Help a poor nitro guy convert to batteries LOL

[zboter1]

If I was to build a tunnel.

what size hull would be a good choice? 21 or 45

How many cells?

Should I eliminate BEC?

Is there a waterproof speed controller so I would be able to run it outside of radio box with batteries to eliminate any more penetrations through radio box ect.

Would my barracuda 80 be a good starting point?

What kind of a brushless motor should a guy start with?

Nothing personal but most electric guys are super secret with motor sizes and such. Electric would take off much better if we were a little more free with info. Remember just because you have the right stuff does not mean you will be able to use it to it's full capacity. This is supposed to be for fun.

 

[David Kingston]

No secrets here with setups.

Firstly those guys who dont say much about their setups keep quiet because kids and the average hack will often try put that in their boat and the end result will be smoke. So they have good reason to not say much.

But here is what i run in my tunnel.

Villain S1

12cells 4200's and testing 4s lipo but need more weight 4s/2p would be good but here in Australia we have weight limits so parallel is not possible.

motor nue 1515/1y, 1515/2.5D, hacker8XL

All good and speeds from 70kmph to 55kmph.

I would forget about the barra 80.

get something bigger.

125. Even the hydra 120 or for a few more bucks the 240 hydro.

Plenty of AMPS to play with then.

i use a 120 MGM-compro and its fantastic.

Props range from 440 - 442. 445. (usually just nitro OBT props are used with my setups)

Eliminating the BEC depends on the ESC.

I use OPTO ESC's and therfore have to run a receiver pack. Never liked not using a receiver pack.

Hull size.

Well depends on what you want to power it with.

Personally i use my villain as it is what i had but 4s lipo its freaking quick and on the limit of the hull at 28inch.

I would look at 4s 30 - 32inch boats.

of you go 6s 35 - 38 inch boats.

getting an OBT tunnel hull that size might be hard, best bet is to build your own.

others might think different.

Use to run the boat on 16 3700 cells with a 10XL and it was quicker than most 3.5 nitro. So there are plenty of great reliable setups for tunnels. Just have to figure out what you want to spend on the project.

There is a thread about TS2 boats with aqua craft motors on here that would be a good read also.

David

 

[zboter1]

No secrets here with setups.Firstly those guys who dont say much about their setups keep quiet because kids and the average hack will often try put that in their boat and the end result will be smoke. So they have good reason to not say much.

But here is what i run in my tunnel.

Villain S1

12cells 4200's and testing 4s lipo but need more weight 4s/2p would be good but here in Australia we have weight limits so parallel is not possible.

motor nue 1515/1y, 1515/2.5D, hacker8XL

All good and speeds from 70kmph to 55kmph.

I would forget about the barra 80.

get something bigger.

125. Even the hydra 120 or for a few more bucks the 240 hydro.

Plenty of AMPS to play with then.

i use a 120 MGM-compro and its fantastic.

Props range from 440 - 442. 445. (usually just nitro OBT props are used with my setups)

Eliminating the BEC depends on the ESC.

I use OPTO ESC's and therfore have to run a receiver pack. Never liked not using a receiver pack.

Hull size.

Well depends on what you want to power it with.

Personally i use my villain as it is what i had but 4s lipo its freaking quick and on the limit of the hull at 28inch.

I would look at 4s 30 - 32inch boats.

of you go 6s 35 - 38 inch boats.

getting an OBT tunnel hull that size might be hard, best bet is to build your own.

others might think different.

Use to run the boat on 16 3700 cells with a 10XL and it was quicker than most 3.5 nitro. So there are plenty of great reliable setups for tunnels. Just have to figure out what you want to spend on the project.

There is a thread about TS2 boats with aqua craft motors on here that would be a good read also.

David

Thanks Paul

 

[D. Newland]

Nothing personal but most electric guys are super secret with motor sizes and such. Electric would take off much better if we were a little more free with info. Remember just because you have the right stuff does not mean you will be able to use it to it's full capacity. This is supposed to be for fun.

Not taken as a personal comment, Z. But, to say that most of us are super secret is inaccurate. I haven't come across a fellow boater yet that wasn't willing to pop the hatch. After all, just with Nitro, the motor by itself is dang near meaningless when it comes to a successful racing program.

For some reason, tunnels haven't become as popular in FE as they have in Nitro. Not sure why. Maybe they appear to be more vulnerable to water with all the electronics, etc. We're starting to see some momentum with a club spec class, but that's about it.

