Lima Class 52

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



This installation of TCS T1 Decoder is for HO Scale Lima Class 52 and was performed by Robert Lewis of Tilehust, Reading, United Kingdom.

This procedure will be similar for most 6 or 4 axle Lima locomotives. Gently pry the body away where shown, 6 positions, and slide upwards.
This procedure will be similar for most 6 or 4 axle Lima locomotives. Gently pry the body away where shown, 6 positions, and slide upwards.
Current pick up is from one side on the motor bogie, and from the other side on the trailing bogie, some locomotives have a black insulated wire from the pick up strip to the motor terminal and some a bare copper wire, in either case unsolder from the motor terminal and join to the red decoder wire, insulate the joint. Unsolder or cut the capacitor from one of the motor terminals and bend away. disconnect from the motor terminal the long black wire from the trailing bogie and connect to the decoder black wire and insulate the joint. Connect the orange and grey wires to the motor terminal, either way around, depending on which end of the locomotive you consider to be the front. If you get it wrong you can always change CV29 to the value of 7.
Current pick up is from one side on the motor bogie, and from the other side on the trailing bogie, some locomotives have a black insulated wire from the pick up strip to the motor terminal and some a bare copper wire, in either case unsolder from the motor terminal and join to the red decoder wire, insulate the joint. Unsolder or cut the capacitor from one of the motor terminals and bend away. disconnect from the motor terminal the long black wire from the trailing bogie and connect to the decoder black wire and insulate the joint. Connect the orange and grey wires to the motor terminal, either way around, depending on which end of the locomotive you consider to be the front. If you get it wrong you can always change CV29 to the value of 7.
I have left all the unused wires long as there is plenty of room in the locomotive body, ensure all the bare ends are insulated and use insulating tape wrapped around the ballast weight to hold them down below the window level. I have stuck the decoder to the chassis with double sided tape. Gently put the body on, pulling the sides out again to slide over the locating points.
I have left all the unused wires long as there is plenty of room in the locomotive body, ensure all the bare ends are insulated and use insulating tape wrapped around the ballast weight to hold them down below the window level. I have stuck the decoder to the chassis with double sided tape. Gently put the body on, pulling the sides out again to slide over the locating points.

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