Lights Weisshorn
Fitting working lights on the Weisshorn

Wires under boiler wrapper
Recess in first boiler band
Parts to order from Conrad
Parts to order from AliExpress
Parts in your R/C kit
PCBs
LEDs
Assembling

Download and print these instructions


Wires under boiler wrapper

(order AliExpress parts months in advance)

The wiring to the front LEDs is routed under the boiler wrapper, what makes the wiring almost invisable. This only can be done before fitting the boiler to the chassis. Special teflon wires are used, that withstands heat extremely well. They have to be ordered from AliExpress, see paragraph "Parts to order from AliExpress". Because the several months long lead time, order these parts just after you ordered the Weisshorn kits.
Cut two black wires 450 mm long. On the wire ends remove the Teflon shell over a length of 3 mm. Tin the wires using your soldering iron and a good qualty tin. Take one of the Conrad 2 pin socket strips (read this), tin both pins and solder on both a wire. Cut 2 pieces of 6 mm long shrink-wrap 1.6 mm. Slide them over each wire upto the 2 pin socket strip and shrink them using a hair dryer or similar.
Now slide both wires under the screws of the boiler wrapper and boiler bands. Start behind the first boiler band, go under the first wrapper screw, the second boiler band screw, the second wrapper screw and finally the third and fourth boiler band screw. For the moment leave the 2 pin socked strip hanging over the first wrapper screw at a distance of 41.5 mm from this screw to the 2 pin socket (this is wire length including shrink-wrap).
During the "marriage' of boiler and chassis route the socket strip forward through the cut-out in the smoke box front plate for the steam pipe nut. And keep the two wires under the boiler to the left side of the loco. After fitting the boiler, route the socket strip under the floor plate between inner floor and intake tee. Leave the wires until later.


Recess in first boiler band


For the wires of the upper front lamp file on top of the first boiler band a cut-out of about 1*1 mm. See drawing below. In the locomotive, the cut-out sits facing forward.

boiler band recessPCBs

Parts to order from Conrad

  (part number between angles)

Select your local Conrad site here. And search for the Conrad part number mentioned above. Take note that Conrad has a minimum order quantity nowadays for the LEDs, the PCB and the socket strips.
You need also a temperature adjustable soldering iron with good quality solder.
The mentioned quantities are as needed. However depending on your skills order extra. Specially the SMD LEDs are difficult to solder. As these are not expensive, it is wise to order twice the amount. The advised SMD leds are of high quality and do give a light quality that fits the atmosphere of old steam locos very well. For the best effect leave the inside of the lamps unpainted. The unpainted messing will add warm-white to the led color.
The dip switch is used to control the front, cabine and back lights independently. When the version with 3 switches is not available use the one with 4 switches. It fits on the PCB also. The 3 switches version has a seal that can be removed. Setting the swiches is best done with a pen of small screw driver.
The Conrad PCB is easily adapted by cutting in 2 and drilling some holes. The 2 so created PCBs are used to solder-on the leds connectors, the serie resistors and the dipswitch.
The socket strips, that connect the leds to the PCBs, do make soldering and connecting with the correct polarity much easier. The width of the sockets should be 5.08mm (as given by Conrad). If more, they have to be filed to 5.08 mm (filing equal amounts on left and right side). Try-fit them next to each other on the pin header.
The brass rod is only necessary when there is not enough left-over from your R/C kit. See paragraph "Fitting bracket large PCB" below whether you have enough.
Using a dry cleaner like the Ersa 0008M/SB is necesary while soldering the SMD leds. Wed cleaning of the soldering iron is not adequate for the job.


Parts to order from AliExpress


Because of the long lead times, order these AliExpress parts at the same moment that you order the Weisshorn kits.
The PTFE wire withstands heat extremely well and is small and strong. You do not have to worry for wire damage if it sits against any hot part like the boiler.
Where size matters the enamelled copper wire of 0.2mm in diameter is used. It is very suitable for wiring that is in sight. The insulation rely on a thin outside layer that is easily scratched when fitting. After fitting the wires, check with a voltmeter whether you have caused a short-circuit. Damage to the battery however is not likely as there is always a resistor in series with the leds. To remove the outside layer before soldering either use your solder iron on a temperature above 385 °C or remove the layer with a sharp (hobby) knife.


