http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Home   Sign Up!   Explore   Community   Submit

   All     Art     Craft     Food     Games     Green     Home     Kids     Life     Music     Offbeat     Outdoors     Pets     Ride     Science     Sports     Tech

ROV submersible (PVC)by daniel2008 on November 22, 2008

Table of Contents

intro:   ROV submersible (PVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1:   Motor test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 2:   Cutting away unneccesary parts of the motor housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 3:   PVC parts needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 4:   Melting the PVC pipes together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

step 5:   Completed Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

step 6:   Painting the Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

step 7:   Making the camera housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

step 8:   Mounting the camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

step 9:   Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

step 10:   Closing it all up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

step 11:   Finishing off (testing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

step 12:   Building the lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

step 13:   Disassembling the lantern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

step 14:   Closing up the holes, and making the window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

step 15:   Wiring the electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

step 16:   Finishing off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

step 17:   Photos of the lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

step 18:   ROV update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

step 19:   ROV test in pool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Make Magazine Special Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

intro:  ROV submersible (PVC)Welcome to my latest project. The ROV submarine.Ever since fishing up in the North of Norway in my grandfathers new boat I have been wanting to make an ROV(Remotely Operated Vehicle) submarine to observe theseabed from the surface.So,I researched for parts and prices, and using the info I found I sketched out my first design!

Video

***NOW UPDATED***Check step 12+ to see how you can build a waterproof ROV lamp.

***parts list***-PVC pipes and links-Xm broadband internet cable(depends on how far and deep you want the sub to go.Note;the longer and thinner the cable, the more power is lost along it, also youshould think about pressure resistance when choosing the lenght of the cable)-Epoxy glue and epoxy putty-motors x3(waterproof) I used water pumps-plexiglass (20x20cm)-12v battery or power supply(i used conventional AA batteries(10 of them) i know, its stupid but untill i can figure out another way of powering the sub it's going to have todo-sillicone-Camera housing parts (see pics)-spray paint-lots of zipties-Webcam-bolts for camera case (see pics)-propellers (diam. about 2.5-3cm)-small screws-thin plastic tube for motor shaft extension-and anything else that i havent mentioned but is in the pictures

**Tools needed**

-Metal saw-Scissors-wire cutters-pliers-small hacksaw-and a few other easily obtainable tools

*some basic soldering, wiring and creative skills is required to make this:P

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. battery pack [12V - X10 1.2V(AA)]2. motor (waterproof)3. camera housing4. 6m internet cable5. 12V battery pack(contains 10 AA batteries!!)

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. my first sketch of the ROV

step 1: Motor testStep 1:(testing the motors and motor midifications)

---The main parts of the ROV are the motors, which enable it to move through the water in all directions.In the picture you see me testing one of the water pumps which i bought to use as a motor.

---later I will be showing you how to make propeller shafts and attatching the proppellers.

step 2: Cutting away unneccesary parts of the motor housingStep 2:(cutting off the pump chamber)

---Since I was going to attach a bigger propelleron a longer shaft I needed to cut away the pump propeller chamber.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. water pump/motor2. 9V battery

step 3: PVC parts neededStep 3:(identifying the parts needed)

---Here is a picture of all the parts i used to make the mainframe and the camera housing.The parts are made of PVC plastic and the pipe is 2.5 cm diameter.

---Here is a rough layout of how one side of the mainframe was going to look like.I found it very useful to mark all the parts, so i would know where each part belonged.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. camera housing2. lid3. pipe (ø 2,5cm)

step 4: Melting the PVC pipes togetherStep 4:(melting the pvc pipes and links together)

---The pipes had to be stuck together in some way or another, and after some research i discovered that the best way was to melt them together. So i used my kitchengas stove to do this.

---In the second picture you can see the first side of the frame is ready, I have laid out the parts I prepared for the second side.

Image Notes1. Frame side 12. to be made -frame side 2

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 5: Completed FrameStep 5:(Joining of the two frame sides, finishing the frame)

--- As you can see I have completed the 2 frame sides, and have stuck them together with crosspipes.The frame is now very sturdy.

I haven't included the dimentions of the frame, as I expect you will want to design your own.

