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[shaunmac17]

  Hi, my son and i botched up a rc ship, but unfortunately the bow thruster works from a different transmitter than the engines. I have a multi channel transmitter from a rc helicopter, and i was wondering if anyone could guide me in the right direction to making this work the engines and bow thrust? Any ideas would be most appreciated as we are both rc novices. Cheers
Shayne

[catengineman]

Hi, are you saying that you have two reciever's in the vessel?

I dont see how one trans. can work half and a different trans work a different part unless there are two recievers

mor info if possible
Thanks
R,

[barriew]

Also Helicopter transmitters should work on 35Mhz which is not allowed for surface use - boats and cars. Only 27Mhz or 40 Mhz is allowed for them.

Barrie

[Bunkerbarge]

Barrie has hit the nail on the head there so your helicopter transmitter is not an option.

What I would think seriously about is linking theb thruster into the rudder servo so it enhances the effect of the rudder when moving and still provides turning when the boat is stopped.  Your rudder will still move when stopped but this won't affect anything.

[robbo770]

woo guys he may have a modular transmiter so with a bit of cash on the 40mhz fm module he can use to heli trany no problem, please tell us the model and make of transmitter first

cheers Rob

[Bunkerbarge]

Agreed Rob, although the cost of a 40 mhz module may be out of proportion to the value of the radio and to link in the thruster to the rudder is only going to require a "Y" lead.

It's certainly another angle to evaluate though and a good idea.

[robbo770]

come on guys on flee bay a 40 mhz futaba FF9 module can be picked up for as little as £20!!!,

give the guy a chance to spend some money wisely if he can.

Rob

[toesupwa]

I have a multi channel transmitter from a rc helicopter, and i was wondering if anyone could guide me in the right direction to making this work the engines and bow thrust? Any ideas would be most appreciated as we are both rc novices.

As long as its a 4 channel transmitter and a 4 channel receiver (on the right frequency  ) then "yes" its easy.

I used only 3 channels on Mustang Sally... Rudder, Throttle (through a ESC) and a bow thruster through another ESC. On the transmitter (depending on your 'mode') i use rudder / throttle on the right stick and the bow thruster on the left stick.

Here is a pic of the 'guts' out of Mustang Sally on test before being installed.

[Bryan Young]

Hi, my son and i botched up a rc ship, but unfortunately the bow thruster works from a different transmitter than the engines. I have a multi channel transmitter from a rc helicopter, and i was wondering if anyone could guide me in the right direction to making this work the engines and bow thrust? Any ideas would be most appreciated as we are both rc novices. Cheers
Shayne

I could well be barking up the wrong tree here, but please do not attempt to operate a bow thrust unit when underway...you'll just burn the unit out.

[portside II]

depend s what you call underway Bryan ,I often use the bow thruster on my tug along with the main drive to power it diagonally .
As toes says you can link a bowthruster into the rudder system but setting up may take a bit more thinking  .
daz

[Bunkerbarge]

Hi, my son and i botched up a rc ship, but unfortunately the bow thruster works from a different transmitter than the engines. I have a multi channel transmitter from a rc helicopter, and i was wondering if anyone could guide me in the right direction to making this work the engines and bow thrust? Any ideas would be most appreciated as we are both rc novices. Cheers
Shayne

I could well be barking up the wrong tree here, but please do not attempt to operate a bow thrust unit when underway...you'll just burn the unit out.

What makes you think that Bryan?  I was always under the impression that the faster the boat goes the less effective the bow thruster will be due to the fact that it has difficulty drawing water from the fast flow over the hull.  I've always thought that would make it ineffective but I can't see whay it would cause any overheating.  The motor would be taking less current that when it is actually pumping water surely?

[catengineman]

Don't use a B T when under way??  why not 

True the result from thrust is not the same actually makes the vessel "crab" but unless there is some reason that serious cavitation happens I see no reason for the unit to overheat even then the prop/paddle shaft bearings in our models need little or no external lubrication/cooling.

running a B T at the wrong voltage (to high) can cause burn outs but if you have a Graupner paddle type I would run it on 6 volt and get less noise.

Just my opinion

R,

[portside II]

True ,running at 6v will result in less noise i found that out with one of mine but on 12v you get a massive amount of thrust with the noise(like screeching).
I have one of the earlier type with the prop insted of paddle ,no prob with noise but on the minus side any weed sucked in gets wrapped around the prop and with the paddle no prob it just gets blown right through , so far fingers crossed .
daz

[catengineman]

So where are our intrepid builders?

