Installing low cost battery R/C into the HLW Mack switcher. Take 2.

Hello readers.

As discussed in the other thread I am going to show you how to do it using just the loco cab and no box on the back.
Again this is not meant to be a totally one step after another article.
Rather, it will be presented as captions to a series of pics and should be easily understood.
If not please let me know and I will add info accordingly.

Method A. The lowest cost way of doing the install is to make the wiring connections with soldered joints. This is my preferred method. You will require a good quality fine tip temperature controlled iron.
Method B. For those who have never done any soldering there is any easier way of doing it without soldering but the suitable parts will add a bit to the cost.

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Method B will be separated by rows of asterisks.
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So here goes.

Dismantling the Mack is more or less the same as the other way with the box on back.

Remove the motor block from the chassis.
This can be tricky as it is held in by a barbed tab that must be levered out of the way. Use a medium sized screwdriver as shown. Twist the screwdriver and lift the motor block clear when the tab is free.


Remove the motor block from the chassis. It looks like this. Be careful of the brass tube holding the single light bulb.


Remove the two screws holding the body shell and weights to the chassis.


You need to cut a slot in the hook part of one hood. This is so the wiring from the switch will clear the weights when you reassemble the loco.

It will look like this when cut out.


Remove the screws in the motor block.


Remove the bottom plate from the block.


Remove the top plate from the central part of the block.


As with all battery R/C installations the track pick ups MUST be isolated from the motor connections to prevent any back feed of voltage to the track.
Use a suitable screwdriver to pu***he pick up plungers out of their holders.
You may need a small dab of AC to hold the brass strips in place. Do not let AC get on the brass where the motor terminals and light wires rub.


Remove the Mack light and brass tube. Then feed the Orange and Grey wires down through the hole (C) and push into place as shown by (A). Hold in place with a small dab of ACC at B.


Reassemble the top plate to the middle part of block.
Be careful the power in wires and lighting wires are trapped between the plastic & the brass rod to make good contact. (A).


The motor block will look like this when reassembled.


Drill a ¼" hole in the chassis here for the wires to pass through.


The switch shown from the bottom.


This is how I soldered the battery wires to the switch.
The 1 - 2 amp Polyswitch® is wired in series with the battery leads and is not connected to the switch electrically.


The switch shown from the top.


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The BIK-U installation kit eliminates any soldering.
Here is how it is wired.


How to actually wire the BIK-U.


The BIK-U mounted on one end plate. The wires go up through the hole just above it.


The switch sticks out of the end plate.

A small black plastic cover hides the lever. You can also paint the nut and washer black.


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Putting it all back together.

Remount the hoods and feed the wires through the slot.


I glued small magnets to the plastic battery holders.
These securely mount the holders to the metal weights inside the cab.


Now comes the only tricky bit.
The roof is held in place by long thin plastic extensions of the headlight lenses.
I cut these extensions off at the point marked X - X below.
This allows the roof to be readily removed.
I filed small grooves on toip of the headlight housing at Y for the antenna wire. I also cut a notch a Z for the antenna wire.


The previous pic shows the hard wired RF chokes. I also did it this way with my RF-CHK pcb as it eliminates soldering.


The Hi-tec receiver and EVO-2 Motor Driver were mounted in the roof as shown with double stick foam tape.
The antenna wire was shortened approropriately and stuck to the perimiter of the roof overhang. It cannot be seen and keeps it up nice and high for the best signal reception.
I used two 12 volt grain of wheat bulbs held in place in the old headlight locating points with a dab of silicone.
The red/black power in wires and the Orange/Grey power out to motor wires are attached to the motor driver at the screw terminals.


The roof just sits in place but the weight of the RF-RX and EVO-2 hold it in place nicely.

Assuming the batteries are charged you are all set to go.

The cost of doing this installation was about the same as for the crate version, but a whole lot simpler.

Enjoy.