Jason Rollette's

Underwater ROV submarine camera version 2

This web page will detail the build process, and parts, I used to build an Underwater ROV with video camera. It was started 11/5/05. This will be version 2 of my ROV adventures, I plan to take things I learned from version 1 and fix them, plus I will be adding features later. Here is the Video!!!!!! taken with the older ROV, as I have not been able to get the new sub in the water yet.

The plan is to make this a flexible platform that will allow me to add things like leak detect, temp/pressure sensors, depth, air lift balloons, torpedos, sonar, grabbing arm, artifical horizon, compass, joystick control, AVI video recorder, Picture Frame grabber. But stage one is going to be working the bugs out the main platform.

I have had help with advanced Programming of the ATMEL AVR MEGA32 to do PWM in BASCOM! . If you are interested in helping fund the ROV design and research, there is a link available at the right.

I am also in need of someone in south eastern Wisconsin with a BOAT:) that is interested in hunting down a shipwreck in Lake Micigan with me.

Here is a basic How to, and Parts List.xls and Video.mov

Bill Travis has given me software for download Windows Software You can Email Bill with software questions, or Email Me with other questions


Here is the basic layout of the parts minus all the 2" connecting pipe, and (2) 2" tee's. The center piece is 4 inch and all the rest is 2 inch PVC. The builge pump motors will fit 3 on each side, between the 4in and 2in PVC pipe.

Here it is basically asembled

This is where I got my bilge pumps. SportsmanGuide
I used 4 of the 500gph, and 2 of the bigger 1250gph ones for forward/reverse.

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This is the parts list/drawing that I used, all of the parts listed here are available at any Home Improvement type store.


Here are some pictures with a little yellow paint on it. (Painting tip make sure you paint it with white primer before putting on the yellow.)

Here is a picture of the light and the camera mounted to some long stips that I can insert them from the back, and it holds them just right in place. You can see the lights are just the tops to normal flash lights and the bulbs are replaced with 12 volt bulbs.

I have mounted the motors to the ceiling tile light cover grate, that I have cut to fit between all the tubes. The pumps were mounted with 1/4-20 hardware, and big washers to hold on the grates. The wires for the motors were woven into the ceiling tile grate, so they are neatly held in place.

This is the first time it has seen water! There are 2 five pound weights on it, one is the exact amount of weight as the sealed lead acid batteries. The other is the amount of weight it took to make it neutral bouyant. (there is also alot of parts missing on the inside so the 5 extra pounds might not be necessary).

The batteries came I ordered from Jameco.com to go inside the 4"PVC pipe section.

My son and I ran the wires for the lights, and the camera. You can see they do quite a good job of lighting up the area.

This is the hose I got from a Home Improvement store to direct the motors

Pictured is foam pipe insualtion that we will use cut 2 inches and zip tie every 10 feet to make it neutral bouyant.The zip ties are also what we used to hold much of the frame to the PVC pipe

This is the pin out for the Anaconda, NightWatch, and XCam Anywhere camera cables

More recent pictures showing the beginning of the thruster hoses.

I have had tons of people as me for a more detaild parts list. Well I am started doing that today. Parts List.xls

This is the schematic I plan to use for the micro Controller. However this would not be required if you are building one.

Here is the board layouts for the ROV.

This is how I would like the Computer interface to look.

Since the sketch above I have had a wonderful Visual basic programmer contact me, his name is Bill T. Here is a screen shot of how the program looks today. He has already gone through many revisions helping me implement all the features I want. He has also been most patient with me as I design these features on the fly and ask for the world with each new one.

Bill Travis has given me software for download Windows Software You can Email Bill with questions on the software.

Here are the serial commands from Visual Basic or HyperTerminal.

The values are a lower case letter each followed by a value from 0-9 and a carriage return. Value "0" being off. a0-9 = Forward, b0-9 = Reverse, c0-9 = Left, d0-9 = Right, e0-9 = Up, f0-9 = Down, g = Ping, h = Air Lift, i = Torpedo, j = Aux1, k0-9 = ballast, l0-9 = Lights, m0-9 = IR lights, n0-3 = camera select Commands received from processor: When the sub is first turned on it sends back "Ready" Commands are in UPPER CASE followed by a number in the range ex.: C56 means the compass is sending back a reading of 56 degrees. C Compass direction (in degrees) 1-360, L Leak message 0 = no leak, 1 = leak, P Pressure (in PSI) 0-500, TI Internal ROV temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit) 0.00-200.00, TW Water temperature (in degrees Fahrenheit) 0-100, V Battery Voltage 1.00-20.00, X -90 - +90 tilt angle(front to back vertical), Y -90 to +90 tilt angle(left to right horizontal),

Here is a picture of a working model torpedo (no explosive of course) and a picture of a water leak dectection board.

We finally got it in the water the first time the water was a bit muddy! You can see a few pictures of the ROV in the water, and a short video of the launch.

Here is the newest Video.mov

This is how I did the water proof connectors to bring in wires from the outside.

Partial Pressures of Compressed Air (This will be helpful to help you understand the kinds of pressures you will be dealing with at certain depths.)

(assuming air is 80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen)

DepthAtmosphereAbsolute Pressure
0114.7
33229.4
66344.1
99458.8
132573.5
165688.2
1987102.9
2318117.6
2649132.3
29710147.0

Many people have asked me for a "basic how to" instruction set to get them pointed in the right direction. Well here it is! How to

Here are just some random Photos to help show details of the construction

If you Read this all the way to the bottom you must have a true interest in ROV's JOIN this ROV group This is not my yahoo group, but they are a great bunch of guys.

You can Email Me with other questions.

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