Response

Re: NON SMOKING EXHAUST WITH AIR INJECTION

Hi JB, I have caught up now and by reading through the posts to see your journey. I have been on a similar journey - I thought I would share some of my learnings. The electronics in the vape may well drive a display, buttons +/- and a display interface etc but the basic electronics for the power to the coil are very simple. The power is "pulsed" to the coil using Pulse Width Modulation - basically in each cycle how much time the power is ON or OFF - very similiar to a domestic dimmer switch. By varying the pulse on/off period (Duty Cycle) I can adjust the power being supplied to the coil The coils do not have a voltage limit (I run my standard coils from a 12v SLA) - they do have power (watts) limit where watts =volts x amps. I am not sure on the spec of you voltage regulator - it may be constant current - so when you drop the voltage to 2.x volts your are essentially dropping the overall watts in the circuit. The resistance of most coils is single or sub ohm so are almost a short circuit - no surprise your voltage regulator gets very hot/spits it's fury I create my pulsed power to the coil using a MOSFET I also have a temperature sensor in place to auto shut things down if needed and will be a able to remotely monitor each of the 9 smoke remotely Hope this adds to the subject _._

10 months ago by G6SWJ

Response

Re: SEAPLANE TENDER, CHANGE OF ESCs

Haven't found a programmer yet Peter but that's not to say there isn't one, although they work perfectly for what they are designed for. I bought some small 30A brushless ESCs a while back and when I asked the seller if there was a card for them he told me they didn't make one . With a bit of detective work I found a card under a different brand name which works fine. Pic is of OCDAY branded ESC and unknown card which works. How I found it was through an ad on Banggood, which showed the same ESC in a different colour and brand but with a card, so I found the same card elsewhere by itself and took a gamble and bought one, and it worked! Fans aren't too much of a problem as I use quite large main batteries (and they only draw about .02A) so the 2200MAh batteries don't even notice them (probably don't even need the fans, just something I put on 'cos I could'). New ESCs are 60A so they are not going to worry about a 2.5-3A motor draw max. Did think about water cooling but the extra pipe work wouldn't fit without a lot of reworking space, and it's a plumbers' nightmare already. I'll probably use the cheapos in the Maiami which I was thinking of converting to twins and giving the balsa hull a bit of fairing and maybe glassing. Really have to get rid of some planes to make room for any new projects, and finish re-doing the Graupner Optimist, and jazzing up the Fairacre launch a bit. Enough there to keep me busy for next winter. Will just be working on the smoke on and off for now, as I'd like to get a compact version going well. JB

10 months ago by jbkiwi

Blog

Splitting The Hull.

I had a busy weekend planned. It was time to split the hull. It is fair to say that I had been looking forwards to having a go at this. I had made the special tools last week ready for the split. The first job was to try to fix down the hull to a board perfectly level and rigid enough to ensure that it did not move during the cutting phase. The first thing was to find a suitable flat board, 12mm marine ply, and stick a 1” strip of sandpaper right down the middle to help to reduce the risk of the hull sliding. This done, I placed the hull roughly central on the board and marked out the positions for the anchor points for the elastic bands and screwed them in. I used standard hooks for this. The bands, two at each end, were fitted. It was surprising just how rigid this was but the hull could still slide. To stop this, I had bought some angle brackets. They were to be screwed onto the board, one each side at the centre of the hull. These proved top be very weak and I could still move the hull. A search of the garage followed to find something suitable and I came across two Krick motor mounts which were left over from the Dusseldorf motors. I screwed these to the board and the hull was rigid. I fitted the Dremel to the special tool with four cable ties. These held it very well. I then set the height on the marker pen and tested it at each end of the weld line chosen as the split point. It was around 3mm out at one end so I placed two large washers at one end under the hull and this gave me level. I then checked to see if the hull was level across the width and twisted it until the pen made a mark at the same height on both sides using the weld line on the model as a point of reference. I them marked a cut line along both sides of the hull. Next up was to set the height of the slitting saw using the previously drawn line. This done, I then very carefully cut the side walls taking care to only taking shallow cuts as the Polystyrene melts very easily if heated. I did this in stages leaving the hull connected at each end, behind the bands and about ½” in the centre to ensure stability when cutting the other side. I completed the cuts on both sides and then remove the hull from the board. The remaining sections still joined were then carefully cut with a 12” hacksaw blade. Success!! I had two pieces. I then roughly cleaned up the cut joints and placed the two halves together. It was good. Finally, for today, I made and fitted a support brace at the stern end of the deck piece as cutting into two had left this area weak. Next time I will improve the cut surfaces, put locking on the deck half and location tabs to aid alignment. Thanks for reading. Peter.

