Athearn SD70ACe

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T4X



Athearn SD70ACe T4X Decoder Installation by Thomas R Gosser, Big Lake, Alaska.

This T4X decoder install will give you alternate flashing ditch lights.
This T4X decoder install will give you alternate flashing ditch lights.
One of the screws that needs to be removed.
One of the screws that needs to be removed.
To remove the shell locate and remove the screws on each end that hold the draft gears in place.
To remove the shell locate and remove the screws on each end that hold the draft gears in place.
Then locate the screws that hold the shell on as indicated by the arrows.
Then locate the screws that hold the shell on as indicated by the arrows.
Locate the screws that hold the shell on as indicated by the arrows.
Locate the screws that hold the shell on as indicated by the arrows.
You will notice the sander hoses come off with the shell. These are flexible, however care should be taken when removing the shell.
You will notice the sander hoses come off with the shell. These are flexible, however care should be taken when removing the shell.
When reinstalling the shell these sander hoses are a real pain. You will lose some of the paint as it is not as flexible as the sander hose. Take care during reinstallation!
When reinstalling the shell these sander hoses are a real pain. You will lose some of the paint as it is not as flexible as the sander hose. Take care during reinstallation!
Once the shell is removed you will see the light board and the pcb plugged into the connector. Remove the pcb and discard.
Once the shell is removed you will see the light board and the pcb plugged into the connector. Remove the pcb and discard.
You will notice the ditch lights wired to F1_N and F1_P. Remove two of these wires and solder or fasten to F2_N and F2_P (circled).
You will notice the ditch lights wired to F1_N and F1_P. Remove two of these wires and solder or fasten to F2_N and F2_P (circled).
Plug T4X decoder into connector.
Plug T4X decoder into connector.
Using doubleside mounting tape attach decoder to top of light board. Test installation. Reinstall shell in reverse order of removal. Install draft gears and all screws. To set up blinking ditch lights program the following values CV, Value CV 51=42 CV 52=43 CV 36=4 Now your ditch lights will come on with button 1 and will flash with button 2.
Using doubleside mounting tape attach decoder to top of light board. Test installation. Reinstall shell in reverse order of removal. Install draft gears and all screws. To set up blinking ditch lights program the following values CV, Value CV 51=42 CV 52=43 CV 36=4 Now your ditch lights will come on with button 1 and will flash with button 2.

Important Soldering Tip

Please do not use any flux either liquid or paste on the mother board. Over time, the acidic properties of liquid or paste flux will begin eating away at the fiberglass PCB and will damage it. Use only Rosin-core solder or no-clean flux approved for electronics use.

TCS recommends the use of Kester "44" Sn63 Pb37, .015" diameter Rosin-core solder. Kester part number 24-6337-0007.

You can order this solder from the following retailers:
Digikey - PN:KE1110-ND
Techni-Tool - PN:488SO6775

Other solder tips

When stripping wire, only strip a tiny little bit of the insulation. Strip no more than a 1/32 of an inch. When the wire gets tinned with solder, the insulation will shrink back more. Try to not expose any more wire than half the length of the solder pad at most. In no case should solder or exposed wire wire ever be outside the boundary of the the solder pad you are attaching a wire to.
Click here for important information on properly Stripping and Tinning wire