Does Voltage make a huge difference?

[ryan]

I am partaking in the 2011 MATE competition, as is the majority of this board. I competed in 2009, and we had an ROV that performed all tasks quickly in practice, but competition day we lost our main video feed to an unknown cause...

what do you recommend as the best waterproofing method? does voltage fluctuations make a big difference (Mate claims that the ROVER class battery is as much as 12.7 volts when fully charged but if it is a regular car battery, I know it would be much more than that)? This 12.7 Volts is higher than the 6V-12V range the camera's support. If a regulator IS required, I would like to know where I could get a printable circuit, because our team is just starting TODAY. I plan to get some PVC for the body, and order the bilge pumps this weekend. Camera's need to probably be in by wednesday for practicing purposes. This is what I was thinking, emerged almost to the lens in epoxy, and encased in a PVC pressure cap with a Plexiglas window sealed correctly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wired-Color-Mini-Pi ... 2504wt_913

Is this a good camera choice. Would .2 LUX be too dark?

[sthone]

You have to remember you will have some voltage drop over your tether so you should be fine. I have tested some of those cheap cameras and wasn't really impressed with them. You have to remember your camera is your main eyes underwater so it's best to spend a little more of your budget and get the best one you can.

-Steve