Tyco F9A

Scale:
HO Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

T1



Tyco F9A TCS T1 Decoder and Harness Install.
By Thomas R Gosser, Big Lake, Alaska.

This decoder install contains many steps but is not complicated. And the end result is a locomotive that runs very well thanks to DCC and TCS!
This decoder install contains many steps but is not complicated. And the end result is a locomotive that runs very well thanks to DCC and TCS!
Locate on both sides of the shell the tabs that hold the fuel tank/weight into place. Spread shell at these points and allow tank/weight to drop out.
Locate on both sides of the shell the tabs that hold the fuel tank/weight into place. Spread shell at these points and allow tank/weight to drop out.
Locate the tabs for the rear truck mounts on both sides of the car body. Spread the shell here to remove truck, you may need a small flat bit screwdriver to aid removal.
Locate the tabs for the rear truck mounts on both sides of the car body. Spread the shell here to remove truck, you may need a small flat bit screwdriver to aid removal.
Once you have the truck removed you will need to remove the motor brushes. The brush holders are held in place by small wire springs. Pop these out of place with a small screw driver or needle nose pliers. Remove the center standard screw and the brush holders and PCB will lift out of place.
Once you have the truck removed you will need to remove the motor brushes. The brush holders are held in place by small wire springs. Pop these out of place with a small screw driver or needle nose pliers. Remove the center standard screw and the brush holders and PCB will lift out of place.
Locate the front truck mounting tabs. Spread the shell at this point to remove front truck.
Locate the front truck mounting tabs. Spread the shell at this point to remove front truck.
Now that the front truck and the motor brushes and PCB are removed, you will notice on the PCB a brass strap as pointed to in the photo. Rotate this strap about 135 degrees counterclockwise.
Now that the front truck and the motor brushes and PCB are removed, you will notice on the PCB a brass strap as pointed to in the photo. Rotate this strap about 135 degrees counterclockwise.
Leave the brass strap in this position for the time being.
Leave the brass strap in this position for the time being.
Remove the headlight bulb from its holder and cut the wire lead to the headlight holder and the wire lead to the rear truck PCB brush holder.
Remove the headlight bulb from its holder and cut the wire lead to the headlight holder and the wire lead to the rear truck PCB brush holder.
Solder the black harness lead to the front truck pickup lead.
Solder the black harness lead to the front truck pickup lead.
On the red harness lead crimp on a small eye connector.
On the red harness lead crimp on a small eye connector.
Solder the white harness lead to the headlight bulb wire.
Solder the white harness lead to the headlight bulb wire.
Solder the gray harness lead to the rear truck pcb wire lead. Prep the brass strap for soldering.
Solder the gray harness lead to the rear truck pcb wire lead. Prep the brass strap for soldering.
Bend the brass strap up 90 degrees as shown.
Bend the brass strap up 90 degrees as shown.
Solder the yellow harness lead to the brass strap as shown in the close up.
Solder the yellow harness lead to the brass strap as shown in the close up.
Reinstall the rear truck PCB and motor brushes. This will take some time and care to perform. Place a piece of electrical tape as shown to prevent any shorts. Your connections should look just like the connections in the photo. Notice how the red wire eye connector is bent up almost 90 degrees to prevent shorting against the brush holder.
Reinstall the rear truck PCB and motor brushes. This will take some time and care to perform. Place a piece of electrical tape as shown to prevent any shorts. Your connections should look just like the connections in the photo. Notice how the red wire eye connector is bent up almost 90 degrees to prevent shorting against the brush holder.
Solder the blue harness lead to the light bulb holder wire.
Solder the blue harness lead to the light bulb holder wire.
Use double-sided foam mounting tape to mount the decoder to the underside of the shell. Place light bulb back into its holder. Insulate any bare wires and tape out of the way. Reinstall front truck. Reinstall rear truck. Test decoder installation. When satisfied reinstall fuel tank/weight and enjoy!
Use double-sided foam mounting tape to mount the decoder to the underside of the shell. Place light bulb back into its holder. Insulate any bare wires and tape out of the way. Reinstall front truck. Reinstall rear truck. Test decoder installation. When satisfied reinstall fuel tank/weight and enjoy!

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