Parts in your R/C kit


The Conrad parts, listed above, you find in your R/C kit because the Conrad minimum order quantity is relatively high.
The carbon film resistors are very small: 3.5mm long, 1.85mm round only. Shrink-wrap is a special rubber tube which reduces in diameter when heated. Use a hair dryer or similar to shrink the shrink-wrap and it will close tightly around the wire (if nothing else is available hold the flame of a gas lighter close by).
Using a fine hobby saw, cut from the pin header a 3 pin, a 6 pin and a 8 pin header.


Preparing both PCBs


Both PCB bords are cut from the Conrad PCB according to the drawing below. The small PCB is 20.8*10.7 mm (8*4 holes) and the large PCB is 31*15.7 mm (12*6 holes). Make sure the copper strips are just like the drawing. In the large PCB the copper needs to be drilled away on the shown positions (9 in total) with a sharp 2.5 mm drill. Drill just deep enough till the copper is fully removed, so there is no short-cut. Take note that none of the parts fitted later go trough any of the holes and all stay at the copper side. This allows the PCBs fitted later on the loco with doublesided tape.

PCBs

Fitting connectors and wires


Take the 8 pins header (for the small PCB) and 6-pins header (for the large PCB) as earlier cut. Solder the connectors in place. First solder the pins without connection wire. So the red and yellow indicated pins of the small PCB and the odd pins of the large PCB. Take note that the connector for the small PCB sits at an angle on top of the small PCB (see top view). And the other connector sits horizontal on top of the large PCB. Use some doublesided tape or similar to hold everything in place while soldering. Now on to the connection wires. For the small PCB there is one wire that connects the black indicated pins. Take note that the connection wire goes over the red end yellow indicated pins (see top view). So make sure you do not make a short-cut with those. For the large PCB there are two wires that connect the even pins. Take note that the connection wires go over copper strips behind the odd pins 3 and 5 (see top view). So make sure you do not make a short-cut with those. Solder pin 4 last. PCBs

Fitting parts on the PCBs


Start with the Led on the large PCB. This is the Led for the internal cab light. This is a difficult one as it is an SMD device. Clean the soldering iron with the Ersa dry cleaner. Apply a thin layer of solder over a width of 3-5 mm on the PCB where the LED will be fitted. Now carefully examine the underside of the LED. There are two soldering pads like drawn on top of the LED in the drawing below (take note that in reality these soldering pads are under the LED!). Put the Led in place on the solder with some tape such that the earlier applied solder can be reached from one side and such that the soldering pads sit on the solder in the same postion as in the drawing below (so with the small pad at the bottom). Apply now heat with a clean soldering iron (use the Ersa dry cleaner) to the solder under the the led from the side it's not covered by the tape. The solder should melt now and make a connection with the soldering pads of the LED.
Now on to the PCB switch. The dip switch switches the front, back and cab led(s) on and off. It is not left right sensitive, so simply solder it as per drawing. Solder it at the right side only, the left side will be soldered in the next step when fitting the red wire. Turn the swiches off before soldering. Soldering is much easier when you glue the dip switch with some adhesive. Should you have a 4 way dip switch, simply solder the extra switch on the lowest copper strip. It will not be used.
The resistors are indicated with color stripes. Brown-black-red-gold for the 1k resistor and red-red-red-gold for the six 2k2 resistors. Start with the 1k resistor it sits above the dip switch and is connected to the LED. Solder the short connection wire bottom right on the large PCB. Next the three 2k2 resistor on the large PCB and finaly the three 2k2 resistors on the small PCB. Check the drawing below, how to bend the wires. To prevent short-circuits, bend resistor wires such that they keep away from copper strips unless where it is indicated to solder. Where to solder the resistors and dip switch is indicated with a grey silver dot.

PCBs

Fitting wires large PCB


Now solder the black, red and green PTFE wire aquired from AliExpress to the large PCB. See drawing below, the red wire connects as well the left three contacts of the dip switch. Do not cut the wires yet, so solder the full length to the PCB for now. While soldering, hold the wires in place with some weight or double sided tape. This makes soldering much easier.

