Kit advice for a beginner -please

[Rogue Sub]

Here is a quick glossary

Here is a quick glossary for you guys
rx=reciver or the radio inside the boat
tx= transmitter or the radio you use to communicate with the boat
wtc= water type compartment or the waterproof space for your electronics
esc= electronic speed controller a proportional controller used to regulate the forward and revers speed of your motor
propel= gas used in gas based ballasting systems to displace the water to surface
dynamic= the boat is ballasted with a slightly positive bouyancy to enable the boat to dive with forwrd momentum
static diver= a boat that uses a water displacement system to change the boats over all bouyancy to dive (ex. gas, cmpression cylinder, rcabs, reverse r cabs)
apc= angle pitch keeper like a gyro for a helicopter, controls the planes to ensure the sub drives through the water on a level plane
failsafe= devise used that will blow your "ballast" to surface the boat in the event you loose radio contact
"snort" system= also known as a LPB or low pressure blower, these are small air pumps that take a suction from the surface to blow water out of your ballast tank
ADC= automatic deapth controller, these can be used to control the depth of your boat, changing deapth only requires a little movement on the stick and the boat will assume a new depth
OMG= words you will be saying the first time your boat doesnt surface on command

DId i for get something? I am sure i did

Kevin

[bonky]

Glossary

Here is a quick glossary for you guys
rx=reciver or the radio inside the boat
tx= transmitter or the radio you use to communicate with the boat
wtc= water type compartment or the waterproof space for your electronics
esc= electronic speed controller a proportional controller used to regulate the forward and revers speed of your motor
propel= gas used in gas based ballasting systems to displace the water to surface
dynamic= the boat is ballasted with a slightly positive bouyancy to enable the boat to dive with forwrd momentum
static diver= a boat that uses a water displacement system to change the boats over all bouyancy to dive (ex. gas, cmpression cylinder, rcabs, reverse r cabs)
apc= angle pitch keeper like a gyro for a helicopter, controls the planes to ensure the sub drives through the water on a level plane
failsafe= devise used that will blow your "ballast" to surface the boat in the event you loose radio contact
"snort" system= also known as a LPB or low pressure blower, these are small air pumps that take a suction from the surface to blow water out of your ballast tank
ADC= automatic deapth controller, these can be used to control the depth of your boat, changing deapth only requires a little movement on the stick and the boat will assume a new depth
OMG= words you will be saying the first time your boat doesnt surface on command

DId I forget something? I am sure I did

Kevin

Many thanks Kevin. Perhaps you may wish to suggest it as a 'sticky' sometime.

BW

Richard

[Rogue Sub]

not sure but i think

not sure but i think it has been covered in more detail before. I will have a look and see whats up. we dont seem to do to many stickies

Kevin

[anonymous]

Hi Bonky,

Just came late to

Hi Bonky,

Just came late to this post.

Why not head for a submarine event in the UK?
You will see a lot of subs and members of both the SubCommittee and the Association of Model Submariners at , say, the Norwich sub day on Sunday 3rd August.

Wander along and see lots of available models and their owners.

See you,

David

[noney]

Kevin, thank you! Great information

Kevin, thank you! Great information but I have one question as I did not quite understand one line. The "rcabs" and reverse r cabs". I have seen this term used in other posts and have been meaning to inquire. Can you expand on those terms please?

Based upon what you listed I need a controller (tx) that transmites to the receiver (rx) located in the water tight compartment (wtc). The rx controlls the electronic speed controller (esc) which controls the motor rpm and direction. If I build a static dive boat, I will have to have some sort of air compressor (snort) to force water out of the ballast tanks to surface, and some sort of means of allowing water into the ballast tanks to dive. The rx will also control servos for other boat functions such as dive planes, is that correct? I suspect a description on how an ADC works would take up a bit of time and room. Can you point me to where I could find that? I was already familiar with "OMG" but found it pretty funny and am still chuckling.

Richard, thank you for the insight on the ESC (see how quickly I start using the vernacular). I will pay close attention to your comments. I understand your delimma regarding which boat to choose. Well, at least as much as any American can. My father and uncle served in WWII. My uncle flew B-24s in North Africa and Europe. He never really recovered. My father was a Merchant Marine whose ship was torpedoed coming out of Brazil. He survived but it was a bad deal. My great grandfather survived Andersonville, my grandfather was in WWI, and I was involved with Vietnam. One of my sons served in the first gulf war and I have one now in the AF who might be deployed. Even at that, our homes were never bombed (although Oregon is the only mainland state bombed by the Japenese. It was from a sub launched plane during WWII.) I think you might want to listen to Kevin as I have done in deciding to go for the U47. Using his logic, it appears the Lafayette would be best for you right now.


I use to live in Alaska. Talk about paradoxes. It may be the largest state, but is also one of the smallest to visit. A lot of wilderness. I loved it, and call me Gene.

