Alec,
This is the one I am using.
Revell Gato 1/72 - Newbie no more Part duex
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I really did not want to breakdown my WTC, so I cheated. I treated the conduit tube like it was a push rod seal. Since I was putting RTV around the Scrader valve and the switch, I just went ahead and put RTV around the tube on the wet side. Removed the Schrader valve and put on the vinyl tube. Then applied a vacuum by sucking out air hoping that will draw the RTV into the leak. The vacuum seemed to hold. I had pinched the tube to keep the vacuum and a while later un-pinched it and there was still a vacuum. Replaced the schrader valve with a new one. I will let that dry. Maybe Saturday night is the night for sailing.....so close!
I charged and placed a different battery on and the motors/ESC/reciever all seemed to work O.K. - not sure what the issue is, but will keep an eye on things.
Good luck tonight.
DavidLeave a comment:
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Since things went relatively smooth, I had to apply the power to the props.... Wow! No really WOW! Tried reverse and still great performance. Checked the rudder out. Then about 5 minutes into this play time things turned serious. The props stopped responding and would maybe turn at very low revolutions. [/COLOR]
Sub was yanked out and quickly opened up to turn off the power. There was some water in the battery compartment (about a teaspoon). Not sure if that was the issue or not.....don’t panic I told myself.Leave a comment:
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I really did not want to breakdown my WTC, so I cheated. I treated the conduit tube like it was a push rod seal. Since I was putting RTV around the Scrader valve and the switch, I just went ahead and put RTV around the tube on the wet side. Removed the Schrader valve and put on the vinyl tube. Then applied a vacuum by sucking out air hoping that will draw the RTV into the leak. The vacuum seemed to hold. I had pinched the tube to keep the vacuum and a while later un-pinched it and there was still a vacuum. Replaced the schrader valve with a new one. I will let that dry. Maybe Saturday night is the night for sailing.....so close!
I charged and placed a different battery on and the motors/ESC/reciever all seemed to work O.K. - not sure what the issue is, but will keep an eye on things.Leave a comment:
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(With a whining voice) Do I have too? Is this a complete disassemble of the tube?
David, It is a love/hate relationship. LOL No, nowhere close to hating you (unless you do not open that envelope soon). The reality is that the more I take this apart, the more comfortable I get and the less magical or mysterious the WTC becomes. Why, I can almost say it is not rocket science....
When I replaced the second pushrod seal, there was little to no stress about it, more like matter of fact.Leave a comment:
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Another leak point into the forward dry space is between the forward end of the conduit tube and its rubber seat within the forward ballast bulkhead. If that's the case: Remove the conduit tube, de-grease the forward end of the conduit tube, and build up a few coats of CA around the end of the tube to thicken it up a few thousandths. Sand the built-up hardened CA with #400, grease the tube up and slide it back into the ballast tank.
You hating my living guts yet?
DavidLeave a comment:
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David, it is being seated properly. I bought some extra o-rings and I replaced it to be safe. When it is seated, I even looked around the edge and it looked like contact all the way around. I will probably throw some extra RTV around the switch and heck might as well do the Schrader valve too. If that fails to stop it, I will just cry and give up....Yeah no that is not going to happen. The next step I will try is wrap some teflon tape in the o-ring channel. Any thing else I should put on the "to try" list?
I am allowing everything to dry out and will test again tonight.
So close, David, if I can hammer out the issues and everything goes well, I will run to my grandmothers place (there is a community pool) and do a midnight run!Leave a comment:
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It's leaking in the same spot. Are you seating the o-ring on the forward bulkhead properly when you install it, Tom?
Did you determine yet why power dropped off so sharply?
DavidLeave a comment:
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I did the pre-sail checklist and sealed the Schrader valve and checked the systems for travel and function. Put it all together.
Placed the Gato in the pool. It sat proud and really close to the proper waterline. The aft end was a little high. Then flooded the ballast tank. She sank, slowly. That was O.K. I knew it needed another round of adjustments. A light tug on the periscope moved the sub and it had a little resistance. I had two pieces of pink foam left over and strapped it to the deck just forward of the conning tower. It did not raise her. Then I moved to the blue foam (Thank you Jay) and cut a thicker piece. The Gato began to raise. The aft end was above the surface, but the bow hovered below. There were only a few smaller pieces of lead. I tried each one and it would cause the sub to go to negative buoyancy. Then I had a piece of lead that was more of a overflow, scr.ap, flat piece. Placed it on and at first I thought it was too heavy, but she settled to a very nice level below the surface.
It may be hard to see where she stopped at, so here is an enhanced image.
and full view. The sub is a bout 4” off the bottom, nice and level.
Emptied the tanks and she sat at the proper waterline. That told me the foam will need to be placed on the underside of the deck, above the waterline.
And here is an enhanced view.
More views.
Not everything is smooth sailing, I noticed I can tip her to starboard side and she will list. Tipping her to the port side would correct herself upright.
I think I now what that is about, in the first round of trimming, the Gato listed to the port. I moved a keel weight to compensate, I will move that back. As I played with buoyancy, I went ahead and added a piece of my pink foam aft of the conning tower where the rubber band is (no picture due to...well...read on). This additional amount raised the sub to about 1/4 of conning tower decks under water. I felt the additional buoyancy was needed.
Since things went relatively smooth, I had to apply the power to the props.... Wow! No really WOW! Tried reverse and still great performance. Checked the rudder out. Then about 5 minutes into this play time things turned serious. The props stopped responding and would maybe turn at very low revolutions.
Sub was yanked out and quickly opened up to turn off the power. There was some water in the battery compartment (about a teaspoon). Not sure if that was the issue or not.....don’t panic I told myself.Last edited by trout; 03-30-2012, 02:09 PM.Leave a comment:
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Alec, Soon, very soon! Tonight it is another trim session - thank you for the tip on the lead strip - I will be getting some (if they sell it here in Las Vegas - mostly stucco and tile roofs)
A real estimate is 4 weeks (with work, husbandry stuff, and dad duties), I will let you know.Leave a comment:
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Alec,
Glad the motor re-wiring did the trick. Sorry about that. What happended? ... you get the LPB plumbing backwards (wish I could say I never did that).
DavidLeave a comment:
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Tom I use lead sheet sold at hardware stores for roof flashing. It cuts/scores well with a stanley knife or even an exacto no 11.
David I immediatly smiled with the nipple image/s. Yes I got the motors working a treat!! But I off set the good with superior dumb ass stupidity by not checking the bridge on the snort in/outlet.
So Tom when do we see the gato patroling the big waters?Leave a comment:
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LMAO - Thanks for the laugh! I read your comment just as I was ...... well you got me!Leave a comment:
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Today, I promise, Tom. Mr. Caswell has been keeping me at the grind-stone of late (which is a good thing).
Use CA around the neck of the brass valve body, where it joins the resin bulkhead. Put the core-valve in, tighten it, then suck on the nipple and see if it leaks (try to get that imagery out of your head!).
DavidLeave a comment:
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Dave, Thank you I am using RTV as I type. As far as the leak, I did the test on the seals, that is why I think it is the schrader valve.
Did you open the envelope yet?Leave a comment:
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