air powered scooter

[Acapulco]

Hi

I checked the discussions on air powered scooters, and have found that no one has any information on any existing model. just wanted to drop that there is one, altough it is not in production anymore, and that sort of doesn't count I guess. I put in a pic of the one I have, if anybody is still interested in bulding one mail me and I can send you some more detailed pics. It uses an 80 cm3 pneumatic engine to turn the prop, and gives out 1 hp which is a lot more than any electric scooter as far as I know. It is a very cool toy and should be easy to build by anybody with some mecanical skills )which I don't have) We have been thinking as to build a small prototype that can be strapped on a 80 cft tank to make a tow behind, the one I have is a ride on. It does use a lot of air, but you can connect up to three 80s at the same time, but then speed and force is great.....you don't even really notice if you pull a second diver along. If anybody has found a comparable model I would be interested in some pictures. Thanks and take take
Beni
www.swissdivers.com
beni@swissdivers.com

 

[Nemrod]

Uh, yeah, I kinda like that thing. I have heard of such things but never seen one until now. If you don't mind I will take some detail pics or whatever you have. That thing is sweet!
I have considered on an air motor installed on a 80cf tank. The Tekna scooter I have is alleged to have a 1/3 horse electric motor. At full pitch it is quite powerful. I think a 1/4 horse air motor would be rather interesting. Air powered scooters have an interesting problem, the deeper they go the more air they would use for a given power output but still it is an interesting concept. What CFM does your scooter require at one horsepower?

 

[Acapulco]

Hi

I hope it works with the pics...

The engine is as I said ccm3, so pretty big, I guess a smaller version would have done it too....inside the pistons are made out of ceramic, as to corrosion. I believe the problem when they build this thing was that they were not at all thinking about cost. For an example, they used an Scubapor MK 25 first stage, which is allready pretty expensive. The black tanks that you see are carbon fiber, spring loaded inside, so with controls on your left hand you control the buoyancy, which is important if you plan to build one of these, think of the weight change between an emtpy and a full 80 cft tank....and now think of the weight change when you use two or three....

In one picture you see the speed control, in another the back with the propeller, which is huge. The hole thing is laid out for 300 bar. I am not sure about cfm, but I would guess it uses around 2 to 3 right underneath surface, and there you go with the problem of more use on 120 feet depth. But then again, put a double underneath, connect the whole thing, and it will take you as deep as you like, literally, and with a speed and force that is unique.

Another thing is the noise, it feels like you ride a motorcycle, which is cool in one way and not in the other.....other divers have complained, personally I liked it. I have taken this one inside a wreck, (not a really smart idea) and it felt like driving a Ducati inside a parking lot at full speed. Was fun, but the scooter is really an open water machine. Speed is approx 3 to 3.5 mph, so nothing special, but as I said the power is quite unique, pull along another guy and it still goes about the same.

Let me know when you are planning to build one, would be quite interested in it. As I said, think about building a tow behind, something like an aengine and prop with handles on it that goes with a belt on an 80 cft. Would be simple an really small, to take everywhere, just rent another 80 and off you go, probably lighter and easyer maintance then every electric machine.

Dive safe

Beni