45-ton - soldering a different decoder?

[conundrum]

I've got a 45-ton with the built in dcc decoder.

I've detached the onboard decoder, but how can I solder the wires from an aftermarket decoder, without the wires touching the adjacent pads? The pads are incredibly close together, as can be seen in the exploded parts diagram included with the loco:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/85201.pdf

Should the wires simply be "strung" through the holes, and taped with Kapton, no solder used?

[richg]

Not a big deal. Just use a 45 watt soldering iron that has a fine tip element. One from Radio Shack should do just fine.

Rich

[conundrum]

This is the one I used:

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Soldering+Tools&product=6412006

The included tip is the bottom one:
http://www.rpelectronics.com/jt-009.html

I couldn't do it without the solder touching adjacent pads.  Should I string the wires through the pads from the bottom, and then solder them?

[richg]

This is the one I used:

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=Soldering+Tools&product=6412006

The included tip is the bottom one:
http://www.rpelectronics.com/jt-009.html

I couldn't do it without the solder touching adjacent pads.  Should I string the wires through the pads from the bottom, and then solder them?

The bottom tip should work.
A clean tip wiped on a damp sponge,
Press tip at solder pad and apply solder to heated joint, not the tip. You might have to practice on scrap material if you have never done this before. Many try to apply the solder to the tip and think it will flow onto the joint and many times that is the reason for a cold solder joint or too much solder.
You can check You Tube for soldering tutorials if you have not soldered before. This procedure is one of the easier ones for soldering.

Rich

[richg]

Sometimes I have put the wire though the top, sometimes the bottom depending on the situation.

Rich

[CJCrescent]

Best thing to do is to tin the wires to be soldered to the pads. Then heat the wire/pad after its placed into the holes in the pads. The tinned wires, (in combination with the solder on the pads), will have enough solder on them to make a good bond without getting additional solder "spilled" over onto other pads.

[Doneldon]

con-

Make sure your soldering iron is up to temperature so you don't have to hold it
on the joint for more than a moment.Tin the wire first.

                                                                                     -- D