Athearn Genesis EMD F3B

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATH-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

GEN-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for HO-Scale Athearn F3B DCC Ready uses the TCS GEN-MB1 Motherboard, WOW121-Diesel Decoder, and 35mm x 16mm Speaker and was performed by TCS.

Start by spreading the shell and lifting it off of the engine.
Start by spreading the shell and lifting it off of the engine.
Next, remove the wiring from the original lighting board, and remove the lighting board from the engine.
Next, remove the wiring from the original lighting board, and remove the lighting board from the engine.
Next, install the motherboard in place of the original lighting board, and mount the 35mm speaker in its housing and install the housing between the frame. Attach the wires from the speaker and locomotive to the motherboard in accordance with the wiring diagram provided with the motherboard.
Next, install the motherboard in place of the original lighting board, and mount the 35mm speaker in its housing and install the housing between the frame. Attach the wires from the speaker and locomotive to the motherboard in accordance with the wiring diagram provided with the motherboard.
With the motherboard and speaker wired in you can install the WOW121-Diesel decoder, replace the shell, and re-attach the front coupler. Your WOWSound installation is complete and ready to run.
With the motherboard and speaker wired in you can install the WOW121-Diesel decoder, replace the shell, and re-attach the front coupler. Your WOWSound installation is complete and ready to run.

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