1/12 Seehund build - LWB

[tifosi12]

I understand wanting to get it out in the open water, but if it is leaking, work through finding the source. I highly recommend talking the time and frustration to correct it, so, is it front or back that water is accumulating (assuming water can’t roll from one end to another).

Actually came into both ends. And there is a conduct connecting the two so theoretically it could have come in just at one side and made its way. But in the battery compartment it was swimming around where in the receiver compartment moisture covered the insides like a fog. So I'm thinking I'm dealing with two different problems here: A real leak in the battery compartment and probably moisture coming in on the other side through the snorkel.

What's vexing is, that I had some issue like that before but it went away and now suddenly it's all back and worse. Then again yesterday I went fully submerged for the first time, meaning the sail went down as well which contains the snorkel.

[tifosi12]

Glad to report that things looked much better this morning than expected: Only one servo is a casualty, everything else works.

It's the same servo which had jitter problems when connected to the depth stabilizer.

Now I have to find those leak/s.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Glad to report that things looked much better this morning than expected: Only one servo is a casualty, everything else works.

It's the same servo which had jitter problems when connected to the depth stabilizer.

Now I have to find those leak/s.

I trust you dried out all the devices thoroughly! That means taking them out of their cases, blowing down the PCB's, scrubbing the solder connections to remove bridging oxidation, and baking them at about 150-degrees over-night.

Anything less and they will die by the end of the year.



David

[trout]

Do you serve the electronics with a little gravy? Yummm......
I work on laptops that students spill water on. we remove as much as possible because water will get where you think it couldn't. While we do not bake our electronics power does not go on them for days.
The snorkel moisture, I built a trap under mine to catch droplets that come in. To see what end it is coming in from, If you have not installed a Schrader valve, put Kleenex or a paper towel in and see that side gets wet. Then that at least allows you to narrow down where to spend your time. Do you have any photos? I had one sub that both endocarps were fine - it was the ballast tank bulkhead that leaked.
We are here to help if you want it.

[tifosi12]

Do you serve the electronics with a little gravy? Yummm......
I work on laptops that students spill water on. we remove as much as possible because water will get where you think it couldn't. While we do not bake our electronics power does not go on them for days.
The snorkel moisture, I built a trap under mine to catch droplets that come in. To see what end it is coming in from, If you have not installed a Schrader valve, put Kleenex or a paper towel in and see that side gets wet. Then that at least allows you to narrow down where to spend your time. Do you have any photos? I had one sub that both endocarps were fine - it was the ballast tank bulkhead that leaked.
We are here to help if you want it.

Thanks, the offer is much appreciated and I have already learned a lot just from being on here and reading the responses.

Today's test in the tank went well: Silicone sealed the living daylights out of the SD and today's SD test resulted a bone dry WTC. Then the same thing again with the sub strapped on and again bone dry.

Also the latest buoyancy adjustments paid off, she lies now stable in the water, equally balanced, goes down and up as expected. In other words, we are ready for the local fountain, which is shallow enough for me to step in in case the crew signals a SOS.

You asked for a picture, so I gladly oblige (although they are not of the SD). Water is left over from St. Patrick's day.

[tifosi12]

Looking at the picture I realize I still need to add some paintbrushing rust. The boat evolved since the last time I did that, so it's time to fix a few cosmetic things for the great reveal/photo op. :)

[tifosi12]

Today was the day: Finally took the Seehund to the local fountain. Very tight and not much space to do much of a dynamic diving run but enough depth to test the static diving. Still need to tweak the balance a bit (a little weight into the front and a little bit of foam on the right rear side). But overall she run well. Forward/back, left/right, flooding and pumping all worked to plan. I kept the buoyancy to be slightly positive, when "fully submerged" just the very top of the conning tower is out, which is good, that's where the air intake valve is (it's not in the periscope).

I'm also satisfied that I met my self imposed deadline: Today would have been the first day of the Carmel, IN sub run and that's what I built the boat for. Well, it wasn't to be this year, but at least I was able to stick to my timeline.

And I learned a TON in the construction process. I'm always taking notes and collect them, hoping not to make the same mistakes again. Or also noting what went well, despite original concerns.



This is a picture of the surface run with the captain sticking out. Eventually I removed the guy and closed the hatch for the submerged runs.

[tifosi12]

And of course here a picture from under water. I had my UW Gopro Hero mounted on a tripod and was just driving back and forth the camera. So this is actually a still frame (cropped).

[SubDude]

Outstanding! It turned out so good. I love the shot with the Captain in the hatch. Too bad about Carmel but good you met your goal.

[tifosi12]

Outstanding! It turned out so good. I love the shot with the Captain in the hatch. Too bad about Carmel but good you met your goal.

Thanks much!
Here is a better shot of the Kaleu.

Hoping to see "your" Seehund one day. With an action figure captain.

[SubDude]

Thanks much!
Here is a better shot of the Kaleu.

Hoping to see "your" Seehund one day. With an action figure captain.

Darrell has it now at least so now it is a matter of getting him to spend the time on it with everything else he has going on.

That fountain has some really clear water in it. Another excellent shot.

[tifosi12]

Darrell has it now at least so now it is a matter of getting him to spend the time on it with everything else he has going on.

That fountain has some really clear water in it. Another excellent shot.

Yeah, it was kinda funny: The moment I arrived there was the volunteer cleaning crew just wrapping up their work. The water is actually coming down a small "waterfall", which generates some current that the boat actually felt. And the water is clean enough for the occasional dog to come by and have a sip. Anything non chlorinated is fine with me: I lost my previous SD to chlorinated water, which destroyed all the seals and glued parts. Trying to avoid pools as I move forward.

[Monahan Steam Models]

Looks great! Nice work!

[tifosi12]

Looks great! Nice work!

Thanks much!

I'm still tinkering and experimenting with it. The static diving could be prettier, so I'm trying to fine tune the balance. I will likely have another trip to the fountain soon.

[tifosi12]

Well, here we are almost a year later. Thought it was time for an update: Got the Seehund out of hibernation and time hasn't been kind to the electronics bay: Had to replace the pump, one servo, the ESC and the receiver. So practically a rebuild of that compartment. The good news is that the ship is running again and I hope this year I'll be able to make Carmel, IN with it.

Special shout out to RCSubGuy for testing my new ESC. Didn't work at all first, so I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Bob's test confirmed that the ESC was good. That then finally led me on to the receiver: While it was working, its plug-in for the ESC was half fried. So once I plugged the ESC into another slot, it all worked.

I'm planning on taking pictures/footage in Carmel, so hopefully there will be another update on here in a month's time.