Hi PD`s,

on saturday i bought this nice model of the Valley Belle together with two huge barges all together for 400,- Euro. Today i started to see what kind of RC and electronic parts are in the model. When i picked up the model there was an old Graupner S12 transmitter so i knew there are only such old RC-components. asfter i had removed the upper deck and the motor (monoperm super 12V) i found an waterpump and some cables but i dont know what they are for, so please have a look to the photos and maybe one of you can tell me how it is working.

Very very nice Hans.....   

It's impossible to tell what the pump is doing from the photos - Where do the pipes lead to? It appears they may exit at either side of the stern, so perhaps it was being used as a stern thruster to help with turning?

OK,

as far as i can see one hose leaves the hull at the port end of the hull and the second is on the inside of the hull, could it be that it is a safety feature if water comes into the hull the pump removes it.

This is the only possible idea of this construction.

Regards Hans

Quote from: scotfriend on March 25, 2008, 03:56:03 AM
OK,

as far as i can see one hose leaves the hull at the port end of the hull and the second is on the inside of the hull, could it be that it is a safety feature if water comes into the hull the pump removes it.

This is the only possible idea of this construction.

Regards Hans

You're probably right Hans - My model of the Suter sternwheeler takes in water when going astern, through the holes that the pitman arms exit through. It's fine when going ahead.....

Hi PD's....I think you have hot the nail  head Hans

in 003 jpg we see a blue outlined plastic mesh which appears to be captive - this certainly could be a filter element to keep weeds from the pump suction

in 002 jpg we also see to the lower left of snap...a dark/black round section [12 mm diameter?] vertical component which is hard wired  to the pump motor supply terminals...... ...this could be a float switch......

Possibly time to get the BM SAABA multi meter out & trace the conductivity    or if all else fails...power up the battery & fill the hull cavity with clean water & see what happens 

I think Derek has it correct, It looks like a bilge pump. Probably the stern area around the rudders fills with water, and the two bare wires are sensors for turning the pump on. Looks like a Great Buy.
Regards,
Gerald