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Submitted
by Mike Mogensen, Indianapolis, IN
This
installation is NOT for the faint of heart; previous experience
in hard-wiring decoders is a must as well as experience in dismantling
locos. I would not recommend this as your 1st hard-wire decoder
installation!
I strongly advise that you read thru this 1st before actually
starting. Also: For the soldering, I use an Isotip cordless
hand held with a micro tip. |
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1.
Remove the tender, cab, boiler shell, sideboards, smokebox and
weight so that you just have the frame and running mechanism
in hand.
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2.
Lightboard: The resistor and LED must be isolated from the power
pickup. This can be done one of two ways: to control the light
using both the blue and white wire or just the white wire. I
used both wires because I converted a Mikado to this boiler
install from a tender install and had cut both traces on the
lightboard already. You cut the traces on the lightboard just
forward (toward the LED) of the power traces that slide into
the frame. Also, if you want a more prototypical light, change
the existing LED to a Golden White LED, paying attention to
the anode/cathode orientation. I did this. Solder the white
wire to the resistor solder point and the blue wire to the LED
solder point as shown in the photo. |
| 3.
Lightboard white wire connection: Cut the trace on the fireman’s
side of the board only. Again change the LED if you prefer,
and solder the white wire to the fireman’s side LED point.
This is the easiest way to wire the light. NOTE: Once you have
decided whether to use both wires or just one wire and changed
the LED if desired, you can put the lightboard back in the frame
and hook up the wire/wires after the decoder is in place. |
4.
After the lightboard is back in place in the frame, there is
one more step to do: Place a small amount of solder on both
the board contacts right next to the frame. These solder points
will be used for the red and black wires to power the decoder
later.
5. THE WEIGHT: Cut the weight just even with the rear of the
dome and place the rear piece in the tender. Use 2 sided sticky
tape to hold it in place. (The tender could use this weight
anyway). The remaining piece (front portion) can |
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be used, with modification, to put back
in the loco or not depending on your specific needs. This loco
needs the traction tire, as you may know. The weight, in one
piece, is 0.375 oz. The front portion, if put back into the
boiler is 0.250 oz. I’ve put the weight back in and also
have left it out on other Mikes and I don’t see any appreciable
loss of pulling, but then, my layout is an operation layout
with no grades and the number of cars pulled for me is fine.
You will need to shave off a bit of the weight at an angle beside
the dome just so the wires for pickup and light can clear better
to get the boiler shell on. Hope you can see this in the side
picture where the weight is in place. If using the weight, line
the underside with Kapton tape just to insure that no solder
from the light board comes in contact with it. |
| 6.
MOTOR PREP: You do not need to remove the motor. Remove the
plastic retaining piece holding the motor and remove the top
brush |
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holder. Remove the copper frame contact strip and apply a small
amount of solder to the side of the brush cap; the gray wire
will be attached here. Using a fine tip screwdriver, get the
bottom brush contact strip out from contact with the frame but
leave it connected to the brush cap and away from the frame.
Very carefully, apply a small amount of solder to the strip
which is now exposed; the orange wire will be soldered here. |
7.
DECODER PREP: I removed the clear shrink-wrap from the decoder
very carefully. Here’s where the micro tip soldering iron
comes in really handy. I unsoldered the yellow wire, which wasn’t
needed, and if you are using only the white wire for control
of the light, the blue wire can be removed as well. With the
wrap removed, it also facilitates routing of the wires better.
I applied Kapton tape around the decoder.
8. DECODER LOCATION: The decoder sits right in front of the
motor area about one wire width forward of where the plastic
motor clip mounts. Any further forward and the boiler shell
may not fit properly. I used 2-sided sticky tape across the
opening where the motor coupler drive is and affixed it to the
frame then positioned the decoder, big chip side down and wires
toward the front. Next I routed the motor wires, gray on top
and orange to bottom.
9. To route the orange wire, figure the routing and then loosen
both frame screws, the back one as far as it can go and route
the wire between the motor and the frame down toward the previously
soldered motor brush contact. Measure and cut the wire to length,
stripping off a little insulation and tinning it. You may have
to hold the frame apart a bit to get the wire between it and
the motor but it will go OK. Again the micro tip comes in handy
to solder the wire as close to the brush cap as possible on
the contact strip, the loco being cradled in a foam cradle for
stability. Once this is done (see picture), snip off the excess
contact strip. I put a piece of Kapton tape on the frame just
at the lower edge above the motor opening. Retighten both frame
screws. Solder the gray wire (routed, measured, stripped and
tinned) to the side of the brush cap and reinstall the cap,
spring and brush into the motor. Route wires around and under
the top motor clip and install.
10. Route the red and black wires and attach to the previously
soldered points on the light board, red to engineer’s
side, black on fireman’s. Route the white and blue wires
(if using both, then only the white) and solder in place on
the light board.
11. Attach the tender and do the usual checks of the decoder.
All should be working and running OK. Install the weight (modified
if you are going to use it) keeping the wires as close in as
possible and put the boiler pieces back on. Enjoy! |
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