Walthers EMD SD45

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-KAT-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AS-MB2-NC

Speaker Kit
Keep Alive®

KA4



Installation

This installation is for a HO-Scale Walthers EMD SD45 using a TCS WOW121-Diesel Decoder, AS-MB2 NC Motherboard, KA4 Keep Alive® and UNIV-SH1-C WOWSpeaker kit.

HO Scale Walthers SD45 shown prior to installation.
HO Scale Walthers SD45 shown prior to installation.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws highlighted above and their housings. With the couplers removed, while gently pulling outwards at each end and along each side of the frame, lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
With the couplers removed, also remove the two screws under the frame as highlighted above in red.
With the couplers removed, also remove the two screws under the frame as highlighted above in red.
Walthers SD45 with the shell off. Remove the 4 screws highlighted above in red along with the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
Walthers SD45 with the shell off. Remove the 4 screws highlighted above in red along with the wires from the original lighting board and remove it from the chassis.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary. Using small lengths of TCS 3/32" and 3/64" shrink tubing, insulate these solder leads.
With the original lighting board removed, trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary. Using small lengths of TCS 3/32" and 3/64" shrink tubing, insulate these solder leads.
Using double sided foam tape, attach the AS-MB2 NC to the frame and solder the motor and track pickup wires according to the included wiring diagram.
Using double sided foam tape, attach the AS-MB2 NC to the frame and solder the motor and track pickup wires according to the included wiring diagram.
With the 35mm X 16mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure and using double sided foam tape, mount this assembly to the frame as shown. 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.
With the 35mm X 16mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH1-C enclosure and using double sided foam tape, mount this assembly to the frame as shown. 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.
Replace the lighting into it's original positions and solder these wire leads to the motherboard 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.
Replace the lighting into it's original positions and solder these wire leads to the motherboard 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.
Using the same double-sided foam tape, secure the KA4 Keep Alive® to the frame as shown above. Solder these wire leads to the motherboard.
Using the same double-sided foam tape, secure the KA4 Keep Alive® to the frame as shown above. Solder these wire leads to the motherboard.
The installation shown complete. We used TCS 1/4" and 3/4" Kapton tape tp secure the wire leads to prevent movement and potential shorts. You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder.
The installation shown complete. We used TCS 1/4" and 3/4" Kapton tape tp secure the wire leads to prevent movement and potential shorts. 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 Walthers EMD SD45 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
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 Walthers EMD SD45 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