own design submersible

[u-33]

I've come up with this design and been making a start on the building of it, but a problem has arisen which I could do with help on...any of you guys got any ideas as to how to make the pod mounted motors watertight? The motors are stock Mabuchi type 540's, mounted in plastic water pipe and will be used as the method of diving and underwater change of direction. I'll be setting them in film cannisters, but is there a way of making them 100% watertight?



Cheers,

Rich

[raalst]

how about just putting the

how about just putting the motors in the water.

works like a charm for my Trumpeter Kilo.

just make sure there are no ball bearings in the motor, just bushings.

the motors will last well over a year (in freshwater..)

some photo's of the first motor afte a year and a half service :

http://www.subcommittee.com/SubComm/member_homepages_search.cfm?MemberID=31

[u-33]

That's an easy way out

That's an easy way out of the problem...do you treat the motors with anything? Spray grease or similar? That would certainly make light work of the job...I like that idea, thanks for that.

Rich

[raalst]

the first one I blasted

the first one I blasted with a bit of wd40 before it's first use,
the second one I didn't bother any more.

I get my motors from electric car door locks, I suppose these are
meant to function in damp conditions.

important is that you *know* that the motor type you use will be
obtainable in a years time (because the new one will have to fit the
existing motor mount...)

[Guest]

Natty design, I like it.

Natty design, I like it. EMA's sell moulded hemispehers and corresponding tubing made from ABS. Don't know if that is helpful or not.

You could exit the shaft through a phosphor bronze bush and fit a bit of silicone rubber tubing over the end, that will seal the shaft off.

Other options include using subtech seals (Pandan) or fitting simmerring seals (lathe preferred for the latter).

Time to invest in that lathe perhaps?

Andy

[u-33]

Thanks for the assistance Ronald

Thanks for the assistance Ronald and Andy, I doubt if the boat will last a year so there's no worries about the motor availabilty.

Think I've sussed it out. As they say in all the best places, watch this space....

I'd love a lathe Andy, but I now have the second best thing to owning one...a mate who is an engineer!

Cheers,

Rich

[u-33]

As with all the best

As with all the best boat designs, it's changing as it gets built, but here's a couple of pics of how far I've got with it. It's built from various sizes and lengths of plastic waste water pipe and a piece of an old fibreglass fishing rod.





Cheers,

Rich

[raalst]

where did you scavenge the

where did you scavenge the front dome ?

I like the boat already.

[u-33]

where did you scavenge the

where did you scavenge the front dome ?

I like the boat already.

When I moved into this apartment I found an old electric lantern in the cupboard in the hall, it didn't work, so I kept it. Just in case...

The front dome was perfect for my submersible!! It will be backlit when the boat is completed, to give me a guiding light....

This is the finished design of how the boat SHOULD look when it's completed. Unless it changes, of course...



It's named 'Seaquel 5'...number five in a list of Seaquel boats I've built. The words "National Underwater Marine Agency" come from the film "Raise The Titanic". I hope number 5 doesn't implode as did the Starfish in the film.

Cheers,

Rich