Russian Uber DPV: Protei-5 for sale

jaap

Does anyone know the voltage of the Protei?

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My initials: JAAP

nice diver

Well,
This machine HAS made it to the west. To my workshop on the Riviera.
But sadly without the user manual. I still haven't figured out how to make a working DPV out of the bunch of parts you can see on the picture. The batteries are quite mysterious. I don't know what to fill them with, their voltage, how to set them in the shell, connect them to the motor...
This is definitely a challenging puzzle, but I'm confident!

If anybody has a clue???

Dan Wright

Hi, Dan Wright here from Englewood, NJ. I have purchased a Protei-5 DPV. Does anyone have experience with these units or know the type of batteries they use? I have seven unused batteries included with the crate and the scooter. All have never been activated with electrolyte. I was told they were silver/zinc, but experts have looked at one I sent to them and have doubts. I have given them permission to open it up and figure it out. I also need to know the voltage needed for the electric motor. It has been run at 12 volts, but am unsure whether to test 24 or higher. The DPV I have has never been used, never been wet as far as I can tell. I plan to make it work by this spring, I believe it is the only one in the US. Thanks for any help!
-D

montyg

There is another model of russian scooter which I have only ever seen once in a magazine article titled "Red Seals" about the Spetsnaz (Soldier of Fortune Magazine, Jan 1996)

The dimensions seem similar to a Gavin type scooter but it's a ride on model.

Anybody got any info on this one?

rgds
monty

Attached Images

redseals.JPG (205.1 KB, 518 views)

grandizer52

there was a dive shop in patong beach thailand that was renting these a while back, don't remeber the name, the owner was a retired Royal navy salvage diver

jaap

AFAIK similar looking scooters of several models were produced in Russia and Ukraine. There are a number of them in Sweden, unfortunately the links below are only in Swedish:

http://syihbb.brinkster.net/baltic/uvmoppe.html

Till salu

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My initials: JAAP

Dave Sutton

Dan, I answered your note in a private email, but just for the rest: Toss those old batteries into a box and save them for the museum, get new glass mat sealed batteries, and wire it up. You'll get lots more life and be able to charge them easially. The motor is 12 volt AFAIK. Don't 'customize' it any more (I'm *really* sorry you painted it, as it's a historical item and really needs to be preserved and put into a museum or a collection someplace). Don't ruin it by 'improving' it. Unless you have a friendly (large) boat with a boom and a block and tackle, I don't think you'll find it to be a terribly practical item to use. The guy I sold it to in Canada had planned to mount additional small thruster motors in the X and Z axis and was planning on mounting a large motion picture (film) camera on it and to use it as an X/Y/Z axis powered camera platform. Apparently that never worked out, as you seem to have bought it in the same condition I sold it 5 years ago. As I mentioned in my email to you, these are fun to ride (once), but are terribly impractical for sport diving as compared to any of the modern scooters.

Best,

Dave

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"Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes, Nothing remains quite the same".... www.nobubblediving.com

Dan Wright

Hi Dave:
Thanks for getting back to me. As a matter of fact, I have ordered two SLA 12 volt 35 aH batteries and charger for the unit and the size is pretty close to the tray provided inside the unit. I will trim it doing some pool testing, and secure those lead weights in the battery tray as well. I estimate the weight at 140 lbs fully trimmed. Have worked out the wiring as well, will even have submerge's anderson powerpole connectors for the charger, very little else will be altered. Enrique Alvarez will weld me a stainless "handlebar" replacing the shoulder clips. It'll attach to three points up front. This way, it'll ride more like a motorcycle and be easier to mount at sea. Boom or davit arm is not too much trouble on boats I am familiar with (and mate on...). This thing will be up and running in a month or so, certainley will be diving with it by spring 08.
I will test it at Dutch Springs as early as I can this spring when they are open regularly. As for the paint job, it can be repainted back to the original color, if a museum wanted to pay for it. I can sand and re-spray it anytime.
The old paint HAD to be re-painted, as certainley one large spot on the starboard side was bare and rough with pitting. Aluminum body, not titanium.....wish it was titanium, be worth a mint even as scrap.
Best,
-Dan Wright
Englewood, NJ

Dave Sutton

Suggest you ride it as-is before Enrique makes anything. These ride hands-free and the saddle / shoulder clip system is one of the best features of the thing. TRY IT before you change it.



Dave

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"Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes, Nothing remains quite the same".... www.nobubblediving.com

Dan Wright

Hi Dave:
Yes of course, the handlebar does not make any changes to the original Protei, it only bolts onto the brackets that exist for the shoulder clips and the middle stainless steel rod. No holes will need to be drilled in the Protei at all.
This is an easily removable handle. I believe you when you say the shoulder clips make it easy to ride, my concern is actually mounting it in the atlantic and being able to quickly get to my drysuit inflator valve. I can always switch back to the clips if the handle does not work well. This will also be a bracket to hold my 400 watt lights and video camera. Within a week I will have all the batteries, charger and other parts to complete to power and wiring.
The handlebar may take a bit longer, as Enrique has to make the time to weld it and he needs the protei at his shop to custom fit the thing. He has seen it once a week ago when we first took measurements.
Regards,
-Dan