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Diesel Power

Old 03-04-2012, 05:28 AM
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speaker monkey
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Default Diesel Power

Hey All,

Im new to this forum and to the world of remote control, please be kind. Iam really interested in making my own remote control boat that uses a diesel engine. Itried to do a bit of research before Iposted and generally all Icould find was talk about old real diesel boats or replicating diesel boat sounds. It certainly doesn't seem to be the done thing. Ican already hear the responses to why I shouldn't persue this route: expensive (the cheapest engine Icould find was still over £100) + fuel, difficult, smelly, dirty, polluting, less torque options, dangerous, unrelaiable & unnecessary, However these reasons are yet to deter me (some even do the opposite). I'm a speaker builder by trade so Iam no stranger to the careful, fiddly & hands on design and Iused to build non-RC models when I was a kid. Plus I relish a challenge and the design and build is where Iwill get my kick. Building an off the shelf kit has no attraction to me although Iam sure it will give me a good grounding with what its all about.

"A speaker builder?" you say "surely you would be more at home trying an ellectrically powered one?" True, however Ialways feel that the world of electronics is a bit impersonal and Iprefer getting my hands dirty in other ways.

Aaanyway, what Iam really asking is for some direction / advice / links / discussion on where Ican get started with this, as Isaid before there seems to be a bit of a dearth of info on this subject.

All the best

monkey
Old 03-04-2012, 05:40 AM
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1QwkSport2.5r
 
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Default RE: Diesel Power


ORIGINAL: speaker monkey

Hey All,

Im new to this forum and to the world of remote control, please be kind. I am really interested in making my own remote control boat that uses a diesel engine. I tried to do a bit of research before I posted and generally all I could find was talk about old real diesel boats or replicating diesel boat sounds. It certainly doesn't seem to be the done thing. I can already hear the responses to why I shouldn't persue this route: expensive (the cheapest engine I could find was still over £100) + fuel, difficult, smelly, dirty, polluting, less torque options, dangerous, unrelaiable & unnecessary, However these reasons are yet to deter me (some even do the opposite). I'm a speaker builder by trade so I am no stranger to the careful, fiddly & hands on design and I used to build non-RC models when I was a kid. Plus I relish a challenge and the design and build is where I will get my kick. Building an off the shelf kit has no attraction to me although I am sure it will give me a good grounding with what its all about.

''A speaker builder?'' you say ''surely you would be more at home trying an ellectrically powered one?'' True, however I always feel that the world of electronics is a bit impersonal and I prefer getting my hands dirty in other ways.

Aaanyway, what I am really asking is for some direction / advice / links / discussion on where I can get started with this, as I said before there seems to be a bit of a dearth of info on this subject.

All the best

monkey
Welcome to the forum! You have an ambitious idea there, and I admire that. Do you have an idea of what size boat you want to end up with? Kit build or Scratch build? Hull shape? Water propped or Air propped airboat?

From the diesel engine standpoint... don't expect a realistic diesel sound that you're accustomed to in semi trucks and fullsize pickup trucks. Model diesel engines are mostly all single cylinder (there are multicylinder radials too) and built for airplanes. I haven't seen any recently that allowed for water cooling although one may not need it if air cooling is sufficient. If you want to get to know the model diesel engine, you should check out the diesel airplane engine forum and do some reading. You may find the Diesel option to not work as well as you'd like in a marine application. Thats just my thought though..

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_87/tt.htm]Diesel engine forum[/link]
These engines use no glow plugs, but they require special model diesel fuel. The fuel is more expensive than glow fuel if you buy it premixed. You can make it yourself, but you need to be able to get liquid ether to make it.

Hope this helps.
Tim
Old 03-04-2012, 06:06 AM
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speaker monkey
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Default RE: Diesel Power


ORIGINAL: 1QwkSport2.5r

Welcome to the forum! You have an ambitious idea there, and I admire that. Do you have an idea of what size boat you want to end up with? Kit build or Scratch build? Hull shape? Water propped or Air propped airboat?

From the diesel engine standpoint... don't expect a realistic diesel sound that you're accustomed to in semi trucks and fullsize pickup trucks. Model diesel engines are mostly all single cylinder (there are multicylinder radials too) and built for airplanes. I haven't seen any recently that allowed for water cooling although one may not need it if air cooling is sufficient. If you want to get to know the model diesel engine, you should check out the diesel airplane engine forum and do some reading. You may find the Diesel option to not work as well as you'd like in a marine application. Thats just my thought though..

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_87/tt.htm]Diesel engine forum[/link]
These engines use no glow plugs, but they require special model diesel fuel. The fuel is more expensive than glow fuel if you buy it premixed. You can make it yourself, but you need to be able to get liquid ether to make it.

