Newbie no more - Building the Revell 1/72 Gato

[trout]

I will do this in at least two parts. The first will be the battery compartment and the rest will just depend on how it goes.
The battery compartment. The components you need/optional are:
Switch (optional) with waterproof boot. The only two parts I am going to use are the switch itself and the boot - this will get sealed up with RTV silicon when it is finally installed.

A wire strain relief. I did not have mine, so I made one with Sculpy clay. In this case I made it a triangular shaped rectangle (looks like a long tent).

Bake it @ 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 - 15 minutes (I split the difference and did this one in ~12 minutes).
It comes out like this:

Not much of a difference. Left it to cool, then drilled 4 - 1/8” holes. Not even, but it works.

The only issue I had was a small amount of breaking when I drilled the holes. I used some CA to seal the holes and (my thinking is) strengthen the area.

Fuse - in this case it is a 10A fuse - there so many different types of fuses, I got this one because it was convenient. There are waterproof ones out there, but if water gets into the fuse, I have bigger problems going on. This is a protection for all the stuff in the engine room of the WTC - disconnecting the battery or connecting it, faulty battery can cause a surge.

Connectors. I chose the Deans style connector, your sub your choice.

Battery. I went with the 3s 11.1v LiPo, but there is LiFe, NiCad, etc. same as above, your boat your choice. My choices for types of LiPo was limited because I shortened my battery compartment.

Here is the basic layout (minus strain relief for simplicity). I just placed the Deans connectors in the picture for representation, not accuracy. Mind your polarity!

And here it is all put together.

Today, I will RTV silicon the switch in and seal it around the boot.

[beeryboats]

Tom, that is an itty bitty switch. What is the amperage rating? Did you get enough magnetic rod ends with your kit?
Jay

[trout]

Hi Jay!
The switch is from Caswell here http://www.caswellplating.com/models/bhm.html (near bottom of page) It is rated for 2 amps.
I bought the switch separately. I forgot to mention in the post about drilling out the hole in the end cap for the switch - ooops!

My original set did not come with any Kli-Cons, when I bought my WTC from an individual, that set had 3 pairs in it. Not enough, may need to order more or make different connectors.

[beeryboats]

I may be very wrong about this, maybe David would chime in here, but I thought it would need something over a 10amp rating. If not your switch will burn up way before your 10amp fuse should something go wrong.
Jay

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I advocate a larger switch, but that one will do.

The likelihood of the ESC demanding full current at start-up (there is a several second delay as the ESC goes through a start-up protocol), which is the only condition that would demand high current that would ark across -- and damage -- the switch poles, is almost nil.

Closed, that 2 Amp switch can pass 10 Ampere's easy. Switches are rated for the arcing current the contacts can tolerate at the moment of closing/opening, not what the closed poles can handle once all contacts are engaged.

David

[trout]

David, you are killing me, advocating a larger one? What one would that be? Should I run this until it dies? Or be safe and correct it now?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

You're fine. Go with what you've got.

David

[beeryboats]

I advocate a larger switch, but that one will do.

The likelihood of the ESC demanding full current at start-up (there is a several second delay as the ESC goes through a start-up protocol), which is the only condition that would demand high current that would ark across -- and damage -- the switch poles, is almost nil.

Closed, that 2 Amp switch can pass 10 Ampere's easy. Switches are rated for the arcing current the contacts can tolerate at the moment of closing/opening, not what the closed poles can handle once all contacts are engaged.

David

I learned something new today! I thought the rating was max load. I'm leary of the rubber boot and silicone leaking after many cycles. I guess not?
Jay

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Your worry about the rubber boot is justified -- they will leak with repeated use. I've used CA to plug cracks in the rubber with success. Your fears are warranted. When (not if) your toggle-switch boot starts to leak, you'll find it during your pre-mission checks.

You do pre-mission checks, right?!

David

[trout]

O.K. - so when my switch fails......and it will from what you are saying, then should I seal the hole and put in http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/159...d311-1015.html ???

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

No. I was talking about the rubber boot. The switch itself will be fine.

David,

[beeryboats]

What about boring a hole for another 1/16" push rod seal and using a rod to push / pull the toggle switch which is mounted inside? Something like that would be very common in scale RC aircraft. Like a push pull RDF antenna for the radio switch.

[trout]

I remember doing that for my airplanes way back when. I will stick with this and as David said, I can buy a new boot for it (eBay has multi packs of them).
Began setting up the engine room. I ran into a small bump, the servo was just a little big.

Using s flame bur, ground out the area that I marked. Test fit again and ground again.

Servo is tested to see how the fit is.

Cut off the screw down tab on the sides that will face another servo. and fastened the servos with a zip tie.

Now I have drawn a blank. Is there a standard construction? Where do I put the receiver?

I could put the ESC under the servos....

or I could put in the dual LPB.....

Where do you put in your equipment? I really need some suggestions.


Putting the push rods in, do I need to do anything special? put silicon on first, then thread them through? Polish them first? Unsure and need your help.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The receiver goes atop the servo foundation, between the servos. The ESC mounts against the forward face of the aluminum device bulkhead, the LPB with attached MPC's goes under the aluminum device tray. The ADF and Lipo-Guard attach to the outboard face of the servos with 'servo tape'.



The spot for the receiver is sized for either the Sombra Labs SL-6 or SL-8 -- these receivers are small, and highly selective; they are the least prone to electrical interference of any receiver I've used aboard a model submarine.

And here's how you mount the servos, install the servo pushrods, get those pushrods in alignment through trial-and-error, and work them with a 'servo setter' to insure you achieve a non-binding linear motion of the pushrods through their watertight seals.

[trout]

Thank you David! That helps alot!