This is an instructable on how to make a PVC waterproof submarine! This is a project that can teach you basic electronics and soldering. Have fun!

Step 1: Gather Materials & Tools

Materials

(1) 10 ft. PVC (½”)

(8) 3-way PVC elbows (½”)

(3) PVC tees (½”)

(1) PVC socket cap (½”)

(1) toilet wax ring

(1) 80 ft. ethernet cable

(3) DPDT switches

(1) 10 ft. 20 gauge wire

(3) Propellers

(3) Mini Wind Water Turbine Generator Project DC Motors

(1 package) Motor waterproofing stickers

(15) Zip ties

(2) Latex Gloves

(3) Film canisters

(2) ceramic disc magnets

(2) screws

Tools

Standard Soldering Iron Solder (about 0.02-03”)

Wire strippers

Damp sponge

Scissors

Sharpie

Measuring Tape

Standard PVC cutter

Drill and Driver Drill

Bits

Electrical Tape

Step 2: Wax Rings

Put disposable gloves on. Disposable latex gloves are better for this than rubber kitchen gloves because the wax is very hard to get off
Open the wax ring
Make 3 spheres from the wax that are 1" in diameter
Make 3 more spheres from the wax that are 0.5" in diameter

Step 3: Attach Wires to Motors

Attach the black and red 20 gauge wires to the bottom of the motor

Step 4: Cover Motor Holes

Poke a hole in the center of the bottom face of the film canister
Place a 1" diameter wax ball on top of that hole in the canister
Put the DC motor in the canister so the metal rod on the motor goes through the wax and the hole in the canister
Slide the wires through the hole in the cap of the film canister
Place a 0.5" wax ball on top of the DC motor and the wires
Slide the film canister down the wires and fasten it to the canister
Repeat 2 more times so you have 3 motors

Step 5: Attach Propellors

Attach the propellers on the opposite end of the motor (not on the same side as the wires).

Step 6: Gather and Cut PVC

Gather materials:
1. 10 ft PVC
2. PVC cutter
3. PVC fittings
4. sharpie
5. tape measure
Using the cut list below, cut the PVC using the pipe cutter. When cutting, measure 1 piece, cut, and then repeat. DO NOT measure all the pieces and then cut all of them.
Cut List(8) 3” (4) 5” (2) 7.5” (2) 2” (1) 4”
To measure, line the edge of the tape measure to the edge of the pipe and mark a small line at the correct spot.
To cut, place the PVC in the curve of the PVC cutter and then slowly click the cutter. Make sure to have someone holding both sides of the PVC level.
The cut should go all the way through the PVC.Repeat for all of the cuts.

Step 7: Assemble the Base

Take your 7.5” pieces and your 5” pieces and lay them out so they make a rectangle.
Connect all the pieces with 3 way elbows so that the rectangle remains on 1 plane.

Step 8: Attach Height

In the holes of the 3-way elbows (facing up), connect the 3” pieces of PVC, 1 in each hole (4 total).
Push with enough pressure to where the pipes will stay in place even if you turn the base upside down.

Step 9: Assemble the Top

Lay out the pieces so that the (2) 5” PVC pieces are parallel and the (2) 2” are side by side parallel to the other 5” pieces.
(1) tee is used to connect the (2) 2” pieces.

Step 10: Attach 3-way Elbows

On both sides of the one 5" piece, attach 3-way elbows with a piece sticking down and in. They should mirror each other.
On each 2" piece, on one side, attach a 3-way elbow with a piece sticking down and in.

Step 11: Assemble Hook

Attach the PVC socket cap to either end of the 4” PVC piece.
Insert it into the tee on the front of the top.

Step 12: Assemble Sides

On two tees, attach a 3” PVC piece to both sides, so that it is one long rod.
Connect the open spots on these tees to the middle 5” PVC piece.
Connect the tops and bottoms of the “H” to the 3-way elbows.
dOn the tee connecting the (2) 2” PVC pieces, connect the 4” PVC piece with the socket cap.

