The Proʼs and Conʼs of Ballast Systems

By Mike Caswell

There are many systems available for ballasting a submarine, and for someone new to
this hobby, it must be very difficult to determine the best course of action. This article
attempts to explain each system logically,

Depending on the level of skills in electronics, plumbing and engineering, each system
will press different demands on the modeler.

What exactly does a ballast system do? It simply removes and replaces water to
change the weight of the model, making it surface or submerge. This procedure is not
complicated, but many of these ballast systems are fangled, expensive and difficult to
maintain, and they lose this main objective.

Also worthy of note is the fact that most model submarines do not operate at depths
much below periscope depth. In fact, it can be extremely dangerous to dive greater than
a few feet, as some ballast systems cannot overcome the water pressure, making their
failsafe recovery system useless.

Assuming there are minimal skills, we propose the following approach.

The simplest system to operate is a Snort (Schnorkel) system, bringing fresh air into the
ballast tank at periscope depth. The boat is trimmed so that when the ballast tank is full
of water, only the periscope is out of the water. Therefore, if all the systems fail for
whatever reason, the boat will float to the surface. When the ballast tank is blown (with
fresh air from the Snort pump), the boat will surface to its correct waterline position. The
ballast tank is either full or empty of water, there is no ʻin-betweenʼ. This makes
operation of the ballast tank a very simple process for the novice.

To dive, the boat is ballasted to ʻventʼ or flood the ballast tank, and the rear planes set to
the dive position. As the boat moves forward, the planes will push the boat underwater.
If the engines are stopped, the boat will assume periscope depth. The faster the
engines are run, the deeper the boat will go, but it will always revert to periscope depth.

Assuming there is some sort of catastrophe, and the boat dives to 15 feet or more, then
the on board Gas Reserve will be activated by the failsafe system and it will blow the
ballast tank. This is where gas systems excel over bladders and pumps, as the latter
cannot overcome the water pressure.

Once the basics of operating and maintaining a Gas/Snort Sub-driver have been
mastered, a novice submariner may wish to try different systems. RCABS is in vogue
currently and is a good second choice, as it is a fairly simple operation to convert a
Subdriver to this system, if required.

The basic principal of RCABS-R (Recirculating Compressed Air Ballast System-

Reversed) is that a bladder is placed into the wet hull of the submarine and is inflated
prior to operation. To submerge the vessel, the pump deflates the bladder, passing the
air into the Pressure Tank. When the vent valve is opened, the compressed air in the
Pressure Tank escapes into the bladder, so the bladder inflates and the boat surfaces.

Here is a typical Clippard valve, available for approx $25

from-

Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc.

7390 Colerain Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45239
(877) 245-6247 http://www.clippard.com

Another solenoid valve from-

http://www.caswellplating.com/models/bhm.html

Air Vacuum Pumps come in different sizes from-

http://www.caswellplating.com/models/pumps.html
Here is a typical Clippard valve, available for approx $25
from-

Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc.

7390 Colerain Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45239
(877) 245-6247 http://www.clippard.com

Bladders come in four sizes from-

http://www.caswellplating.com/models/bladders.html
Drawing kindly provided by George Protchenko, who invented the RCABS-R system.

The major advantage of RCABS-R over the standard RCABS system is that no air is
taken from the pressure hull. This reduces the potential of leaks caused by a vacuum in
the cylinder as the air is pumped into the bladder.

If the system loses power etc. then the normally pressurised bladder is re-inflated as the
pressure in the compressed air tank slowly leaks back into it. It will not do so at depth as
the water pressure will be too great.

This system needs an extra space in the hull to accommodate the compressed air tank.
On the larger models, this may not be so much of an issue, but on smaller models, it
could potentially create problems if additional ʻextrasʼ like cameras or torpedo launching
systems are envisaged.
RCABS

The RCABS System uses the air within the WTC to inflate a bladder laying within the
boats hull. As the bladder inflates, the boat surfaces. To dive, a solenoid valve is
opened and the air in the bladder is released back into the WTC.

The RCABS system uses the same valves, pumps and bladders as depicted in the
RCABS-R system.