10 months ago by MouldBuilder

Forum

LATEST SMOKER, E-CIG ELEMENT

That one turned out quite well Martin. I was on the lookout for some sort of can to put the tank in and was prowling round our local Bunnings home depot/hardware store and was in the plumbing section when I suddenly had an epiphany. Remembered I had 40mm waste pipe at home so I bought 2 end caps and a bit of sanding drilling and fitting later, voila' version X. not that small but plenty small enough to go in most boats and very easy to make. There is a turn of loose wire inside so I can lift the tank up to fill it. Strange that it would not work as planned with a bottom air feed, and had to work in reverse. Not to worry, it makes houseloads of smoke, is self contained and easy to fill, (end caps are just a push fit and the top holds the tank in place by the mouth piece) which is pretty much what I was after. I know we can use the vape coils now and I'm sure I can make a small version with just a coil (same idea as the alloy one, - just need to make or find a smaller can) not too worried at the moment as I think I have enough smoke for now. Be interesting now Myself and Graham have kicked it off, to see what the rest of the crew come up with (I think there are a few under way at the moment). I'm sure no one is going to pay silly prices for the commercial smokers now! (which are pretty much what we have done but in a colorful tin) when you can do it yourself. Seen a few vids on You Tube of people making their own by winding coils on f/glass rope (stove door seals). They work ok but more effort to make. Ready made coils are so cheap (wound coils and replacement screw ins) that it's not worth mucking around. You can buy boxes of various wound coils very cheaply if you make something to use those in. Endless fun. Thank-you E-Cigs!😊 JB

11 months ago by jbkiwi

Blog

Completing the Hull.

The last thing to do before completing the hull was to cut all of the vent slots on the underside. I used various sized drills and chain drilled the larger slots and filed them to shape. There is still a lot of shaping by file to do but I am going to leave this for later when I am sure they will be easier to get at. I finally took the plunge and fixed the bow and stern assemblies to the main hull section. I used ordinary solvent cement which does create a strong bond, but will reinforce the joints with Stabilit once they become visible again. The next stage was to glue on the three main deck parts. It was a bit of a struggle to line them up exactly but In did the best I could. When gluing, care had to be taken to avoid contact at the front and rear segments so that a clean separation can be achieved when splitting the hull. Next job was to do the vertical cuts at the separation lines. I used my Dremel with a saw blade as usual. These cuts will form the end points for the main cuts. The next job for me is, as mentioned above, to split the hull. This is quite a tricky operation and requires a couple of special to be made. I am lucky enough to have all the machines required to make these at my disposal. I have started by cutting up the necessary pieces of wood. I will explain all on the next update when I have completed the separation. Thanks for reading. Peter.

11 months ago by MouldBuilder

Response

Re: EXHAUST SMOKE WORKING IN THE HSL

But Wait Doug , there's more pollution coming 😁!😮☹️ JB

11 months ago by jbkiwi

Response

Re: Smoker test 8 E-Cig version

Are you thinking of filling your collection with smoke now Collin?😊 JB

11 months ago by jbkiwi

Response

Re: SEAPLANE TENDER STAND ADDITION

Re- Bouncing off jettys broken mast and now drip trays to catch oil Hi Martin, I use oil as the bearings need constant lubrication at high speed and I don't trust Chinese bearings to run without it. The shaft clearance is pretty poor in the inner Diam which I think is where most of the oil is leaking (have the same thing with the Graupner bushed shafts in the HSL. Grease tends to get thrown off shafts and does not get through such small shielded bearings. Probably ok if you have a high pressure grease nipple on the shaft tube. In all electric R/C aircraft the usual thing to do is remove the motor now and again and use a special thin oil in the bearings (Scorpion sell their own oil for this). I have pulled a few dud bearings from motors apart, and there has been no trace of grease even though the motors have been near new. They are very small bearings, so will get hot rapidly without regular lubrication, and seeing they have metal shields, there is no way of getting grease in anyhow (without perhaps using the motorbike chain 'cook in grease' method which would not be practical) The shaft oiler are made to suit lost oil replacement also. The weeping oil also calms the lake water and gives it that used smell and authentic look, and stops the ducks legs squeaking as well 😊😀😂 JB

12 months ago by jbkiwi

Forum

RC it ??

Well worth the effort to update a decent size pond yacht. Some sailed remarkably well and even without fitting steering could be trimmed to sail a pretty true course. I wish I still had the one I was given for about my third Christmas.

