We have a need for a radio control catamaran about a metre long to take a bathymetric transducer around for some river bottom mapping that we need done - we can make the boat ourselves easily but but we need a plug and play radio control kit and controller that we can connect a pair of T200 thrusters to - we are very time poor at the moment so we need something that we can quickly just install and get running. Does anyone have any suggestions? Needs to be able to control each motor independantly for manouvering in tight spaces.
Something like this should work with the thruster commander to do what you want.
I was mistaken. The thruster commander only supports analog input, which the suggested radio receiver does not provide.
Hi @TinyDiver,
You can use the radio Jacob suggested with a tank mixer like this or similar. Alternatitively, if you get a more advanced radio like this or similar that has programmable channel mixing, or you can use the sticks to independently control each thruster.
-Adam
Get a Pixhawk and load Ardurover 3.5 on it and off you go. See video below.
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Hi Tiny Diver,
I am looking for the same functionality. Need the two t200s to operate independently to control speed and direction. Did you find a system and RC that worked? I am hoping I can learn a bit from how you did it?
Haven’t had a chance James - have been crazy busy - but if you figure it out please let me know!
Hi Adam,
@adam I am also looking to have remote control ability… for two independently controlled T200s. Would the suggested RC unit https://www.amazon.com/FrSky-Taranis-Channels-Transmitter-Controller/dp/B06XQWQ7C3/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=taranis&qid=1550900210&s=gateway&sr=8-2 work with the thruster commander? I assume a I also need 2 ESCs.
Hi @jimbo63,
The thruster commander is not necessary nor possible to use with that setup, you do not need a thruster commander.
The thruster commander is intended as a simple standalone control system to use instead of an RC radio/receiver or microcontroller/flight computer is a user wants something bare bones simple. All the ESC need is to be commanded with standard RC style PWM signals, 1100-1900 µs, which any of the listed systems can provide.
That radio will work fine to commands the ESCs, and will have more capability for channel mixing/customization than the thruster commander.
Yes, you always need one ESC per thruster.
-Adam
Thanks very much Adam super helpful.
See attached post
Hi BR Team,
I am working on a surface vehicle build and need to protect the battery, RC receiver and ESCs from saltwater. Is there a good way to vent the heat while keeping the enclosure watertight. I am assuming
keeping the battery and ESCs in an enclosure would lead to overheating. Any thoughts? I attached a rough photo of my gear.
James
Hi @jimbo63,
Normally just two ESCs in a WTE is no problem even at constant full throttle, they don’t put out that much heat. We have 6-8 ESCs in the BlueROV2, and have never had a problem, though that is underwater and not at constant full throttle.
If you are concerned about it, you can add some bigger heat sinks to the ESCs and oven a fan inside the enclosure, or an aluminum end cap/tube and sink the ESCs to the inside surface.
-Adam