Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: fletch62 on March 03, 2012, 08:20:49 am

Title: smoke unit
Post by: fletch62 on March 03, 2012, 08:20:49 am

Ive fitted a 6v Graupner smoke unit in my tug is it possible  to wire it to the speed controler so it smokes more the faster the boat goes has anyone tried this


brian

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: Captain Flack on March 03, 2012, 09:05:58 am

I have one, it doesn't produce that much smoke anyway so I don't think it would work as you want.

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: Martin (Admin) on March 03, 2012, 09:26:36 am

... and most smoke (oil / heater type) unit are quite slow to react...

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: fletch62 on March 03, 2012, 09:51:55 am

Thanks it was just an idea and i dint want to blow it trying

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: hmsantrim on March 03, 2012, 11:04:36 am

Hi Brian.
               I think what you want is one of these..http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251002372321

                           cheers Frank

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: Welsh Wizard on March 03, 2012, 11:26:13 am

Marc MMB on here sells a proper smoke unit that is proportional and they are dammed good I may add



Dave

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: richald on March 03, 2012, 12:03:03 pm

I have a 6v smoke unit wired up to the ESC and motor in my corvette

It's a while since I ran it, but I seem to remember it worked OK.

Do check that the Smoke Unit is not choosy about which way round
it needs to be wired since, of course, the polarity will change when
you go into reverse.

Richard

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: fletch62 on March 03, 2012, 03:52:54 pm

Thanks ive tried the wires both ways and it still works fine so i dont think i can do any harm to try it

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: john s 2 on March 03, 2012, 05:16:21 pm

Sadly the hot element type does not respond to well to varying volts/amps. Worth a try. The mister type is in my opinion far better. The steam effect is varyed by the fan. as the mister is always fully on so there is no delay as the boat speeds up.It can run for an hour or more uses less power and leaves no sticky residue.John.

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: Martin (Admin) on March 03, 2012, 07:53:37 pm

You might be better off running the unit at full power and using a tinyl fan on paralleled up to the motor...

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: More Coffee on March 23, 2012, 07:04:54 am

Actually  guys ..the smoke can remain at a constant if you wish ..

A small fan can blow the smoke of theres a Y of the main motor to command an esc for the smoker..

Now that works well ,,but in reverse the fan motor will reverse also ,(if the smoker fan esc has reverse).

To have the fan to run in its proper direction under a reverse or forward command..
1 -connect the two ESC output leads +/- to the input of a bridge rectifier
2 -connect the outputs of the bridge rectifier to the fan motor..

you may have to reverse them or whatever to get the fan spinning the right way..but when your done..forward/reverse the fan motor will always spin in the correct direction to blow out your smoke..

Most hairdryers have everything a guy needs to make smoke,and theres a bridge rectifier,more often than not a DC fan motor in them, so all you need extra is something to hold the smoker fluid and a wick..
fiber glass cloth teased all to heck with a wire brush willl provide you with the wick..

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: ACTion on March 23, 2012, 07:46:49 am

http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P68S.pdf (http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P68S.pdf)
DM

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: tt1 on March 23, 2012, 10:47:11 am

By heck Dave is there anything you don't make?  {-) {-) {-)
                      Regards, Tony. :-))

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: malcolmfrary on March 23, 2012, 10:51:12 am

And if you want the challenge of making your own -  the fan idles due to the bleed resistor on the right, the opto isolator repeats the motor control pulses from the ESC to set the speed of the fan, because there are two opto elements, one does forward, one reverse, and the fan always drives the same way.

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: ACTion on March 23, 2012, 11:12:04 am

Quote from: tt1 on March 23, 2012, 10:47:11 am

By heck Dave is there anything you don't make?  {-) {-) {-)
                      Regards, Tony. :-))

Yeah - but we're working on it.
DM

Title: Re: smoke unit
Post by: More Coffee on March 23, 2012, 03:27:46 pm

A bridge rectifier would be cheaper and less involved,don't you think ..

I'm not even gonna start on the Action unit,reputation is something i don't have,there's no arguing  the module.