A couple of questions about a Engel 212 Build

[bballok32]

Hello everyone,

I bought an Engel 212 kit back in 2012 and I'm finally taking the time to try to put it together after 6 years, did a new construction submarine (SSN-786) for most of that time.

When I bought this kit I knew I couldn't get the 40 MHz radio that comes with it so at the moment I am without a receiver, transmitter, and for some reason I don't have a receiver battery for my kit as well, just the main power batteries.

I have several general questions and currently one specific build question at this moment. So I guess I'll start with the general question first

General
1) I'm thinking about using a 433 MHz system, how feasible is this? What equipment will I need to get? As I say right now I have nothing when it comes to this.
2) Will I need to get a receiver battery and where is the best location to get this? (I imagine the Engel website but he sells them as a kit of main power and the receiver battery).
3) Is there a very detailed build log of this boat or maybe some detailed videos? I'm struggling with some steps of the manual as I feel it is written poorly.

Specific
1) I'm on this step where I need to cut a wire for the ESC. However I'm confused as whether I should cut both the red and the black wires or just the red.

I'll attach photos of these.

[apa-228]

From what the directions are telling you to do, and the photo of the connector you supplied, you have confused the servo lead from the ESC to the receiver, these are not the power leads to the motor. The ESC has 2 input wires from the battery, red and black, which you will cut the connector from. Follow the insructions and install 2 new uninsulated connectors and apply heat shrink as directed The other 2 wires, blue and white are the ones to cut 95mm shorter than they are now. Solder these to the motor connection tabs, blue to positive white to negative side. DO NOT cut the red, white and black wires.

[bballok32]

From what the directions are telling you to do, and the photo of the connector you supplied, you have confused the servo lead from the ESC to the receiver, these are not the power leads to the motor. The ESC has 2 input wires from the battery, red and black, which you will cut the connector from. Follow the insructions and install 2 new uninsulated connectors and apply heat shrink as directed The other 2 wires, blue and white are the ones to cut 95mm shorter than they are now. Solder these to the motor connection tabs, blue to positive white to negative side. DO NOT cut the red, white and black wires.

This was very helpful. I have some more questions but I won't get to work on this until tomorrow. I'll post more pictures to accompany my questions. I'll also size them a little smaller.

Once again thank you!

[bballok32]

I'm really getting frustrated with this build and about to quit.

Problem 1: I hooked up my servos to an Arduino to test them out. One of my servos is bad, it only goes from 0 to 180, no in between values, and it gets warm to the touch. The other one is almost perfect but slightly off center.

Problem 2: I don't understand the wiring to the pressure switch at all. It seems there is supposed to be a wire that runs from the board on the other side of the tech rack but I don't see any wires that fit that connection to the board and are long enough to make it to the switch.

Problem 3: Wiring the ESC to the motor really confuses me and I'm not quite sure how to connect it.

I'm sorry if this is just ranting but I'm starting to hit a wall and I'm not sure if I can get past it.

[salmon]

My tagline expresses what we all go through every now and then on building a submarine. I am glad you are working with this kit. I have heard very good things about it, especially once you have it running. That being said, frustrations happen, so let us see how we can help.
On the ESC, I read the instructions you posted earlier, Are you asking about soldering the blue and white wires?
Are you still in SC? I ask to see if we can find some other sub guys in your area.
Peace,
Tom

[JWLaRue]

Problem 1: I hooked up my servos to an Arduino to test them out. One of my servos is bad, it only goes from 0 to 180, no in between values, and it gets warm to the touch. The other one is almost perfect but slightly off center.

It does sound like that one servo may be bad. What happens if you connect it to a 'regular' 75MHz receiver? As for the 2nd servo being slightly off center - that will not be a problem as you will eventually be configuring the DLx2 to only allow a 60% servo throw leaving you plenty of room for adjusting to a center for the tail planes. Both of my servos were slightly off center as well.

Problem 2: I don't understand the wiring to the pressure switch at all. It seems there is supposed to be a wire that runs from the board on the other side of the tech rack but I don't see any wires that fit that connection to the board and are long enough to make it to the switch.