Hope this helps.
Tim
Thanks, will certainly peruse that section. Size wise Ithink Iwill be probably looking at anything between 0.5-1m long. Hull & boat shape I'm not too fussed for now, whatever works best, I'm not looking for a slimline speeder nor would Ireally go for a stocky tug/barge shape. Water propped for me too, just to add more complexity . Not bothered about realistic noises, I imagine it'll end up sounding like a fast whiney "putaputa" noise..?
Idid find a diesel engine specially made for boats the other day, but the link is on my work computer so will try and post in the week.

Old 03-04-2012, 06:14 AM
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Default RE: Diesel Power


ORIGINAL: speaker monkey


ORIGINAL: 1QwkSport2.5r

Welcome to the forum! You have an ambitious idea there, and I admire that. Do you have an idea of what size boat you want to end up with? Kit build or Scratch build? Hull shape? Water propped or Air propped airboat?

From the diesel engine standpoint... don't expect a realistic diesel sound that you're accustomed to in semi trucks and fullsize pickup trucks. Model diesel engines are mostly all single cylinder (there are multicylinder radials too) and built for airplanes. I haven't seen any recently that allowed for water cooling although one may not need it if air cooling is sufficient. If you want to get to know the model diesel engine, you should check out the diesel airplane engine forum and do some reading. You may find the Diesel option to not work as well as you'd like in a marine application. Thats just my thought though..

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_87/tt.htm]Diesel engine forum[/link]
These engines use no glow plugs, but they require special model diesel fuel. The fuel is more expensive than glow fuel if you buy it premixed. You can make it yourself, but you need to be able to get liquid ether to make it.

Hope this helps.
Tim
Thanks, will certainly peruse that section. Size wise I think I will be probably looking at anything between 0.5-1m long. Hull & boat shape I'm not too fussed for now, whatever works best, I'm not looking for a slimline speeder nor would I really go for a stocky tug/barge shape. Water propped for me too, just to add more complexity [img][/img] . Not bothered about realistic noises, I imagine it'll end up sounding like a fast whiney ''putaputa'' noise..?
I did find a diesel engine specially made for boats the other day, but the link is on my work computer so will try and post in the week.

There aren't many in the way of marine diesels.. I havent seen many. I came across this one this morning. 15cc (.90ci) Taplin Twin 2cyl. For your first boat, I wouldnt bother with a twin cylinder. Double the learning curve. And believe me, diesels have a tougher learning curve at first so be prepared. http://www.radiocontrolmodels.co.uk/...h/Page1705.htm
Old 03-08-2012, 08:55 AM
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Default RE: Diesel Power

Have you considered a steam powered engine? It will give you a more authentic 'diesel' type sound, and doesn't use exotic fuel.
Old 03-09-2012, 03:38 AM
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Default RE: Diesel Power

A Taplin Twin was considered to be a Rolls-Royce of model motors way back in its day, with a price to match.  Nowadays ads for them contain words like "collectible" and "historic" and "rare" which also imply "expensive".

Old 03-10-2012, 04:09 PM
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Default RE: Diesel Power

Davis Diesel makes head conversion kits to change over nitro engines for Diesel power. I tried it once in an RC truck using an O.S. .12-R (to some people that will date the time). No water or air cooling is really needed as you need the heat. Yes, it was dirty and stinky and you had to be a lot more careful in the handling and transporting of it as it's ether-based.
I didn't have a whole lot of luck with it and myself and one of the guys at the hobby shop both gave it a go. We could get them running but no matter what we did couldn't get them to run over half-throttle.
Give it a shot as I like out-of-the-box stuff myself. I could be well suited for scale boats if you want slow but an engine with a lot of torque.
Old 03-20-2012, 06:17 AM
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speaker monkey
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Default RE: Diesel Power

Thanks guys.

I recently bought Model Power Boats by Norman G. Taylor.  I am about half way through it now, really interesting stuff and lots to take on.  It was written 50 years ago so some of the technology based topics are a bit outdated but the physics stays the same (it smells good too).  Converting imperial to metric is a bit of a challenge.  So watch this space!! [8D]

monkey

Old 03-20-2012, 01:10 PM
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Default RE: Diesel Power

i'm glad to hear somebody actually still builds speakers in the uk! what kind? not quad or kef, i'd bet.
Old 06-29-2012, 08:35 AM
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speaker monkey
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Default RE: Diesel Power

Funktion One is the company, we make big stuff for gigs, installs etc based in Surrey

I started a new topic that leads on from this as Ithink Imay be moving away from Diesel after all, but still IC.

If you would like to give some more advice it would be appreciated

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11...m.htm#11136574

Thanks

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