Wiring your ROV controller step by step DIY

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Thank you John Sippel and KZbin!
I hope this video helps in wiring up your own SeaPerch or other DIY ROV submarine.
For additional info: the coil wiring from the controllers to the relays are simple thin 23 gauge wires.
The power distribution wires are thicker 15 gauge wires with approximately 1.5 mm^2 to keep resistance at a minimum.
Be sure to crimp the wires!
Any further questions? Leave a comment.
For further info:
ROV Thruster Housing - • ROV Thruster Housings ... ​
ROV Lighting - • SeaPerch ROV Lighting ... ​
ROV Controllers - • ROV arcade and basic C... ​
ROV SeaPerch - • Extreme SeaPerch ROV -... ​
ROV Depth Gauge - • Selfmade ROV DEPTH Gau... ​
ROV Tether Projects - • ROV Tether Projects To...
ROV Bilgepump Thrusters - • Homemade ROV engines w...
Under water pod - basic project:
• Underwater Pod 🇬🇧 - Ea...

[@DynoDunes]

I'm going through all of your videos. My electrical and general diy skills are poor but your clear explanations are really pushing me to build one of my own! Thank you!

[@runningman3144]

Ja, stimmt....mit einer Lupe gefunden....wirklich sehr klein. Besten Dank.

[@francismclaughlin5734]

I reckon I can do this, now that I've watched your video. Thanks.

[@Over_The_Hill_Phil]

Thank you for putting these videos up, and the explanation on how to build the ROV and wiring is excellent. I intend to use these on my own project. I also love your take on the seaperch design.

[@agermangineer]

What a compliment. Thank you very much. Keep me postet on the progress. I'll post a complete-build ROV Video in a short while (I built a second ROV from all the spare parts that I had and exchanged for 'better' parts). So... but the built was just finished yesterday so I need a little more time for the Video edit etc.. Keep in Touch and all the best for your project! :-)

[@Over_The_Hill_Phil]

@@agermangineer Oh wow, I'm looking forward to seeing your new video. I'd would really like to keep in touch and thank you, although my practical mechanical skills aren't to bad, I'm trying to increase my 'next to zero' knowledge of electricity. Currently, (dad joke pun not intended) it is just above next to zero.

[@gzpeters]

Very nicely done. Your videos are easy to understand and with your supporting diagrams, very easy to follow. I really like how you broke out your videos to cover key components rather than trying to fit everything into one massive video.

[@agermangineer]

That was the main objective. Thank you!! 😌👍🏻

[@bayoupirate3808]

Excellent explanation of controls. Thank You.

[@michaelzajac5284]

This is fascinating!

[@matthewbennett2844]

Awesome video very informative thanks again.

[@matthewbennett2844]

What gauge wiring did you use?

[@javierbarreto8149]

Qué tipo de relay usa maestro muy agradecido con sus vídeos y su canal gracias

[@Paulman50]

Thanks for that. I have the relays now and are about to order the joy stick. Just collecting parts at the moment because I've got to finish the last project.

[@shravanpoovaiah9329]

Link for joystick?

[@agermangineer]

@@shravanpoovaiah9329 can’t find it anymore... but just search for „arcade joystick and buttons“ and you will find something very similar. 😃

[@richardcranium5839]

nice setup. depending on the amp draw the relays may be overkill. but it does make reversing easier.

[@agermangineer]

I agree, but I chickened out at the prospect of getting something too little... and for demonstration purposes, these are totally boss!

[@robertlustig9040]

Hello! Thank you for some exellent and helpful videos. I have just started my own ROV project and I have some questions. IIn the first example with switcches for steering the relays are onboard the ROV, right? In the joystick example, do you still have the relays onboard or just the ones in the joystick control box? If I understand it right it is a total of 12 relays. 6 in the joystick box and 6 in the ROV. I have some trouble finding the relays you used for the joystick, do you have the name and/or number on them? Thank you again for some really good and inspirational videos!🙂

[@schraj2370]

How many amps is your battery your using?

[@DynoDunes]

Was there a specific electronics reason you setup the relays near the power supply in the control box instead of onboard the ROV, like HomebuiltROV's? I was contemplating where to put my relays for my ROV, which would have a sealed enclosure that can be accessed (not potted), and I did not know if voltage drop would be better or worse with each setup.

