baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

hi guys

ive just purchased a bait boat hull.
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i have 2x 1100 gph bilge pumps (forward thrust) and 2x 800 gph (reverse)
4x mtroniks viper marine adjustable speed controllers
spektrum DX5 radio set.
rc lighting 4 motor mixer
The boat is wired as in diagram but i am having trouble getting the boat to be controlled how its supposed to.
Is there a way of having the control i would like as in diagram, (i.e forwards/reverse on left stick and left and right by right stick)
by using another mixer or V tail mixing.
Please help guys as im really stuck

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

Bilge pumps are probably not the way to go to control the movement of a boat.
They are good at moving water, but are very inefficient when used to control the movement of a boat compared to a propeller... plus the weigt of 4 pumps / motors is reducing your bait carrying ability.

As you have also found out.. compared with a 'standard' prop and rudder, trying to control a boat with 4 'motors' is over complicating what could be an easy set up.

Ditch the 4 bilge pumps, go with two motors / props and mix to get the steering...

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

The usual solution with a "standard" boat is two reversible motors, each with its own ESC, connected via a mixer. Two ESCs, plus one two channel mixer.
If the bilge pumps are non-reversible, pair up a forward and reverse, and feed each one via a rectifier diode. That way, the forward motors will respond to a forward signal via its diode, the reverse one to a reverse signal via the other diode. (Assuming brush type DC motors in the pumps).
I am not familiar with the mixer you mention, so I might well be making some incorrect assumptions, but the installation does seem to have become overly complex, and needs to be got back to something simpler.

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

hi
thanks for replys
the boat is pretty big so weight of the 4 pumps is not an issue.
i have already purchased the parts, im thinking of ditching the mixer though but istill want to use pumps
Were can i get a rectifier diode and how will the steering work?
please help guys!
any diagrams would be appriciated

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

Does the DX5 have the ability to mix channels?.. if so...

Do away with the mixer in the boat..

Plug all 4 ESC's in to the Rx (disable 3 out of the 4 BEC's from the ESC's)

You should be able to electronically 'mix' the operation of each motor at the Tx...

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

I would consider ganging pumps 1 and 2 on a single channel.
Make them on or off using micro switches.
Use them as bow thrusters. Pump 1 thrusts left, pump 2 thrusts right.
That will allow you to direct the bow.

Pump 3 and 4 can be used for foward thrust and help with steering.
If they are mounted with a slight thrust angle toward the center line,
then when either one is run by itself it will produce a steering thrust
vector along with its offset thrust.

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

Look at

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?menuno=12480
then go down the page to
UK59P
which should be capable of carrying the current.
They have a storefinder at the bottom of the Home page, so you should be able to determine your nearest store.
Various UK suppliers do 2 channel mixers to work with simple TXs.

RE: baitboat help(4 pump driven)
 

Does the DX5 have the ability to mix channels?.. if so...

Do away with the mixer in the boat..

Plug all 4 ESC's in to the Rx (disable 3 out of the 4 BEC's from the ESC's)

You should be able to electronically 'mix' the operation of each motor at the Tx...



hi mate how do i do this???