Anyway, I can give you some other power options as a baseline.

If you're looking at a hull 26" or under, you can go with 6 cells NiMH or 2S1P 5000 MAH LiPo's, Nemesis 7L motor and an X440 prop. Castle 120 Hydra. You can take this up a notch and go with a Neu motor, 2S2P 10,000 MAH Lipos and a Castle 240 Hydra.

If your looking at a larger hull, maybe up to 32 inches, 12 cells NiMH or 4S1p 5000 mah LiPo's, 8XL Nemesis motor and an X440 prop. Castle 120 Hydra. You can take this up a notch and go with a Neu motor, 4S2P 10,000 mah Lipos and a Castle 240 Hydra.

 

[zboter1]

electronics is a big concern of mine.

Lets start with the motor. Just how much damage is done to a brushless motor that is wet ect.

like just water from other boats ect. while running?

or if you flip, do you dry motor out or just keep on running?

Of course if boat is upside down and running? does this ruin your whole set up?

Thanks again for the help. Paul

 

[David Kingston]

electronics is a big concern of mine.
Lets start with the motor. Just how much damage is done to a brushless motor that is wet ect.

like just water from other boats ect. while running?

or if you flip, do you dry motor out or just keep on running?

Of course if boat is upside down and running? does this ruin your whole set up?

Thanks again for the help. Paul

Paul a few answers to your questions.

Wet motor damage - brushless, none really. Just dry it out and re-oil the bearings. Compressed air inside the motor works wonders to get water out quickly. I sometimes flush my XL motors with electrical contact cleaner. Never noticed any problems. Just dry the motor out after the days running. Cheap motor have bearings go south on them fast. More expensive motors bearings last a long time.

If i flip my boat i bring it in, drain the water from motor, check for any damage to hull, stearing and other running gear. If its practice i then just put light oil on the bearings then throw the boat back out there again.

Main things that dont like water are the radio and the ESC. Keep them dry. Having a good water tight radio box is a must with a tunnel as sooner or later it will go upside down.

David

 

[D. Newland]

motor gets wet-no problem. Compressed air, WD-40, etc. shake it out, run it, no problem.

Speed controllers are a little more sensitive. Most good boat controllers have a conformal coating on them to keep them alive if they get splashed, but they should be dried off before running again.

That said, I bet we all have had a controller go south on us from being wet. Sometimes on a flipped boat the esc will glitch/run for a second or so and if it's wet, it may get damaged. Using good controllers with good warranties with good USA repair shops is a good thing.

I have an older Hacker 77 controller that is completely encapsulated in rubber at the factory. I bet that thing will run underwater and something like that may be a good candidate for an electric tunnel.

With monos/sport hydros/hydros, the boat hatches are taped down and the inside of the hull is air/water tight. Even a flip will amount to no/virtually no water inside on a well set up boat if the hull wasn't breached due to a collision/etc.

 

[zboter1]

How are we running the wires from the radio box to batteries. speed controller ect through box and keeping them sealed?

silicone is not the answer to me, for a quik fix to make a final maby

Does some one make a conector that would be able to mount through the radio box like a bulkhead fitting but only have a conductor through it and a conector that would plug into it ect. Make any sense?

seams like most guys do not like to run plugs ect. continuious wire and solder at motor directly to controler ect.

Is this because of current drop through conectors or somthing. Keep in mind I am not an electrical engineer. LOL

Also would like to thank every one again for the help Paul

 

[Andrewg]

Does some one make a conector that would be able to mount through the radio box like a bulkhead fitting but only have a conductor through it and a conector that would plug into it ect. Make any sense?

'A lot of sense

Most people try and run the esc as far as possible from FM recievers. DSM receivers are far more immune to radio freq interference from escs

Continuous wire and solder joints are more reliable than plugs, especially if plugs are not kept in good condition i.e. tight and clean. Use big plugs from reputable suppliers such as Lehner Neu & Schulze - plugs that look a like often have very little else in common especially current carrying capability. As a rule of thumb the larger diameter, heavier plug is better.

There is a through bulkhead plug that can be made Neu makes plugs for battery ends - male and female -(see bottom of this page http://www.fastelectrics.com/batteries.asp ) all you need do is solder male and female plugs, back to back - and you have an easy to mount (epoxy) through bulkhead connector.