Sanity check question about the board on the other side of the tech rack. Is this the CTS2 that is installed on the aft end of the piston tank? If yes, then (also) if your purchase included the wire and connector set for the Type 212 you should see a small two-wire connector with a thin red and black set of wires. Here's what mine looks like.....the first photo shows it connected to the CTS2 and the second shows it not connected:

Problem 3: Wiring the ESC to the motor really confuses me and I'm not quite sure how to connect it.

We could use a bit more information. Which version of the Type 212 did you get? The brushed or brushless motor one? If it is the brushed motor you should see 2 large gauge wires. If it's the brushless motor you should see 3. Also what specific model of speed controller did you receive?

Okay....this should help get you moving in the right direction. Let us know the answers to the motor/ESC questions and we can help some more.

-Jeff

[bballok32]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!!

I mostly think I was really bummed out about burning out a servo and then not looking hard enough for some pieces left me feeling overwhelmed. The encouragement has helped.

To answer your question salmon, yes the blue and white wires. If I read the directions correctly you were supposed to cut them and then solder plugs onto them. I got a little frustrated with soldering the plugs. You know the Navy sent me to a school where I learned how to do all that yet I still struggle with these plugs. I'm going to blame the soldering iron because it's a cheapo one I got from Radioshack.

BLUE AND WHITE WIRES
Digressing from that, there was an end on my blue wire where there is a connector crimped onto it. Does that end go onto the motor and how do you attach it? Do you cut that end off and attach it to the motor poles? We already had to solder some connections onto the motor so do I need to rearrange everythign with two connections on each pole? Thanks for the help. I can provide pictures later today.

JW, I don't have a 75 MHz system. I'm kind of limited in my budget right now and I honestly think I can build a 433 MHz system using some Arduinos for cheaper.

I did find that wire for the piston. I saw another that was shorter and I was so frustrated I gave up for the day and posted here. Upon further review, that correct wire is in there.

As far as they motor and the ESC. I have the brushed motor, 2 connections (I bought this in 2012 I think). I can post the ESC model when I get home.

Finally, what servo should I get to replace the one I burnt out? They were Robbe 8431 servos and it doesn't seem like those are made anymore and I'm slightly worried that I won't be able to find a servo to fit the bulkheads.

As a last note. I burned out the one servo by mistake, I'm going to blame myself at least. I had them both connected directly to the arduino. Apparently, that is a big no no. I have learned from my ways and will not repeat the same mistake in the future.

[JWLaRue]

Finally, what servo should I get to replace the one I burnt out? They were Robbe 8431 servos and it doesn't seem like those are made anymore and I'm slightly worried that I won't be able to find a servo to fit the bulkhead.

Engel sells replacement servos. I'd like to assume that the Robbe 8431 and Engel X505 servos are the same size...but let's make sure. If you could provide me width, height, and length measurements I can verify against my Type 212.

As a last note. I burned out the one servo by mistake, I'm going to blame myself at least. I had them both connected directly to the arduino. Apparently, that is a big no no. I have learned from my ways and will not repeat the same mistake in the future.

Don't feel too bad. It happened to one of local members with his 212 build as well.

-Jeff

p.s. where are you located (roughly)?

[bballok32]

Thanks for the reply!

The servo is 29.0 x 13.5 x 29.5 mm.

It sounds like the X505 might work, it's pretty close to the same dimensions. I might have to do a slight bit of work on the bulkhead to get it to fit.

I updated my location, it's Tulsa, OK

[JWLaRue]

Agreed, the X505 should work. Suggestion: buy 2 of them. That way you'll have a spare handy. (Several of us have done the same...it's nice to have some spare parts!)

re: Tulsa - drat, too far for me! Perhaps one of our SubRon5 folks will chime in if they're closer.....

-Jeff

[salmon]

I read the instructions to solder directly to the motor posts. Let me open my Engel Akula and see if I can help more accurately.