Step 13: Attach Base and Top

Connect the base and top by inserting the 3" pieces from the base into the open 3-way elbows on the top.

Step 14: Attach Magnets

Get a driver and drill and bits for both.
Take off the socket cap and put it in a table vice grip with the top (closed end) facing upward.
Drill a pilot hole into the top.
Place the magnet on the top and align the holes.
Drill in the screw.
Repeat this process on the 4" piece where the hole is 2" from the end that is in the socket cap.

Step 15: Attach Motors to Frame

1 motor will go on the middle 5" across the top.
With the propeller facing down, use 2 zip ties crossing each other to strap it onto the PVC.
Cut the extra zip tie.
The other two motors will go on the back (opposite of the hook).
On the outside of the frame, on the middle of the back height pieces, take one motor with the propeller facing the back and zip tie it to the frame.
Cut extra zip tie.
Repeat on the other side.
Use electrical tape to wrap all the way around the motor and PVC to stabilize the motor.

Step 16: Attach Motor to Ethernet

On one end of the 80 ft ethernet, strip 2" off.
Separate one color and wrap it around the ethernet.
On the 3 colors, unwrap 1" from each pair.
On those 6 strands, strip 1 cm off.
On the 1 pair on the ethernet, connect the red and black where the red is to the color and black is to the white.
Solder these connections.
Repeat for all 3 motors.
To clean up the wires, pull the wires so they are next to the PVC and ziptie them to the pipe. Do this for all 3 motors so that they all exit the sub at one place and won't get caught in the propellors.

Step 17: Attaching the Switch to Ethernet

Cut a piece of ethernet that is 1 ft long
On one end, strip 3” off of the surrounding plastic layer, without cutting the wires
Pick 3 colors and wrap the one you’re not using around the ethernet (one set will not be used)Take those 3 colors and unwrap them so you have 6 wires
Strip 1 cm off of the end and loop it through the correct spotMake it so you have solids in 1 column, whites in the other, and matching colors across the rows
Take your soldering iron and solder, heat up the metal and wire and then place the solder onto there so you cover the metal and wire. This strengthens the connection.On each metal piece, take a small piece of electrical tape and wrap it around the solder to make sure that the circuit doesn’t short.

Step 18: Preparing the Switch Ethernet

On the opposite end of the 1ft long ethernet, strip 2” off.
Wrap the same color wire that you did at the top around the ethernet
Look back at the switch, the color that you have in the middle, separate the color and white of that color.
Separate the remaining 4 strands
On the switch, find the opposite corners
On the corresponding wires at the end of the ethernet, solder those pairs together.
In our image, it is green and white blue, and white green and blue.
Repeat these steps 2 more times for a total of 3 switches

Step 19: Switch Ethernet to Motor Ethernet

On the ethernet that is connected to the motors, find the open end. That is what you need to work on.
Pick one color (for this example, we’re going to use blue).
From the ethernet that is connected to the switch, take the two pairs that are soldered (ours were green and white blue, and white green and blue).
Solder the blue to one of these pairs
Solder the white blue to the other pair. You now have 2 groups of 3 strands.
Repeat this step with the other switches on the other colors that are connected to the motors.

Step 20: Connect Power to the Switches

On each of the three switches, there are 2 strands (1 color) that are not connected to anything. These are the power.
Solder all of the solids together, and all of the whites together.
On the power supply, solder one open wire to the solids.
Solder the other open wire to the whites.

Step 21: Create Switch Panel

Take a piece of plywood (any size, we used 3" x 5")
Drill 3 holes roughly 1" apart from each other.
Take all of the washers off of the switch.
Put the switch through the hole.
Screw one of the bolts back on.
Repeat for the other 2 switches.

Step 22: Clean Up

On all open connections, wrap electrical tape around them to seal the connections from the water.
Use electrical tape where there is solder.
1. DO NOT wrap more than one solder group together.
Bundle all of the wires on the switches together and wrap with electrical tape.
Continue this process so you have a clean, easy to use group of wires.

Introduction: BTS- Lynx 42 PVC Submersible