In some models, locating the bladder in a convenient place may cause problems, due to
cramped cylinder/hull conditions.

Many RCABS/-R bladders will not inflate at depths of 10ʼ or more, due to water
pressure.

Once set-up, the RCABS & RCABS-R system is fairly easy to maintain and operate,
however, there are no ready made systems available commercially, meaning a beginner
has to spend time experimenting, tweaking and building a WTC.
THE GAS SYSTEM

The Gas System uses a liquid compressed gas to expel water from the ballast tank.
Gas is supplied from a can into the Gas Reservoir using a special valve that screws
onto the can. Other types of gas are available, but none of them have the threaded
exhaust port and need major modifications to fit the tire valve fill port.

The benefits of a Gas Ballast System.

Immediate BLOW-VENT operation. Realistic and scale like - No wait for bladder or
piston pumps. Does not require a vent above the water-line as does a pump-type ballast
system.
Low Maintenance - No wires, pipes, motors, pumps or bladders. One servo operates
blow and vent valves.
Minimal space requirement which leaves room for torpedoes and cameras etc.
Gas Empty Indicator - Boat assumes slightly positive trim, changes position in the water
when GAS charge is low, telling Commander to return to port.
Unique 'Gas Saver' mechanism meters out exact amount of gas to 'blow' ballast tank.
(N/a to 1/144 Seawolf & Kilo due to limited space.)
Deep Dive Blow Feature. Ballast tank will fail-safe BLOW at depths of up to 100'. Air
pumps only work up to 15-20 feet.
Fail Safe. Any gas leaks (unlikely) automatically fill ballast tank and surface the boat.
Low Battery Drain. Occasional split second servo use to operate blow-vent- no pumps
or motors to operate.

For the new person in this hobby, a D&E Sub-driver is definitely the easier way to start
out, as the units are sold assembled and virtually ready to run. Ballast tank size,
waterline trim and other constraints are already calculated, so expensive
experimentation is not needed. Even the motor/s and gear reduction drives are installed.

In most models, the Snort system can be incorporated at a later date. This allows the
submarine to use fresh air at periscope depth to blow the ballast tank, giving a realistic
feel and look to the submarine. Gas becomes the safety back-up fail-safe system, and
as this operates at depths of 100 feet or more, the chances of losing your boat in a deep
pond are minimized.
THE SNORT SYSTEM

The Snort System uses fresh air to blow the ballast tank. This concept is ideal in
extremely small boats, where space in a major consideration.

Here are two types of Air Vacuum Pumps, the smaller being
ideal for 1/144 scale Revell & Trumpeter models etc.
The larger pump has 17psi and 14 “ vacuum, drawing .2 amp
The smaller pump has 17psi and 12” vacuum, drawing .1 amp

By installing a miniature solenoid valve the ballast tank is vented. Controlled by a switch
such as a SubES1 which is plugged into the receiver and wired to the solenoid valve.

see http://www.caswellplating.com/models/bhm.html

This ʻSnort onlyʼ miniature Sub-driver is only 10” long by 1.5” diameter and is able to fit
into the smallest Revell models. It is the ideal ʻPool Toyʼ system, as it incorporates a
ballast system with dynamic diving, making the best use of an extremely cramped
space. The boat is trimmed to be at periscope depth with a full ballast tank, so ʻblowingʼ
the tank will bring the boat to its correct waterline position. To dive, the ballast tank is
ʻventedʼ and the forward planes positioned downwards. With the engines running, the
boat is dynamically driven to the required depth. If the engines are cut, then the boat will
return to periscope depth. A final ʻblowʼ to the ballast tank, will return the boat to the
surface. Two servos are installed, one for the rudder, and another for the forward
planes. Although this doesnʼt give the degree of control larger boats with pitch
controllers etc.

The Snort system is extremely realistic, giving the operator the chance to drive the boat
the way it was really done. Bubbles abound!
THE SNORT SYSTEM - WITH GAS FAIL-SAFE

A D&E Sub-driver or gas WTC can usually be modified slightly to accommodate a Snort
system. All that is required is that the appropriate low pressure pump and SUB ES1
switch controller are installed. The pump sucks surface air into the ballast tank, blowing
the water out. To vent, the normal vent valve is used. Gas is on board, only in the case
of an emergency, or when deep diving.