PCBs

Fitting bracket large PCB


Now bend the back panel PCB bracket from brass rod 1mm. For a 1:1 PDF drawing that can be used as guidance open and download this link. Print the drawing at 100%. Shown are front, side and top view of the bracket.
Solder now the bracket onto the PCB in the postion as in the drawing below. Keep the black, red and green wire out of the way while soldering. Use some tape to hold PCB and bracket in position.

PCBs

Fitting connector large PCB


Route the wires as in the drawing below (for reference the small PCB is shown at the right). To keep the wires in place use 8 shrink-wraps 2.4 mm of 4 mm length and for the last one at the end of the bracket a shrink-wrap 2.4 mm of 7 mm length. Cut the wires at 56 mm from the end of the bracket. Take a 3 pin header and solder the wires to the 3 pin pinheader. Do not forget to put first 10 mm shrink-wraps 1.6 mm on the wires. The black wire sits in the middle. The PCBs are ready now. Inspect them carefully on short-circuits and compare them with the drawings above.

PCBs

Fitting wires to the LEDs


Cut 6 enamelled copper wires 0.2mm (Aliexpress) 50 mm long, 4 wires 80 mm long and 2 wires 180 mm long. Tin both ends of the wires at highest temperature (385 - 500 °C) of your temperature adjustable soldering iron. The high temperature will burn away the enamel coating on the copper wire. Afterwards set the temperature of your soldering iron back to your normal temperature setting. Possible as well, but less easy, is removing the layer by scraping it off with a sharp hobby knife and tin afterwards.
Use for the next steps a good quality solder with enough resin. Cleaning the soldering iron with the Ersa dry cleaner before every step is absolutely necesary. When solder is applied on your iron, use it right away. Otherwise the resin will be burned before it can do its job.
Beforehand tinning the wires in the right way is very important. Soldering the LEDs will else not be succesfull. At the LED side cut the tinned wire ends to 1 mm long. In one action, clean the iron, hold the wire against your solder, heat it up with your iron and remove wire and iron immediately once the tin is melted. You must now see on the wire a small amount tin, shiny of the resin. If too much or not shiny, remove the tin from the wire with a clean iron and repeat this step. Repeat this for all wires.
Now the LED has to be tinned. As it is tiny use some double sided tape to hold it in place. The pads (where to solder the wires) must be on top, see drawing below. In one action, clean the iron, hold the iron against your solder taking a tiny amount of solder only, hold the iron to one of the LED pads and remove the iron immediately once the solder is applied. You must see now a small amount solder on the LED pad. Repeat this for the second pad. Hold now the two wires on the double side tape also. The 1mm tinned ends should sit on top of the pads (see drawing).
In one action, clean the iron, hold the iron against your solder taking a tiny amount of solder only, hold the iron to one of the LED pads and remove the iron immediately once the solder is melted. Repeat this for the second pad. Repeat this 6 times, one LED has two 180 mm long wires and two LEDs 80mm wires.
The LEDs must be tested now. Take a 2 pin socket and solder a black and red wire 400 mm long to it. Apply two 8 mm pieces of shrink-wrap 1.6 mm. At the end of the red wire solder an 1k resistor (2k2 does the job also). Apply a piece of shrink-warp 2.4 mm covering the resistor with wires, except for 5 mm from its free end. Connect the 2 pin connector to the receiver. The red wire should match the "plus" and the black wire the "minus". Connect a battery to the receiver, if not done already. Set the receiver ON. Now check a LED by holding the test wires to the ends of the tinned enamelled copper wires of the LED. When nothing happens swop the wires. Repeat this for all 6 LEDs.
NEVER connect a LED to a battery WITHOUT a RESISTOR in serie!

