Kato E4 Series Max "Shinkansen"

Scale:
N Scale


This installation uses the following decoder:

M1



This installation is for a N Scale Kato E4 Series Max using a TCS M1 Decoder and was performed by TCS.

Set prior to TCS M1 decoder installation (note: only one coach is powered, all others are un-powered including the locomotives).
Set prior to TCS M1 decoder installation (note: only one coach is powered, all others are un-powered including the locomotives).
Powered coach prior to TCS M1 decoder installation.
Powered coach prior to TCS M1 decoder installation.
First remove the shell of the coach from the chassis. Do this by using a small flat head screw driver between the shell (blue) and chassis (gray) and push the chassis away and out from the shell wall. Repeat this same process for the other end. The shell will then easily pull away from the chassis revealing the motor and contacts.
First remove the shell of the coach from the chassis. Do this by using a small flat head screw driver between the shell (blue) and chassis (gray) and push the chassis away and out from the shell wall. Repeat this same process for the other end. The shell will then easily pull away from the chassis revealing the motor and contacts.
Next, with the shell now off, remove the motor contact clip highlighted with the red circle. This can be done by pushing one wall with the square hole outwards and pulling the clip up and out.
Next, with the shell now off, remove the motor contact clip highlighted with the red circle. This can be done by pushing one wall with the square hole outwards and pulling the clip up and out.
Since we have no lights in this coach, we trimed the lighting outputs White(Forward), Yellow(reverse), and Blue(common) and secured them to the decoder with some kapton tape. Next, take the top copper contacts and carefully bend them upward and away from the lower motor contacts. (Note: there is no obvious or deadicated forward direction this car would travel. Therfore, in our installation we designated the motor end as being "forward".) After bending the contacts out of the way, we soldered the orange (motor +) and Gray(motor -) motor leads to the lower copper contacts. Becareful of the nearby plastic when soldering.
Since we have no lights in this coach, we trimed the lighting outputs White(Forward), Yellow(reverse), and Blue(common) and secured them to the decoder with some kapton tape. Next, take the top copper contacts and carefully bend them upward and away from the lower motor contacts. (Note: there is no obvious or deadicated forward direction this car would travel. Therfore, in our installation we designated the motor end as being "forward".) After bending the contacts out of the way, we soldered the orange (motor +) and Gray(motor -) motor leads to the lower copper contacts. Becareful of the nearby plastic when soldering.
Next, cut (2) 1 inch pieces of 1/16" heat shrink (TCS item # 1320) and slide one over the Black wire (left rail) and one over the red wire (right rail). Now make your solder connections being careful of the surrounding plastic. Once the solder connections are cooled, slide the heat shrink tubing over the connection and shrink with heat. This will insulate the motor leads and pick-up leads from one another.
Next, cut (2) 1 inch pieces of 1/16" heat shrink (TCS item # 1320) and slide one over the Black wire (left rail) and one over the red wire (right rail). Now make your solder connections being careful of the surrounding plastic. Once the solder connections are cooled, slide the heat shrink tubing over the connection and shrink with heat. This will insulate the motor leads and pick-up leads from one another.
Next, re-install the motor contact clip. It may be necessary to carefully bend the pickup contacts downward prior to the re-install of the clip.
Next, re-install the motor contact clip. It may be necessary to carefully bend the pickup contacts downward prior to the re-install of the clip.
With wire connections and the motor contact clip completed, use some kapton tape to secure the decoder to the chassis. Make sure that no wires or the decoder brush up against the motors flywheel. Neatly tuck the wires in the cavity as seen in the above picture. You have now installed a TCS M1 decoder into your N-Scale Kato E4 Series Max.
With wire connections and the motor contact clip completed, use some kapton tape to secure the decoder to the chassis. Make sure that no wires or the decoder brush up against the motors flywheel. Neatly tuck the wires in the cavity as seen in the above picture. You have now installed a TCS M1 decoder into your N-Scale Kato E4 Series Max.

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