Building the Ultrasonic Antifouling Kit from Jaycar

[Stefanb104]

I thought the answer from Jaycar would be something like that.
I,ve dropped mine in on a dollop of resin. Should give max transmission from the transducer.
Question....
If the transducer is the most limiting part in the system with regard to service life, is it possible to Purchase replacements?
At what cost?
Where?

 

[Stefanb104]

I do not believe that below or above the waterline is significant as the whole hull acts as a soundboard for the transducer. However if the target is the wetted area of the hull, then the closer the transducer is the more effective it will be as the strength of the vibrations reduces with distance from the transducer.
If your main concern is the prop shaft and prop, the transducer's output will penetrate the surrounding water for a limited distance (enough for the stern gear) as long as the location of the transducer is over the stern gear (as per the instructions)

 

[Stefanb104]

I do not believe that below or above the waterline is significant as the whole hull acts as a soundboard for the transducer. However if the target is the wetted area of the hull, then the closer the transducer is the more effective it will be as the strength of the vibrations reduces with distance from the transducer.
If your main concern is the prop shaft and prop, the transducer's output will penetrate the surrounding water for a limited distance (enough for the stern gear) as long as the location of the transducer is over the stern gear (as per the instructions)

 

[davids0865]

It's now a year and a half since this thread started, does anyone have any results to post? I'm sure many of us are eagerly waiting for the good news

 

[nigelmercier]

Should the transducer be below the waterline? Or doesn't it matter?

Did you not get a reprint of the article, with a placement diagram?

Questions from earlier in this thread:

Does anyone have a PIC Programer? I have one, PM me if you want one done.
Are replacement transducers available? Yes, from Jaycar and other suppliers.

 

[Norman_E]

It's now a year and a half since this thread started, does anyone have any results to post? I'm sure many of us are eagerly waiting for the good news

As I started this thread, here is an update. I sailed in last September and a swim round the boat revealed that whilst there is some fouling near the waterline, particularly on the starboard side forward of the mast, and to a lesser extent port side forward, it was quite light, and a swim with a scourer removed most of it. I think it was there because the forward transducer was not fully screwed home in its socket for a time, and I secured both with self tapping screws to stop vibration unscrewing them.

Sailing this June I could not find anywhere near the quantity of barnacles that the boat had attracted before the ultrasonic kits were fitted, and there was little hard fouling visible, but the usual slime was there. So far so good, not perfect but an improvement on antifouling paint alone. The propeller, which it does not protect, could do with a scrub.

I am going out to sail on 30th August and will have the boat lifted out in October, at which time I can make a better assesment. At present my take on it is that if I had a brand new boat I would have the copper/epoxy treatment on it from new, but with an older boat that already has had antifouling applied, a combination of a coat of paint every two years, plus the ultrasonic kits appears to work, and gives a cost saving over lifting and painting every year, because lift out and wintering ashore is an expensive option, best done every two years.

 

[davids0865]

Thanks for that, I look forward to subsequent updates.

 

[SolentPhill]

I have had mine running for 2 years now and the boat has come out a few times over that period.

to give some history my boat is 4 years old on a tidal river and has been in the same place for that time.
I have noticed the following
the amount of weed growth is a lot less, I used to say my boat needs a shave as it has 2 to 3 inches of grass on the sides. I hardly get any weed just a green slime that comes off easy with a brush.
I used to have barnicles all over the bottom, now I do have some but not as many just on the legs.

I would say it works, it has been ticking away for 2 years on 24/7 I was told the fish do not go near it as I have noticed mullet are a lot less, however I also have underwater lights and when they are on the bass hang around and feed on the fry that get caught in the light, so they are not bothered.

it is a tick from me.

 

[lumphammer]

Too much publicity??

Just been in touch with Jaycar with view to getting kit but it has been discontinued and apparently they only sell the ready built now

 

[nigelmercier]

Just been in touch with Jaycar with view to getting kit but it has been discontinued and apparently they only sell the ready built now

That's odd, I'm looking at an advert for it in a current electronics magazine right now.

 

[lumphammer]

That's odd, I'm looking at an advert for it in a current electronics magazine right now.

