Revell Gato 1/72 - Newbie no more Part duex

[MFR1964]

No objections, they call me a DNOTFO, anyway each time you add more details it will hook you up more, the dark side is strong, no escape possible.

Greetings Manfred.

[trout]

David,
The locker in the conning tower, are they the same length as the one on the deck above? Did the top locker meet the locker on the other side?
I am Manfreding (Manfred do you mind that you name is becoming synonymous with detailing a sub? If so I will stop) a little more in there. Again not for complete accuracy, but the illusion.
Peace,
Tom

[trout]

Funny! I was thinking of saying I Manfreded my conning tower.
There was no turning back the moment I opened the Gato box..... Anyways, I like the dark side, they have cookies. :-)

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Manfred is right. You are hooked, but good! No turning back now, Tom. Welcome to the Dark-Side!

David

[MFR1964]

Nice little detail Tom, slowly you get infected, resistance is futile, join the dark side of detailing.

[trout]

Waiting for fuse and I am bored. So I thought I would make a detail for the conning tower. The conning tower barrel, not the whole barrel just enough to give the illusion of one being there. Checking out references.

Cut out a pattern

shaped some clay using the power and let it dry.

The last time I vacuum formed was when I was 7. It was a time when toys were good and dangerous. I have not vacuum formed since, so this was a fun first.
I glued a couple of oak scrap blocks together. I took some of that stuff I made my hull bulkheads out of and drilled holes on a grid I drew out. Cut out two different size holes. One for the hose on the bottom and a larger hole for under the plate. Glued that perforated plate to the oak that I drilled out with a hole saw.

Heated the plastic in a make-shift frame. Turned on the vacuum and allowed the suction to bring the plastic around my clay plug. Then used the heat gun to bring in the edges more.


It came out nice enough.

It looks good in there



I will paint it and glue it in.


Also drilled some larger holes to allow air to escape the conning tower.


Now I just need to put in the tubes for the ammo and the do-hinky pipe that David described in an earlier post.

[trout]

Alec and Subculture, Thank you.

[Subculture]

Unless it says so on the battery, you should never charge lipo batteries above 1C (C stands for capacity). So for a 1300maH, it would mean 1300mAH maximum charge rate. You can charge them at a lower rate without harm, but it doesn't offer any benefit. Some Lipos can be charged up to 5C, so a pack can be charged in about 12-15 minutes, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

[alad61]

Man Tom... I can feel your pain n frustration but hang in there mate. At least you have a large pool to test things in :) I'm thinking of asking the local pool near here if I can do some more runs towards the end of their day with out the crowds so I can gain more confidence with stick time.

[trout]

Tom,

Nice vid, and don't tell me that pool is in the backside of your garden, i'll eat my hat if so.
Find the little bagger which eats up your battery, like David said look for the hot parts, or use a multimeter to measure the drawn current, by taking away each electrical part step by step you can find that current sucking bagger.
Good hunting.

Greetings Manfred.

No, that is not my backyard. I have a small inflatable pool (about 2 meters x 3.5 meters) on my patio. This is my mother-in-law's senior center - the pool is open 24 hours a day and they do not mind me testing the sub there. Good thing too! Because with the last test and the sub not coming back up, it would have been a disaster in a pond.

[trout]

Nice stuff- what software package did you use to edit and create the graphics?
-Kerry

Thanks Kerry! Did it on my Apple MacBook Pro and iMovie - it is a template and really little skill by me.

THE SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEMS (and it does not involve switching hobbies)

I plugged the LiPo that was swollen into the Caswell charger.......it is a dumb charger (no offense intended). When it showed green....Magically the battery was not swollen (what goes on in that fireproof bag?)...I have been charging my batteries on a Sigma II charger (supposedly intelligent). The battery that was charged on the Caswell charger when placed in the sub showed up on my LiPo Guard as a 3S and I took the sub to the inflatable pool to test it out. Ran the sub through the paces and then after a while let the motor run on high. It was over 6 minutes of running and and no problems. So, I must have a setting wrong on my Sigma where it is not charging the LiPo completely. Anyone have a Sigma II and can offer suggestions? The Vislero 11.1v 1300ma battery should be charged at what ma?

