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Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 1/20/2007 9:23 PM   
Captain Nemo12



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Hi guys,

Let's face it, nobody wants to read a 50-page thread and searching for it, and since there always seems to be newbies asking for the mod list to the Walmart Submarine, I thought I might post it here. I couldn't find the original author's name but the original document was attached with pictures scattered all over the place so I made it into a compact, clear to read, PDF file for download! You can find it by clicking on the link below:

http://captainnemo12.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/motorworkssubmarinemods.pdf

The file itself is 10 pages long and I've added some additional pictures as well. It's only about 260 kb in size.

*Note: You'll need the latest version of Acrobat Reader in order to read this file.

Enjoy, and happy modding!!

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< Message edited by Captain Nemo12 -- 2/17/2007 7:29 PM >

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 1/20/2007 9:38 PM   
AustinTW94


 

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Status: offline 		Thank you soo much This will be very helpful!




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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 1/20/2007 9:43 PM   
Icleanh2o


 

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Status: offline 		Thanks Captain Nemo,

While I am addicted to the more complex, too much money RC Submarines, the little Motorworks Submarines are fun to play with. They are a nice break to tinker on. But as long as the thread had gotten, I tired of trying to keep up with the mods, and all the darn reading. Many building projects to accomplish and my time has too many demands.

You have done everyone a great favor by compileing the modifications in to one document, and expedited the owners to get the maximum fun for the buck.

Salute, Strick

< Message edited by Icleanh2o -- 1/20/2007 9:47 PM >

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 1/20/2007 10:01 PM   
Captain Nemo12



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Status: offline 		Thanks guys,

But I am not the one who created this document in the first place, I think it was first mentionned in the first 6 pages of the Walmart Submarine thread I think, but since then the links have gone dead and the file was lost... Subhunter13 sent me the file so I was able to convert it.

Cheers!

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/7/2007 3:01 PM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		Hey guys,

I am a little late getting in on this wally sub thing. I just got 2 of them , one was exchanged -it sunk right of the bat! I started modding them after that.
I have the Connecticut and Gator models. The main mod was to the transmitter, added a resistor across R3 to increase the drive signal to the output stage, then drilled a hole in the back of the unit to get to the output "tank circuit" coil and after adjustment increased output about three fold. Increased the lenght of the rec. ant. about 2 feet, did not do the RTV but did remove all gaskets and silcone greased them on both sides.
The main broblem with the rc set up on these units lies with the recievers. I am an electronics tech amd after looking at the rec. diagram, I dont think it has much selectivitiy.
wich means low sensitivity. I am going to try to tweak the Gators rec. circuit next, it looks easer to get to. With the current mods I can get 3'-4' before loosing control, and thats in a highly clorinated swimming pool!

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/7/2007 3:31 PM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		Sorry, heres some pix of the mods. The tank coil pic is just for id, the resistor I added to the pc board and the holes drilled in the back of the remotes. Note: the coils visiable through the holes. By the way I did install the radioshack telescoping ants.
I know its not a very detailed account but I am not sure of the level of interest that still remains. Any questions, feel free to ask.


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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/7/2007 9:46 PM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		An electronics tech in the topic ? yay!

I can float my boat, but most electronics issues leave me at a loss.

While you're on the subject of a receiver coil...

I'm still pondering one of my subs postmortem. The electronics may have gotten water in them...the sub had normal response after having been left to dry--normal meaning I could control it while pressing tx buttons halfway across the house through walls.

What puzzled me was how I started having to have the tx closer and closer to the sub--from almost touching antennas, to having to touch the tx antenna almost to the rc coil (proximity to the rc antenna wire, at one stage, seemed to have no effect), then to needing almost to touch the tx and rc antenna wire conductors together.

I noticed the rc coil had a ferrous coil. I've wondered if signaling with the tx antenna so close to the rc coil itself might have permanently affected its ability to receive?

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/8/2007 12:03 AM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		There is a slight posibility of damaging a transistor if u had enough crud left on the board after it dried.
You need to clean the board real good-take a small paint brush(natural brissle) and trim the brissles down to about 3/4" so they are kinda stiff. Use that with acetone and clean the board good(remove any industrial wax too) . If u have the board out and can power it up, remove the wax from the coil and with somthing that will fit the slot in the ferite "slug" try tuning it, dont turn it much. Resist turning it but a couple of turns at the most either way, chances are its not too far off to begin with. Start with xmiter close enough to work, move it away till it just quits working then adjust, repeat. O and use somthing none-feris to do the adjusting i.e. wood or plastic.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/8/2007 2:23 AM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		Thanks for the insight. I didn't know a coil could be tuned. I thought that happened in the capacitors.

While I don't have that sub anymore, a friend of mine does have this problem, he might be all game for this. Thanks again !

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/8/2007 2:25 AM   
Captain Nemo12



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Status: offline 		While reading through the manual I noticed the sub depicted was mostly the older USS Dallas/Chicago models...

I think it'd be great if Crunchy or somebody else could write up another manual dedicated to the modifications of the newer Motorworks subs (i.e: Seawolf and Gator). I'd be happy to host it on my site if the need arises.

Cheers!

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/8/2007 3:15 AM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		Your not tuning a coil, but a "tank circuit", wich is a capacitor and a inductor in paralell. In most fixed recievers there is no need to tune a broad spectrum, only the need to fine tune a fixed freq. And since variable inductors are more stable than thier counter part(variable capacitor) they are used in these types of apps. Theres is a resonant freq. for any given combonation of values of cap. and inductance in paralell or series. Hope this gives u some insight.


