Atlantis Rises-and Dives

[Bob Gato]

Upcoming changes will be:
1.a second LIPO battery in parallel which will provide 4400mah.(yes I know about parallel Lipos feeding on each other and being a bad thing-two diodes will prevent that runaway charging from happening)
2.removal of the foam in the aft end and installation of a second ballast tank in series with the main tank to provide a more level dive angle.( I should be able to get an additional 8oz aft of the motor in the hull pressure dome.)-stay tuned-BG

[rwtdiver]

Upcoming changes will be:
1.a second LIPO battery in parallel which will provide 4400mah.(yes I know about parallel Lipos feeding on each other and being a bad thing-two diodes will prevent that runaway charging from happening)
2.removal of the foam in the aft end and installation of a second ballast tank in series with the main tank to provide a more level dive angle.( I should be able to get an additional 8oz aft of the motor in the hull pressure dome.)-stay tuned-BG

Bob,

After looking at all your great photos of your Atlantis in and out of the water I would have thought you were done! But I forgot one thing, "YOU ARE A PERFECTIONEST SIR" Great job on the Atlantis Bob!!

Rob
"Firemen can stand the heat"

[Bob Gato]

LOL Rob...thanks for the compliment but my wife just thinks I am crazy and obsessed ..

[Bob Gato]

Upcoming changes will be:
1.a second LIPO battery in parallel which will provide 4400mah.(yes I know about parallel Lipos feeding on each other and being a bad thing-two diodes will prevent that runaway charging from happening)
-stay tuned-BG

The self contained parallel second battery with its fiberglass interference fit box, the paralleling connector with integral diodes, 433MHz switched on and off battery monitors:

https://youtube.com/shorts/wm5dcyGrr18?feature=share

The paralleling connector allows easy battery disconnect and removal for recharge...
The foam half circles keeps the assy. straight in its container and allows the P.E.T. jar to easily screw into its lid without twisting the wires...
That 433 MHz switch only draws .1 milliamp in standby (not a typo) 1/10000amp!-allows shutdown of Low Voltage alarms without opening the sub.

[rwtdiver]

Bob

Using that P.E.T. jar with a lid is a great idea! Very unique way to create a WTC for small control systems that can be installed outside the main cylinder.

Rob

[Bob Gato]

Thanks Rob,

It was a little tough locating thick wall PET jars- as not to crush under the pressure of reasonable depths...I also located a supplier of stainless steel lids with removable platinum silicone rubber seals... LOL it's a beekeeping supply company upstate New York

-Bob

[Bob Gato]

Latest upgrade is to swap the position of the ballast tank and the electronics bay-this should bring the center of float closer to the center of gravity. I am trying to dispense with much of the foam and lead- tub test will tell-BG

[redboat219]

underneath the deck, is that what I think it is?

[Bob Gato]

Ok We Be Going To Groton...

---

I hadn't touched the Atlantis throughout the entire Regulator build (also going to Groton ) I wanted to remove the pumps from inside the ballast tank and move the tank further fwd . I built a new ballast tank which allowed for 4 ounces more of displacement. Pictures to follow...

Also I needed a way to bench and tub run the boat while working the systems. So in keeping all the weights the same without actually having the batteries on board-I made a shore power cable that plugs into the power system. It will run the boat on the bench or in the water. This model has junction blocks that accept those 3mm gold plated banana plugs. I am up to the final checks where the batteries are sealed in their WTC but just not plugged in. If the final leak checks and trimming works out-I will charge them up the night before and plug them in at North Lake.

[redboat219]

Still dual aquarium pump but outside the tank?

[Bob Gato]

Yes two brushless underwater fountain centrifugal pumps that push water through each other to provide reversibility of flow-
There is a lot of components to fit in a 33 inch model but Its all modular...the ballast tank lifts out, the radio bay slides back and the battery WTC slides back and up
That loop of tubing and brass from one pump to another is a siphon break to stop water from siphoning back into the tank keeping the boat surfaced statically--BG

Oh and a special shout out to all those stoners out there that keep those brass pipe and bong screens available they are the best for keeping all those bugs out of the plumbing...