Custom built WTCs can be constructed around this simple concept, and may even have
a much smaller gas reservoir to conserve space and weight. The vent valve can be a
small solenoid.

As the Gas system is only used in emergencies, such as a deep dive which needs a
failsafe to operate, the on board supply of gas can be dramatically reduced. A smaller
tank, or just a quick shot of gas injected will be enough to operate the boat for hours. In
fact, the batteries will be run down before you run out of gas.

The D&E Sub-driver could also be modified to run as an RCABS/R system, installing a
bladder into the ballast tank, or free hull space and using the Snort pump to inflate it.
For the beginner, making a decision on which of the numerous systems to use is a
somewhat daunting experience. There are so many proʼs and conʼs to each system, so
how does one make an informed choice?

I guess it depends on the degree of model making, engineering and electronics skills
you possess. If you are of the fortunate few that are proficient in all these skills, you can
try all the systems over a relatively short period of time, and tinker with each one. In my
own case, I found I had enough problems building the model itself, and after several
attempts at building a Water Tight Cylinder, I gave up in favor of purchasing a ready
made unit.

Determining the ballast tank size and overall WTC size needs experience that I do not
possess. Figuring out which type of ballast system to use and actually getting it
assembled and working, proved to be a major problem. I found that gleaning over the
few model submarines forums available, that there was a small core of people who were
more experienced, yet they seemed to be over complicating everything, and were
obviously biased in their thinking. Not one set of decent, easy to follow instructions
existed.

I purchased parts to make my own cylinder, and initially went the gas route, but I had to
make the gas reservoir myself, and install seals and motors in the end-caps. It was a
difficult project, and the outcome was failure because of inadequate and explicit
drawings. I tried to convert the system to a bladder operation, but this also was fraught
with problems. So, after many weeks of tinkering in my basement, I quit and purchased
a ready-made gas system. My time was now devoted to finishing the model, and
unfortunately, I picked a fiberglass mold, which had very little in the way of instructions,
no fittings kit, and it needed a ton of work. The combination of trying to build a WTC and
a fiberglass model was too much for someone with few skills and just starting out in this
hobby.

Eventually, the boat was in the water and working, but it took me over eighteen months
and much frustration.

I should have stuck to a smaller model, an injection molded kit that had good build
instructions, and had a ʻfittings kitʼ with all the parts ready to convert it to an R/C model.

Having now completed my first model, I can safely say my experience was a trial by fire,
and I now feel well informed to advise a newcomer on the fastest way to get a working
model. After all, the real fun part of this game is to get the darned boat in the water and -
play!

So, here are my suggestions.

1. Get a plastic injection molded model that has a Fittings Kit. Donʼt try to modify any
injection molded model that does not have one of these kits, you will have no end of
problems.
2. Get a Gas Propel Cylinder, ready made, that can easily have the Snort system
installed. Boats as small as the Trumpeter Kilo (15” long) can operate a Snort.
3. Trim your boat so the Snort intake is just above the waterline when the ballast tank is
flooded (vent). When the ballast tank is empty of water (blow) it should sit in the water
at the correct waterline position.
4. Operate the boat using the Snort to blow the ballast tank. There are only two
positions for a ballast tank, full or empty. Do not try to trim the boat halfway.
5. To dive, vent the ballast tank completely, so you should be submerged with the Snort
tube out of the water, then use the rear planes and the force of the propeller to dive.
So, if you have a problem, stop engines, and you will surface, even though your
ballast tank is full of water. You should easily be able to dive one or two feet deep
using this technique. Any deeper and you probably wonʼt be able to see where you
are going and could easily lose your boat.
6. Only in the case of an emergency will you need to blow the ballast tanks using the
reserve tank of liquid gas. It is worthy of note that ONLY a gas system will recover a
boat that is lost to depths of over approximately twenty feet. Bladder systems pumps
are unable to produce sufficient pressure to inflate the bladder at these depths. A gas
system used as the fail-safe will work at depths of 100 feet.