Assembling the Merriman 2.5" Standard WTC

[Kazzer]

Mike,

I figure I'd chum the waters a bit with the ," I'll try Caswell first," comment. Didn't take long for the fish to rise to the bait, LOL.

Dan

"We only eat really distressed bait! You can suffer a bit more!" He says, spitting out the minnow!

[roedj]

Mike,

Thanks for the lead.

In truth, I had already figured out that Caswell sold the ESC I needed. I was just wondering if anybody from the Caswell Empire was following this thread and watching me thrash about trying to figure this thing out. I figure I'd chum the waters a bit with the ," I'll try Caswell first," comment. Didn't take long for the fish to rise to the bait, LOL.

Dan

[Kazzer]

I know Mtroniks makes a smaller version of this ESC called a Viper micro 10...[ATTACH=CONFIG]4351[/ATTACH] which I have in another sub. It's much smaller. I've got to find this ESC. I'll try Caswell first.

Dan

See the web page for Mtroniks

Look for the Micro or the Nano. Same thing, except the Nano has no epoxy or wires, making it smaller.

[roedj]

Reading the documentation - what a concept!

OK, flying in the face of my normal attitude that reading the documentation is for wussies, I actually located a contents list for this SD.

Turns out that the extra servo strap identified here... is in reality, and I'm quoting now, an on-board bottle restraining strap as demonstrated here... and here(shown not secured to the cylinder)......This also clears up the little puzzle of the mystery holes. They're for the strap..well duh.


The only item on the list of contents not accounted for is the -- switch cable strain relief block so I guess that that's what this is.... Yeah, whatever.

Also the part I identified as a coupling for two push rods... may, in fact, be a ---spare push rod watertight seal.

Now for the ESC's. I purchased a Mtroniks viper sub 10 ESC... and I'm sure that this is just a wonderful ESC. Trouble is, is that this sucker is just too big for the equipment tray for this SD especially given all the other #@%%$@ I have to install. I know Mtroniks makes a smaller version of this ESC called a Viper micro 10... which I have in another sub. It's much smaller. I've got to find this ESC. I'll try Caswell first.

Dan

[roedj]

No longer a mystery manifold

I think I've figured out one of the manifolds.

This one... can be used to route SNORT air into the ballast tank as well as direct air from the sail back to the other SNORT manifold... mounted at the rear of the motor bulkhead.

There's still that mystery hole on the bottom of the cylinder. Could this be the hole to mount this other manifold? I don't know as I'd rather mount this manifold on the top of the cylinder, I think.

I'm still working out the assembly order. I think I may have it - it ain't pretty but it should work.

Big problem now is trying to figure out how to mount the ESC, Li-Po guard, angle keeper, two servos, the receiver, the small SNORT pump and God knows what else on the miserably small supplied frame that's attached to the motor bulkhead.

I realize that Caswell and DM think this new 2.5" Sub Driver is really cool (lower CG, smaller parts and all that) but there's something to be said for lots of interior volume.

Dan

[roedj]

Individual parts

pictures of individual parts:

motor bulkhead - dry side... and wet side...

cylinder... and a mystery hole in the cylinder...

the gas saver...

"O" rings for ballast tank bulkheads...

the ballast tank...

push rods to connect servos to control surfaces...

supplied wire for motor and ESC...

ballast servo bulkhead - dry side... and wet side...

forward ballast bulkhead - wet side... and dry side...

battery bulkhead - dry side... and wet side...

air release valve -bottom... and top... and the valve placed in its location on the cylinder...

pin used as fulcrum for gas saver... and in the gas saver...

Kli-Cons... three sets are supplied.

extra servo mounting strap and extra hose...

adapter for Propel can...

SNORT manifold... mounted part way on motor bulkhead...

coupling to connect two push rods in different axes...

coupling to tie two push rods together in same axis...

unknown manifold although curvature suggests it should mount on outside of cylinder...

complete unknown...

plus screws (various sizes) extra socket screws, longer rod for gas saver(?).

That's the parts. Right now I have to say that the assembly order baffles me. I can see where the parts go based on my old 3" Sub Driver, but the assembly order is critical, I think.

Dan

[roedj]

I have acquired a 2.5" Standard WTC from Caswell to replace the 3" WTC which came with a 2nd hand 1/96 Skipjack. Problem is ... is that I can't find any clear instructions on how to assemble it. I can look at the old 3" model and figure out where some of the parts go but not all. I have downloaded the instructions for the 3.5 WTC and while it gives some help it just doesn't go into enough detail for a total newb like me. I have also looked at a Merriman narrated video but again just not enough detail.

So I figured why not just post it here and get help from any and all.

First up is pix of the old and new WTC...


As we can see the new 2.5" one is just about 1/2" longer...
... measuring the difference ...

Ordinarily this would be no big thing except in my case the original builder of the Skipjack cemented some foam in the nose which blocks the 2.5" WTC...
... I'll have to find a way to fix this.

Comparing the two motor end caps......
and battery end caps...

The ballast servo was out of alignment, I think...

I'm hoping I didn't just screw up some critical alignment by straightening it out...

This is an overall pic of all the parts received. By looking at the old 3" WTC I can identify some of them but there appears to be several changes that I'll need help identifying them all...


End of first post.

Dan