Approximately half of the new parts have been bough. A few must be ordered from the internet, and a few must be obtained at stores I normally don't go to.
Admittedly, I've avoided the repair process because I'm still rather mad that I had an accident that resulted in any sort of damage to the water gun. While the damage itself wasn't too bad, it was something I didn't anticipate, and I'm sure that it won't happen again after the changes I've detailed.
SuperCAP
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SSCBen
- Posts: 6449
- Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 1:00 pm
Took me over two months, but I finally have finished the water gun once again.
The new rebuilt system is superior in most ways and incorporates a lot of new features and improvements, many of which are safety or ease of operation features. I'll outline a few below:
- Outlet pressure gauge: The original design assumed that the gauge on the air regulator measured outlet pressure. It didn't, and this fixes that.
- Increased capacity: Since the water gun was too tall to begin with, I decided to add a little more capacity.
- Safety feature: An important feature we should have had in the original design. This allows you to not only refill while pressurized, but also acts as a safety (hence the name). With this enabled, you can't fire the gun.
- Overpressure release valve: I installed one after I bought one for testing. There's no chance of overpressurization now (unless the pressure increases faster than the valve can release, and that's very unlikely). The funny part is that the metal air tank has the least pressure rating of any of the parts. My main intention for this valve is to transport and keep the gun in a hot car. The heat increases the pressure.
- New tubing clamps: The original problem hopefully has been fixed. The old clamps had 35 pounds of torque - the new ones have 106 pounds. Should be more than enough.
- Schrader valve filling capability: A schrader valve was bought that can be threaded onto the same spot as the air coupler. Good for filling at gas stations or using a bike pump.
- Hose leads to the water reservoir: This is different from the original that used rigid PVC. When something rigid hits something rigid, the weaker one breaks. This is also easier to install.
- Air release: A ball valve on the back will remove all air from the air tank in an emergency. A dedicated air muffler has been installed to reduce the noise level of the air release by 20 dBs. This also is a genuinely useful feature when you're done using the water gun and don't want any pressure in the tank.
So basically, SuperCAP is a little bigger and better than ever. I can't wait to test again. Testing will be done tomorrow.
I also bought a face shield. Tony B. was my inspiration. Using it around the house, I'm surprised no one else had suggested face shields before.
The new rebuilt system is superior in most ways and incorporates a lot of new features and improvements, many of which are safety or ease of operation features. I'll outline a few below:
- Outlet pressure gauge: The original design assumed that the gauge on the air regulator measured outlet pressure. It didn't, and this fixes that.
- Increased capacity: Since the water gun was too tall to begin with, I decided to add a little more capacity.
- Safety feature: An important feature we should have had in the original design. This allows you to not only refill while pressurized, but also acts as a safety (hence the name). With this enabled, you can't fire the gun.
- Overpressure release valve: I installed one after I bought one for testing. There's no chance of overpressurization now (unless the pressure increases faster than the valve can release, and that's very unlikely). The funny part is that the metal air tank has the least pressure rating of any of the parts. My main intention for this valve is to transport and keep the gun in a hot car. The heat increases the pressure.
- New tubing clamps: The original problem hopefully has been fixed. The old clamps had 35 pounds of torque - the new ones have 106 pounds. Should be more than enough.
- Schrader valve filling capability: A schrader valve was bought that can be threaded onto the same spot as the air coupler. Good for filling at gas stations or using a bike pump.
- Hose leads to the water reservoir: This is different from the original that used rigid PVC. When something rigid hits something rigid, the weaker one breaks. This is also easier to install.
- Air release: A ball valve on the back will remove all air from the air tank in an emergency. A dedicated air muffler has been installed to reduce the noise level of the air release by 20 dBs. This also is a genuinely useful feature when you're done using the water gun and don't want any pressure in the tank.
So basically, SuperCAP is a little bigger and better than ever. I can't wait to test again. Testing will be done tomorrow.
I also bought a face shield. Tony B. was my inspiration. Using it around the house, I'm surprised no one else had suggested face shields before.