Image Notes1. Frame side 22. Frame side 2

Image Notes1. motor mounted for the photo

step 6: Painting the FrameStep 6:(painting the frame)

---I decided to spraypaint my frame yellow(the standard ROV colour) and the camera housing black.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. spraypaint2. frame/camera housing3. motors

step 7: Making the camera housingStep 7:(making the camera housing)

---To ensure that the camera wouldn't get wet i had to make a waterproof case and i decided to make it 'very' waterproof, so it could withstand the high pressure ofdeeper dives. (not that this first model would do that, but atleast i could reuse the case later on).The design i made myself, but researched some general info on the internet.

---The main section of pipe seen in earlier pictures needed a lid for the back and a plexiglass 'window'in the front.So i used a pvc pipe lid with a bit of plexiglass with drilled bolt holes stuck to the lid with epoxy.I also smeared sillicone glue around the borders between the PVC lid andthe plexiglass to make sure they couldn't separate.(as seen in second pic)

---I then cut some strong bolts i needed to keep the lid, pipe, and the plexiglass window together to the right length.

---The whole case is made waterproof by the bolts pushing the plexiglass surfaces against the washers at both ends of the pipe.

Image Notes Image Notes

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

1. plexiglass2. epoxy3. bolt holes4. PVC piping lid

1. notice the sillicone smeared between the lid and the plexiglass

Image Notes1. notice the sillicone smeared between the lid and the plexiglass

Image Notes1. bolts used to keep the camera housing sealed

Image Notes1. bolts

Image Notes1. plexiglass window

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. paint can used for weight2. plexiglass window3. rubber washer4. sillicone to glue the washer to the pvc pipe5. pvc pipe

Image Notes1. plexiglass window2. bolts3. washer 14. washer 25. plexiglass/PVC lid

step 8: Mounting the cameraStep 8:(mounting the camera into the housing)

--- I removed the original stand from the webcamera and replaced it by my own, smaller version.

---I also epoxy glued a nut to the camera housing so i could bolt the camera.

---Then i drilled 5 holes in the back lid:1-for the camera wire to the surface1-for the power wire to the surface3- for te motors.

Image Notes1. old stand2. new3. webcam

Image Notes1. nut and bolt to fix the camera to the case2. rubber washer

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. camera wire2. power wire3. 3 holes for the motor wires4. affixed camera

step 9: WiringStep 9:(wiring motors, power lines and camera)

---Wiring is one of the most tedious parts of the work i did, but cosidering i had very little previous experience im glad that i managed it.

---There are many ways to wire the ROV (check out this page http://www.homebuiltrovs.com/ , it explains some of the best methods very well.

-I used a very basic way of wiring as shown in the picture below.

Image Notes1. epoxy putty

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. camera wire2. motor wires3. epoxy glue

step 10: Closing it all upStep 10:(closing up the camera case and attaching it to the mainframe)

---This step is where you have to try to fit everything (wiring connections) into the camera case...not an easy job :)

---just look through the pictures as there is no way of explaining :P

---finally i ziptied the camera housing to the frame

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. i cut a slit to keep the camera housing in position2. epoxy glue to help hold the housing in place

step 11: Finishing off (testing)Step 11:(testing it in the bathtub)

---To test that nothing was leaking I tryed the ROV in my bathrubthe results were good but I still have some buoyancy issues to fix.

---I also checked out some places by the seaside that i could test my ROV. See the pictures.

---Good luck making one, hope you enjoyed my first instructable.I have lots of projects going on and older ones that i have to document and i will try to have them up as quick as possible.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. model sailboat in the bathtub

Image Notes1. sea

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 12: Building the lampStep 12:(the sub needs a source of light down in the depths)

---Many readers have asked me if I have any plans for adding anything more to my ROV. Yes, i have. Unfortunately i havent had all that much time to work on it, but hereis what i have been able to make in the last couple of weeks. The waterproof ROV lamp.

***Parts you'll need for the lamp***-PVC parts(i used some common fittings from a kitchen sink piping system as thats what i had available at the time and they suited the purpose of having a screwablecap with a hole for a 'window')

-Plexiglass(for the 'windows')

-sillicone sealant(to fill in those holes :P)

-rubber washers

-some wire

-tape

-a Dot-it 3LED lantern(i used one of these as it already had the circuitry readymade and it would be quicker)

-AAA batteries for the lantern

-one small switch

(sorry all the materials are not in the picture, but in later pictures you can see them)

***Tools***-pliers-cutting knife-solder set-scissors-screwdriver(phillips)

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 13: Disassembling the lanternStep 13:(getting the guts out of the LED lantern and wiring the batteries and switch)

---Since i couldn't find any other way to open the lantern i had to break the plastic open. Some models have small screws and are quite easy to open.