[Bob Gato]

I realized that this little gadget would be an easy, simple, and useful addition to the Atlantis. I took a cheap voltage readout module and encapsulated it 1/2 in epoxy and 1/2 in clear casting resin. It was an easy plug in to those junction blocks that I built into the boat. I mounted the waterproof capsule under an aft grating on the deck-now battery voltage is an easy readout ...I was able to eliminate the switchable battery readout in post 34-

prime directive: Simplify...

[Bob Gato]

Anyone Who attended SUBEX 24 in Groton... The Atlantis was besieged by two problems at Groton. My nozzle pitch control was jamming in down mode under fwd thrust which made it hard to diagnose on the bench-when another run failed on Saturday, I touched nothing and walked the boat to the bench and carefully removed the deck-There I found that the Sullivan cable had buckled in an "S" bend. Evidently the knucklehead that designed the mechanism left to much space between the cable's outer tube and the servo's attach point. I stiffened the cable with a piece small plastic tubing courtesy of the WD-40 Corp and some CA adhesive- Great temporary Patch and it it is still working. Early on Sunday morning I ran the boat again and she worked splendidly...I surface ran for a bit and the nozzles yaw mode turned the boat in relatively tight turns-the pumps were tested and she went to decks awash with a slight nose down stance-perfect! I added some fwd thrust and she slipped fully under. I tracked her shadow across where I was standing and started a turn- there was another sub out there and the two shadows kind of "s" turned around each other. I brought her to 3/4 of the sail above the surface (the snorkel is inside the sail) and emptied the ballast tank and she rose to its waterline. It truly was the best run I ever had. !!! The only problem is only two or three people were watching and I doubt anyone had a camera and I am not sure who they were. Please if you were there and got some photos or video ...I ask to please contact me. Later I went to try another run with the spectators and cameras ready and the boat lost fwd or reverse thrust-Kindly, Kevin (I think) waded in to retrieve the stranded Atlantis...it was suspected that the Mtronics viper in the wet gave up at that point... and I gave up. Thank you, Kevin (I think) So I finished the day off and ran the Regulator around the North Lake for the rest of the morning and got some great video footage - Thank you, Videographer Rich! Upon inspection on the bench in my shop the culprit turned out to be an open 7.5 amp motor fuse (I should have used a 10amp) or none at all!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

This recent SUBEX at Groton was my first opportunity to look into Bob's work with my own eyeballs. What careful, well planned, and neatly laid out work was on display once his tourist submarines deck was removed revealing all the inner workings! Amazing work. He took me back to school.

AND THIS IS WHAT such regattas should be: an opportunity to examine and question the originators of such successful subjects; a learning opportunity that puts one on the fast-track to success in in their own efforts.

Good stuff, Bob. Thanks for being there and so open with your answers and demonstrations. I learned a lot.

David

[Bob Gato]

This recent SUBEX at Groton was my first opportunity to look into Bob's work with my own eyeballs. What careful, well planned, and neatly laid out work was on display once his tourist submarines deck was removed revealing all the inner workings! Amazing work. He took me back to school.

AND THIS IS WHAT such regattas should be: an opportunity to examine and question the originators of such successful subjects; a learning opportunity that puts one on the fast-track to success in in their own efforts.

Good stuff, Bob. Thanks for being there and so open with your answers and demonstrations. I learned a lot.

David

Wow-what a Review, Thanks David!! Ever since 1980 maybe 1981 when I participated at the last Huntington Heckscher Nautical Festival...I was hooked on scratch building RC boats-I got to meet and talk with the Giants of the hobby. Its been a long time and I know a few at Subex24 were there. Everyone had tips and suggestions...I was all ears! Gatherings like Subex24 bring me back to that time and to receive such acknowledgement from one of those who I consider a Giant is what keeps me wanting to climb those shoulders to share what I know with anybody that's willing to listen.
Great weekend -Great venue-Great Weather-Great Models-Great people-BG