Need some expert advice

[Jack McGinnigalParticipant @jackmcginnigal99170]

Hello there,  I am a student at Glasgow Caledonian University and im currently working on a project to design a battery operated boat that has a solar panel attached to recharge the batteries (obviously).  I was wondering if anyone would mind taking the time to use there expertise and help me by letting me know some materials that are used in creating hulls?  (Preferably plastic for injection moulding purposes)  and if anyone has experience in fitting electrics into boats? Im currently considering making slot bays for the components so little of the electrics have to be screwed down and was wondering if this is a feesable solution

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated I am searching the internet aswell but I understand that there must be alot of expertise here within the members of this site and any help would be seriously appreciated.  Any questions or any other information leave me replies and I will get back to you.

 

Thank you  

 

Jack

 

[Jack McGinnigalParticipant @jackmcginnigal99170]

[60wattParticipant @60watt]

Hi Jack.

From the Scottish Federation of Model Boat Clubs website you may get another perspective.

http://www.sfmbc.net/page127.html

Glasgow Richmond members mould some of their own hulls but details are sketchy.

 

I seem to remember a similar post with some students done here way using solar and clockwork.Who can link to it?

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

How big a boat are you contemplating? and does it need to be remote controlled? I have seen some dinky little solar powered craft, but they are very small and non-controlled. Solar panels are very heavy for a boat (the ones I have seen anyway) and thus you need a large hull, or get creative and use for instance expanded polystyrene, or even be very clever and make a mould and mould some expanded polystyrene into a nice boat shape, a catamaran for instance….hang on…we have had this discussion before !!!  on another post….the trouble then was that the previous postee did not make his criteria very clear,and  so we all was talking at cross purposes…..   Ashley

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

First things needed are a good set of Brain Cells, though where one could obtain them ?? do Howes sell them ?

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Der, ive never fownd a gud suply of brane sells.

[Mike DavidsonParticipant @mikedavidson22772]

Len old chum if you need a supply of brain cells, go to thre house of commonsThere’s loads there, bound to be in excellent condition as they have never been used, as far as the solar cell powered boat is concerned, solar cells are essentially low power devices. I bought a pair from CPC to power a transistor radio in my greenhouseit works, but only just I can only hear the radio when the cells are in direct sunlight The essence of solar cells is that they will charge a battery eventually after being attached for a long timethe battery can then discharge the accumulated powerreasonably powerfully where the solar cell can only provide milliamps in a continuous application. You are at university, get some of the electronic boffins tO GIVE YOU THE FACTS over how much CURRENT YOU Can COUNT ON< and apply that to how much current your motor needs. goodness, I feel a thesis coming on.. My own figures say that to drive a very small radio, I need a solar cell about a foot square in bright sunlight, just remember this, if your boat is in the middle of the pond, and a cloud comes over, you are going paddling.

Work it out, that’s my advice.   …………………………………………………………………………..Mike D

[glennParticipant @glenn]

hello jack, 

firstly have a look at  ’Hunter systems’ web site, they make a kit for a solar powered boat. i have delt with them often & im sure an email to them would result in useful imformation.

I would opt for a catamaran hull as they give less drag & would require a smaller motor to drive it.

ABS plastic is possible to use to injection mould a hull although i would opt for using vaccum forming the hull from a sheet of abs( known as plastic card in modelling).

Using the solar cells to charge the battery sounds interesting but its going to depend on the output of the cell & the capacity of the battery on how effective it will be.thats y i would go for the catamaran hull to allow yourself to use the smallest amount of energy to drive the boat.

u can make a seperate compartment inside the boat to hold the electronics & keep them away from the water, as some water always seems to get in to the hull throught the propellor shaft.

Hope this helps, 

cheers Glenn

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Jacdk….are you still there or have you fallen overboard?? Are there any criteria for this design?   Ashley

[Mike DavidsonParticipant @mikedavidson22772]

Man Overboard!!!     Drop a Dan Buoy     thirty degrees of starboard rudder   steer the reciprocal of your last course    dead slow ahead

[Jack McGinnigalParticipant @jackmcginnigal99170]

Hey guys sorry that I havn’t been back on in ages!! been working hard and havn’t had a chance to reply.

 

Right specifications for the boat:

 

Dimensions 200mm long and a maximum width of 100mm. 

 

 

Electronics:

 

The solar panels recharge the batteries but are not directly linked to the motor itself.

 

Motor size? and the battery size still has to be researched but I have no expertise on that atm so that will be looked into.

 

 

The remote control wont be considered just the electronics for an IR reciever.

 

The material for the hull should be some form of polymer or resin casting.

 

Hope this helps thank you for the hunter systems tip im looking at it right now.

 

 

 

 

 

[Len OchiltreeParticipant @lenochiltree67043]

Hi Jack.

 

200mm thats 8″ in old money! thats very small. But ! have a look at Hunters they do a solar boat Kit about that size including a Solar panel giving 4 Volts and solar motor.

 

Len.

[60wattParticipant @60watt]

Hi Jack.

Have you found the info you were looking for?

 

The nearest model boat club are due to start weekend meetings according to their website.If you put the questions you placed here you might be surprised what turns up.

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