Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

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Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°1

Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Tue May 24, 2011 8:02 am

My Thunder Tiger Neptune Mk3, now fitted with a Robbe F-14 radio.

The latest version of the Neptune is a much better boat with far superior build quality to the original versions...they have uprated the electronics such as the power distribution board(which was the Achilles Heel of the earlier ones) a higher power esc with heatsink, and an uprated ballast pump controller as standard.

Mine now literally hovers underwater with just an inch of periscope visible...I use the term 'periscope' lightly, mine are just sections of an old telescopic car radio aerial, just to give me something to follow when running just under the surface.

The clear dome in between the two 'scopes' is in fact a red HiViz UltraBrite 10mm flashing LED, run from an ACTion Electronics Pico flasher unit, totally sealed in epoxy resin, and powered by a four cell 1000a/h battery pack.

Next modification is to install two forward facing LED floodlamps and an onboard video camera in the clear nose cone, and maybe a couple of crew figures.

Last edited by Richard(Admin) on Thu Jun 02, 2011 2:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°2

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Wed May 25, 2011 1:23 pm

I thought I'd try out the Thunder Tiger 3 LED floodlamp...although it's designed for r/c 1/8th scale helicopters, I figured it may be ok for the Neptune. See pic below.

I ordered it yesterday from Sussex Model Centre for £19.99.. LAMP INFO HERE and it arrived this morning.

Upon opening the box, I found four bags full of components...the main body(made from what looks like to be a section from a carbon fibre fishing rod)two bundles of pre connected wiring, a piece of 1/16th laser cut plywood, an assortment of plastic mounting brackets, a bag full of screws, nuts and bolts, the lens cap and the end cap complete with an on/off switch, also pre wired. The three LED's are in a separate bag, also pre wired, so no soldering required at all. Also included is an instruction/assembly leaflet, written in excellent Chinglish!

Ten minutes saw the whole lamp assembled, it's that easy...next is work out where on the Neptune to mount it, and also how to waterproof it.

Watch this space...more later.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°3

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Thu May 26, 2011 10:56 am

The floodlamp is now modified and installed.

I removed nearly 1" from the length of the case, did away with the on/off switch...that wasn't needed as it now connects to a 9v PP3 battery, and waterproofed the housing with epoxy resin.

It is a bit low, but it should clear anything the Neptune settles on by about 1/4"...anyway, it'll teach me to submerge on a level plane.

Next job...an onboard video camera and I'm fancying the idea of a remote grab arm, operated by radio.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°4

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Fri May 27, 2011 3:39 pm

Well, disaster overtook the TT floodlamp...I hooked up the battery pack, and the LED's literally exploded...shouldn't have done that.

So, I've made my own higher power floodlamp...the LED section is from an old torch and now has eight HiPower lights, the case I haven't a clue what it was, but it fitted a treat, so I used it, with the addition of a rubber bellow to seal the exit hole for the power lead. It just needs a quick touch of paint to finish it off nicely.

The support brackets are the original helicopter mounts, just altered here and there to suit the Neptune's nose cone. The whole thing is now mounted rigidly, much better that the original one.

It's been in the sink for half an hour and is bone dry, so the last job is to cover the 3 AA cell battery pack with heat shrink tube, and the job is done.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

tattooed

tattooed: Number 1 Son; Posts: 89
Join date: 2011-05-16
Age: 48
Location: Bristol

Post n°5

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

tattooed on Fri May 27, 2011 6:04 pm

All you need Rich is a stand to put her on, looks very good

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°6

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Fri May 27, 2011 6:35 pm

Getting there now, mate...the floodlight and the flashing beacon work from the same battery pack now, so that's handy.

The operating grab arm is going to be fun...

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°7

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Sat May 28, 2011 11:15 am

I forgot about the grab arm going on later, so had to change the nose cone round, dead easy on the Neptune.

Here she is with the floodlamp fitted properly now, and another pic with the lights on. Ignore the wiring, it'll be tidied up later.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°8

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:03 pm

The onboard 808 video camera has just arrived...now to make the housing.

And here is the prototype housing...the detachable end is from an old torch and the housing is the tail cone of one of the now redundant Biber torpedo mouldings. The camera is simply pushed into the housing, two pieces of foam wedge it in place and then a couple of turns of plastic insulating tape hold it all together.

Just a quick release mount to make up, a coat of black paint, and the job's done.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°9

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:09 am

The modified housing, now incorporating a wedge made from 3mm styrene sheet to level the camera up when it's fitted to the hull, otherwise the camera was pointing out away from the front of the boat.

First pic shows the component parts...the housing, the camera and the lens cover.

Next pic shows the camera in position in the housing, held safely in place by strips of self adhesive foam rubber tape.

Last pic shows the fully assembled housing with the camera inside. The whole unit measures just 4.5" long (110mm in new money) and weighs virtually nothing.

It just needs a quick spray over with black paint, and then I have to devise a method of attaching the whole thing to the Neptune's hull, but ensuring that it can be removed easily and quickly to turn it on/off.

_________________
"number one...periscope depth if you please"

Richard(Admin)

Richard(Admin): Admin; Posts: 1377
Join date: 2010-11-05
Age: 62
Location: Sussex, UK

Post n°10

Re: Thunder Tiger Neptune, uprated version.

Richard(Admin) on Thu Jun 02, 2011 2:10 pm

The mounting is made...

The actual bracket was in it's former life a glass door support from my old tv cabinet (never throw anything away...) simply screwed and glued to the lower hull. The wedge on the housing slides through the bracket and is held in place by the two large headed, short shanked grub screws.

The whole camera housing can be released and refitted in seconds, but it's a solid as a rock when fitted.