1 year ago by Nerys

Forum

Motor reversing

Commercial dive sets, like my Akula II (and DIY ones from guys with a fantastic machine shop🙄) use bayonet end caps. I've also seen DIY articles from guys who have used longitudinal studs to hold things tightly together. Trimming (pitch control) is done in my kit using an attitude sensor and hall effect sensor for controlling the dive tank. The hall effect sensor detects the position of the tank piston. The attitude sensor detects deviations from neutral and adjusts planes and / or piston accordingly. https://engel-modellbau.eu/shop/en/Submarine-Kits/AKULA-II/Hall-Sensor-for-Compact-Tank-Switch-CTS2-2-upgrade-set.html https://engel-modellbau.eu/shop/en/Sub-Components/Pitch-Control/Pitch-Controller-SPC2.html In Norbert Brüggen's Model Submarine Technology book (see below) there are instructions on how to build these (and more) with circuits, parts lists and layout drawings. Doug 😎

1 year ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Batteries in a DX5e

Hi Martin, Save your money, time and effort! Just like my DX6 your TX needs 6V from Alkaline batteries. To get 6V from NiMH you'll need 5 cells, which you haven't got a cat in hells chance of squishing in. A fully charged 4 cell pack may show up to around 5.6V OFF LOAD. So you start around half a volt short in the first place. Shortly after a load is applied the cell voltages will drop to their nominal 1.2V. Giving 4.8V for the TX. This is roughly the voltage of 4 nearly flat alkaline cells. 2000mAH cells have been recommended. Good quality Alkaline cells made to the IEC standard, such as Varta or Duracell, have a capacity of around 2500mAH. Make sure you get the Heavy Duty version, i.e. for cameras. These will last for ages, unless you forget to turn it off 😉 When I tested your TX the switch was perfectly OK and I don't think you can get a toggle switch in without major surgery anyway. I'm not fan of slide switches either, they are always the first thing I have to replace in Gisela's garden lights and fountain pumps etc, usually due to corrosion. But considering the low usage, without getting wet (unless you fall in the pond with it😮), it will have in your TX it shouldn't be a problem. The reason your rechargeables kept popping out is that many of them are a fraction larger than the alkalines. I've had this problem with several . I use alkaline in my DX6 and my Turnigy clone. No problems. The only TX I use NiMH in is an old Graupner MC-10, 40Megs for my submarines. But it was designed for use with a 9.6V pack in the first place and has a charging socket. Does your DX5E have a charging socket? No! Neither does my DX6. Cheers, Doug 😎

1 year ago by RNinMunich

Wiki

Radio Control Wiring

NOT from me (RNinMunich)! I just edited it to delete a previous comment of mine! Wiring Methods Wiring can be a little tricky, especially when there are more functions than just power and steering. To wire correctly you should first check: - What is to be wired up. - What voltages are going to be needed. - if there is any equipment that is not compatible. Receiver Where possible try to have a separate battery for the receiver and not power it through B.E.C. circuits in speed controllers. There is a simple explanation for this. The speed controller works by switching on and off and different rates. Depending on the rate of switching the motor will speed up or slow down. it is this fluctuating current that is not good for the receiver if its using the B.E.C. *Edit* More modern electronics are not affected so much by this, but if you start to experience problems with reception it could still be something to consider. The receiver should be placed as far away as possible from other electrical equipment such as motors/servos. Also DO NOT CUT THE AERIAL ON THE RECEIVER. The receiver aerial is a set length and can affect signal quality if made shorter or longer. All motors should have suppression to avoid any interference with the signal. There is a section in the knowledge base for this if you need to learn more. Lighting Lighting equipment is running at a constant current and can be placed off any battery without it affecting anything else... BUT if it is put onto the same battery as say a drive motor, the lights will dim everytime power is asked from the motor. If LEDs are being used you will have to be careful about the voltage. Three things can be done to ensure the LEDs are getting the right voltage (usually between 3.0 to 3.5v). One. Use a voltage regulator. Two. Put resistors into the circuit. Three. Put the LEDs in series with each other. Each LED is about 3v so two in series would need a total of 6v. Sound/speakers Speakers generate sound using a fluctuating current through the coil. it is recommended that all sound are run off a separate battery to avoid interference. Another problem with speakers is the magnetic field. This can play havoc with the signal, especially analogue radio sets, therefore the speaker should be as far away as possible from the receiver and have magnetic protection if there is no choice. Relays/switches A switch is always a good idea so that the boat or anything else can be switched on and off easily, but they should only be used if the current is low going through them. To reduce the amount of problems that could occur it is recommended to do without a switch if possible. A switch for the receiver is fine as it is only low current. For drive motors it is better to have a straight link onto the battery. Fuses Fuses are always a good idea to ensure they blow up before your boat does! Make sure you use the proper car type fuses for high current applications (blade fuses).

