All donations are securely managed through PayPal. Amounts donated are not published online.
Many thanks for your kind support.
Model Boats Website Team
Donation History
December 2018: 4 people November 2018: 11 people October 2018: 9 people September 2018: 13 people August 2018: 5 people July 2018: 8 people June 2018: 8 people May 2018: 7 people April 2018: 24 people March 2018: 11 people
Evenin' Martin, Boards # 2 and 3 built, inspected and tested today. All work fine with my Target. The one with the black and green wires is the prototype. Not so tidy as the other two but it works! As usual going from development prototype to 'production version' several layout improvements occurred to me 😉 Do you want the ESC leads with bullet connectors as well? Or the natty little plastic boxes? Don't know how or why any more but I've got loads of those little boxes!😲 Cheers, Doug 😎
Attached Files - Click To View Large
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
I know Martin, sometimes I blind myself 😁😁 Anyway I thought 'in for a penny ...', if I'm gonna make the boards then ... 'Wenn schon denn schon' as they say over here 😊
OK. I'll screw the boards into the boxes and put lids and screws in a bag. I'll leave you to make the cut outs in the boxes for the wires 😁
For the benefit of others here's a pic of the test setup and some video evidence dat de ding woiks 😉 RATS 😡 video file too big, 30MB limit 🤔 Will try another method later. Taycol Target was running on 6V with current limit set to 2.5A - just in case! All three boards work perfectly using the Robbe Servo tester instead of messing about with TX, RX and batteries 😉 Will now start packing everything, with instructions for the mods to the Taycols. By the way; do any of your Taycols have reversing coils and that silly lever switch? Cheers, Doug 😎
Attached Files - Click To View Large
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Fantastic stuff, Doug. That gizmo on the right with 0.05 and 6.0. Is that Amps and volts? Is that really just 0.05 amps with the motor running?! Does that really mean just 0.3 watts? Would the model even move? Ah, but then that's off load, innit? Stick a 35mm 3 blader on it and what would it draw in the wet stuff, I wonder? OK, I'll get a bloomin watt meter. Least I can do I suppose
Impressive on the videos, too. Ain't it quiet? My Taycols growl at me, but then so does the Mrs.!
I'm gittin' excited now. You have to need some brass bashing, so I can thank you properly for all the work.
Hi Martin, No! That was just the standing current of the bridge rectifier with the 'throttle at neutral. Off load max current flat out was 2.5A. So about 15W, should be enough for 'plodding' fish cutter. The 'gizmo' is a 30V 5A regulated power supply with adjustable current limit. Very useful for such experiments. If I 'b****r up the wiring with a battery connected .... 😡
I expect for your Supermarine and Special that will be more like 7 to 10A. At the moment the boards are fitted with 10A fuses, I'm wondering if I should put in 15A. What do you think? You know the bigger motors, I don't, only have the little Target. It also growls when flat out 😉
The fish cutter has a 35mm 3 blader so hope to be able to able to answer your question re loaded current shortly.
Re brass bashing; FUNNY you should mention that 😁😉 Details later per email. Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Yep that meter will do fine. There are many brands on the market but I strongly suspect that they all have the same guts! Attached pics of mine and extract from the instructions showing connections. I tested my Sea Scout in the bath (sorry 'Domestic Test Tank' 😉) connected between the battery and the main on/off switch. For the tests the wattmeter sat just forward of the switchboard (last pic). You can also use it to monitor your battery charging / discharging 😊 Cheers, Doug 😎
Attached Files - Click To View Large
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
OK, thanks, Doug. I'll order one up and sweat over the instructions when it arrives! I was wondering if there was a system whereby a couple of towers wired into the normal wiring could be fitted to the boat so when you wanted to check you just stuck a couple of probes from the watt metre into the towers to get an easy reading. I'm assuming we need a watt meter mainly for speccing a suitable ESC?
As to knowing the bigger motors, I have never run the Double Special and the Supermarine was normally on a single 6volt Lantern battery. Only occasionally on 2 lantern batteries to appease my Dad's need for speed, but an oyster bed was not really big enough for 12 volts and REP single channel bang bang RC! Beyond that and the wonderful noise it made, I know nothing, I'm afraid. Martin
OK, In chronological order😉 No! The Wattmeter has to be spliced into the cable between source (i.e. battery) and the load, ESC and motor. As shown in example 1 in the instruction extract above. BTW 1: if your Wattmeter comes with instructions in Chinese Unwinese (Misstoodifold in the under number 29s😁) then use the above. Despite it's name it's primary use to us is to tell us the current the motor draws so we can select appropriate fuses. It will also tell you the mAh you've taken out of the battery, or put in when on charge. As far as I'm concerned the actual Watt measurement is relatively useless, except perhaps for 'Bragging Rights' 😁 Speccing the ESC should be done by checking the motor current specs and adding a good margin for safety. If no specs available use the Wattmeter to tell you the current drawn at full voltage from a DC source. If possible under load in the bath. Hang on tight😲 That only works for BRUSHED motors of course! Then use an ESC capable of twice the measured current. BTW 2; if you want to use your 27 / 40Mhz TXs you will definitely need the suppression capacitors on the motors, despite the partial damping effect of the rectifier, to reduce interference to your own radio.
Fuses; I'll put 15s in to be on the safe side. If the Wattmeter / Ammeter measurements indicate less than 10A max then change fuses to10A and use a 20A ESC so it has some reserve. Or is operating within it's true capacity😉 Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
My Boob. I was thinking you choose ESCs on watts and of course, it's amps. Our old school caretaker used to say It's the amps what kills ya, boy, as he wrestled with very dodgy wiring on the school's stage lighting! From what you say above, I wouldn't bother, but then the machine does all the other stuff too, so worth the 8 quid, I'm sure. Jeez, I'll be going about with a boot full of test gear! And there's me hates electrics. Thanks again, mate.