LEDs

Fitting LEDs to the lamps


Assembling the lamps itself is described in the locomotive instrucions on page 36. To fit the LEDs to the lamps, first bend the LED wire connected to the large pad 180° downwards parallel to the other wire. Next bend the two wires as in the left drawing below. It is all very tiny, so use a piece of metal or plastic 2.5 mm thick (round the edge with a small file). Draw a line (black in the drawing) to place the top of the LED at 4.7 mm from the bend edge (this will center the LED in the lamp). And use a ruler to bend the wires down in the corner while holding the LED in position.
The LED wire pair is fitted to the lamp as in the cross-section drawing right with some 2k epoxy adhesive applied drop by drop with a needle. Go with the needle inside the lamp coming from the front. Apply 3-5 drops, but apply no more adhesive as necessary. Use some spare silicone tube to hold the LED in place, while glueing. Make sure the wires are sitting against the left side of the hole in the lamp body as per drawing. Check after curing whether the wires are glued properly. Else repeat above step.
The lamps must be tested with the earlier made lead with resistor and 2 pin socket. Connect as described earlier. When nothing happens swop the wires. Repeat this for all 6 Lamps. When satisfied continue with the locomotive instrucions on page 36. However the silicone tube neets a cut-off of 2.5 mm as per drawing because of the LED wires.
Again NEVER connect a LED to a battery WITHOUT a RESISTOR in serie!

LEDs
Note: 2K epoxy adhesive after it's cured can be dissolved with thinner. After cleaning, all metal parts can be re-used. Parts need to be painted again. Use a new LED, new wires and a new spare transparant window as the thinner will (partly) dissolve those too.


Test the PCBs


To test the PCBs you have to solder a 2 pin socket strip (read this) to the earlier made lead with resistor. Solder one pin to the resistor and the other one on the black wire. Use a 1.6 mm shrink-warp on the black wire. Temporarely and without shrink-wraps solder a 2 pin socket strip (read this) on one of the earlier prepared lamps.
Connect the test lead as earlier described to the receiver. Connect now the other end to the small PCB, matching the resistor (red wire) to the red indicated pin and the black wire to the black indicated pin (see drawing small PCB). Connect the lamp to one of the remaining positions, matching a black and yellow pin. Set the receiver ON. When nothing happens swop the lamp socket strip. If that does not help, check the wiring on the small PCB board. Repeat this for all 3 lamp positions.
Next test the large PCB, Basically follow the same procedure as for the small PCB. But set all DIP switches on ON beforehand and connect the test lead to the connector coming from the large PCB. The black and red wires should match. It is no problem that there is no connection with the green wire for this test. After turning on, the LED on the PCB should burn. With the upper DIP switch you can turn this LED on and off. Connect now the lamp to one of the 3 lamp positions on the board. With the lower DIP switch you can turn the lamp on and off. Try the other postions. When it not works swop the lamp socket strip. If that does not help, check the wiring on the large PCB board.
Finally connect the test lead to the 3 pin connector, matching the green wire. Match red with green and black with black. The middle DIP switch sits now in series with the other 2 switches and is sort of main switch. Try, if it works that way. If not, check the wiring on the large PCB board.


Fitting small PCB


Remove the front buffer and fit the small PCB with double sided adhesive tape under the floor plate, see drawing below (to make PCB better visible the lip, on which the buffer is fitted, is partly see-through). Make sure there is a small bit of room between the PCB and the buffer plate by holding a thin piece of carton in between while fitting. This play is necessary to prevent a possible short-circuit.

