sailnj
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Has anyone built their own scooters? If so, what plans did you use
Building Scooters
- Thread starter sailnj
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My own design. I'm a design Engineer
1/4 inch wall, 10 inch dia alumium pipe.
Welded bulk head at 45° for back panel
Nose tapered and welded dome, with flat center to add light. (not implimented yet)
Main power switch is 1.5 HP rated toggle switch with water proof boot (Ikelite, dacor toggle switch boot)
Trigger switch Uses Ikelite camera control gland aand SS shaft to a lever to a DC rated angle grider switch (inside), spring loaded to maake a dead man action, release = off.
Main hatch is piece of same pipe cut with two inches over hang to the hatch opening. Then sprung in an arbor press to fit over pipe. Foam silicone gasget seals it.
Hatch is secured by two large hose clamps around entire housing. (not rocket science but works). Will convert these to spring latches, but for now they suffice.
Thrust source is two 12 v shakespear trolling motors.
Powered by two 12 volt sealed lead acid batteries. 25 AH.
Batteries are supported by a plywood wrack inserted into housing berfore back bulkhead was welded in.
This also provides locations for trigger switch, and wire harness to mount. The wrack is two straight pieces of ply wood on the sides to support the bateries, the front is round with center cut out, to allow adding ballast weights in nose or future head light., Rear of wrack matches back 45° bulkhead also with center cut out.
Any Hydrogen venting, is converted to water vapor with a catalyst.
regards
MikeD
1/4 inch wall, 10 inch dia alumium pipe.
Welded bulk head at 45° for back panel
Nose tapered and welded dome, with flat center to add light. (not implimented yet)
Main power switch is 1.5 HP rated toggle switch with water proof boot (Ikelite, dacor toggle switch boot)
Trigger switch Uses Ikelite camera control gland aand SS shaft to a lever to a DC rated angle grider switch (inside), spring loaded to maake a dead man action, release = off.
Main hatch is piece of same pipe cut with two inches over hang to the hatch opening. Then sprung in an arbor press to fit over pipe. Foam silicone gasget seals it.
Hatch is secured by two large hose clamps around entire housing. (not rocket science but works). Will convert these to spring latches, but for now they suffice.
Thrust source is two 12 v shakespear trolling motors.
Powered by two 12 volt sealed lead acid batteries. 25 AH.
Batteries are supported by a plywood wrack inserted into housing berfore back bulkhead was welded in.
This also provides locations for trigger switch, and wire harness to mount. The wrack is two straight pieces of ply wood on the sides to support the bateries, the front is round with center cut out, to allow adding ballast weights in nose or future head light., Rear of wrack matches back 45° bulkhead also with center cut out.
Any Hydrogen venting, is converted to water vapor with a catalyst.
regards
MikeD
leadweight
Contributor
of instant scooter, just add water, from a cave. A hefty limit on the old credit card is required for that one.
There is a fellow who sells plans on Ebay. Seahunter I think, he is on this board. I got a set, finally decided it was more work than I wanted to do and bought a Gavin instead, biggest equipment purchase to date but it is sweet.
Dave D
Dave D
Couple of questions.
First of all can we have a couple of pictures and a rough idea of budget for this? I've been playing around with the idea of building one for a while now.
Secondly, what do you do about the deviations caused when the batteries are not providing exactly the same current to the motors? Does it have a rudder?
And Hydrogen venting? Aren't car batteries sealed these days?
Next, how do you keep it water tight? Especially where the prop goes through the housing.....
Finally, how fast is it :mean:
R..
Reply to Diver0001's questions:
Pictures : NO I don't have a digital camera, sorry.
Budget : $300 actual cost give or take $25
Rudder : yes, your fins
Battery variations: I used two batteries, one for each motor, the switches are double pole, so I have each motor and battery on a separate circuit. Otherwise, you can have one motor running backwards slowly when in off position. (batteries would be in parallel through motors, small voltage variation creates a backward current flow through one motor and battery)
Battery venting: I didn't use a car battery, I used Gates sealed lead acid (starved electrolite batteries) These and the trolling motors are most expensive items. Sealed lead acid batteries recombine H2 quickly but a vent could be an explosion hazard, so I put a catalyst in for safety. I have left it out with out problem so it is like not required.(better to err on safe side)
Motor Seals: You have to rework the motors. The normal bearings are grease filled non-contact sealed bearings and only intended for 3-4 ft depth. The exposed bearings are removed, and replaced with urethane shaft seals and non-sealed bearings to reduce drag.
I've only taken my scotter to 100 feet.
How fast: the motors come prewound with 3 wire S,M, F spd.
The S, slow is useless, (I disconnected it)
M, medium is a slow criuse, nice for casual slow drift, about 1/2 MPH
H, Hi is about 1 to 1 1/2 MPH a good cruise, great for search patterns.
I used 15 lb thrusters. It's ok for a solo diver, but my buddy doesn't have one. If I were to do it again, I buy 2x 25 lb'ers .
The extra thrust would be handy in heavy current, or for two divers tandum.
Speed underwater follows a square math relationship.
It takes 4 times the thrust to got twice as fast.
regards
MikeD
Pictures : NO I don't have a digital camera, sorry.
Budget : $300 actual cost give or take $25
Rudder : yes, your fins
Battery variations: I used two batteries, one for each motor, the switches are double pole, so I have each motor and battery on a separate circuit. Otherwise, you can have one motor running backwards slowly when in off position. (batteries would be in parallel through motors, small voltage variation creates a backward current flow through one motor and battery)
Battery venting: I didn't use a car battery, I used Gates sealed lead acid (starved electrolite batteries) These and the trolling motors are most expensive items. Sealed lead acid batteries recombine H2 quickly but a vent could be an explosion hazard, so I put a catalyst in for safety. I have left it out with out problem so it is like not required.(better to err on safe side)
Motor Seals: You have to rework the motors. The normal bearings are grease filled non-contact sealed bearings and only intended for 3-4 ft depth. The exposed bearings are removed, and replaced with urethane shaft seals and non-sealed bearings to reduce drag.
I've only taken my scotter to 100 feet.
How fast: the motors come prewound with 3 wire S,M, F spd.
The S, slow is useless, (I disconnected it)
M, medium is a slow criuse, nice for casual slow drift, about 1/2 MPH
H, Hi is about 1 to 1 1/2 MPH a good cruise, great for search patterns.
I used 15 lb thrusters. It's ok for a solo diver, but my buddy doesn't have one. If I were to do it again, I buy 2x 25 lb'ers .
The extra thrust would be handy in heavy current, or for two divers tandum.
Speed underwater follows a square math relationship.
It takes 4 times the thrust to got twice as fast.
regards
MikeD
I like to build things to and have looked into and reseached building a dpv and I think you would have to really look at the "Torpedo". I think I see one in my future the price is good and also the reviews follow the price. My problem is the money for the video system that I picture in my mind resting on top!
Here is a link to a freind and Cave Teamate Guy Morin's scooter. This scooter does like 500ft per min. Weighs like 280lbs and is 5ft long. It has variable speed. Twist throttle controlled. Scooter is so fast you need a winsheild on it at top speed or your regs will free flow. Check it out. By the way Guy is like rocket science material and from talking to him he over engineers everything. Which is not always a bad thing. http://www.psubs.org/psub_pic/GuyMorin.html
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