Life-Like SW9/1200 Decoder Install

jdetray Mar 16, 2011

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  1. jdetray

    jdetray TrainBoard Member

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    After two relatively easy decoder installations, it was time to tackle a more challenging loco: the Life-Like SW9/1200. This would be my third decoder installation ever.

    Before I performed the conversion, I made sure the loco ran well as a DC loco. There is little point in converting a poorly running DC loco to DCC.

    This loco doesn't have much room for a decoder. I selected the TCS M1. Some minor frame modification is required for the decoder to fit. The smaller TCS Z2 decoder will fit this loco without frame modification, but since I already had the M1, I forged ahead. I recommend Ron Bearden's instructions and photos on the TCS web site.

    After completely disassembling the loco, the frame mod was easy with a Dremel cutting wheel and took all of 15 minutes. In his instructions, Ron was careful to point out that you want to retain the little metal post that supports the front of the motor mount. This is a very important bit of information, since it assures that the motor will be in the correct location when re-installed. The photo below shows the modified frame with the metal post highlighted.

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    After modifying the frame, I reassembled the motor and frame. I held the decoder in place with a rubber band while I temporarily routed the wires and cut them to length. I filed a groove in the side of the plastic motor mount for the gray wire to follow as it wrapped around the motor mount on its way down to the bottom brush cap. It is important to allow enough slack so that the wires can run along the side of the motor as shown below. If you run the wires on top of the motor, they will interfere with the fit when you replace the shell. With the wires cut to length, everything was disassembled again for soldering.

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    The trickiest part for me was soldering the orange and gray wires to the brush caps without melting the plastic motor housing. You can avoid the problem by first removing the caps, but if you do that, be very careful not to lose the tiny springs and brushes. I am pretty quick with a soldering iron, so I was able to solder the wires without removing the caps. One of the caps did get hot enough to become loose, however, so I quickly pushed it back into place while the plastic re-hardened. It was a very close call! Next time, I'll remove the caps.

    With the orange and gray wires attached to the motor, I reassembled the motor into the frame.

    I re-purposed the phosphor bronze brush cap clips by using them to connect the red and black wires to the frame. First I straightened out the clips. I then cut off one "ear" of each clip and connected the red wire to the remaining ear of one clip and the black wire to the remaining ear of the other clip. The clips were then pushed in between the plastic motor mount and the frame on either side of the motor to make contact with the frame. It's a tight fit, and that is what holds them in place. See the photos below.

    [​IMG]

    I also re-used the LED and its resistor after first removing them from the original light board. The LED connects to the white and blue wires. Per Ron Bearden's instructions, I filed the LED flat on the top and bottom to provide sufficient clearance inside the shell. I used Ron's photos to determine which wire goes to which leg of the LED because it DOES make a difference. The resistor can go on either leg. I did not use the yellow wire because I did not install a rear headlight; I taped the wire safely out of the way.

    Speaking of tape, I used Kapton tape wherever there was the slightest chance that bare wiring might come in contact with the frame or with other components. I also used the tape to hold the motor and power wires in place along the sides of the motor. It's important to dress the wires neatly in order for the shell to fit properly.

    After everything was reassembled, B&M 1231 is ready for service.

    - Jeff

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  2. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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