Budget Ballast

[ERIEWRECKDIVER]

Using 1 1/4" PVC pipe with end caps. I found that you can slide three 1/2" sticks of rebar inside. So my ballast costs less than $5.00 and making weight adjustments will be very easy by just adding or removing sticks. Plus balancing the ballast is very easy.

My frame costs have remained under $35.00. Project is still on budget. I should get my props this week and I can start vertical dive testing.

[derelicte]

Definitely cheap. the only issue is it rusts. I went with stainless rod because I have a flooded frame with the ballast located in the frame. I don't want rusty water staining my pool, car, bench, etc. after use.

If you have sealed ballast tanks, then I could see this working but I tried to reduce the number of components in my design.

[ERIEWRECKDIVER]

Yea I thought about rust. I'll let you know if it becomes an issue. But it is a good point. I know that you do most of your testing in your pool. I MAY not have to worry about it to much in a Koi pond. But I will keep a weather eye. I'm just always fighting budget, so this was a very easy and cheap way to do it. Steve used plated washers, but that could really get expensive, even at 3 cents each. Plus I plan on using this ROV in Lake Erie and a little rust is no problem.

[thegadgetguy]

To keep steel ballast from rusting, some people like to dip there components in that plasti-dip stuff. It comes out looking like the coatings on some tool handles. I don't think it's too expensive either.

[derelicte]

that would work pretty well.

great idea!

[derelicte]

Yea I thought about rust. I'll let you know if it becomes an issue. But it is a good point. I know that you do most of your testing in your pool. I MAY not have to worry about it to much in a Koi pond. But I will keep a weather eye. I'm just always fighting budget, so this was a very easy and cheap way to do it. Steve used plated washers, but that could really get expensive, even at 3 cents each. Plus I plan on using this ROV in Lake Erie and a little rust is no problem.

We live in an extremely corrosive environment. Rebar would rust just sitting in my garage. Additionally the water I use the rov in is salty (salt water pool and river). The plasti-dip trick would work, though.

Ultimately the stainless rod wasn't too expensive. I think I paid less than $10 for it and used about half of it.

[ERIEWRECKDIVER]

Both ideas are great. But if the stainless is really that cheap. What the heck. Where did you get stainless rod?

[derelicte]

Where did you get stainless rod?

ace hardware. came in a 1' length.

[ERIEWRECKDIVER]

Great, I will check it out. Thanks.

Second Vertical Dive testing today. Everything went great. Once again thanks for the prop info. I couldn't be happier.

[Unorthodox]

yeah, plastidip or just any old paint, especially oil based. Its not like your ballast is subject to great stress or friction, so long as you have a layer between it and the water it should outlast most parts on your ROV