Err paddle broken by twig though I know what you say about weed and props still epoxy fixed B/T 

Im sure that one of them super mixer boxes would sort out thrust problems if we ever find out some more info

R,

[Bryan Young]

Hi, my son and i botched up a rc ship, but unfortunately the bow thruster works from a different transmitter than the engines. I have a multi channel transmitter from a rc helicopter, and i was wondering if anyone could guide me in the right direction to making this work the engines and bow thrust? Any ideas would be most appreciated as we are both rc novices. Cheers
Shayne

I could well be barking up the wrong tree here, but please do not attempt to operate a bow thrust unit when underway...you'll just burn the unit out.

Hi, Bunkerbarge. I,m not trying to lay down any sort of "rule" (really!), it was just an observation that I made when I still had "Hunan" and tried the bow thrust when going a bit over half speed. The bow thrust tube seemed unable to keep filled with water and the pump plades ran dry within the tube and being rubber nearly bonded themselves to the tube. If that had happened then the motor would probably have stalled without my knowing...with probably disastrous results. My comment was really just a "beware of this happening". BY.


What makes you think that Bryan?  I was always under the impression that the faster the boat goes the less effective the bow thruster will be due to the fact that it has difficulty drawing water from the fast flow over the hull.  I've always thought that would make it ineffective but I can't see whay it would cause any overheating.  The motor would be taking less current that when it is actually pumping water surely?

[John W E]

Hi there all

Talking about bow thrusters and obstacles becoming lodged in the paddle of the bow thruster - that was my main fear on the Seaford Clansman - with her bow thruster - sailing on a Lake that spends most of its time covered in Swan feathers and such like    so I decided to fit some brass gauze - the type which is used for filtering diesel fuel - over the inlet/outlet of the thruster pipes.   I am glad I checked this out in the bath before I actually took it down to the Lake - hey its ideal if you want to make frothy coffee - it produced tremendous froth - so that was quickly removed and we have to be extra vigilant where we sail.

So much for the good ideas eh.....  

aye
John e
bluebird

[John W E]

Good day Bryan

If memory serves me correctly; did you not have a 'auto/car windscreen washer pump' acting as a bow thruster in the Hunan?    If so, I remember the intake/and outlet to this was very small - so therefore any forward movement would tend to starve the intake of water supply - and also some of these windscreen washer pumps don't like to be run dry - this may be why the pump malfunctioned?

aye
john e
bluebird

[Peterm]

I have a 4 ft narrowboat which is fitted with a Graupner bow thruster unit.   Granted the boat does not plane, but it has a fair turn of speed and the bow thruster works well at all times.   The boat (and bow thruster) is now 12 years old and still going strong.   Pete M

[catengineman]

I have used my B/T to counter windage on Tito then forgot to turn it of and sailed around for ages thinking the wind was turning her bow and just lived with it by making rudder corrections after about an hour I sailed Tito in to lift her out and found the B/T still working on about half thrust with no noticeable damage to motor or seals.

I have now swapped the B/T control on the transmitter so I don't leave it thrusting.

R,

[Bryan Young]

Good day Bryan

If memory serves me correctly; did you not have a 'auto/car windscreen washer pump' acting as a bow thruster in the Hunan?    If so, I remember the intake/and outlet to this was very small - so therefore any forward movement would tend to starve the intake of water supply - and also some of these windscreen washer pumps don't like to be run dry - this may be why the pump malfunctioned?

aye
john e
bluebird

Nope. Sorry, but I had a modified Black & Decker unit with rubber vanes. A very powerful and effective pump, but relied on the close proximity of the vanes to the tube walls. I recall (with horror) the problems you have with swans. I think if I was going down that route again I would build in some sort of gill arrangement to direct water flow away from direct ingestion. Might work...maybe. Nice to hear from you again. BY.

[Ghost in the shell]

Barrie has hit the nail on the head there so your helicopter transmitter is not an option.

What I would think seriously about is linking theb thruster into the rudder servo so it enhances the effect of the rudder when moving and still provides turning when the boat is stopped.  Your rudder will still move when stopped but this won't affect anything.

not an option if its FM or AM, however if its 2.4ghz (Futaba FASST or Spektrum) microwave band stuff then he could use it

[malcolmfrary]

One option, room permitting, could be microswitches attached to the steering servo to only operate the thruster at full deflection, and have a relay with its coil connected across the motor and its contact in series with the thruster so that the thruster could only operate with the main motor either off or at low power.  Or maybe someone has a switcher that can be connected to the steering servo....?  Maybe one to connect to the ESC for the other half of the job?  Both would need to have their switching point adjustable.

For the filter, perhaps the petrol filter was too fine, you can get expanded aluminium from the plastic padding shelf which is effective against most weed and feathers, but will let most of the water through, along with algae, silt and dog hairs, which should not trouble the paddle.