[@agermangineer]

The reason is simple: space! I did consider using an onboard power supply and have the relays onboard as well, but there was nowhere near enough space. If you can make that happen, you need another power supply for your controller and your relay coils which get activated over the tether. That way your motors don’t suffer power loss and the relays can easily deal with a fair amount of power loss over a long tether. Some however have on board relays and still have the single, on-shore power supply. In that case you will need a very thick tether: the com-cables for each relay and a cable thick enough to feed 3 hungry motors with a reasonable power loss. On the plus side: that thick cable can be used as a recovery line in case the ROV gets stuck. Hope that helped...

[@DynoDunes]

@@agermangineer Thanks! It seems like putting the relays in the control box is the way to go for this kind of build. I am trying to build an ROV that has an Arduino Uno in the control box that communicates to an Arduino Mega in my ROV. I wanted to incorporate HomebuiltROV's relay design onboard the ROV instead of motor controllers to make things easier. That way, communication is Control Box Uno -> MAX485 -> MAX485 -> Mega -> Relays -> Motors. If I put the relays in the control box, I would have to separate the motors from the Mega, meaning that my tether would be 2xCat5 cables, which is way too thick. On the other hand, if I put the relays in the ROV, my tether would be a cat5 (for data) and 2x12 AWG wires for power, correct? If I am using an onshore battery like the one used on the Seaperch, then would I be able to connect the power to the Mega and be done? For context, I am using 4x500 GPH Bilge Pump Motors (I want to have enough capacity in case I upgrade to a 1100GPH motor) and I wanted additional functionality like a claw, hence why I am going the arduino route.

[@agermangineer]

@@DynoDunes I have never built anything with Arduino circuit boards, so... I can’t give you much advice in that perspective. 4 motors with up to 1100 GPH... that’s around 16 Amps. So make sure you fuse and wire accordingly. Cat 5 for com and a thick power line sounds absolutely correct. A possibility would also be the the Vellman 8023 remote control board with 10 channels. With that you could break it down to just 4 wires in total. But of course the arduino is much more versatile.

[@KjetilSteinerBergenBodyBooking]

What system do you use to transmit signals between rov and controlbox? How do you transmit the video signals? Please help me, I`m trying to make a rov like yours :)

[@agermangineer]

The video is just a fishing cam with a screen. Just mount the cam to the ROV, stow the cable into the tether and watch with the screen. Nothing to it. The rest about the ROV controller is in the video: just 12 Volt power on/off with the relays - nothing digital.

[@KjetilSteinerBergenBodyBooking]

@@agermangineer Ahaa thank you so much. This helps a lot 🙂👍👍

[@richierich8866]

How do you get a live view of the camera?

[@agermangineer]

It comes with its own 9“ screen.

[@runningman3144]

Können sie mir sagen wie die Sockel von den Relays belegt sind? Welcher Anschluss Sockel zu welchen Ananschluss Relay führt?

[@agermangineer]

Das muss draufstehen - ganz klein. Von 1-8 auf den Relay-Pins und von 1-8 auf den Sockeln, bzw. den Anschlüssen. Ziemlich fummlig…

[@adix1732]

What tipe of relays do you use ?

[@agermangineer]

The relays are way too big, but I wanted the visible mechanical version. Mine are fit for 10 A and 250 Volts. Hence you can take any 12 Volt (8 Pin) relays for approximately 6 Amps tops.

[@sekuidwert8648]

Can i use relay 12v 2a 8 pin ?

[@agermangineer]

I guess so

[@thabzfry2667]

What relays did you use?

[@agermangineer]

I used slightly hardcore 12 Volt DC relays fit for high current 240 V AC systems. www.ebay.de/itm/Leistungsrelais-10A-LY2NJ-DPDT-8-Pins-Mit-Sockel-12V-DC-24V-DC-12V-AC-24V-AC-/233196699695?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=707-127634-2357-0

[@shravanpoovaiah9329]

Where is the joystick from

[@agermangineer]

Amazon.

[@matthewbennett2844]

What gauge wire did you use for this ?

[@agermangineer]

I knew I should have included that... For the coil wiring I used thinner cables around 22 awg - since they are short and don’t need much power. And for the power distribution I used crimped 15 gauge all copper wiring at around 1.5 mm^2 to keep the resistance at a minimum. The tether is a different story and video.

[@matthewbennett2844]

@@agermangineer thanks that helps.