Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Bait Boats => Topic started by: inertia on November 22, 2015, 10:35:09 am

Title: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: inertia on November 22, 2015, 10:35:09 am

I have a customer who is re-equipping his Microcat with a P94 etc. He describes the hopper release as "a wire which contracts when a + and - connection is made". This doesn't sound correct to me, but I have no better idea of how the hoppers on this boat work and - more particularly - what current they draw when doing so.
I've advised him on how to measure the current but I'm not at all convinced he understood or that he has a multimeter! Can anyone assist, please?
Dave M

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: JimG on November 22, 2015, 01:32:11 pm

It sounds like a memory metal wire. This will change length with temperature so the addition of power will heat it up as it is a resistor.

Jim

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: inertia on November 22, 2015, 04:43:03 pm

Jim
Metal generally expands when it heats up, doesn't it? It would be very slow to react in any event. I find it a bit hard to believe that the manufacturers of a bait boat would resort to fancy technology just to open a hopper full of boilies or live bait. Mr Angler wants to dump the bait at the flick of a switch, right over the spot where he suspects Mr Carp is hiding. He won't want to wait for a wire to get hot and shrink/expand or whatever.
Having given it some further thought it sounds more like a wire catch operated by a solenoid to me. I wonder if anyone can confirm that from actually owning and operating one?
If not we may never find out... :o
DM
 

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: Big Ada on November 22, 2015, 05:37:13 pm

Could it be as simple as the wire moving by the action of a servo?.

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: Stavros on November 22, 2015, 08:51:20 pm

PM sent Dave

Dave

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: Captain fizz on February 20, 2016, 06:14:26 pm

Quote from: Big Ada on November 22, 2015, 05:37:13 pm

Could it be as simple as the wire moving by the action of a servo?.

That sounds the most likely.

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: Stockmeister on March 03, 2016, 06:01:16 pm

Hi Guys

Old thread i know, but I believe its a product called Flexinol that Angling Technics use on their hopper release systems.

http://www.musclewires.com/home.php (http://www.musclewires.com/home.php)

http://www.merg.org.uk/merg_kitlocker/info-sources/67.pdf (http://www.merg.org.uk/merg_kitlocker/info-sources/67.pdf)

I've looked into retro fitting it on my bait boat, but gave up  {:-{

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: dave_saddler on March 12, 2017, 01:43:52 pm

I've got one of these I am converting to 2.4 ghz after the 40hz radio packed up. I have put two d sized batteries together and this opened the hoppers in around the same time as they did. Only trouble is I don't know how to reduce the input from the 12v and then operate using the tx/rx.


Any ideas??

Title: Re: Microcat hopper mechanism
Post by: Stavros on March 12, 2017, 04:04:09 pm

ACTion switcher that will work for you


Dave