Bringing 1/128 Seaview back to the pond!

[salmon]

14 GA is plenty, can get by with less. I have been switching to the magnetic switches because the toggle switches are very unreliable. They break if you look at them wrong! I'd use 1 battery, a snort system needs air volume in the sub-driver to work well.

Bob,
I am not sure I responded to your response, sorry. My concern with one battery is runtime. This uses two motors and I have been told the throttle needs to be heavier than most subs because of the down pitch of the bow and the up pitch of the stators to correct for the bow, meaning I need to keep the water flowing over the end. Saying that, then the question becomes where the heck do I put the fuse? or for that matter the electronic switch (which I love - Thank you Kevin McLeod for making these!).
Your volume point is spot on......If I keep the two batteries in, I will need to move enough air into the ballast tank to get the float to drop and then the SAS system can suck in the air though the snorkel in the sail. How much will that take? I do not know, but we will have fun learning together on this!
Thank you for your thoughts. I might change my wire to 18 gauge. Just need to order some.
Peace,
tom

[KevinMC]

I'm glad you like the Mag Switch Tom - it's been a bit of an under-recognized gem on my product list!

I recommend putting the Mag Switch as close to the batteries as you can. (In both my OSCAR and KILO I've located the mag switches right in the battery compartments.) The switch also has a built-in current limit function, so there's no need to add an additional fuse in line.

[salmon]

The switch also has a built-in current limit function, so there's no need to add an additional fuse in line.

I love you man!
Learned something new AND it made my life easier!

[bob_eissler]

18GA wire is good, I have run a sub-river with thinner. I just buy speaker wire from Menards or Home depot. Lamp cord works well. I don't know about your sub-driver but mine had 6 v. motors. The motor winding will melt if you bind the motor also, the shaft extension is soldered onto the motor shaft and takes work to replace. Been a while since I ran my Seaview but I'm thinking 15 or 20 minutes run time but it is a gas system.

[salmon]

I looked at lamp cord, but it was thicker than the 14 gauge. Speaker wire, that is an idea. I am really looking forward to getting this sub running! Thank you for your help!

[salmon]

I think it is better to start on one end and work across the Sub-Driver......do I always do it that way? No, but for this build I will "try" too.

The tube that crosses the ballast tank that allows power to go from the battery room to the engine room slid out of the bulkheads easily. I did not want to have an issue with it coming out running or not tight enough and letting water in, I went for extra protection by sealing the ends with RTV rubber. I like this gasket RTV it is sticky and messy, but holds well. Using a long skewer, applied silicon around the tube.

It is not pretty.

The battery room.
Since I am going with two batteries, I have to pack the front carefully. It will need to be repeatable at the pond side and for consistent trim. A battery shifting can cause headaches when one time it runs perfect and next time it has troubles staying level.
The one consideration is this Sub-Driver has the tube that I siliconed offset to the side. Putting the batteries horizontally would not work well because I would be running right into it. So what if I put the batteries like this?


Now my concern with this is weight up higher than if it was horizontal. I guess we will see.
Now to make it repeatable I will build in a frame that I will affix inside the tube so each time I put batteries in they will be in the same spot each time.


I think that is all I can do today.

[scott t]

Looking good Tom. Praying the shoulder heals.

I can image you using that skewer to add the sealant.

"Using a long skewer, applied silicon around the tube.

It is not pretty."

For future thought what would happen if you squeezed some RTV in a soda straw.
Then when you got to the right position you could give a little air pressure on the straw to apply the RTV.

Another thought was to make a plastic washer and put RTV on it and lower it around the tube.
Then squish it down to spread the RTV.

[salmon]

Scott,
Really good thoughts. Your mind is much quicker than mine.
Peace,
Tom

[salmon]

In my wonderful desire to plod forward, I tried soldering the magnetic switch in. I did good for 3 out of the 4 pads. The negative (-) for the power going in I broke the pad on it (probably over heated it). Anyways, the negative can run off of one pad fortunately.


Then I put the provided shrink tube over it.


Created sides that would keep the batteries centered, secure, and in the same position.


installed it to test.


The next modification is to put the receiving battery connectors into the frame.


That seemed to work. So modified both.


and tested.


Final modification is opening up paths for wires. A channel for the wires going to the engine room. and for wires going over the batteries.


So with everything packed the endocarp went on and the switch was tested. It worked and it all fit.
First view is from the top.

[salmon]

The starboard side. I did not push the frame all the way back, but that is where it will be installed.


Bottom view.


Port side.


With that done, I will ponder on how to secure everything inane strong enough for the connecting and disconnecting the batteries.

[salmon]

Wired up the Motors. I like some of the notches that David Merriman puts in his bulkheads. In this case, it is the perfect size for holding the connector.


Scott's suggestion on how to apply the rtv silicon spurred me on to try something.
Using a syringe I put some silicon in it and used some around the battery frames. The thinking is it will help hold the styrene alignment frame in while I disconnect the power at the end of a run. The very back portion of the frame is CA'd to the bulkhead in the Sub-Driver wtc.


Time to let everything dry.

[salmon]

Each night I try to put in a few minutes on the sub. I got the power fro the batteries through the tube to the engine side. Wired up all the components. Tested the magnetic on/off switch and everything worked. At this moment I want to just give a shout out to Kevin McLeod and his components. The on/off switch needs no configuration and you do not need to swipe a magnet in one direction or another. It is bring the magnet close and it turns on and bring it close again and it is off. Simple, sweet, and it works. I know Bob carries these. This one is the 10 amp model (not that this Seaview will ever draw that much). Try it you'll like it.

I have not cleaned this up yet. I need to ponder and figure the routing of all the wires. So it is still a mess.


I am using a F-14 for this sub and I needed to modify this radio to add some switched and potentiometers.
Here is where the radio is at.



Now if I do not obsess over the wiring and just pack it in, I might be able to begin trimming the sub this weekend. Tomorrow, I will need to configure the ESC and leveler. Hopefully that goes well.

[greg w]

Thank you for taking the time to post what you are doing. Right now I don't have time to work on my own projects so it's nice to watch how others do things

[salmon]

Finished setting up the WTC, but did not reduce cables yet. I will get this to work, then I will find tune.


So I did not get as much as I wanted this weekend, but the next step is to make all the connections working. Dive planes, Sail planes, rudder, and float valve. The mounting of the float made earlier went well. I just had to make sure the float moved up and down without binding. It was as simple as just turning the deck upside down to watch the float move.



Now it is making all the connections to the WTC and pushrods needed.

[salmon]

Greg, I am sorry for not responding........It is my pleasure to post. We all learn from each other. I definitely get it that life happens! My wife actually likes that I keep my mind busy on submarines. She sees it as a great way to express creativity! Me creative!? LOL