Home Built ROV- Remotely Operated Vehicle
I built this ROV using ideas from around the web, mostly, but then adapted them to my own dimensions, and added a few ideas of my own. The majority of the concepts here, and the wiring of the motor control solenoids, are those of Stephen Thone of homebuiltrovs.com I also found the ideas and adaptations of Nathan Broman very good and helpful, too. You can see his work on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fltz3... and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4FOM... But there are many great ideas out there, and many different concepts in ROV design and construction, from the fine professors at Youtube and Google Universities. Thanks to my friends Berj Ensanian / KI3U, and Greg Stachowski, both of whom gave me great advice along the way. Probably the only addition I will make is to mount a small "ball" compass to a stalk, so that I can see it in the video. This will give me some orientation while the ROV is underwater. It was suggested I add protection for the props, either in the form of screening, or tubing to better direct the thrust water flow, and make it more efficient. I still may do this, too. I did blow one fuse when a prop tangled in fishing line... and so one change will be to replace the spade fuses with automatic resetting 5 amp fuses. Then I won't have to dig in the wax to replace a fuse. Specs: 3 1,100 GPH, 3 AMP Bilge Pump motors by Amarine (stripped of centrifugal impellers and impeller housings in lieu of propellers) Frame is 1/2" PVC: @ 12"Lx5"Hx6"W Float tubes are @12" long, 2" I.D. PVC Weight tubes are 1" I.D. PVC Power cable is solid copper strand, 16 gauge speaker wire Control cable is Ethernet (8 leads, 6 needed) Weight of ROV without ballast approximately 6.5 pounds Length of tether: 50' Propellers, RC boat 3 blade, D45mm x 1.7 Pitch Remotely powered (no batteries on board), 12v Fuses: Each motor, 5 amp spade type, on board ROV (in electrical box) One 20 AMP in control box for all ROV power One 10 AMP in control box for ROV solenoid control leads 6 Solenoids, OEG OMI-SS-212L DPDT, 12VDC, 5A Cost: My cost list is only an estimate, and from what I remember I paid for the parts. But it is a good rough estimate, I think: PVC: Tubing and fittings for frame: $12 Tubing and fittings for floats and weights: $14 Electronics & electric: 6 solenoids: $32 (I had to replace these after ruining the first set with wax) Speaker (power) wire: $14 Ethernet wire: $18 Switches: @ $22 Pilot light: $5 Battery clips: $8 Motors: $21 Video camera kit: $113 with shipping Other: Propellers: $18 Cord: $6 Bolts: $3 PVC glue: $6 Tie wraps- on hand, but about $6 worth Tether sheathing: $11 Foam for tether floatation: $4 Weights: found lead, free Total: @ $283 Hours: I have no idea... an hour here, a couple there... really not that hard to build though. Simple plumbing and wiring, etc.
proto57
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