Life Like Proto 2000 SD50

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATL-2

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AK-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Life Like Proto 2000 SD50.

With milling of the frame, DXI has been able to utilize a 
AK-MB1 motherboard, WOW121 diesel decoder and UNIV-SH4C WOWSound kit.

HO Scale Life Like Proto 2000 SD50 shown prior to installation.
HO Scale Life Like Proto 2000 SD50 shown prior to installation.
Shown with the shell off. To start, remove the two screws as highlighted above on either side of the existing lighting board. Remove the wire leads and remove the board from the locomotive.
Shown with the shell off. To start, remove the two screws as highlighted above on either side of the existing lighting board. Remove the wire leads and remove the board from the locomotive.
To allow a space for the motherboard and speaker, the frame must be milled as highlighted above to keep all the components below the original top of the frame. With the lighting board removed, also remove the LED lighting saving these components for later reinstallation.
To allow a space for the motherboard and speaker, the frame must be milled as highlighted above to keep all the components below the original top of the frame. With the lighting board removed, also remove the LED lighting saving these components for later reinstallation.
With the original lighting board removed and frame milled, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.😂😂
With the original lighting board removed and frame milled, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary.😂😂
Using double sided foam tape, mount the AK-MB1 to the frame as shown and solder the motor and track pick up leads to it. Insulate these leads using small lengths of TCS 3/32" and 3/64" shrink tubing if necessary.
Using double sided foam tape, mount the AK-MB1 to the frame as shown and solder the motor and track pick up leads to it. Insulate these leads using small lengths of TCS 3/32" and 3/64" shrink tubing if necessary.
Next, with the 25mm X 14mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNI-SH4-C enclosure, mount this assembly to the frame as shown and solder the wire leads to the motherboard according to the included wiring diagram. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new port hole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
Next, with the 25mm X 14mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNI-SH4-C enclosure, mount this assembly to the frame as shown and solder the wire leads to the motherboard according to the included wiring diagram. If your speaker enclosure installation covers the portholes on the enclosure, we recommend adding new port hole(s) similar to the original porting. Be sure that the new portholes are the same size and amount of the original and are vented freely into the locomotive We have found introducing a port of the correct size greatly increases the volume and sound quality of the installation. Too much or too little porting decreases the sound quality.
Place the original lighting back into their locations and solder the wire leads to the AK-MB1 according to the included wiring diagram. TCS motherboards include on board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Place the original lighting back into their locations and solder the wire leads to the AK-MB1 according to the included wiring diagram. TCS motherboards include on board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Life Like Proto 2000 SD50 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder. Lastly, in order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, lace the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Now you can close up the locomotive and reinstall the coupler assemblies. Be sure to be mindful of wire routing and reassembly of the shell as to not damage or foul the installation. Your Life Like Proto 2000 SD50 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!

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

Lacing Cord

In order to keep the wires neat and prevent possible shorts, we recommend lacing the wires into a bundle using lacing cord. Lacing cord is a wax impregnated string used for wire bundling and making harnesses. There are many choices of lacing cord available from Digikey www.digikey.com. 
We use part number 802534B BK032-ND