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3.3.1 General Tips
Like many things, wiring a ship is fairly simple after you have done it once. However, the routing of wiring is another matter altogether. The wiring of some ships looks like a rat's nest, while the wiring of other ships looks neat and orderly. As long as it works I guess that's all that really matters, but a new wiring job will certainly make trouble shooting and maintenance a lot easier. Also, a well-laid out wiring system will lessen the potential for electrical interference problems, which can be a nightmare to resolve and often requires adding electronic filters or rewiring to correct the problem.
Always install a fuse near the positive battery terminal. Install one fuse for each battery. The fuses are intended to keep the wiring from melting if an electrical short occurs, not to protect the motors or other hardware. Therefore for a single battery a 5 amp fuse will work well whereas for two batteries in parallel a 3 amp fuse will work well. Slow blow fuses are recommended to handle motor start stop spikes.
Always install a main power interrupt switch in an easily accessible place. By easily accessible I mean that you shouldn't have to remove screws or nuts to get to it, but the switch must be shielded from cannon fire. I've found it's convenient to group the main power switch, receiver switch and the CO2 (air cannon) safety switch together in a protected area above deck, or below deck under an easily opened hatch.
Avoid "daisy chains," which means do not run one wire from the battery to the pump motor, to the drive motor, etc. This type of wiring is really hard to trouble shoot and maintain and cab be easily overloaded by the sum of the current flowing through it. I once borrowed a battleship from a generous captain when I was getting into the hobby. The wiring was so convoluted that it took two of us a good 1-hour just to figure out where to plug in the main batteries!
If auxiliary electronic items such as a Switch 8 or 16 channel expander are used always connect the ground terminals of all batteries together to form a "common ground" and connect this common ground to the circuit card of the electronics. Installing common ground points is a good idea for any system. Likewise having a common distribution point for the positive leads for all subsystems is also a good idea. If you are running multiple batteries of different types then you will need a positive distribution buss for each type of battery.
Make your subsystems modular and connect them via quick disconnects to the distribution busses. Thus each subsystem can be quickly removed for repair. An rc warship has three subsystems; drive motor speed control, pump, and radio.
When routing the wiring throughout the ship physically separate the antenna, receiver and servo wiring from the pump and drive motor wiring. Run the pump and drive motor supply wires together in a bundle and route them down one side of the hull, twisting the wires together if possible. Run the receiver and servo wires together in a bundle and route them down the opposite side of the hull. This will help to reduce electrical interference. Run the antenna wire outside the ship above deck. Keep the antenna away from electrical wiring for any electric motor.
To minimize electrical interference install a .1 micro-farad capacitor between the leads of the pump motor and each of the drive motors. Install the capacitors very near to the motors keeping the leads as short as possible. Cut of the excess wire leads of the capacitors to prevent a short.
Physically locate the receiver and to the extent possible the servos as far away as possible from the electric motors to minimize interference potential.
Your antenna wire is cut to a particular frequency length for your radio. Do not cut the antenna wire shorter, or lengthen it. Also, do not coil up the antenna wire to make it shorter. Radio interference problems will result.
Keep all wiring as short as possible. If the wires running to your pump and drive motors are 12 inches too long then cut them off. Don't coil them up. This will help reduce radio interference problems and reduce "clutter" and cramped spaces in your ship.
3.3.2 Methods of Speed Control
Some form of speed control is usually necessary to certify your warship at its rated speed. To accomplish the speed control it is common practice to select a drive system that will get you running (Continued on page 8)
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