---Once you have opened it. You want to remove and keep the pcb with the LED's attached to it, the chrome reflector plate and the transparent plastic shield lid. The AAAbattery holder won't be neccesary. I didn't use mine as i couldnt fit it into the PVC tube.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 14: Closing up the holes, and making the windowStep 14:(making the window)

---Since my pipe had two screw on caps with holes in to connect other pipes to it, i had to block both the holes. The front one was to be the light 'window'. The other one iused the plastic transparent glasspiece that i took out of the lantern, as it fitted perfectly.

---Put a thick lining of sillicone around the inside edge of the screw on cap, and push the plastic piece into place, avoiding too much stray sillicone(keep it clean and neat:P). I figured i could use this extra pipe attatchment hole to add a mechanical arm or some other device to it. Smear some more sillicone around the screwing rings of thecap. Then screw the cap on tightly and let dry.

---Now for the lamp window.Sand the chrome light reflection plate so that it is slightly smaller than the rim of the cap.Now trace the shape of it plus 3mm extra onto the plexiglass and cut it out. Make sure it fits tightly into the cap.Then put a blob of hot glue in the center of the chrome reflector plate and stick it in the center of the plexiglass circle.Now let it dry.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 15: Wiring the electronicsStep 15:(wiring the LED's to a battery)

---Solder two wires to the PCB board to which the LED's are attatched as in the picture.

---Now Connect the AAA batteries in series by taping them together and connecting with wires. If you have a small battery holder then that would be better, but i didn'thave one.

---Connect them to the LED's and voila, we have light!

---Now cut one of the wires and solder a switch to it. This i did as i would stick the LED board to the window/plexiglass and reflector piece, so the plunging switch on itwouldnt be accessible.Put a blob of glue onto the connection point to make sure the soldering doasnt come undone.

The electronics are now ready...

Image Notes1. chrome reflector plate2. led PCB3. plexiglass window4. wire5. 3AAA

Image Notes1. connect in series

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. light, sorry it's upside down2. messy replacement of a battery holder

Image Notes1. heatshrink

Image Notes1. switch

step 16: Finishing offStep 16:(putting it togethet and closing up)

---Put some hot glue around the LED's and press them into the holes in the reflector plate. Make sure that you dont get any glue on the tops of the LED's. And let it dry.

--- Now clip off the unecessary corners of the triangular PCB, so that it fits into the tube(pipe).

---Arrange the battery inside the pipe. Put a rubber washer between the rim of the pipe and the plexiglass disc. Now fit everything inside, and screw the cap on.You'll have to open the front window to turn the light on and off.

---Later im considering adding a light resistor to the circuit so that it turns on and off depending on the light conditions.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Image Notes1. hot glue

Image Notes1. rubber washer should go here, between the plexiglass and rim of the pipe.2. clipped off corners3. battery and switch

Image Notes1. ready for a test dive

step 17: Photos of the lampStep 17:(the step that you watch and enjoy :D)

Here are some underwater pics of the lamp, including some underwater pics of my ROV in my bathtub...yeah, sorry i havent yet been able to get to a pool. But the ballastproblems have been solved, simply by turning the ROV upside down in the water, all i need to do now is add a little bit more weight to the top so it gets neutral weight.

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 18: ROV updateHere are a few things i have done to the ROV in the last week.

-Added a frame to the top/bottom (top in the water, bottom on land)-Bought a sealed lead-acid 12V battery (it came withought a charger, anyone know how i could charge it?)-Made some havy PVC weights (pvc pipes with metal in them) to strap to the bottom of the ROV for buoyancy ballance-Bought some relays (turned out to be the wrong kind) and 3 way switches to make a control box.-Made the control box (pic's are coming soon)-And this saturday i'm going to do the maiden vayage in my friends' pool..video's will be coming :D

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

step 19: ROV test in poolFinally i have managed to test the ROV.(thanks Ben, Zac and Kat ;P)And it was awesome!!Never expected that 6 months of work would give me such a good result.Well here are the pics, and the video both from onboard the ROV, from the surface and from my underwater camera.;) enjoy

