Penetrator Panel Removal Hack?

General Discussion
1

Hi All

I’ve recently built the BlueRov2 and find removing the penetrator panels for the battery and the electronics quite difficult (and hard on the finger nails!).

I don’t want to use a tool to pry them open as concerned it will damage the acrylic tubes so tried using the pressure pump to aid removal. This seems to work well (so long as you don’t apply too much pressure!) but wondered if I may damage any components doing this?

Any Advice much appreciated.

2

Hi!
Beware of the pressure, I sent a tube into the wall crushing the dome when it loosend…
Better tip in this post:

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3

Thanks Bo and exactly the same thing happened to me so should have provided more info to warn others.
Fortunately my enclosure tube only travelled a few inches before impacting a pc monitor - so soft landing😅
This was only after a few pumps of the pressure pump though so doesn’t take much.
Will try the solution you mention but concerned this may cause wear on the threads if I do this every time I change out a battery?

4

I doubt the you are trying to do it with the vent still on and pressurized?
But the reason for me asking is I’ve seen folks attempting it like this.

Try pumping some positive pressure in to the tube by reversing the hand pump action.
Make sure the locking cord is out.

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5

Thanks Scott and yes that’s correct.

So just in case anyone wants to do this I do the following:

  1. Reverse the hand pump output selector to positive pressure (not vacuum).
  2. Remove the locking cord from the end cap/penetrator panel you want to remove (keep the other end locking cord installed).
  3. Attach only a single tube to the hand pump and insert the other end into the open pressure valve on the end cap/penetrator panel you want to remove.
  4. Only give 2-3 hand pumps and then remove the end cap manually - do not try remove end cap by hand pumping only (see previous posts in this thread!).
  5. If it is still too hard to remove the end cap try one more single hand pump - you can repeat as necessary but wise to check something isn’t obstructing the end cap or its jammed somehow as should only take 2-3 hand pumps (Ed. insert maximum recommended pos pressure here).

I have found this procedure really (really) useful for replacing the battery and believe it’s safer in terms of risk of damaging to the BlueROV (and finger nails) and repeated stress on the penetrators/cabling.

My only concern would be with over pressurising the electronics enclosure and damaging some components (eg. pressure sensors). So need to be cautious and really only needs a little positive pressure but will add those details. when I next try it.

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