascaded one down to use to power my turntable (no sound needed there!) The other had further issues, so it's now my "space" tester module for planning installs. I bought them used for a good price, so it wasn't worth it to ship them to Ring (I'm in Canada).