Looking For Small Centerless Thrusters

Member Joined: Jun 18, 2009 Location: OII

I am looking for Center less Thrusters like the ones used on the AC-CESS ROV located HERE I am planning to make a small ROV for strictly visual exploration underwater. They need to be very small and In plan to power the whole system on 110v AC. Any help as to where I can get those thrusters or some small ones to fit this need would be appreciated. I am an ROV Tech and can get it all together I just have problems with finding what will work. Most important thing is they be small enough to fit in a 2' sub.

Member Joined: Jan 28, 2009

Good luck. Finding small thrusters like those is going to be tough. Probably the only way would be to buy spares from ACCESS (assuming they'll sell them to you). The only small thrusters available I know of are by either SeaBotix or CrustCrawler, but they use a center shaft. If you find a source be sure to post it here, I might be interested in buying a few to try them out.

captpaul wrote:

Probably the only way would be to buy spares from ACCESS (assuming they'll sell them to you).

The centerless thrusters used by the AC-ROV are not single thruster units either. The thruster blades are driven externally and also added into the equation are gears that turn the drive through 90 degrees to the motor which itself is built into the pressure housing. In other words it's not a direct drive. To use AC-ROV blades you would have copy and build a system very close to that of AC-CESS's (no doubt patented) design. As their system appears to be unique in that respect I'm not sure they would be overly happy with that.

ROVworld Webteam Joined: Dec 12, 2003

Not exactly what you're looking for but these small Voith-Schneider thrusters from Habor Models are centerless too. Wink

.... and to dispel any doubts, centerless thrusters are the way forward in an environment where ropes prevail!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No0pzwOLabk

Member Joined: Jun 18, 2009 Location: OII

jamesmc wrote:

.... and to dispel any doubts, centerless thrusters are the way forward in an environment where ropes prevail!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No0pzwOLabk

That is exactly why I am looking at going that direction. I will be using this in an area with a very high concentration of abandoned mono filament fishing lines. Thanks for the Video Link

Member Joined: Apr 22, 2008

TSL do some small rim drive thrusters

http://www.tsltechnology.com/marine/thrusters.htm

But they are not centreless

Member Joined: Jun 18, 2009 Location: OII

Glevum, Thanks those thrusters are of the right size and at least off symmetrical thrust. I am inquiring about the cost if they are affordable enough (AKA replaceable) they may make a good alternative. Makes me want to knock the dust off my old motor winding book and give it a try myself.