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

Related InstructablesAdvertisementsMake Magazine Special Offer

Comments50 comments Add Comment view all 152 comments

 djsandra says:  May 22, 2009. 7:32 PM  REPLYOne more question:Where is the video from the camera displayed?Thanx

 daniel2008 says:  May 22, 2009. 10:17 PM  REPLYon my laptop-as webcam video feed

 djsandra says:  May 22, 2009. 7:26 PM  REPLYI have 3 questions:How do you control this?How much do the parts (without camera) cost?What type of camera do you recommend for this?

 daniel2008 says:  May 22, 2009. 10:10 PM  REPLY1: using simple wire to motor controlling, and reversing the current by using 3 way switches. if you need a diagram/schematic i can send you one.2: The pvc frame will be from 10-50$ depending on where and what quality you buy. There are of course cheaper and easier frames to make. Easiestwould be a cubic frame. The motors(waterproof) are bilge pumps-look them up on ebay, they are prob the most expensive and you need a minimum of 3for full directional control. They could cost anything from 15-50$ depending on the power/thrust output. Switches, and wires would prob cost around 10$-20$ altogether. Then add another 10$ for small parts and pieces.3:Well, i used a web camera with extended usb cable to the surface.The quality of the video isn't amazing, but it's good enough for me. Just keep in mindthat the longer the cable the more loss of signal you'll have, i haven't really tested how long the webcam can transmit signal but i have a 10m cable andthe video is still good quality*(same as normal cable).Other camera options would be to get a phidgets board with a camera module, which would also allow you to add sensors such as pressure andtemperature, or a digital compass. The phidgets board would transmit all the signals throught 2 cables only with an internal power source for the boardsuch as a 9v battery. The board could also act as a motor controller and if you can program/code you'd be able to create a software to control the sub viayoure laptop.I would also advise you to visit homebuiltrovs.com for an excellent guide to building an rov.

 ReCreate says:  May 22, 2009. 7:51 PM  REPLYYou can Charge Lead Acid batts With Any supply of 11-14V DC,Lead acid Batteries are the Type that tolerate Being Overcharged the most.So To Fully Charge it Leave it with 11-14V For about 4-8 Hours,Or Overnight.

 ReCreate says:  May 22, 2009. 7:54 PM  REPLYNot To Mention,Don't listen to Any other comments about that below,they are Wrong.

 ReCreate says:  May 22, 2009. 7:55 PM  REPLYAt LEast Some are wrong.

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 16, 2009. 5:59 AM  REPLYanyone have an idea of how to charge a sealed lead acid battery like in the pictures i uploaded above?...its a 12V, 7Ah/20HR rechargeable battery.

 ReCreate says:  May 22, 2009. 7:52 PM  REPLYLook Above for my comment,Also,This Battery Should Last Aprox 6.5 Longer than AA

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

 pauls_boat says:  Apr 21, 2009. 8:20 AM  REPLYjust buy a cheap car charger from wall mart or pet boys it will work fine

 awang8 says:  Jan 16, 2009. 7:42 PM  REPLYWell, for trickle charging (that takes forever) you can use a 12v solar panel but if you plan on charging it alot, get a SLA charger off ebay or radio shackor something. Plus, the battery charger is cheaper than the solar panel.

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 16, 2009. 11:49 PM  REPLYoh ok, yeah i'll do that, or try charging it using a 12V wall adapter...

 awang8 says:  Jan 17, 2009. 3:19 AM  REPLYI wouldn't do that if I was you...

1. It's trickle charging. It going to take hours to charge up that battery.

2. Even if you got the right voltage (15v) it's going to keep charging even when it's full so it over charges and needs and vent then you gotta findsome way of opening up the SLA and putting the caps back on.

 ReCreate says:  May 22, 2009. 7:54 PM  REPLYHow Is it trickle charging?And Charging it With 15V Wil Just Charge it quickly and Shorten its life,Slow,Over night charging is Much Better.

