Life Like Proto 1000 F3A

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

MC2



This installation of TCS MC2 Decoder is for HO Scale LifeLike Proto 1000 F3A and was performed by Thomas R Gosser, Big Lake, Alaska.

The shell is held on by tabs on the side of the car body and by the front draft gear box. Using an appropriate screw driver, remove the screw holding the draft gear. And remove the box and coupler. Pull the sides of the car body out releasing the tabs. The chassis will slide out of place.
The shell is held on by tabs on the side of the car body and by the front draft gear box. Using an appropriate screw driver, remove the screw holding the draft gear. And remove the box and coupler. Pull the sides of the car body out releasing the tabs. The chassis will slide out of place.
Once the shell is removed you will see the pcb light board mounted on top of the chassis. Note the holes numbered p1 to p8, these are where you will solder the harness leads to. There is no need to remove the board as the soldering can be done in place easily.
Once the shell is removed you will see the pcb light board mounted on top of the chassis. Note the holes numbered p1 to p8, these are where you will solder the harness leads to. There is no need to remove the board as the soldering can be done in place easily.
Solder each wire lead as shown. The wires are color coded and must be soldered to its corresponding number on the pcb board. P1=Orange, P8=Red, P7=Blue, P6= White, P5=Gray, P4=Black. Yellow is not used.
Solder each wire lead as shown. The wires are color coded and must be soldered to its corresponding number on the pcb board. P1=Orange, P8=Red, P7=Blue, P6= White, P5=Gray, P4=Black. Yellow is not used.
You will note that the pcb board has three locations marked with an X. These areas (traces) need to be cut with an x-acto knife. Make sure you get a clean cut on each trace as the DCC decoder will not function properly if any of the traces are still connected.
You will note that the pcb board has three locations marked with an X. These areas (traces) need to be cut with an x-acto knife. Make sure you get a clean cut on each trace as the DCC decoder will not function properly if any of the traces are still connected.
Plug in the MC2 decoder. Put a twist or two in the harness to hold the leads together. Apply a piece of double sided foam tape as shown and mount the decoder to the pcb as shown. It makes for nice neat low profile install. Test the installation before putting the shell back on. When satisfied reinstall the shell in the reverse manner of removal. Dont forget the coupler and draft gear.
Plug in the MC2 decoder. Put a twist or two in the harness to hold the leads together. Apply a piece of double sided foam tape as shown and mount the decoder to the pcb as shown. It makes for nice neat low profile install. Test the installation before putting the shell back on. When satisfied reinstall the shell in the reverse manner of removal. Dont forget the coupler and draft gear.

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