Bachmann Plus F7B

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

M1



This installation is for the Bachmann Plus F7-B using the TCS M1 Decoder. Performed by Tim (diezmon) Diez.

Remove the shell, trucks, and motor. While you have things apart, clean any electrical contact areas. TCS M1 decoder will be installed.
Remove the shell, trucks, and motor. While you have things apart, clean any electrical contact areas. TCS M1 decoder will be installed.
The Frame must be milled a little to isolate the motor and make room for wires and tape. On the B-man F units the motor makes contact with the frame on the top and bottom, where the motor brushes are. Mill the frame away in those areas to make more room.
The Frame must be milled a little to isolate the motor and make room for wires and tape. On the B-man F units the motor makes contact with the frame on the top and bottom, where the motor brushes are. Mill the frame away in those areas to make more room.
Apply electrical tape to the old motor contact area. Wire up the motor by connecting the motor leads to the upper and lower brush caps. Without the milling of the previous step, the frame halves will not fit back together.
Apply electrical tape to the old motor contact area. Wire up the motor by connecting the motor leads to the upper and lower brush caps. Without the milling of the previous step, the frame halves will not fit back together.
Put the frame halves back together.
Put the frame halves back together.
Now the fun part. There is no easy way to attach the decoder to track power. I simply drilled a hole in each frame half, and inserted the wires. A little solder was added to help conductivity, and to keep the wires in place.
Now the fun part. There is no easy way to attach the decoder to track power. I simply drilled a hole in each frame half, and inserted the wires. A little solder was added to help conductivity, and to keep the wires in place.
Optional: One could tap the holes and use a screw to secure the wires.
Optional: One could tap the holes and use a screw to secure the wires.
No lighting was required for my unit, so simply tape down the remaining wires and you're done.
No lighting was required for my unit, so simply tape down the remaining wires and you're done.

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