WTC from Schedule 40 4.5" ... Issues/trade offs?

[substandard]

Any issues/trade offs to consider if using Schedule 40 4.5" OD PVC pipe for a WTC? Details: Pipe ID is 4.0" I found some clear 4.5" pipe for sale close to home so considering to use it. Sub is a 1/48 scale Sturgeon so lots of room inside. Ballast will be a vented tank with air pump. To submerge air vent opens and tank floods from holes in tank bottom. To surface air pump takes air from above water snorkel and displaces ballast water.

[type7]

Is it clear so you can see where it is leaking?

[substandard]

Is it clear so you can see where it is leaking?

Yup.

To be clear on my ask - is 4.5" pipe too large for what ever reason ? ( being a newbie I do not know what I do not know)

[Subculture]

No problem. At 1/4" pipe thickness you'll be able to drive a Mack truck over it. PVC is an excellent material to make wtc's from, suffers none of the issues that polycarbonate and acrylic suffer from and is usually very cheap. The internal bore of PVC pipe can sometimes be a bit rough depending on the way it's been made, so bear that mind if using radial seal compression.

[RCSubGuy]

There are standard pipe plugs that you can get for endcaps. The center of them is a massive bolt, but you can offset your driveshaft and linkages. Would save machining endcaps. and then it really would be able to be driven over!

Link to product on Amazon

[Subculture]

If you want to make your own, but lack access to a lathe it's pretty easy to make endcaps from two disks of plastic sheet then just bond them together to create a stepped disc. Just a saw and file required. Alternatively you could have the discs lasercut or cnc routered, or you could draw some caps in tinkercad and have them printed in sintered nylon or resin.