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Author Topic: ROV  (Read 4046 times)

rp6705

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ROV
« on: September 13, 2007, 09:53:40 am »

Just had news that the new Thunder Tiger ROV submersible will be here in 4 weeks time, i have pre-ordered one in kit form or you can order one ready built.

http://www.amerang-group.com/product_listing.asp?id=60&cat=266&menu=1

Russ
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Sub driver

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Re: ROV
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2007, 09:03:04 pm »

MMM that looks interesting, post some pics when you get it. O0
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Voyager

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Re: ROV
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2007, 03:36:39 pm »

Any idea on the price of the kit?
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rp6705

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Re: ROV
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2007, 03:57:54 pm »

 



          Kit price around £300.00

          RTR price around £350.00- £400.00 i am led to believe

          Until they are officially released in this country there is nothing confirmed as of yet.

          Russ
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Voyager

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Re: ROV
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2007, 04:03:28 pm »

Ok! Thanks Russ.
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rp6705

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Re: ROV
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2007, 04:10:56 pm »

No probs, if you need any info as to where to order one from just send me a pm  O0
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6705russell

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Re: ROV
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2007, 07:47:29 pm »

Just recieved an e-mail from Amerang the officail importers of Thunder Tiger, they have recieved the Neptune ROV in the Uk and i should get it later on this week hopefully in kit form.  ;D :D

Russ
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Re: ROV
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2007, 08:43:29 pm »

Well it looks like the Neptune has finally hit the shops.

I popped into a (fairly) local model shop (308 Hobbies) this afternoon on the way home from work for some other bits and pieces. There sitting on the counter was a big box with a yellow sub plastered all over it.

Well I had to have a butchers at this.

First surprise was that it is in kit form- the RTS (ready to sink?) option is, well erm, optional.

The parts look well designed and manufactured, although they have totally ripped off Norbert Bruggen with this kit- the ballast control board looks like a carbon copy of his design, plus they've used a peristaltic pump and bag for the ballast, just like Norberts Delta kit. Hmmmm, at least they've plagiarised one of the best.

The module is clear plastic and very large, I guesstimate 5-6" diameter and very thick at about 1/4". Pre (CNC) machined clear endcaps with plastic injection moulded clamps. The internal frames also appear to be injection moulded. Aluminium rods clamp it all together.

The design will easily withstand a 30 feet crush depth.

Second surprise was the outer casework. It is moulded from some very sturdy ABS plastic, about 1/8" to 3/16" thick, built to take a wallop then. A quick browse through the instructions showed that it all screws together- very little adhesive used in this kit it seems.

The kit comes complete with everything bar a radio transmitter and receiver. Battery, servos, esc etc. are all included.

Price on the box was £299. If you remove the electronics from the equation, then I reckon the kit is costing about £170-200.

Will this affect existing retailers, not sure, but consider this. The WTC, though well designed, is far too big for just about any other hull I can think of. So anyone thinking of the neptune as a cheap alternative for a flexible WTC may like to reconsider.

The ballast bag is very small, so won't provide much freeboard.

At the same time, serious scale modellers won't like this model, as it isn't based on any particular prototype.

It may get a few younger modellers into the hobby, as the layout and instructions look like a Tamiya kit, and you don't need very many tools to construct this model. Older modellers will also like this model, but may like to detail it a bit more- looks a bit too toy like for my taste.

Inspiration for detailing can be found here-

http://www.rockhounding.net/busby/submersibles.html

One of the good things about a submersible is you can let your imagination run a bit wild.

The only bad things I picked up on was a total lack of any mention of greasing the plethora of o-ring seals in the instructions, and a lack of a schraeder valve.

A tube of silicone grease and a snaffled tyre valve suitably trimmed down and installed will correct these two deficiencies.

The standard model lacks a pitch controller. It's big and chunky, so ill suited to a very shallow pond. Drive is courtesy of a rather small direct drive Speed 500 derivative, this will keep the speed low, as the prop is very small. A gearbox and bigger prop would be an option, or perhaps something like a Speed 700 torque direct drive.

Then you might want to consider a pitch controller.

Andy
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6705russell

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Re: ROV
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2007, 09:05:52 pm »

Andy, i am expecting to pick one of these up this week, this will be my second time round for a sub(first was a Sheerline Akula), what i could do with knowing is what exactly does the pitch controller do? Does it keep the sub at a certain depth?

Russ
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Re: ROV
« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2007, 09:16:20 pm »

It keeps it level, stops it porpoising (dipping up and down). Depth is controlled by a, ahem, depth controller!

You can also purchase combined pitch and depth controllers, which keep the boat level and at a certain depth dictated by the transmitter stick.

As standard it shouldn't be an issue, because the sub only poodles along. If you hop it up a bit, then a pitch controller would be a wise investment, they cost between £40-120 depending on make and model.

Andy
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rp6705

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Re: ROV
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2007, 09:23:53 pm »

So with the standard ballast bag it will either float or sink?, how does the depth controller tie in with this kind of sub, can it easily be connected to the Neptunes internals?
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Re: ROV
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2007, 09:29:43 am »

The ballast tank (bag) controls the buoyancy of the submarine, that is correct.

The depth controller works by using the hydrovanes.

A combined pitch and depth controller usually works on the rear vanes only. You simply connect the device between the receiver and the servo. The pulse to the servo is then modulated by the electronics in the device to level the boat.

A pitch controller ALWAYS works on the rear vanes. If you connect a pitch controller to the front vanes, it won't work.

You can also install separate pitch and depth controllers. In this case you can either use them in series with the rear vane servo, or connect the ptch controller to the rear vane servo and the depth controller to the front vane servo.

Most model submariners, including myself, use a leveller only. Depth control can be maintained by manual control (i.e. you). With very fast or slightly unstable boats, accurate manual depth control can be difficult or near impossible. In those cases a depth controller becomes necessary.

In the case of your boat, I would build it as standard, then consider adding a leveller, I think this will suffice. The devices are tiny and easily installed.

See here for a good example-

http://www.modelluboot.de/Elektronik/LageBriefmE.html

Pitch and depth controller here-

http://www.modelluboot.de/Elektronik/LTR5E.html

Andy

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6705russell

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Re: ROV
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2007, 02:37:03 pm »

Thanks Andy, what i cant understand is if the ballast tank fills and the sub starts to sink, how does the depth controller stop it,does the sub have to be moving forward all the time?

Russ
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Re: ROV
« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2007, 04:42:48 pm »

Generally you don't trim your boat to sink, you trim it for neutral buoyancy, or usually just a tad positive buoyant i.e. a few grams of the sub poke above the surface. With this set-up the boat dives very easily with just a little bit of movement, and a bit of down trim on the hydrovanes.

The depth controller works by controlling the hydrovanes only. It is possible to link it with the ballast system, but we won't go into that now, as it isn't applicable to the type of system used in the Neptune.

As it uses the hydrovanes, it relies on dynamic movement to control the depth.
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