{"id":77555,"date":"2021-12-07T20:34:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T20:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sbp.tgcsitechecker.com\/?p=77555"},"modified":"2023-07-08T22:28:20","modified_gmt":"2023-07-08T22:28:20","slug":"diy-submarine-kits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diving-info.com\/diy-submarine-kits\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Submarine Kits: Why They’re Not Worth the Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

We live in the age of DIY<\/a>. People today are passionate about doing everything themselves, from making skincare products to growing food. For divers, DIY might get a little more complex, but still looks appealing: who wouldn\u2019t want to try DIY submarine kits?<\/p>\n

You can find DIY submarine instructions if you search for them online. You may also come across a few optimistic success stories of people who made their own real, working submarines. The appeal of seeing the underwater world in a whole new way is hard to deny.\u00a0However, DIY submarine kits are a dangerous way to do it. Leave the submarine building to the professionals instead.<\/p>\n

How Submarines Work<\/h2>\n

Submarines take the technology<\/a> that makes ships float, and use an inverse version to make them sink, too. Most submarines involve an elaborate apparatus — let\u2019s take a look at some of the things that keep them working.<\/p>\n

Floating and diving<\/h3>\n

When a ship floats, it\u2019s because it displaces enough water to equal the weight of the ship. Gravity is pulling the ship toward the bottom of the sea. However, the displaced water has its own force, called buoyant force, and it\u2019s enough to oppose gravity and keep the ship on the surface.<\/p>\n

Of course, ships sit on the surface of the water with no hope of diving and coming up again. But a submarine uses a system of trim and ballast tanks, filling them with either water or air to change the water displacement of the vessel.\u00a0When the submarine floats on the surface of the water, those tanks are full of air. That makes the sub less dense than the water around it. However, as the tanks fill with water, the density goes up, causing the sub to go down.<\/p>\n

Submarines further control the direction of the dive using hydroplanes on the stern. These adjust the angle of the dive, by moving water across the stern of the sub.<\/p>\n

Another submarine method uses a double hull to adjust its level in the water. The inner hull holds the crew, while the outer hull can be filled with water or air as needed to move the sub to the surface and down again. Submarines carry compressed air on board for when the ballast tanks or outer hull need to be filled with air again.<\/p>\n

Steering<\/h3>\n

Once the sub is underwater, how can the crew maneuver it?\u00a0When it\u2019s reached the ideal depth, the crew levels the hydroplanes to keep it on a steady track at the same depth. They also maintain the same ratio of air and water in the outer hull or tanks. A rudder on the rear of the sub allows for steering right and left. Modern subs may also use secondary propulsion motors that can move them in any direction underwater.<\/p>\n

Inside the sub<\/h3>\n

Just building a machine that can effectively navigate the water both up and down, and around 360 degrees of horizontal directions, is hard enough. But if you want people on your sub, you need to create an environment where they can survive underwater — and that\u2019s even more challenging. As you can see, no DIY submarine kits will be able to provide everything that you need for a successful sub.<\/p>\n

First, submarines have to be able to maintain a temperature that\u2019s conducive to human life. Underwater, it can get extremely cold, especially as you go farther below the surface. Electric heaters on a submarine might pull power from the engine, or even from a nuclear reactor. Batteries often serve as a backup source of heat power.<\/p>\n

The submarine also needs to have enough fresh water for the crew. This usually involves a method of distilling seawater, since it wouldn\u2019t be practical to carry a large amount of fresh water on board. These distillation methods separate the salt and other particles out of the seawater. In addition to keeping the crew thriving, this freshwater supply also helps keep important electronics on board cooled for optimum performance.<\/p>\n

Of course, submarines also need to have enough oxygen to support the crew for as long as they\u2019re on board. As people breathe oxygen in and carbon dioxide out, the submarine needs to replenish the oxygen supply on board.<\/p>\n

Submarines can provide oxygen using a few different methods. They can have pressurized tanks of oxygen on board, or use oxygen generators that create oxygen using water. Onboard sensors can tell how much oxygen is in the air, and when more needs to get released.<\/p>\n