"And there's me hates electrics. " Electrics are like the fair sex; Ya can't live wiv 'em, and ya can't live wivout 'em!😉😁
Most important thing the Wattmeter can do is help you look after the batteries properly, especially LiPos. Worth every penny. Your old caretaker was dead right. You can hang on to a Van der Graf generator producing a several hundred thousand volts but the current is so weak that all that happens is your hair stands on end!😲 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Ain't got no 'air! Hmmphh, that's that bit o' fun stuffed. Women are like wattmeters. Lived without em for years then got caught! Now I got beautiful granddaughters! Where did all those damned years go? Wattmeter ordered. Bloody thing was 50p dearer twixt this morning and just now, while I was in Kings Lynn buying wood for the boat models and McDonalds for the grandson!
Trip to Kings Lynn Models for spruce, solar butterflies positioned near the clematis, bird bath light repaired, (I hope), doggy paddling pool filled, shelf replaced in shed, step attached to 152VO Spitfire hull, plans for 20s/30s runabouts and speedboats listed and re-rolled (thanks Owen). Not a bad set of chores sorted by only 3 o clock. But now just too bloomin' 'ot to be outside again. We had three days of cooler weather and showers, but I'm back to watering the whole garden again tonight.
Hi Martin, Who's bin a busy little bee then😉 I went to school in Kings Lynn, an awful lotta moons ago😲 King Edward VII grammar. Used to ride there from Marham on my Vespa GS160.
Remind me please which Taycols do you have? Supermarine, Double Special and the third one I forgot and can't find the mail / post where you told me 🤔 Doug PS when you've finished your garden can you come and do mine please? 😉 We've had 35 - 38°C here for days, and just the occasional few drops of rain 🤔
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Tested, QC'd and ready for packing and despatch😊 Guess what? Got no braahn paper 😭 Sound familiar Martin? Off to the PO as soon as the day temperature drops under 30°C (93°F) 😱 34° today, a BIT cooler!! Cheers, Doug 😎
Attached Files - Click To View Large
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
I keep a stock of nice plain boxes to avoid brahn paper, Doug, but sometimes need it. Have you put bridge recs. in those? Because I have a bag of five from RS here. I ordered them for these.
Evenin' Martin, yep, sorry about that 🤔 I wanted to be able to test the boards properly before I sent them. Seemed a shame to mess up the boards taking them out again. Oh well - if you copy the boards ..... 😉 The bridges are 40V 20A so will be fine for your motors.
I also have some cardboard boxes but I was going to pack everything into your TX box as you did. Will now check if it all fits. Ciao for now 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
By the way ... Although I've marked up the boards with Field and Brushes that's just my personal preference 😊 The beauty of this circuit is that it is ALMOST foolproof! You can switch the field and brushes wiring over, but in pairs, or reverse the wires in either pair and it will still work, just run the other way! You can also swap the + and - from the ESC and the motor just runs the other way round! Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
I'm glad you told me that, mate. I thought you'd just put my name on the stickers! I will send you my pack of bridge recs. to replace yours and the sum we spoke of, but please add the postage. Cut the foam about to allow the wee boxes to go in, regardless of how it's moulded. Now it works I don't mind getting it out of the box at last!
Hi, Funny you should mention cutting the foam, I just finished hacking it about 😉 Then came to see the new posts! All fits in now. I just want to double check that the TX and RX still bind then pack it all up. If I haven't thrown your paper out yet I'll turn it inside out 😁 In some things I'm a tight arse too, or Needs Must when ......
Thanks would appreciate the bridges 👍 if you don't need 'em. Keep two in case you decide to copy the boards for your other Taycols, or any field coil motor for that matter. Will mail you re the 'Brass Bashing', thanks. Still 27° here and humid 😡 Ciao, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Sooooooooooooo... Got it all squished into your TX box, (useful tool the rubber hammer😁),will work up some mod instructions for the various motor types on Sunday and hopefully get it off on Monday.😲 (Er .. "I'm sorry I'll read that again"!! 😁) Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Tjhanks,Doug. That all sounds great. I'll get Chris to send you the Paypal. She does all that stuff, but let me know what the postage was and she can send it all together and I'll send the bridge recs separately.
Mornin' Martin, Yeah, so far so good😊 Chris will have to tell me what she needs from me re Paypal, and if I have to do something with my Paypal account? Ain't never dun it that way round🤔 Only paid via Paypal up to now! I also need your complete address, per email! Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
Howdy Ed, Yep, will do. Have taken some pics along the way. Mast lights and searchlight are working. Red/Green Nav lights fitted (had to spray the roof the right colour first - white not grey!) but not wired up yet. About to do that now. After that the two aft facing Towing lights and deck flood lights.
Also discovered that there should be two deck lights P&S of the main cabin😉 Will need the miniscule chip LEDs for those - Now, where did I put my microscope🤓🤔 In fact while researching I found there's a whole list of 'bits' missing. Not least the Life Raft, which should be behind the wheelhouse!!😲 (In God we trust - But just in case we want a Life Raft 😁) Have also started drafting new decals with the correct owner's logo and fonts.
The wiring is only a lash up at the moment to check that everything works. As soon as I'm happy, with resistors an' all, I'll fit some mini connectors. More soon, (in a different thread cos this will bore the pants off Martin. A NO Lights Man!) That reminds me of a banner I once saw above the RAF Controllers at the London Air Traffic Control Centre. "RAF controllers do it in the dark" 😲😉 The civil side was brightly lit, other side of the wall the RAF guys had minimal desk lighting only. Cheers, Doug 😎
Young at heart - slightly older in other places 😉 Cheers Doug
31st Jul 2018 21:45
