Australian NR Class Cv40-9i

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATL-3

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AK-MB1

Speaker Kit


Installation

This installation documentation is for the HO-Scale AusTrains NR Class Cv40-9i locomotive. This installation uses a WOW121 decoder, AK-MB1 motherboard with Keep Alive® and UNIV-SH1-C WOWSpeaker kit. This beautiful model has several lights including headlights, class lights and ditch lights. 

The Australian NR Class Cv40-9i locomotive prior to installation.
The Australian NR Class Cv40-9i locomotive prior to installation.
Gently squeeze the top shell at the tabs shown above to release it from the platform and carefully lift the shell from the chassis. Remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove this board from the frame. Trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary. We reused the original LED's in this installation.
Gently squeeze the top shell at the tabs shown above to release it from the platform and carefully lift the shell from the chassis. Remove the wires from the original lighting board and remove this board from the frame. Trim, tin or lengthen the wires as necessary. We reused the original LED's in this installation.
Using small tabs of foam, double-sided tape, mount the AK-MB1 motherboard to the chassis as shown and solder the motor and track pickup wire leads to it. TCS motherboards include on-board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Using small tabs of foam, double-sided tape, mount the AK-MB1 motherboard to the chassis as shown and solder the motor and track pickup wire leads to it. TCS motherboards include on-board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Next, remove the bottom fuel tank cover to gain access to an area to place the speaker box. The existing switches found there will not be used.
Next, remove the bottom fuel tank cover to gain access to an area to place the speaker box. The existing switches found there will not be used.
Using double sided tape, mount the 35mm x 16mm speaker and enclosure into the bottom of the frame. 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. It is also optional to include a screen on the holes in the fuel tank to prevent loose magnetic material from sticking to the speaker. Keeping the speaker free of debris will maintain excellent sound quality and prevent damage and a shortened lifespan.
Using double sided tape, mount the 35mm x 16mm speaker and enclosure into the bottom of the frame. 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. It is also optional to include a screen on the holes in the fuel tank to prevent loose magnetic material from sticking to the speaker. Keeping the speaker free of debris will maintain excellent sound quality and prevent damage and a shortened lifespan.
Carefully thread the speaker wire routing up through the chassis to avoid the flywheel. We chose to add TCS shrink tubing (SKU #1559) through this routing path to avoid abrading the wire in use. Solder these speaker wire leads to the motherboard as indicated in the included wiring diagram.
Carefully thread the speaker wire routing up through the chassis to avoid the flywheel. We chose to add TCS shrink tubing (SKU #1559) through this routing path to avoid abrading the wire in use. Solder these speaker wire leads to the motherboard as indicated in the included wiring diagram.
With the existing lighting wiring leads identified and shortened or added to, solder these leads to the AK-MB1 as indicated on the wiring diagram.
With the existing lighting wiring leads identified and shortened or added to, solder these leads to the AK-MB1 as indicated on the wiring diagram.
A closeup showing the wiring soldering for this installation.
A closeup showing the wiring soldering for this installation.
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder and reassemble the shell onto the chassis. Take care to avoid pinching and fouling any wires. Your NR Class locomotive is now WOWSound-equipped and ready to roll!
You can now plug in your WOW121 decoder and reassemble the shell onto the chassis. Take care to avoid pinching and fouling any wires. Your NR Class locomotive 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