Copy of email received:-

Hi

This is discontinue product with no stock available but we still have prebuilt unit available. Check the below link

http://search.jaycar.com.au/search?w=ys560*&view=list

thanks

Kind regards,

Sabina Mansuri

Jaycar Head Office | JAYCAR Electronics

- 320 Victoria Road Rydalmere NSW 2116 Australia

* smansuri@jaycar.com.au



Techstore, Web & Mail Orders:

FREE CALL ORDERS 1800 022 888

( +612 8832 3110 | Ê +612 8832 3118

+ PO Box 107, Rydalmere NSW 2116

* techstore@jaycar.com.au | www.jaycar.com.au

 

[nigelmercier]

Copy of email received:-

Perhaps try the UK web site, where it is still shown. it would be dumb to discontinue the kit just after the article was published.

 

[DaveS]

Perhaps try the UK web site, where it is still shown. it would be dumb to discontinue the kit just after the article was published.

Both sites say that more stock is expected in September. I'd started to think seriously about one of these, but then I read this bit: (not suitable for timber, ferro cement or fibreglass foam sandwich construction) . Now while the Etap is obviously one of the latter, the bottom bit of the hull (where it would be mounted) is solid and you would think that if that is vibrated the vibration should travel through the rest of the outer skin. Or am I missing something?

 

[Ramona]

Thanks to all the posts, the information is great. We just purchased a kit and will trial from early next year, after we haul out. Normally have to haul out every year as we live in the tropical waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

 

[Ric]

I've just received my kit here in France so they are still selling them. The transformer is pre-wound, and the transducer is pre-potted, but the PCB is still in kit form.

 

[Ric]

A couple of questions:

There are two components labelled Q1 and Q2 which sit by the transformer. What do these do? The instructions state that the tabs should be 25mm above the PCB - I presume that it is the TOP of the tab that must be 25mm above the PCB?

The kit comes with a push toggle switch. Is this just a simple switch? Or is it some sort of circuit breaker? I would rather not use this switch if possible and instead just connect the +12v to a spare accessory switch on the boat's main circuit board.

 

[Norman_E]

Ric, I cannot remember the two components, but will try to look them up. The switch is to enable you to turn it on or off and they suggest fitting it through the lid of the plastic box. It is connected to two pins that you solder into the circuit board. I suggest you just link the two pins with a wire and connect the unit to your accessory switch. Do label the switch clearly so that you don't turn it off except when lifting the boat.

EDIT: I cannot find the instuctions at present, but from memory those things are Mofsets which is a kind of transistor which amplifies electronic signals. I think they get quite warm in use and that may be why the instructions specify how they should be mounted.

 

[Ric]

I am having a problem at the testing stage, where I have to use the trimpot to set 5v at the two PC stakes. The trimpot regulation is not linear at all - as I turn it from one extent to the other the voltage hardly changes at all until approx 2.4v, then it jumps very abruptly to 5.8v, before slowly increasing to 6v. It is absolutely impossible to set it at 5v.

I have checked very carefully all my soldering, and have tripled checked all the resistor codes and capacitor polarities. Any suggestions anybody?

 

[nimbusgb]

Hmm. You have something wrong. The couple I built regulated perfectly. Could be a diode in backwards or something.

 

[Plamen]

Last year (2012 mid-summer) I installed 3 units on my 24-ft motor boat (Laying in Greece). Deep-V planning hull, single engine, VP 290DP. Two units perfectly located left+right fore, one near to the engine aft. 24/7 operation, shore power. All 3 units worked fine, I hear them “clicking” when I dive under the boat. The antifouling was 2 seasons old (from early summer 2010), was still fair condition when I installed the Ultrasonic’s. On every cruising, I go for some short time to max.speed (21-23 knots) to "wash-down" the bottom. The 3 Ultrasonic sets worked so in 24/7 mode some 2,5-3 months, than I trailer’d the boat out for the winter.
My observation is, there were changes on the growth compared to the time “before ultrasonic”.
- there was growth on the bottom of course
- the type of growth was mostly “week weed-type grass” and less “hard-shell-type animals” (if I may say so). Before the “ultrasonic age” the hard-shell animals were much more.
- Near to the areas where the transducers are sitting, the growth was significant less. But still, there was growth even there.

I will observe what will happen this year, the boat got new antifouling already.

At no time did I believed, this ultrasonic “toy” is capable to keep away growth alone.
In combination with good antifouling, however, I believe it can be good lifetime-prolongation for the antifouling. If I can “stretch” the antifouling from every 2 years to every 3 or 4, I would be very happy.