Akula Part Two

[Guest]

I'm in the process of purchasing my inner workings. I'm going to upload some pics of my Akula. I scatch built a deck on the upper hull. I know it's not exactly to scale. Two wires running length ways across the top would have been more acurate. But this gave it a better effect. Also my DIY dive planes. I'm going to completely rebuild it. I have a few better idea's. And although the dive planes work. I can see that they might jam. So I'm going to do start all over. Just need to get a drill press. Oh and I'm going to add the pic of the damage from soldering those rear dive planes. I've fixed it but don't have a pic up loaded to computer. next time I build a sub...i'm going to have two controll arms and two separated dive planes.

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

Some nasty heat damage to the rear of the hull.

The method of joining the planes is a bad one really. Much better to split the shaft and attach the control yoke with some wheel collars, that would enable you to solder on the planes to the shafts away from the hull.

If you find yourself in a situation like this in the future, I recommend you soak some rags or paper towels in water (make sure they're fully saturated) and place it around all the plastic parts, this will absorb any heat from the torch or soldering iron and should prevent the plastic from getting damaged.

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

Well good and bad news. Good news is I've finally tested out my ESC, Reciever, Motor and battery. AND ALL WORKS. After months of readying and trying to find out what works with what. IT WORKS....SWEET LORD IT WORKS!!!! I'm going to start planning out the interior of the WTC. I did have to solder the Dean connector to the ESC and cut off the stock tamyia. WORST SOLDER JOB I HAVE EVER DONE. I decided to try a different method. IT LOOKS HORRIBLE. But the connection is good and wrapped up tight.

Bad news. I'm scrapping the retractable dive planes. After literally 3 months of working and re-working them. I've decided I don't have the tools/knowlegde/material to pull it off properly. I have a pretty nice working set up. Retracts. Rotates. It's just not smooth enough movement and not symetrical enough. I learned a lot. A LOT!!!!!! Trying to build it. I'm dissapointed. But I swear the next sub I build will have retractable planes and I will pull it off. Hopefully I'll have a drill press!!!!

Love this hobby....Can't believe that motor ran....FIRST TRY!!!!!

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

O.k. I'm beginning major design on my WTC. I've switched from 3 inch to 2 inch pipe. Definatly enough room. So I have a couple quick questions.

1. What is the best way to place servo's/autopitch/motor...etc. To decrease "Noise""?
2. My reciever has anice long white antena wire. Best way to place that? Can I wrap it around the interior along WTC wall? Can I have it attach to a piece of wire that exits WTC to get more reception? Any help here would be great.
3. My Auto pitch has a failsafe. I was thinking of hooking it up to a servo. Which will push a rod into a disposible 12gram CO2 cartridge. And funnel that into the ballast tank. Just for emergancies.
4. How the hell do I wire a 12v car water pump into my reciever? Just red/black to a red black futuba?
5. How do you build good DIY control yokes for my front dive planes?
6. AND LAST!!!!!! Can I have a push rod exit the back of the WTC but bend up and over. Past the WTC to the front to control those control arms? Is that a bad idea?

Yeah I'm a pain in the @$$ sorry.
mark

[salmon]

Re: Akula Part Two

Mark,
Most of these questions are on this site already, you will need to hunt the answers down.
Some of the placement depends on the amount of space you have. So theoretical verses reality do not always go hand in hand.
1. As I understand it, you want the motors and ESC as far away from the RX. Make sure your motors have the capacitors added to reduce noise.
2. You will find that you can run your antenna either in or out. I have seen both done. Rolling your antenna or wrapping it creates a different issue that will have a potential for negative reception. David uses the external antenna. It works. Here is a review that talks about wrapping the antenna http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=912056
3. O.K.
4. NOOOOOOOOO - you will need to purchase a switch something like this - http://www.sub-driver.com/sub-es2-po...ontroller.html
5. You will need to research that one. Too many variables. You can use a horn (tab with a hole in it) and a z bent wire. Look at my Gato build.
6. Again, look at my Gato build - it is done just like that.
Peace,
Tom

[JWLaRue]

Re: Akula Part Two

Let's see if this helps.....I'm sure others will chime in as well....

1. What is the best way to place servo's/autopitch/motor...etc. To decrease "Noise""?

Two things come readily to mind: place as much separation between the motor and everything else and keep the servo wires away from the power leads to the motor. The other is to install capacitors on the motor - see this link for some very good details: http://www.ezonemag.com/pages/faq/a418.shtml

2. My reciever has anice long white antena wire. Best way to place that? Can I wrap it around the interior along WTC wall? Can I have it attach to a piece of wire that exits WTC to get more reception? Any help here would be great.

