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[wadsworthj]

Hi.
   Does anybody know where i can get a reasonable, pump and sac dive system, to fit in a robbe seawolf.
and does everything that comes from the u.s.of a. carry import duty or are some things exempt.
Cheers  John.

[bobk]

John,

Any model boats stuff from the States is liable for Duty and VAT.  However, provided the sender has properly identified the contents on the outside of the box (Customs Declaration) then it is up to HMCE whether they charge you.  In many cases you could be lucky and the package comes straight through, but you should always allow for paying Duty & VAT on items from outside the E.U. 

Bob K

[wadsworthj]

Hi Bob.K.
             Thanks for the reassurance, i have been caught before, and i wondered if
it was a blanket cover, depends on how board the officer is at the time,i expect.
but so many people on mayhem, advocate getting very expensive gear from
across the pond, that i had to ask.Cheers   John.W.

[Subculture]

The problem with the VAT and duty, is that you also get slapped with a handling charge, which is usually several pounds. So the value of the charges can come close to the value of the goods.

For goods, anything over £15 value is chargeable, if it's sent as a gift, anything over £40.

But you don't need to import anything, because you can purchase the items you need on these shores. For a bag, have a look at the Capri sun bags- the larger ones with the screw top (enjoy contents first). These are incredibly strong, and are about the right volume for a Seawolf (330ml). A lot of people fit the bags in a vented cylinder/pipe to keep the bag in a certain position and to prevent it over expanding. A piece of PVC pipe will do the job, with a couple of end caps made from sheet stock, and some strategically placed holes to allow air to escape as the bag fills.

Not sure what sort of pump you want. The Seawolf as standard uses a 6 volt electrical system. Most water pumps are designed to run on 12 volts, they'll run on lower voltages, but the pumping rate will be slower. You can get 12 volt speed 500 motors if you want to convert the drive motor.

If you're using a bag, the pump needs to be bi-directional, so that usually means a geared or peristaltic model. If using the former you will need a pinch valve to prevent backflow through the pump.

If using a peristaltic pump, it's important to fit a pressure switch or relief valve to switch the pump off if going beyond a certain pressure. This is on safety grounds as these pumps can reach very high pressure indeed, quite sufficient to wreck your boat should they become stuck on for some reason.

[wadsworthj]

Hi Subculture.
                    Wow, thats a fair amount to digest, but ill do my best!!
It is interesting that one can make these things out of bits and pieces,
il start researching pumps first.
I take it that, the product is a drinks thing, not a sink bleach!!!!!
Cheers  John.

[Subculture]

Er yes, it's a orange squash type juice drink! They look like this-



The screw top is watertight, you take the cap off, drill a hole through it, and mount a spigot to take a pipe off to the pump. Various ways to make the spigot, a piece of flared pipe would be the most basic, and that could be bonded in with some araldite or silicone adhesive. Better still would be a hollow threaded bolt, sealed with a rubber washer on the inside, but a bit more tricky to make unless you have a pillar drill or lathe.

Lots of options for suitable bags. Some people use IV bags, or urine bags, which you can find on ebay (unused ones!). But some of these may be a little large for your application. They do have the advantage of having a pipe already fitted, so you don't need to muck about fitting a spigot.

Pumps- a lot of people use the little Orange fuel pumps that Ripmax used to sell. They were made in France, but production has migrated to China, and unfortunately it appears the quality has suffered in the process. The pumps are very cheap, about £5, but they're not holding up to long term use. They may hold up better when run on lower voltage/pressure.

Thundertiger use a peristaltic pump in their Neptune sub. You can purchase these as spares, along with the electronic switcher, ballast bag (250ml) and pressure switch. Prices look very reasonable, but the cheapest option is to DIY.

[wadsworthj]

Hi.
   All this talk about tubes and bottles reminds me of the time i had a catheta in for about 3 wks before my prostrate op!!!
But keep it comimg. im feeding on it.
Cheers  John.

[Patrick Henry]

Pop down to your local Halfords or similar, pick up a car screenwash pump...job done. They run quite happily on 6volts, better on 7.2volts, even better on 8.4 or 9.6volts, and despite what you'll hear, they are reversible. I'm trying to fit one inside my Deep Quest at the moment...not looking good though, getting very short on room.



Rich

[Subculture]

Depends on the type. The centrifugal type aren't reversible. You need the geared type, I think Halfrauds sell one as a 'universal' windscreen washer pump, but they also sell the centrifugal type of pump, which will work for some systems, but not the one you're looking at. If you look in Grimreapers Vanguard build thread, he has the geared type fitted in that.

[Patrick Henry]

There's an easy way to make sure you get the right pump...ask the chap behind the counter. Simples...

[Davy1]

That's very trusting, Richard. He'll probably be an ex-Comet salesman!

The red pumps are still worth looking at and Nigel has a potential fix for broken ones. We have a long running test of them over on the AMS website. i think it is under "how to" or something.

David

[Subculture]

I've seen pumps that look identical to the ones Halfords sell for about £6 on ebay. They could be cheap knock-offs, or they might be identical-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-12-Volt-Windscreen-Washer-Pump-Water-Bottle-/250982607780?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a6fbaaba4

The red ones look a bit cheaper though-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BN-Universal-12V-Lucas-Type-Windscreen-Washer-Pump-/360390328712?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53e8f00188

Kavan do bigger geared pumps with brass gears. Not sure how well they wear over time, they seem to be more popular on the continent than here in the UK. More expensive (about twenty quid), and pumps at about 1.8 litres a minute. Bit chunky for a Seawolf I think.

http://www.kavanrc.com/IndexText/0190E.html

[wadsworthj]

Hi Subculture.
                    Have just got a robbe pump on ebay for £15 inc p/p.
and could get a iv fuel bag from the same source, 500 m.m. is that too large  ?
and then ive got the rudiments of a static kit.
Cheers  John.

[Subculture]

500ml- depends on the waterline you're after. The bigger the bag, the longer it takes to fill. You can restrict the volume by placing it inside a smaller cylinder. If it's a geared pump, you will need to construct a servo controlled pinch valve, the same servo can be used to actuate a pair of micro switches to control the pump.