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[Champdriver]

Hi everyone


I live in Canada and am thinking of purchasing some items from the UK. Does anyone have experience doing this? I’m interested in what kind of duties and associated costs were incurred from Canada customs. The items I’m thinking about are the action electrics speed controllers with mixers and power distribution panels. The UK costs would be in the £100 - £200 range.
I’m also open to suggestions as to where to source these items closer to home. I’m looking at 12 volt set ups for a scale RC tug boat (Fairmount Alpine). My knowledge on this is ultra beginner and I know just enough to be dangerous.
I’m looking at a setup as described for the Fairmount Alpine as described in action electrics wiring diagram by Mick Burke as it seems straight forward to follow, how badly could I screw it up.


Thanks in advance


Michael

[NickelBelter]

I purchase a lot of hobby items from the UK (just got a package from Cornwall the other day) and have never been charged customs fees.  Same experience for all my club-mates.  Shipping for these small parcels is only a few dollars more than what it would cost to have them mailed across Canada.  I also bought a hull from a UK supplier and he worked with me to find the best shipping option, but oversize parcels will always have a premium surcharge.

If you want to shop domestically, Robotshop.ca has the Sabretooth 2x12 mixer controller units in stock now.  I can vouch for the quality of them personally, as I have over four units installed in my boats, all working flawlessly for many years. 

[Champdriver]

Hi NickelBelter

That is really good to know and thanks for the robotshop.ca site as well.
Curious from the sounds of things that you have several boats and I’m assuming tug boats from your profile picture. I’m looking into the Fairmount Alpine as a second build, first was the billing’s Bankert. Wondering what motors would you use and where would you source them from I’m thinking a 12 volt system as I can use the larger batteries as ballast. Great hobbies here in Ottawa has been helpful but seem very limited in scale boat parts and accessories. Harbour models out of the states seem to have a lot of the bits and pieces but seems a little expensive especially when you factor in the exchange rate. Your feedback and experience in this stuff would be helpful and appreciated.

Regards,

Michael

[NickelBelter]

What diameter are the props?  Assuming somewhere between 50-60mm, you want your maximum free-running motor speed less than the max efficiency speed of the prop, which for that size is around 7-5000rpm.  Normally I would recommend a five-pole can motor in either the 500 size (555) or the 700 size (775), which can be found in both the UK and here.  Robotshop also has these motors:

https://ca.robotshop.com/products/31d-dc-tubular-motor-12v-4000-rpm  which seem nice, might pick some up for a future project.  One thing to watch out for on RS is that it's become like Amazon, where some items are stocked and shipped from within Canada and some items are from outside vendors, often with MUCH higher shipping fees.      Speaking of which, Amazon sometimes has good deals on things like miniature electric motors, but buyer beware... what you see isn't always what you get.

Are you a member of the Rideau Nautical Modelers?  You should look them up, they might have off-the-books local suppliers for various things. 

[Champdriver]

Hey Nickelbelter


I am still in the beginning stages of all this and just trying to put together a plan of action. I have not purchased the kit yet but am seriously looking at it and trying to do my due diligence. In all honesty you have thrown a few wrenches at me with the RS stuff I’m tempted but still don’t know enough to be confident about this, like I said I know enough to be dangerous and I mean dangerous. The Mick Burke wiring diagram thru action electrics on this tug seems straight forward and simple which works for me. Unfortunately it might cost me more as I lack the knowledge that you have regarding this stuff, although  it might come with time.
As with motors and props I am just trying to get a general consensus as to what to look for which you have provided and I thank you. You have provided some very insightful tips such as the Rideau nautical modellers to follow up on. There is a lot for me to digest over the coming days. I may be back to pick your brain some more in the days ahead. I hope you don’t mind pestering questions from a newbie.


Cheers,


Michael

[NickelBelter]

There isn't really much to a wiring system unless you are looking to add a lot of extra features like lighting. 
- positive and negative to the correct terminals on the ESC
-one set of wires out to each motor. 
- the 3-wire lead that plugs into the receiver also carries power for it and the rudder servos. 

The wiring diagrams I have found for the Fairmount Alpine are very complicated, with a bow thruster, working lights, fire monitors, a sound system and winches.  If you are really an 'ultra beginner' I would not advise tackling all of those features at once.  Navigation lights would be a simple add-on with either a manual or RC relay switch.

[Champdriver]

Hi Nickelbelter


The Bankert tug that I did had a sound module and lights that I set up. the sound module was pretty straight forward with its wiring diagram and the lights I just added an RC switch from amazon and hooked it up to a couple of different channels in the receiver. The part that gets me is I don't fully understand how a mixer works and also esc's for the larger motors there seems to be different esc for 12 volt systems vs a nicad or lipo system. I've also been told that the esc should be able to handle twice the amperage as the motor draws to protect the esc from spike voltage. I find a lot of this stuff confusing to understand like does the mixer need to be able to handle spike voltage as well?.
As for the Fairmount Alpine, yes I would like to add some extra's such as lights bow thrusters and fire monitors and this is why I am trying to get my head around this stuff now to try to understand it all. So hopefully when I go to build it the model I don't end up making an expensive mistake which i'm sure will happen at some point anyways.
Like i said I know enough to be dangerous.


Cheers,


Michael

[NickelBelter]

A mixer uses the output from one channel to modify the output of another.  The most common use is with a model that has multiple props, to vary the speed of the main motors while turning in order to turn tighter, or even turn on the spot with no forward movement.  The Sabretooth ESCs allow you to select from several mixing modes and also to disable it entirely and have two independent speed controllers, in case you have a transmitter with dual throttle sticks.  I believe the Action P94 has this function as well. 

Having excess amperage rating on your ESC is a good idea, but unnecessary if you're going to use fuses like in the diagrams. Fuse at or slightly below your electronics amp ratings to make sure they're never damaged.  I have fuses in some models and in others I know that the maximum current of the motor, stalled, is well below the rating on the ESC. 

[Champdriver]

Oh wow and here I thought a mixer just took two engines and allowed it to work on one receiver channel. I went on you tube and had a quick look they certainly do a lot. I also went on robot shop and searched [size=0px] Sabretooth 2x12 mixer controller units that you mentioned in an earlier post and it didn’t pop up, would it be under a more specific name? I like your idea of shopping more local and keeping costs reasonable. As for the fuse in the system I kinda like that idea as some of the higher amp esc’s can get pricey. Thank you for all your help you’ve certainly helped clear things up a bit. I know when I was asking questions at great hobbies it seemed everyone you talked to had a different opinion on how to do things and I think that was part of the confusion.[/size]
[size=0px]Cheers and have good Easter.[/size]

[NickelBelter]

Here's a link to all the products made by Dimension Engineering, which is the mfg. of the Sabretooth product line: 

https://ca.robotshop.com/collections/robot-parts?pf_t_shop_by_category=category%3ABatteries+-+Chargers+%26+Wiring&pf_t_shop_by_category=category%3AMotor+Controllers&pf_v_brand=Dimension+Engineering

As you can see, the stock availability isn't that great.  I think they are still recovering from the chip shortage as they always used to be very easy to find.  Also the reason there are two 12-amp models is that the cheaper one is RC input only, the other one can be configured for RC or other inputs. 

I shop at GreatHobbies myself (online), but I treat it like a big box home improvement store:  if you have any questions more in depth than 'where's the electrical aisle' you should probably answer them yourself.  They're set up to sell RTR stuff to people and then spare parts when those people come back with something busted.  Scale boats are mostly DIY, even in kit form.