Gene

[bonky]

ESCs

In the UK it may be that this site is useful for ESCs and other electronic units:

http://www.timpdon.co.uk/timpdon/telec/ ... ?x=69&y=14

bw Richard

[Rogue Sub]

Here is a basic layout

Here is a basic layout of the electrics.
The ballast system is up to you. I use a compressed gas system on all mine. Big Dave makes an excellent rcabs system. Youll have to do a search on that one I would try to explain it but, since I have no personal experience I do not want to mislead you. Pm big dave he is a great guy and will help all he can. Engel kits usually use a piston tank set up which you may have seen now in your research.





Here is one version of a gas ballast system. There a a number of variations. Also note that a snort system is only a supplemental system to reduce gas usage. It may only work when the suction is above the waterline.

[bonky]

Hi Bonky,

Just came late to

Hi Bonky,

Just came late to this post.

Why not head for a submarine event in the UK?
You will see a lot of subs and members of both the SubCommittee and the Association of Model Submariners at , say, the Norwich sub day on Sunday 3rd August.

Wander along and see lots of available models and their owners.

See you,

David

Hi David; thanks; have just 'phoned the Local Club. Good News: they're nearby and friendly. Bad News - few if any submariners, the large pool is only 3 feet (max) in depth.

I'll go - trouble is that when they meet I'm normally shooting (Longbow Archery).

BW

Richard

[bonky]

Glossary

Re: Glossary.

Just perused some of the U-47 build sites. I don't fully understand the following:
Sail
Front Vane (is this the same as the front hydroplane?)
Wintergarten (some device on the conning tower to displace water when surfaced???)
ADC4
1584 BTS Switch (apparently - very important!)
RCABs

Thanks

Richard/Bonky

[Rogue Sub]

sail is the structure sticking

sail is the structure sticking out of the deck also commonly call the conning tower

front vane = bow plane=forward diving surface

adc-4 the 4 represents the version like windows 95,98,2000

never heard of the bts

[noney]

Well, I did it. I

Well, I did it. I ordered the Robbe U47. Delivery is two weeks, assuming they can find Waldport, Oregon.

I have used CA on trains and planes. Is it appropriate for this sub? How about Stabilit Express? I am leaning towards the latter. Comments, suggestions, thoughts, advice? I suspect this is a pretty darn important part of kit building of underwater craft.

Thanks,
Gene

[JWLaRue]

Jeff, if I am going

Jeff, if I am going to ask for advice, I better follow it, especially if the advisor is considered an expert. So, no Robbe F14. When I had my rc planes all my controllers were Futuba. So what are your thoughts here? One thing more, I probably will not be operating my sub around anyone else as there just isn't anyone around here that operates RC.

Gene,

Except for the F-14 bit, I will echo Andy's advice around radios. Get one with as many channels as you can afford. (male sure it's on a surface frequency!) For a static diving sub that has both bow and stern planes, you will need a radio system with at least 4 channels (5 is better)])
4) rudder
5) speed controller

For a sub with only stern planes, you only need 4 channels.

Some folks power the stern planes from the receiver without a control signal, letting the APC do all the work. Personally, I like to dedicate a channel for this so that I can dial in a 'bias' to the stern planes any time I need one....useful to make minor adjustments if/when the boat goes slightly out of trim.

While a computer radio is also not a necessity, the ability to set things like servo throw is quite nice. And if you are even contemplating having more than one sub, then this is the way to go.

I have been using Futaba receivers exclusively in all my subs. Good price, very reliable..if a bit on the large size. My original transmitter was an 8UAF and it is only recently that it died and was replaced with a Multiplex Evo.

-Jeff

[noney]

Nuke Power: I just finished

Nuke Power: I just finished scanning your drawings. I especially liked the one regarding the gas ballast system. As it appears to me, there is a pressure tank installed inside a compartment with an air pressure line from outside to refill. There is a relief valve on the pressure tank and a relief valve on the compartment, both actuated by a servo mounted inside the WTC and protruding thru the water tight end cap. The servo releases air from the compressed air tank which displaces water in the compartment and the sub surfaces. When the servo releases air from the compartment, water enters the compartment from the bottom and the sub submerges. Is this about it? Beautfiul! It took me awhile to figure out why the electrical lines from the battery that powered the servo came thro the compartment to connectors on the end cap. This just did not seem logical but then it came to me that it is probably easier to seal the connectors then electrical lines, or something like that, unless and this just ocurred to me, the batteries are not kept in a WTC.

Can this be purchased as a complete system or are they individual components?

Gene

[JWLaRue]

Here is one version of

Here is one version of a gas ballast system. There a a number of variations. Also note that a snort system is only a supplemental system to reduce gas usage. It may only work when the suction is above the waterline.

Ahh, yes.....that's a Greg Sharpe drawing, the inventor of the water tight cylinder concept. Those plans are still very much appropriate for building a wtc today. We need to re-run those two SCR articles of Greg's from several years ago that explain how to build the ballast system and the dry space. Maybe we can get it scheduled into the December SCR.....?

-Jeff

[noney]

Jeff, I have "googled" Futaba,

Jeff, I have "googled" Futaba, Futaba Multiplexer Evo, and Futaba Controller for Submarines, but am not coming up with anything that provides good information. Can you direct me to a website that will allow me to do research on these units, or at least learn more about them?

Thanks,
Gene