 BOOJAN says:  May 1, 2009. 8:11 AM  REPLYI really like this rov, i like to build one, but i don't have where to use it....nice project daniel

 pauls_boat says:  Apr 21, 2009. 8:16 AM  REPLYhow do you make it go up and down?great project I am thinking of making one but it will be used from a boat (i live on a sail boat in puerto rico) so what was the coment about using it in saltwater about?

i allready have a underwater camera from harbour frieght cost around $50 which is great as it had built in lights and goes down up to 60 feet, thay only havethe camera complet with monitor for $100,http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91309all in all a great project

 jtlax says:  Apr 19, 2009. 3:17 PM  REPLYhow much will everything end up costing and how long did this take u 2 build? great work by the way

 LED master22 says:  Apr 12, 2009. 11:47 PM  REPLYjust as a side note, on the overview page of where u got your cable wraped up, you shouldnt do that.....

in a cat 5 cable, the wires have few copper strands , so if broken or comboboliated (?) it would cost lots to fix...

but VERY nice instructable......will be making one

 daniel2008 says:  Apr 13, 2009. 9:15 AM  REPLYhappy that you like it :)well if the cable gets brittle(which it wont unless i use it in saltwater alot which i'n not doing) then there might be danger of it breaking inside, but as i'musing it in pools and freshwater right now it wont be a problem-most homemade ROV's use cat5 which is coiled...

 LED master22 says:  Apr 18, 2009. 11:18 PM  REPLY

o i got ya, sorry, lmao has been a while since i got the right wires and everything, lmao i only 14.._ but as i said, i REALLY congradulate you on thismagnificent project, and give you many thanks for the fresh ideas that await me!plz keep me posted on and fresh ideas or mods you think of...

-austin

 dall89115 says:  Feb 17, 2009. 11:42 AM  REPLYBTW: Forgot to mention, GREAT JOB.Using Cat5 and USB, you should be able to go to about 100' of cable length. (I wouldn't try for 100' of depth though, as the water pressure would crusheverything.) More than about 30' of cable would probably put a lot of current draw on your USB port, so I'd recommend using an externally powered USBhub. There are 12 volt adapters for powering the hub, allowing it to be powered from your 12 volt battery.I couldn't see the battery location in the picts. Is it kept top side and the power sent via a power cord to the ROV? The word sealed on the battery means thatit doesn't have removable caps for replacing the water/acid. It still has a vent for gases to escape. Submerging the battery would leak acid into the water and

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

ruin the battery unless it were enclosed in a waterproof compartment.

 drbill says:  Apr 13, 2009. 2:13 PM  REPLYWater pressure would crush everything Unless all the air voids were filled with OIL. I had occasion to see a japanese ROV out here in Hawai'i.Everything was filled with an oil and as we all know air can be compressed liqued cannot.

 daniel2008 says:  Apr 14, 2009. 9:42 AM  REPLYwell thats not true, the pressure doasn;t crush it, as long as it's made from pressure resistant materials, ofcourse theres a limit to how deep it cango...but i'm not exceeding that limit... :)

 drbill says:  Apr 14, 2009. 9:53 AM  REPLYYes. True. The japanese go down thousands of feet with their machines being oil filled and all. I'm talking MEGA Depths.

 daniel2008 says:  Apr 14, 2009. 10:18 AM  REPLYwell my rov won;t be crushed as it's not going so deep, you dont need oil immersion unless youre heading for deeper than like 700m

 drbill says:  Apr 14, 2009. 10:25 AM  REPLYO.K. ! I'm Just Saying. I can see this is not something that an oceanographer or a commercial operation would use.

However. Good job anyway. You made me want to try and scale it up, use waterproof switches and stuff so I can ride the thing in saltwater with S.C.U.B.A.73's

 daniel2008 says:  Mar 12, 2009. 7:07 AM  REPLYthanks, yeah, the battery is on surface, would add alot of weight if i put it on the ROV, and that would also mean running the power through the cableeven if it was in the sub unless i made a relay system, which i won't be doing in the near future...I am aiming at about 15m depth but still havent tested it in anything but a 2.5 m pool, i'm kind of doubtful about trying it in the sea, since the water is saltyand it might damage the motors if it gets into them and freshwater lakes are scarce where i live, the few that exist dont have very clear water either.

 BJCK1990 says:  Apr 6, 2009. 3:07 PM  REPLYMany people have asked if it was possible to use an arduino microcontroller to control the motors. Is this possible. With an arduino motor shield(http://www.ladyada.net/make/mshield/) is only capable up supplying up to 36 volts, but most bilge pumps draw several amps. Can the arduino motor shieldsupply this amperage?

