Scooter (DPV) questions

[cool_hardware52]

I guess I need to get a new charger and eight SLA batteries with gelled electrolite of the proper size, 12v with as many amp hrs as possible. Does that about sum it? BTW: Thanks a bunch, this has been a great help.

The SLA's that use suspended electrolyte are fine too, just stand them up if your plan to abusively overcharge them. They discharge fine in any orientation.

Tobin

 

[Thalassamania]

The SLA's that use suspended electrolyte are fine too, just stand them up if your plan to abusively overcharge them. They discharge fine in any orientation.

Tobin

Thanks.

 

[Nemrod]

Don't go to a dive store or place like that for batteries. Look in your phone book for places with names like The Battery Store or All Battery etc Stores that would carry wheel chair batteries etc. I have a place here that sells just about every battery known to man and these places are common. He had batteries in the physical dimension I needed from 34 doolars to 240 dollars each. I got the cheap ones. Of course some wereNiMh etc. He also had a automatic charger/float chargers for 24V. I no longer use the original charger because it has a shortsomehwere from being exposed to sea water. My new charger is water proof! N

 

[Thalassamania]

Yes, I'm hip to that. Actually I'll have my bud get them for me (at cost fromt the autoparts store) once I figure the exact model number.

 

[Mr.X]

Yes, I'm hip to that. Actually I'll have my bud get them for me (at cost fromt the autoparts store) once I figure the exact model number.

Curious. How do/did the Farallon's balance in water? With the previous setup of batteries were they neutral? If they were neutral did they have a nose-up, or nose-down attitude? Of course, with your new set of batteries things may be quite different.

X - Always interested in scooters.

 

[Thalassamania]

The manual claims about a 1/2lb light in salt water and about 2 1/2 lbs in fresh water. I found them to be a dash lighter than that (at least in the Atalantic). There's room in the battery box of a little weight if you need it. I don't know about pitch-ballance since with the MK6 your ride on top and you never really get a feel for what it would do without you there. There is a bit of torque effect that is easy to compensate for.

 

[fdog]

Curious. How do/did the Farallon's balance in water? With the previous setup of batteries were they neutral? If they were neutral did they have a nose-up, or nose-down attitude? Of course, with your new set of batteries things may be quite different.

X - Always interested in scooters.

I have quite a few dives from the early 80's on the Mk 5. What a beast! Three of us to get it into the water easily. As Mr. X refers to, these were the ones used at UCD. Sadly, they spent most of their lives languishing in storage.

There was a weight we'd take out for fresh water. The weighting was pretty good; after going through quite a few dives to get my X weighed "just right", I can appreciate now what I just took for granted then! Anyway, I recall that if we just let go, it headed for the surface at about 5 feet per minute.

It was tail heavy, not by much; if my X had the same rotation induced I would fix it my taking about an ounce and a half from the tail and put it in the nose.

As much as I love the manuverability of the tow cord scooter, it does have a disadvantage: warm water diving. After a while, the crotch strap gets really uncomfortable in your, well, crotch. Enough that my wife has her crotch strap inside a neoprene pad...this is something you don't notice in a dry suit, though. Still, in warm water I do kind or reminice over the T-bar.

I recall the Mk 5 being fast. We would joke about being the "human torpedos". However, when running the same routes today with my X (speed at 3 to 4), I find today's time-over-route almost identical. Kind makes you wonder what a hot rewound motor would be like!

All the best, James

 

[Mr.X]

Hey Thal and James,

Thanks for the info re: the scooters. I had always wondered how these scooters were in the water as I have seen Farallons tucked away in obscure university research dept lockers and even a few in police dive pens.

I can imagine the human torpedo effect on these things. They would be the Bomb!

BTW - I will be adding a new scooter to the collection - an X scooter. I can hardly wait to try it out. I do agree that after a while the crotch strap bizness on these tow-behinds get..ahem..at little tiring. When it starts to hurt I try shift parts, or try to loop it elsewhere with very little luck. I guess with pleasure, there must come some pain.

Cheers guys!

X

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hey Thal and James,

Thanks for the info re: the scooters. I had always wondered how these scooters were in the water as I have seen Farallons tucked away in obscure university research dept lockers and even a few in police dive pens.

I can imagine the human torpedo effect on these things. They would be the Bomb!

BTW - I will be adding a new scooter to the collection - an X scooter. I can hardly wait to try it out. I do agree that after a while the crotch strap bizness on these tow-behinds get..ahem..at little tiring. When it starts to hurt I try shift parts, or try to loop it elsewhere with very little luck. I guess with pleasure, there must come some pain.

Cheers guys!

X

Mr. X on a X who a thunk it!

Enjoy

Tobin

 

[fdog]

<snip>BTW - I will be adding a new scooter to the collection - an X scooter. I can hardly wait to try it out. I do agree that after a while the crotch strap bizness on these tow-behinds get..ahem..at little tiring. When it starts to hurt I try shift parts, or try to loop it elsewhere with very little luck. I guess with pleasure, there must come some pain.

Cheers guys!

X

Yes, on the third warm-water dive of the day I resort to shifting the crotch strap around, too.

As food for thought, here's what my wife has for her X. It is simple water pipe insulation from Lowe's, the kind with the self-adhesive. From what she says it works very well.

Enjoy your X - it will change the way you dive forever!

All the best, James