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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/8/2007 9:29 PM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		>Your not tuning a coil, but a "tank circuit", wich is a capacitor and a inductor in paralell. In most fixed recievers there is no need to tune a broad spectrum, only the need to fine tune a fixed freq. And since variable inductors are more stable than thier counter part(variable capacitor) they are used in these types of apps. Theres is a resonant freq. for any given combonation of values of cap. and inductance in paralell or series. Hope this gives u some insight.<


Wow. Thank you. It's nice to at least have a theory why my sub wouldn't respond when dry.

Immersing the sub seemed to kill reception quickly, though. I guess water proximity and/or contact could have triggered the frequency issue.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/9/2007 5:26 PM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		Update:
I just finished tuning the reciever on the Gator class Wally sub and it increased the under water range from about 3' to over 5". I get some loss of signal at the 5' depth but by turning the hand held ant. I get it right back! Works pretty good. No leaks at 5', all I did to this sub was add silcone grease to the seals. I have to go to work today or tomorrow and wont be back for a week. If anybody is interested in this mod I will post pix and instructions when I get back, sorry I dont have the time to do it now as I am painting my pool deck. And for Crunchyfrog that problem with loosing signal when the sub was placed under water, everthing that conducts electricity has some capacitance. Water dos'nt conduct but the impurities in it do. So by placing it in the water it probably detuned it enough to loose signal, this normaly wouldnt be a problem if the reciever was properly tuned, but if its right on the fringe of loosing signal because of being detuned it could detune it enough to loose control signal. Hope this helps.

Cheers

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/16/2007 8:29 PM   
ma5328


 

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Status: offline 		Hi Captain Nemo12,

Could you please tell me the value of the resistor you placed on R3?

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/17/2007 7:30 PM   
Captain Nemo12



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Status: offline 		Hi,

Unfortunately, I don't know the person who made the original document, try asking people in the Walmart Submarine thread, they might know.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/18/2007 3:05 PM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		The value of the resistor that I put across R3 on the 49mhz tx's was 2200 ohm, it lowers the resistance from 560 ohms to about 450 ohms. that supplies a little more voltage to the driver stage . If u look at the pix on my post, its the tx on the left,the black/ older model. I didnt do it to the gator class tx because I was able to get to the rx tank coil easaly and tune it witch seems to make more of a difference. I used an old floppy drive to get the resistor from, its a chip componant resistor and they are marked with 3 numbers on them. The first two are the value and the third one is the base multiplier i.e. 221= 22+ one zero witch +220 ohms. a resistor marked with 222= 22+ two zero's=2200ohms. The resistor on the tx is either designated R2 or R3 it depends on the model tx u have. I am not sure witch schematic goes to witch tx, the driver and output stages are the same circuits but are designated differently on the two schematics I have. But its the only 560 ohm resistor in the circuit. If u look at the second pix on my post I am pointing it out with a probe.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/24/2007 6:48 PM   
subhunter13


 

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Status: offline 		hey guys,

has anyone tried modifying motorworks new USS Shark. I go one and
it has a different stering system. It has a rudder instead of thrusters.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/24/2007 8:05 PM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		G4, thanks for your comments.

I guess typically cheap circuit boards aren't built to be repaired, but thought I'd run something by you: I damaged a board--at least I think I did--when I was soldering; instead of a solder dot, I saw a copper ring among the other solder attachments where perhaps a something that had been part of the board had come off. I never could get the board to respond right by trying to re-melt solder over the spot. Do you run into this a lot?

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/27/2007 6:05 AM   
G4Dude



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Status: offline 		Crunchy,
If it was a thin piece of copper that was around a hole in the pc board, its the copper printing thats used to conect the lead of a component to the circuit. When printed copper comes off the board while you are soldering its due to too much heat or prolonged heat applied to the board. Make sure you use a rosin core solder, and when soldering somthing try not to keep the heat on for more than 5 seconds 10 at the most, but thats realy too long.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/27/2007 7:02 AM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		Yes it was. I see that part of the board is toast. I'm glad it was cheap.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 2/27/2007 7:04 AM   
CrunchyFrog



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Status: offline 		Does anybody have a source for some generic RC boards? I buy cheap RC cars at this point, but I could do without the car body that comes with them. All I'm trying to do is actuate a couple of motors.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 7/4/2007 8:08 AM   
madmxx


 

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Status: offline 		Hello, anyone know where I can get replacement parts for this sub... one of the motors evidently was not water proof and is now rusted up...

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 7/11/2007 11:52 PM   
GreenAce92



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Status: offline 		Does this radio work for subs. I think i would like to try building my own tx's and rx's. It seems kinda hard though. Is this the same transmitter as what we use for subs cars and other land vehicles?

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7209/How-to-Build-an-FM-Transmitter

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 7/13/2007 4:19 PM   
Captain Nemo12



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Status: offline 		Trust me, you'd me much better off with a hobby radio from Futaba, Hi-tech or Airtronics. Building your own transmitter requires experience and knowledge in the field of electronics (even I'm a noob when it comes to that ), along with other factors like range, frequency, power, etc. The money you end up spending may very well be spent on a nice hobby-grade radio system.

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RE: Motorworks Submarine Modification Manual - 7/13/2007 4:48 PM   
GreenAce92



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Status: offline 		Ok i will take your advice.

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