Today I finally tracked down the diving helmet I built and left up here 4 years ago. It's in pretty good shape considering I stored it in a rubbermaid bin outside, all year round for 4 years. Minnesota's seasons don't fuck around either. The hots are hotter and the colds are colder than in Oregon.
I'm still storing it in the tub on the end of the dock for ease of access, and to prevent sun damage to the plastic that the helmet itself is made from. It's already pretty scuffed up and the paint is flaking off, but the tub did an admirable job of keeping snow and animals off the goods.
I tested it out today, running off the battery with the solar panels hooked up. 10-15 minutes of diving took the battery from 99% full down to 94%. The panels don't replenish the charge faster than the air compressor depletes it, but it offsets much of the compressor's usual energy consumption.
Here's the compressor itself. A little undersized compared to the one I have back home but it does the job, providing I don't over-exert myself while submerged. It's continuous duty, electric, oil free and has a moisture trap. All critical qualities for a compressor one intends to use for diving purposes.
Anyway my underwater camera battery ran out before I could take some underwater selfies, sadly. I also appear to have left the charger for the special battery format it uses back in Oregon. I'll work on figuring out some way to charge it, and try to get you guys some helmet diving footage before the vacation is over.
Stay Cozy!
@alexbeyman,
WTF you made that helmet? Dude do a bachelor on that subject and I feel you have a great mechanical knowledge! Use it to make more new stuffs like you did here! Excellent man, this is f#$king awesome!
Cheers~
That is so friggin awesome!
I hope you can get some vids and
Happy Vacation!
You really built a helmet? Amazing. That's something I would a little hesitant to try that. Good work!
Well it would be to have a friend or a companion in case of any error to be diving, it may look in perfect condition but the electronic panels or something of the system would be good to have a help.
Helmet diving is pretty simple. It's just an upside down bucket with weights and windows. The air pressure self regulates against the water pressure at the helmet's open bottom, so you're always breathing air at the appropriate pressure for your depth.
Really the only thing that could go wrong would be a compressor failure, but there's an air tank in between the compressor and the output as a buffer so I'd notice that the airflow was slowing down. Being in such shallow water, I could easily ditch the helmet if I had to, remembering not to hold my breath on ascent so my lungs don't overexpand.
Nice boat. I could not handle the Minnesota winters. I hope you get some underwater pictures.
Am sincere here, how about you patent something, an idea that make you the new elon musk, your ashera story says a lot. You're just too gifted to be doing all this for a $2 post payout.
Very cool setup, the dock and the island looks exactly as if I was looking at our place, almost disturbingly same, but I guess, there is a lot of docks looking out onto an island :) Really great job on the helmet, gives me something to think about, hmm, maybe...
Wow..... Did you build the helmet yourself... Great Man..
Hope you hurry with figuring it out...lol; can't wait for those images
That's awesome! When did you build it? No doubt, Minnesota takes the seasons serious. I just had some visitors out here in Seattle from MN and they thought the heat we've been having was a nice relief from the heat they've been having. Virtually the same temperatures, but the humidity takes it to a whole different level. Looking forward to some underwater images / video.
It says in the article I built it 4 years ago. That would be 2014.
Oh I see, I misread that as you had built it at an earlier date and then left it stored for the last 4 years.
I did, that's what it says.
Haha! Okay, I'll try one more time. I read it as if you had built the helmet way before you ended up storing it at your cabin. For example, you could have built it 10 years ago, but only just stored it at your cabin 4 years ago. That's why I asked when you had built it. :)
I love that you didn't just read and talk about something, but actually went out and built it. One of my life's goals is to build something big enough on the ocean that an entire community can live on it. I'll definitely be following you. I'll hopefully also be putting some stuff on steemit about it so check into @switchblade and give me a few reminders to stay on track with seasteading development!
I'm actually impressed you built your own diving helmet, I would just buy one if I were going scuba diving haha.
Diving helmets start around $5,000 new. I built mine for $200 including the cost of the compressor, hose and fittings.
Have you heard of the show by Kevin O'lerey ? That show where you share your ideas for investors to invest. Common. I want to see you on TV for Christ sake.
Wait I’d love to actually see that on you...or how it looks on anyone really. Hard to tell from the pics! Would love underwater pics for sure
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Jump in the future. Go Alex
It's good that you were able to locate your helmet and even though you have built it 4 years ago it is in very good condition ... I hope selfies
😆 I personally am very anxious to see how you eventually solve it. You creativity doesn’t surprise me anymore.
Thanks for sharing this Post. Did you build the helmet yourself.. great man. Very nice your post.
Well I do not know anything about diving but it would be cool to spend your holidays with everything safe to dive, it would be a good idea to bring a few companions, a selfie is not bad after all but I have a question, how can you make a selfie under water ? Or how can you take pictures and tax underwater with smart phone? I say, I ask why I have never seen something like that, and if it can be done, then I would like to see it because its diving devices are a bit worn but it is also used and you can take advantage of it.