Valterra WTC

[nelix6030]

Saw a few post where people were using Valterra RV tubing for WTC. Thought I would try it since it was cheap and my scratch built end caps were always a little leaky. All I can say is WOW!. Very easy to work with, quick access in and out, and not one drop of water. Here are a few pictrures, sorry not great quality.

All I needs now is my auto leveler and it will be complete.

Kyle

[chuck chesney]

BRAVO...GOOD FOR YOU ! Not

BRAVO...GOOD FOR YOU ! Not only better, but cheaper and readily available. Good job, and thanks for the pic's.

[xxl]

looks good

looks good

[junglelord]

Thanks, excellent stuff. I like

Thanks, excellent stuff. I like the learning curve of this hobby. The whole idea is to build your own WTC. Learn to mold your own parts. Very inexpensive and lots more fun.
Cheers.

[redboat219]

Innovative use of material http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_cool.gif.

Innovative use of material . I see a clippard valve and a copper gas cylinder, so this means you're using a gas based ballast system. Where's your ballast tank?

[timothy guest]

Thanks for the tip. Great

Thanks for the tip. Great find. I checked out the Valterra website. Are the parts that you're using the...

T-1020-3VP: Drip Cap Set (black and orange) and
T-1022: 10" Clearview Fitting, 3"Bay Hooks x 3" Bay Lugs

I noticed that only one end of the WTC (with the orange cap) has a seal. On the other end, is there a seal inside the black cap?

Regards,

--- tg ---

[nelix6030]

You got it

Thats the parts, yes on the side with the four lugs The seal is in the black cap. I roughed up the inside of the black cap and then poured some liquid plastic in to thicken up the cap, but be sure not to get any on the seal.

Kyle

[bob the builder]

I just tested my own

I just tested my own Valterra-based WTC last night in the pool (no power, but lots of time at the bottom of 6' of water.

Not a drop after about 30 minutes of my son bumping it around at the bottom! Additionally (through no planning of my own), the WTC turned out to be almost perfectly neutrally buoyant with the tank flooded! That will make my trimming a breeze! The big ballast tank offers tons of buoyancy!

I'm really impressed with this system. Getting the WTC out of the model and getting it open to work on takes (with no exaggeration) ten seconds!

I'll have video posted of the model working (hopefully this weekend).

[nelix6030]

Great Stuff!!!

Bob, WTC looks great, looking forward to the video

Kyle

[redboat219]

What sub are you using

What sub are you using with the WTC?

[roedj]

Bob,

I would be very interested

Bob,

I would be very interested in seeing how you attached the Valterra tube to the larger diameter tube (PVC?) at the right side of your picture.

Thanks for your time,

Dan

[bob the builder]

I thought I had more

I thought I had more pictures, but I guess not. Here's one more, not that you can see much of it...



For connecting to the ballast tank, I just used two pieces of 1/4" Sintra board (black plastic board) laminated together. The one side fits into the ID of the clear tubing, The other is about 1/2" larger than the OD of the clear tube. When you press it into the end of the clear tubing, you wind up with a 1/2" flange that you can bolt your ballast tank to. Its siliconed on permanently (unless you really need to take it off). A few screws put into the OD of the tube and into the endcap would make sure that they never come off, but I really think its overkill.

Here is the ballast actuator][/url]

[nelix6030]

What Sub?

Red,

My Valterra WTC is in my SubTech Albacore.

Kyle

[roedj]

Bob,

Thanks for the info and

Bob,

Thanks for the info and pix - nice job!

Dan