First thing to remember is that the length of the antenna wire should not be changed. It's a specific length based on the frequency/wavelength of the r/c system. That said, some folks will wrap the antenna back and forth inside the dive module. This is not always the best solution as it can limit the range in which you can control the sub. A better solution is to have the antenna exit the dive module and run the length (back and forth if necessary) of the hull. To do this you can just run it through a hole in the end cap of the dive module....but be sure to seal it up with something like RTV. At better way would be to drill and tap a hole in the end cap and then screw in a short piece of threaded rod and glue it into place. Then cut the antenna wire and use the threaded rod (with appropriate washers and nuts) to bridge between the inside and outside of the dive module.

If you do run the antenna outside the dive module you must ensure that any part of the antenna wire that is exposed to the water is sealed to prevent it grounding out.

3. My Auto pitch has a failsafe. I was thinking of hooking it up to a servo. Which will push a rod into a disposible 12gram CO2 cartridge. And funnel that into the ballast tank. Just for emergancies.

Hmmm.....I don't think your average servo will be able to drive a rod into a CO2 cartridge and pierce it.

4. How the hell do I wire a 12v car water pump into my reciever? Just red/black to a red black futuba?

You don't...at least not directly. You will need some sort of r/c controllable switch that would then control the pump. Something like the SubTech SES.

5. How do you build good DIY control yokes for my front dive planes?

The sort answer is brass rod/sheet and Dubro collars. The longer answer is that you need to fabricate control horns from Dubro collars and some sheet brass. The collars need to be of the correct diameter for the pivot rods of your dive planes. Do a web search on r/c control horn to see what they look like. Once that's done you can run a brass rod from each back towards the dive module...at some point where it is convenient the two rods are joined together to yield a single rod, which then goes to and through the end cap.

This description really needs a couple of diagrams! Perhaps someone has one handy?

6. AND LAST!!!!!! Can I have a push rod exit the back of the WTC but bend up and over. Past the WTC to the front to control those control arms? Is that a bad idea?

A number of folks do just that....works fine.

-Jeff

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

For controlling the pump, you can use a switcher, another ESC (about 10A rating would be sufficient) or you can use a servo actuating a pair of micro switches, which is very much an old fashoned way of doing it, but works very well providing you use micro switches with the correct current rating.

Regarding the front planes, I would remove them altogether- not necessary on this boat and just adding complication on a first build.

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

Thank you all so much for the info. Now I have a lot to work on. She's comming along. Will post more pics when time allows. Truly awesome answeres.

Mark

[wayne frey]

Re: Akula Part Two

Hello,

Starting last night on Steve Neil's blog (episode 105), Steve started a Dumas Akula.
It will definately be worth your time to subscribe to the blog (usually sitting in my email every morning), or follow the build on utube.
I check it out every morning with my coffee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... vCviSUv3d4

He is most talented, a master modeller, and fun to watch how fast Steve whips out master works of modelling.
Whatever he does, would be a great guidline to your build.
I highly reccomend subscribing to the blog.

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

AWESOME! Can't wait to check out that site after work tonight. I do have a question. I have some standards servo's that are a bit too big to have to side by side on my 2 inch pipe. I want to save room. And don't want tos tring them down the length of the entire sub. Are these servo's strong enought to do the job?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/3x-Cox-010-020-0 ... 56476c9e07

[salmon]

Re: Akula Part Two

Micro cheap servos are what I get -

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__287__189__Servos_and_parts-Micro_Servo_5_10g.html

Most servos, micro or mini, will work fine for medium to smaller subs. I am sure others here can offer better advice.
I just think the ones you listed are too expensive especially after you add shipping.

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

HOLY MOLY!!!!! WAAAAAAY CHEAPER!!! THANKS A TON!!!!

[Guest]

Re: Akula Part Two

So i found these awesome little valves at Petsmart. I'm going to rig up a servo to one of them to direct the flow of my water pump. If it doesn't work no big dael. My automatic leveler has a failsafe built in. I'm gonig to be using a sealed compartment that I pump water into to submerge. I'm thinking of having a second line running out with a servo attached to a valve. Running to the failsafe. Radio signal lose makes valve open...air pressure pushes out water. Any idea's?