I added more foam to my sub. When the sub went down, there was a combination of issues, one power loss and the failsafe failing and the depth compresses the foam losing buoyancy even more. I ended up diving in to get the sub - Deep end, hired diver could not handle the depth (you get what you pay for). The great news is the sub remained dry! and it did not list! and the list while diving did not show up! and looks good while it did go under! There are more positives, but the best one is yet to happen!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I do not know that I am out of the water, but I see light at the end of the tunnel - I will know more in the next day or so. If the issue continues, I will go component by component, and meter along the way.

[Anuci]

I'm with Al, I too am no electronics expert -- I Easter-egg the problem till the bad component is replaced/fixed. He's spot on with what to do next: Pull all the plugs from their ports, and while you do so look for wires that are bare, or charred, wired backwards, etc. Good advise. And I'm also relieved to see Al distracted enough by your problems to stop busting my balls for a few moments. I rely on Al to remind me that I am, indeed, mortal.

And Manfred's more refined way of finding a current-eater: Measure total system current draw, and pull parts from the bus till you see a significant drop in current -- you have identified the bad-guy, I like it. When you do find the device that is causing your problems, remove it, place it on an anvil, grab a three-pound sledge-hammer, and have your way with it .... Great therapy!

David

It's a harsh job, Dave, but someone has to do it. Remember this if nothing else, I wouldn't bother if I didn't like and respect you. AND I don't do it on the Sub-driver forum. : )

Your Pal,
Al,

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I'm with Al, I too am no electronics expert -- I Easter-egg the problem till the bad component is replaced/fixed. He's spot on with what to do next: Pull all the plugs from their ports, and while you do so look for wires that are bare, or charred, wired backwards, etc. Good advise. And I'm also relieved to see Al distracted enough by your problems to stop busting my balls for a few moments. I rely on Al to remind me that I am, indeed, mortal.

And Manfred's more refined way of finding a current-eater: Measure total system current draw, and pull parts from the bus till you see a significant drop in current -- you have identified the bad-guy, I like it. When you do find the device that is causing your problems, remove it, place it on an anvil, grab a three-pound sledge-hammer, and have your way with it .... Great therapy!

David

[MFR1964]

Tom,

Nice vid, and don't tell me that pool is in the backside of your garden, i'll eat my hat if so.
Find the little bagger which eats up your battery, like David said look for the hot parts, or use a multimeter to measure the drawn current, by taking away each electrical part step by step you can find that current sucking bagger.
Good hunting.

Greetings Manfred.

[Anuci]

David,
The adjustment to the throttle was a great suggestion, thank you. I do not think I can take a break. Here is video I put together.....

I gotta figure this out..... Any tips or trouble shooting tips you can offer chime in!

First, that was a real nice job you did with this short video. Second, while lipo batteries are top of the line, you may want to consider a standard battery pack until the electric draw issue is worked thru, drain on non lipo batteries are not as critical or expensive. (I'm sure you know that already ).
I know it may be a lengthly process for you, but you may want to also consider pulling the electrics apart and re-assembling things there within the motor compartment, so as it doesn't (excuse the expression) look like as you pointed out, a rats nest in there. This to hopefully better identify an area which may be of concern, and where a hot wire is indeed touching the metal equipment tray or maybe a positive to negative within the connectors/switches, as previously pointed out. These issues can become more prevalent with multi function sub-driver equipment instalations, and until you become familiar with electric diagnostics, well let me say keeping it all as simple as posible may be the less of the two evils. At that point re-connecting the various electronics can be an easier prospect in attempting to determine an electrical component failure or breakdown, this IMHO. I'm sure some may feel otherwise and I respect that, but as a beginner which I consider myself, primarily because I don't have of a real firm understanding of various electrics, I try to make every effort to adhere to the KISS theory. ( KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID ) theory. Btw, don't forget to determine if any of the servo's are binding, or anything else such as motor output shaft to prop shaft binding which may create an excessive electrical draw on the battery. All motor components should operate as freely as possible. However, this issue does have the earmarking of something shorting out.
Good luck, I'm certain you will eventually work thru this minor setback.

Al,