Fitting small PCB

Fitting front lamps


Remove the middle cylinder cover. Remove the smoke box front screws that fit the boiler to the frame. Remove now the smoke box door assembly by removing the M2*10 stainless steel CSK screws. Remove the smoke box inner ring as well (needs maybe pulling with a hook). You end up with a front view as per drawing below. Take now the lamp with 180 mm wires and tape it against the chimney as per drawing (consider using some tissue to protect the paint). Route the wires under the lamp, to the recess in the front boiler band, down through the cut-out in the wrapper and into the free room under the wrapper. Push the wires using a toothpick or similar into the slit between boiler and wrapper all the way down to the screw of the first boiler band. Route the wires behind this screw, down through the cut-out in inner floor where the steam pipe union nut sits. Check carefully that nothing of the wires sits outside the slit or the boiler band recess and that the wires are everywhere in the slit or recess. If satisfied, re-fit the smoke box inner ring and the smoke box assembly. Remove the tape of the smoke box lamp and fit it to the smoke box front as described in the loco manual.
Take the two lamps with 80 mm wires, route the wires through the small hole behind the lamps and fit them on the front floor as described in the loco manual. Next route the wires through the cut-out in the frames, just before the cylinders and under the floor. Cut the tinned end of the 6 LED wires to 3-4 mm length and slide a 6 mm piece of shrink-wrap 1.6 mm over them. Do not shorten the length of the wires itself as it makes soldering more difficult, instead hide the wires under the floor later. Solder the wires LED by LED to a 2 pin socket strip (read this) and shrink the shrink-wrap. When using a hair dryer or similar, look out for overheating your paint work. Use lowest power and do not direct the hot flow onto the paint work. Finally connect the three LED sockets to the black and yellow indicated pins of the small PCB (see PCB drawing). Check with the earlier test lead with resister (see small PCB test) whether all LEDs are burning. Swop LED socket strips where needed. If that does not help, check the wiring.

Chimney lamp

Fitting large PCB with lamps


Fit the large PCB with double sided adhesive tape against the inside of the back panel, see drawing below. Make sure the PCB sits at 6 mm from the middle opening and at 2.5 mm from the side. Use some tape to indicate the correct position. The cabling sits in the hinge lip, as in drawing.
Take the three lamps with 50 mm wires, route the wires through the hole behind the lamps and fit them on the back panel as described in the loco manual. Cut the tinned end of the 6 LED wires to 3-4 mm length and slide a 6 mm piece of shrink-wrap 1.6 mm over them. Do not shorten the length of the wires itself as it makes soldering more difficult. It's best to put the back panel with roof on its side to prevent solder falling on painted surfaces. Solder the wires LED by LED to a 2 pin socket strip (read this) and shrink the shrink-wrap. When using a hair dryer or similar, look out for overheating your paint work. Finally connect the three LED sockets to the PCB (the order is not important). Check with the earlier test lead with resister (see large PCB test) whether all LEDs are burning. Swop LED socket strips where needed. If that does not help, check the wiring.

back panel PCB

Internal loco wiring


Prepare the internal loco wiring as in the drawing below.
Cut a black and red PTFE wire 120 mm long. Solder the wires to a 2 pin socket strip, fit on both 6mm shrink-warp 1.6 mm and shrink them.
The two wires at the arrow on top are already fitted and do come from under the boiler. Route them over the servo bracket as indicated in the drawing to the 3 pin socket strip. Cut them to a length such that the body easy fits over them later. Fit now a shrink-wrap 1.6 mm of 6 mm long over one of the black wires coming from the boiler, the red wire and one over the remaining two black wires. Solder the wires to the 3 pin socket strip (R/C kit) and shrink the three shrink-wraps (look out for overheating your paint work or the delrin gear wheels of the inertia device).
Fit the 3 pin socket strip in the left upper corner of the regulator servo with double-sided tape. Loosen the regulator servo temporarely and route the wires behind the lip on the servo support (see drawing).
With the loco on his side connect the 2 pin socket strip nearby the cylinders to the small PCB at the black and red indicated pins. Connect the 2 pin socket strip to a free position on the receiver. The red wire should match the "plus" and the black wire the "minus". Connect the 3 pin header of the back panel & roof assembly to the 3 pin socket strip (for test first, but later with body fitted). Match red wire with red wire. Connect a battery to the receiver. Set the receiver ON. With all DIP switches ON all LED should burn. If the front LEDs do not burn, swop the 2 pin socket strip that just is connected to the small PCB. Check wiring otherwise.

Internal loco wiring
Note 1: remove the 2 pin socket strip from the receiver and the 3 pin socket strip from the regulator servo to disassemble the boiler, should it be necessary. Use new double-sided tape to refit.
Note 2: instead of one of the black wires under the boiler you could have used a green wire (connected to the red indicated pin of the small PCB and matched with the green wire of the large PCB). However, as the green wire is visible using two black wires is prefered.


© 2024 Riverdale Locomotives