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Silence
- Posts: 3825
- Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:01 pm
Sounds great, and let's hope there aren't any problems (even minor ones) this time around. Did you do anything to increase the power of this thing, or have you decided the power was already pretty excessive (at least on a riot blast)? Good luck, hope it works, and I look forward to hearing more about it tomorrow.
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SSCBen
- Posts: 6449
- Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2003 1:00 pm
Testing was called off early due to the fact that it started raining a bit and some pipe threads need to be tightened to fix a leak.
We did get a good shot off however. The problem was, the camera's batteries were low and it could only take about a one second video. I'm really running out of time for testing daily now with loads of school, but I'll still be around definitely. We'll test again on the next clear day with little work. Pictures will be available then as well.
Range was a bit more than 60 feet. Pressure was 40 PSI, meaning a massive 500 pounds of force was available. The 3/8 inch nozzle made a turbulent stream, so I think a conical nozzle would be a definite upgrade in the future.
I can do lots of testing now to see what kinds of force is necessary for range. What I do know is that 60 feet takes about 500 pounds of force and 70 feet takes about 1200 pounds of force. Definitely an exponential curve. Would be great to make an approximate graph of force versus range.
I've also found an Excel spreadsheet for calculating the force from latex rubber tubing, so force calculations can be done for just about anything now. I intend to extract the equation for force from the equation and write about it in the next big update.
To explain the force of pressure again, the force of pressure is the pressure multiplied by the surface area it pushes on. It isn't magic or anything: a bigger surface area requires more air immediately touching the surface. More atoms means simply more energy. It's just like torque really.
My only real problem is getting this water gun on my back. When full, this is heavy to lift! On my back the weight is fine, but it's simply too tall to walk around the house. That's why you go around outside with it. I intend to make a second multiplied II eventually that should be far more compact. Something like 6 inch pipe would really be great. I also should design it to be if anything too deep instead of tall.
We did get a good shot off however. The problem was, the camera's batteries were low and it could only take about a one second video. I'm really running out of time for testing daily now with loads of school, but I'll still be around definitely. We'll test again on the next clear day with little work. Pictures will be available then as well.
Range was a bit more than 60 feet. Pressure was 40 PSI, meaning a massive 500 pounds of force was available. The 3/8 inch nozzle made a turbulent stream, so I think a conical nozzle would be a definite upgrade in the future.
I can do lots of testing now to see what kinds of force is necessary for range. What I do know is that 60 feet takes about 500 pounds of force and 70 feet takes about 1200 pounds of force. Definitely an exponential curve. Would be great to make an approximate graph of force versus range.
I've also found an Excel spreadsheet for calculating the force from latex rubber tubing, so force calculations can be done for just about anything now. I intend to extract the equation for force from the equation and write about it in the next big update.
To explain the force of pressure again, the force of pressure is the pressure multiplied by the surface area it pushes on. It isn't magic or anything: a bigger surface area requires more air immediately touching the surface. More atoms means simply more energy. It's just like torque really.
My only real problem is getting this water gun on my back. When full, this is heavy to lift! On my back the weight is fine, but it's simply too tall to walk around the house. That's why you go around outside with it. I intend to make a second multiplied II eventually that should be far more compact. Something like 6 inch pipe would really be great. I also should design it to be if anything too deep instead of tall.
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joannaardway
- Posts: 855
- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:04 pm
*slowly raises hand*
I've suggested a full face visor/shield!
I don't want to get back into the full swing of the force/pressure debate (it resulted in some rather negative replies), so I won't deploy my opinion on that.
I've suggested a full face visor/shield!
I don't want to get back into the full swing of the force/pressure debate (it resulted in some rather negative replies), so I won't deploy my opinion on that.
"Over the hills and far away, she prays he will return one day. As sure as the rivers reach the seas, back in his arms again she'll be." - Over the Hills and far away, Gary Moore
"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston
"So many people have come and gone, their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on, as clear as the sun in the summer sky" - More than a feeling, Boston