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[ click photos to enlarge ]

    * PLEASE NOTE * THIS SITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS THE ROV IS BEING BUILT

Specifications:

  • 75 foot depth (maximum umbilical length)
  • Color/BW Infrared camera
  • Two lights
  • Depth gauge
  • Accessory tube
  • 6 bilge pump thrusters

Underwater ROV - A Remotely Operated Vehicle attached to a umbilical cord that can operate underwater.  It can be used as a platform for cameras, tools, torpedoes, mechanical arms, or just flown around for fun.

I've always had an interest in submarines and submersibles.  While browsing the web one day, I came across some excellent sites on homemade ROVs (see links) and decided to build one myself.  The best part about making your own ROV is that it can be simple or complex, inexpensive or costly, depending on what you want to do.

The JetSub ROV on this site can be made for under $200.00 -- including camera, bilge pumps, and accessories -- if you shop around.  I probably spent somewhere between $200.00 and $300.00 -- including mistakes, but you can cut costs by using switches instead of a joystick, using scrap PVC, etc.

This JetSub project is "open source."  Feel free to use whatever information you find on this site to build your own underwater ROV.  The idea is for everyone to work off a common platform and as a group project, add interesting and new payloads or accessories, share ideas with others, and have fun!

I setup some specs for the project before I began:

  • Must be able to fit in and be tested in a standard bathtub.
  • Access to swap out or add parts, payloads, or accessories, and make repairs.
  • Can be made from off-the-shelf parts.

Here is a basic parts list:

Parts List -- All parts were purchased from Home Depot, a Marine Store, or Radio Shack
Propulsion:
5 - 360 gpm Rule bilge pumps
1 - 500 gpm Rule bilge pump

Electrical:
8 - Radio Shack relays Model: 275-241
16 gauge speaker wire
1 - Busbar
1 - Terminal connector

Control Box:
1 joystick - link (purchased off EBay)

Miscellaneous:
Plastic ties
10' of 3/4" plastic tubing
3 - 3/4" metal hose clamps
Electronic Oil sensor - Auto part

 PVC:
I made changes to the design so it is hard to be specific, but in general, here is the breakdown.  You can look at the photos to see what the other PVC parts are.

- Camera housing - 2" PVC approx 10" long.
- Light pylons - 1 1/2" PVC approx 12" long.
- Body - 4" PVC
- Front thruster nozzle - 3/4" PVC approx 4" long.
- Accessory tube - 1 1/4" PVC approx 6" long.

Tools:
Saw to cut PVC
PVC cement
PVC cleaner
Epoxy resign
From the photos, you can see there are little extras I've added like grommets, and paint!

PVC Construction:

These are the basic PVC parts laid out on the carpet.  I added two more 6" tubes to the front and removed the strainer.

This is the result after I glued it all together.

 

Links:

I borrowed heavily from Doug Jackson's ROV -- esp. the wiring:
http://www.submarineboat.com/rov/index.html

This is the other site that got me started -- Jason Rollette's ROV:
http://www.rollette.com/rovrev2/index.html

Another good site with info and links:
http://www.homebuiltrovs.com/

A good Yahoo ROV group:
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/robotrov/

The ultimate in ROV links:
 http://www.ronsrovlinks.nl/xoops/modules/wflinks/

Joysticks:
http://www.happcontrols.com/joysticks/joysticks_amusement.htm