Life Like Proto 2000 SD45

Scale:
HO Scale


WOWKit used in this installation

WDK-ATL-7

Which includes the following items:

Decoder
Motherboard

AS-MB2-NC

Speaker Kit
Keep Alive®

KA4



Installation

This installation is for a HO Scale Life Like Proto SD45.

Life Like Proto 2000 SD45 shown with the shell on. To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws and their housings. With the couplers removed, squeeze the shell along each side and lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
Life Like Proto 2000 SD45 shown with the shell on. To start off this install, we must first remove the front and rear coupler screws and their housings. With the couplers removed, squeeze the shell along each side and lift the shell off of the frame. Take care to release the handrails as you lift off the shell so they don't break.
Shown with the shell off.
Shown with the shell off.
To allow a space for the motherboard and speaker, the frame must be milled square above the original brush bracket as highlighted above to keep all the components below the original top of the frame.
To allow a space for the motherboard and speaker, the frame must be milled square above the original brush bracket as highlighted above to keep all the components below the original top of the frame.
Remove and discard the original 1.5 V bulbs. For this installation, it will be replaced with a LEDs inserted into the original housing. TCS motherboards include on board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
Remove and discard the original 1.5 V bulbs. For this installation, it will be replaced with a LEDs inserted into the original housing. TCS motherboards include on board current limit resistors for LED use. There is no need to apply external resistors for LED use.
With the frame milled, using double sided foam tape, mount the AS-MB2 NC to the frame and using hot melt glue, mount the KA4 to the front as shown. With the 25mm X 14mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH4-C, mount this assembly using the same tape to 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. Solder the motor, track, LED and speaker leads to the motherboard according to the included wiring diagram. You can now plug in the WOW121 Diesel 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 Life Like Proto SD45 is now WOWSound equipped and ready to roll!
With the frame milled, using double sided foam tape, mount the AS-MB2 NC to the frame and using hot melt glue, mount the KA4 to the front as shown. With the 25mm X 14mm WOWSound speaker inserted into the UNIV-SH4-C, mount this assembly using the same tape to 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. Solder the motor, track, LED and speaker leads to the motherboard according to the included wiring diagram. You can now plug in the WOW121 Diesel 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 Life Like Proto 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