 QuiksilverRox says:  Apr 6, 2009. 4:39 PM  REPLYI would think relays are the way to go.

 airfreak2 says:  Mar 9, 2009. 6:48 PM  REPLYcool to get it to sub murge did you just have propellers push down or did it realese air?it ws so cool!

 daniel2008 says:  Mar 12, 2009. 7:02 AM  REPLYto submerge the ROV uses one of its 3 motors, the motor is vertically directioned so that it can push up and down.

 airfreak2 says:  Mar 9, 2009. 6:50 PM  REPLYoh ijust thought. could you post what the camera sees?

 daniel2008 says:  Mar 11, 2009. 7:15 AM  REPLYyeah, when i get round to it, the problem is that when i edit the video recorded by the camera the picture/video gets all messed up, I think it's a problemwith my video codecs...but i'll try to get some video up

 hellow123 says:  Feb 16, 2009. 5:54 PM  REPLYWhere did you get your props and motor

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

 daniel2008 says:  Feb 18, 2009. 5:56 AM  REPLYthe props i bought on ebayand the motors i bought in Norway at a hardware store..but you can look them up on ebay, search for 'bilge pumps'

 dall89115 says:  Feb 17, 2009. 11:24 AM  REPLYI just did a google on your battery. (It is a Korean labeled, made in China battery) As I suspected, it is a motorcycle battery. Any 12 volt motorcycle (orautomobile) battery charger will charge it. If you are in the U. S., the cheapest charger from Walmart or K-Mart will work fine.

 Yuinyo says:  Jan 25, 2009. 1:48 PM  REPLYYou inspired me to make one and i can also write this off as a school project thanks!

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 30, 2009. 10:36 AM  REPLYoh cool, well put some pics up when you finish and keep us updated with how it's going

 awang8 says:  Jan 21, 2009. 3:08 PM  REPLYCool! It looks great in the pool!

PS: Is that you in the step 19 picture?

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 21, 2009. 8:42 PM  REPLYthanks :D, no...thats my brother

 awang8 says:  Jan 22, 2009. 6:05 PM  REPLYOk...

He kinda looks like my friend...

 nikv95 says:  Jan 13, 2009. 3:41 PM  REPLYwhat kind of wire do you use to connect the camera to the laptop and where do you get it

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 17, 2009. 7:10 AM  REPLYcat 5 cable, can be bought at most hardware stores

 nikv95 says:  Jan 17, 2009. 9:00 AM  REPLYthanks

 cuinhollyw0od says:  Jan 15, 2009. 12:01 PM  REPLYI am considering building an ROV of my own. I was wondering how you dealt with pressure and bouyancy and if your model is able to work in open water likethe ocean.

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 16, 2009. 5:16 AM  REPLYThats cool, but it's going to cost quite a bit to make though. Well, the pressure d epends on depth, and the deeper you go the more resistant yourelectronics housings will have to be. The hardest part will be the camera case and the 'window' for the camera to see through. When you design yourROV you have to take care to make the bottom heavier than the top, so that it sits the right way up in the water. You should make it neutrally buoyant, orslight positive buoyant in case the tether gets cut, so that it can float up to the surface for retrieval. And, yes, the ROV can operate in seawater. But irecommend using it in freshwater, incase if a leak....good luck making :D

 awang8 says:  Jan 8, 2009. 2:29 AM  REPLYNext year when I'm finished retrofitting my ROV (yes, I haven't finished and I already made retrofitting plans) I'm going to use a Phidgets. For some reason Ialready finished my program... boy, that was abit strange.

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 8, 2009. 9:43 AM  REPLYi just checked phidgets out, it's awesome, i mean they even have pressure sensors...which would enable you to measure depth...and proximity sensorsand tons more...i'll have to start saving ...they arent so cheap :P

http://www.instructables.com/id/ROV_submersible_PVC/

 awang8 says:  Jan 13, 2009. 4:19 PM  REPLYOh, I tried programming a Phidgets input and before I even wrote 1 line of VB code I gave up. I mean... What goes after Private Sub?

 daniel2008 says:  Jan 8, 2009. 9:50 AM  REPLYthe IR distance and sonar sensors could be very useful, temperature, motion and light sensors too...and the accelerometer would be awesome to have.It would be great to be able to get all the sensor information in the form of video overlay so it canbe saved in one video file alltogether. Got to try to find a sponsor or something :( this stuff is really expensive...

view all 152 comments