1 year ago by RNinMunich

Blog

Wheelhouse

I have started work on the wheel house. Firstly I have put a false floor in to raise and level. Using the foam board I have made the internal fit out as per the drawings. I have used wooden coffee sticks (thanks Cafe Nero) to edge the units. Then I made the sink, job and grill. The door has again been made using the wooden sticks backed with thin plastic card. Windows have been added. These were supplied by Debbie and Andy at modelsbydesign who I would thoroughly recommend. A kettle is on order for the stove and more details will be made including a seat pad, skippers chair, first aid kit, fire blanket, fire extinguisher, mugs, newspapers and more electronic .

1 year ago by GrahamP74

Forum

Glue

Pool Noodles are the foam insulation for pipes, used as flotation . See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_noodle They can be used as fenders for large model boats, and look very similar to the inflated tubes in an RIB, so they can be used to make RIB hulls. But joining them and shaping them is often a problem...

1 year ago by DodgyGeezer

Wiki

Radio Control Wiring

DRAFT; TO BE REVISED SHORTLY (RN) ;-) Wiring Methods Wiring can be a little tricky, especially when there are more functions than just power and steering. To wire correctly you should first check: - What is to be wired up. - What voltages are going to be needed. - if there is any equipment that is not compatible. Receiver Where possible try to have a separate battery for the receiver and not power it through B.E.C. circuits in speed controllers. There is a simple explanation for this. The speed controller works by switching on and off and different rates. Depending on the rate of switching the motor will speed up or slow down. it is this fluctuating current that is not good for the receiver if its using the B.E.C. *Edit* More modern electronics are not affected so much by this, but if you start to experience problems with reception it could still be something to consider. The receiver should be placed as far away as possible from other electrical equipment such as motors/servos. Also DO NOT CUT THE AERIAL ON THE RECEIVER. The receiver aerial is a set length and can affect signal quality if made shorter or longer. All motors should have suppression to avoid any interference with the signal. There is a section in the knowledge base for this if you need to learn more. Lighting Lighting equipment is running at a constant current and can be placed off any battery without it affecting anything else... BUT if it is put onto the same battery as say a drive motor, the lights will dim everytime power is asked from the motor. If LEDs are being used you will have to be careful about the voltage. Three things can be done to ensure the LEDs are getting the right voltage (usually between 3.0 to 3.5v). One. Use a voltage regulator. Two. Put resistors into the circuit. Three. Put the LEDs in series with each other. Each LED is about 3v so two in series would need a total of 6v. Sound/speakers Speakers generate sound using a fluctuating current through the coil. it is recommended that all sound are run off a separate battery to avoid interference. Another problem with speakers is the magnetic field. This can play havoc with the signal, especially analogue radio sets, therefore the speaker should be as far away as possible from the receiver and have magnetic protection if there is no choice. Relays/switches A switch is always a good idea so that the boat or anything else can be switched on and off easily, but they should only be used if the current is low going through them. To reduce the amount of problems that could occur it is recommended to do without a switch if possible. A switch for the receiver is fine as it is only low current. For drive motors it is better to have a straight link onto the battery. Fuses Fuses are always a good idea to ensure they blow up before your boat does! Make sure you use the proper car type fuses for high current applications (blade fuses).

2 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

i Phone App

There are plans to release an app update. Since iOS 10, Apple changed how they handle push notifications, so currently that feature is not working on Apple . Since the last version of the app they also released a new programming language, so the new app will be built in Swift and from current tests it looks to load pages faster. The app won't be ready for launch for (I suspect) another two months yet. Meanwhile, the existing app has seen a few improvements as part of the overhaul. Posting via the app is much more reliable now and you can also post more than 4 pictures like with the website. When the new app is launched I'll let everyone know. I hope, for most, it'll automatically push the update to peoples anyway. Thanks, Stephen

4 years ago by Fireboat

Forum

Model Boats 'IPad Application'

Apple has now approved the latest version of the Model Boats app! Version 1.4 is available to download (or update) which should fix the problem some people have experienced with the white screen, this update applies to all apple . If you have IOS7 and enabled automatic updates it will already be on your device by now, if not, check for updates! Any problems then please let me know ((Email Removed - PM Only)). if everything works please rate it 5 stars and add your comments in the App Store! I'd love to see some good reviews go in the App Store as it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to get things like this working, and it's completely free to you all! Many thanks! Stephen

7 years ago by Fireboat

Forum

Model Boats 'IPad Application'

Bit of a delay I'm afraid everyone. Apple has rejected version 1.4, so I've had to resubmit it, so it'll be another week! They were right to reject it it seems, although I don't know why it crashed still. Spent last night re-writing the software almost from scratch and I've now tested it on IOS6 and IOS7, both IPhone and IPad with no crashing. It looks superb on IOS7 too! it has new splash screens which compliement the Icon, which makes the whole entry into the app very clean and smooth. I think it'll be worth the wait for everyone who has Apple ! 😎 Stephen

7 years ago by Fireboat