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Model Railroading > Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500Date: 04/17/17 08:45 Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: calsubd Is this 1 of the engines you have to solder leads to the Left trucks for pickup, TIA,
Ed Stewart Jacksonville, FL Date: 04/17/17 10:47 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: ALCO630 Yes, and isolate the motor from the frame.
Posted from Android Doug Wetherhold Macungie, PA Date: 04/17/17 10:57 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: fbe First of all, get that motor isolated from the frame. Bend those bottom pins on the bottom copper strip up and out of the way or swap it with the flat top strip. Put a piece of tape on the frame under the motor.
Newer Athearn production uses a pin into the frame with a wire from that to the left rail connection on the decoder. You could drill and tap the frame and use a 2-56 or 1-72 screw with a wire to make the same connection. I have found i get the best electrical connections if I solder wires to both sides of both trucks and skip the frame connections entirely. Date: 04/17/17 11:05 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: brfriedm http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Athearn/SW1500/athearn_sw1500.htm
Check this out. Should answer all your questions. Bruce calsubd Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is this 1 of the engines you have to solder > leads to the Left trucks for pickup, TIA, Date: 04/17/17 11:14 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: calsubd Thanks All, Really appreciated
Ed Stewart Jacksonville, FL Date: 04/17/17 11:33 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: fbe You will note in the photo Bruce linked to the strip on the top of the motor is the one which was on the bottom with the spring tabs Athearn used to connect the motor from the frame. Those strips hold the springs which hold the brushes against the armature which will leap out when the strip is removed if you are not careful.
Soldering the left wire to the post which once supported the light will work. The problem is with the steel post and the zink frame carrying an electrical current bimetalic corrosion can be a problem over time. Your choice on that one. Date: 04/17/17 11:45 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: ESPEE5318 I would run wires for left and right, using the frame for power is less than great..........Joe
Date: 04/17/17 11:49 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: calsubd So Black from the decoder and wire from Left truck's go to unused light post now ?, TIA
Ed Stewart Jacksonville, FL Date: 04/17/17 13:25 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: fbe The black wire from the decoder goes to the light post if you do not solder a wire to the truck. If you do put a wire to the truck then it goes directly to the black wire connection on the decoder bypassing the light post completely.
Date: 04/17/17 14:09 Re: Adding DCC to old school Athearn SW1500 Author: calsubd Thanks fbe, will try tomorrow, off to the club tonight
Ed Stewart Jacksonville, FL |