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While attending a small fun run at Devils Den I was introduced to a unique WTC that is both innovative and surprisingly economical. Dave Santivanez from Ocala Florida is making these new WTCs to order for any and all comers. I might be next. I was so impressed with it that I just had to share it with you.
You can see the WTC in the background but first look at the drive unit.It is a standard 540 size motor with a twist. The shaft exits both ends. One end goes into a ball bearing gear reduction unit to turn the prop. The other end is attached to a neat little water pump that provides cooling water for the motor. That my friends is so cool!
so now lets take a closer look at the unit.
Here is a end cap for one end. In this case it has a pushrod and water proof bellows seal exiting to power the bowplanes
The other side of the endcap reveals the servo. In this front compartment also goes the battery.
The business end of it. In this case a two motor drive unit. Also of note is the shaft seals. Long brass stuffing boxes filled with grease with a oilite bushing on the ends .Dave says that they absolutely do not leak. Also visible here is a rod attached to a on/off switch.
Here you can see the thick section of the walls. Very robust.
And the other side of the joint showing the seal. Just insert twist and turn. Its that easy. Even I can do it.
Here is the ballast tank section. Endlessly flexable and reconfigurable to your needs. You can see here the baffles that he has placed inside to prevent water slosh.
And here we have a solenoid valve . The way the system works is as follows. It is a pump based ballast system. You start off with a ballast tank full of air. When you want to dive the pump draws in water and expels overboard the air. When you want to surface, the pump expels the water which is replaced by air drawn out of the large water tight area that houses the electronics which as a consequence of this is placed under a vacuum. Once on the surface or at least with the sail out of the water that solenoid comes into play. It opens , permitting the vacuum to equalize and the process can begin again.
You can see the WTC in the background but first look at the drive unit.It is a standard 540 size motor with a twist. The shaft exits both ends. One end goes into a ball bearing gear reduction unit to turn the prop. The other end is attached to a neat little water pump that provides cooling water for the motor. That my friends is so cool!so now lets take a closer look at the unit. Here is a end cap for one end. In this case it has a pushrod and water proof bellows seal exiting to power the bowplanes The other side of the endcap reveals the servo. In this front compartment also goes the battery. The business end of it. In this case a two motor drive unit. Also of note is the shaft seals. Long brass stuffing boxes filled with grease with a oilite bushing on the ends .Dave says that they absolutely do not leak. Also visible here is a rod attached to a on/off switch. Here you can see the thick section of the walls. Very robust. And the other side of the joint showing the seal. Just insert twist and turn. Its that easy. Even I can do it. Here is the ballast tank section. Endlessly flexable and reconfigurable to your needs. You can see here the baffles that he has placed inside to prevent water slosh. And here we have a solenoid valve . The way the system works is as follows. It is a pump based ballast system. You start off with a ballast tank full of air. When you want to dive the pump draws in water and expels overboard the air. When you want to surface, the pump expels the water which is replaced by air drawn out of the large water tight area that houses the electronics which as a consequence of this is placed under a vacuum. Once on the surface or at least with the sail out of the water that solenoid comes into play. It opens , permitting the vacuum to equalize and the process can begin again.
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