Boxfish ROV User manual

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
V1.3. All rights reserved. Information and specifications may change at any time without notice. p0

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
p1 V1.3 All rights reserved. Information and specifications may change at any time without notice.

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
V1.3. All rights reserved. Information and specifications may change at any time without notice. p2
Table of Contents
1 Welcome to Boxfish ..........................................................................................................6
2 Safety.....................................................................................................................................6
Lifting.............................................................................................................................6
Hazards.......................................................................................................................... 7
Batteries........................................................................................................................ 7
ROV operation.............................................................................................................8
3 About this document......................................................................................................10
How to use this document.................................................................................... 10
Important notices and warning messages....................................................... 10
4 Notices ................................................................................................................................. 11
5 Boxfish ROV System....................................................................................................... 12
Receiving your ROV ................................................................................................ 12
Storage and Shipping Cases ................................................................................ 12
ROV............................................................................................................................... 13
Control Station.......................................................................................................... 14
Tether reel ...................................................................................................................17
Accessories provided ............................................................................................. 18
Optional accessories for the Boxfish ROV system.......................................23
6 Putting together the Boxfish ROV system..............................................................24
Charge the ROV battery........................................................................................24
Overview of ROV system.......................................................................................24
Connect Control Station to power.....................................................................25
Assemble tether reel...............................................................................................25
Connect tether cable to ROV ..............................................................................27
Store fibre port caps and fibre cable caps safely......................................... 28
Attach Ninja V monitor/recorder....................................................................... 28
Visual inspection / familiarity...............................................................................29
7 Test ROV Functions ........................................................................................................ 31
Power on ROV with magnetic key...................................................................... 31
Power on Control Station...................................................................................... 31
Check feeds from ROV .......................................................................................... 31
Apply and test vacuum on ROV pressure vessel...........................................33
Test LED illumination lights ..................................................................................35
Test thrusters............................................................................................................35

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Practice removing thrusters and replacing propellers ................................36
Test scaling lasers....................................................................................................36
Add ballast washers ................................................................................................36
Lubricate tether penetrator o-rings and collar o-ring..................................37
Power on Ninja V......................................................................................................37
Test auto-focus ........................................................................................................37
Safety check............................................................................................................. 38
Packing up your Boxfish ROV............................................................................. 38
8 Planning your dive........................................................................................................... 40
Overview .................................................................................................................... 40
Charge ROV Battery .............................................................................................. 40
Safety.......................................................................................................................... 40
Keeping the ROV cool ........................................................................................... 40
Choosing a suitable launch site........................................................................... 41
9 Launch .................................................................................................................................42
Overview .....................................................................................................................42
Assembling the Boxfish ROV system for dive................................................42
Pre-dive checks........................................................................................................42
Put ROV in the water ..............................................................................................42
Make ROV balanced and neutrally buoyant....................................................43
Check depth reading.............................................................................................. 44
Begin launch sequence ......................................................................................... 44
10 Piloting your ROV.........................................................................................................45
Overview .....................................................................................................................45
Safety...........................................................................................................................45
Using the Control Station and telemetry data to pilot the ROV ..............45
Navigation directions..............................................................................................47
Piloting modes ......................................................................................................... 48
Speed.......................................................................................................................... 50
Using the Level button............................................................................................51
Adjusting the ROV LED illumination lights .......................................................51
Using auto-focus and manual-focus for 4K camera......................................51
Activate RTS Disable (Return to Surface Disable) .....................................51
Manually focus the camera...................................................................................52
Activate Altitude Hold (if ROV has altimeter attached) ..........................52
More about Sea Mode and ROV Mode .........................................................52

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Tips and tricks.......................................................................................................52
11 Battery management......................................................................................................53
Monitoring battery usage......................................................................................53
Variables that affect battery usage ...................................................................53
Limits............................................................................................................................53
Battery storage.........................................................................................................54
12 Managing tether cable during a dive .........................................................................55
Safety...........................................................................................................................55
Communication between tether operator and ROV pilot...........................55
Best practice for tether management...............................................................55
Winding in the tether cable ..................................................................................55
13 Bringing the ROV back to surface..............................................................................57
Safe ascent practices .............................................................................................57
How to bring ROV back to surface ....................................................................57
14 After-dive procedures................................................................................................... 58
Disconnect ROV components and cables ...................................................... 58
Clean ROV system.................................................................................................. 58
Leave ROV components to dry .......................................................................... 58
Charge ROV battery............................................................................................... 58
15 ROV battery – charging and discharging .................................................................59
Battery charging safety information..................................................................59
Battery charging procedure .................................................................................59
Prepare batteries for storage...............................................................................63
Prepare batteries for shipping............................................................................ 64
16 Care and maintenance of your Boxfish ROV ..........................................................66
How to clean the fibre optic cables and inputs .............................................66
How to release vacuum from inside the ROV................................................ 68
How to replace thrusters and propellers......................................................... 68
How to remove battery tray from ROV.............................................................75
Replacing the ROV Battery...................................................................................79
17 Software and firmware updates................................................................................. 82
Updating Control Station firmware and/or software.................................. 82
Updating ROV firmware........................................................................................ 82
18 Appendix I: Control Station – more information................................................... 83

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19 Appendix II: Telemetry screen – more information.............................................. 90
20 Appendix III: ROV .........................................................................................................92
Status indicator LEDs.............................................................................................93
21 Appendix IV: O-ring types and spares ......................................................................95
How often to replace o-rings...............................................................................95
Care and maintenance of o-rings .......................................................................95
Table of o-ring types...............................................................................................95
22 Appendix V: Troubleshooting...................................................................................96
Thruster test does not work.................................................................................96
Feeds coming in from ROV are interrupted ....................................................96
How to restart the camera if it overheats........................................................96
How to calibrate ROV compass ......................................................................96
Status LED lights are blinking when powering up ROV...............................97
Navigation camera freezes ...................................................................................97
23 Appendix VI: Document history.............................................................................. 98

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V1.3. All rights reserved. Information and specifications may change at any time without notice. p6
1 Welcome to Boxfish
Congratulations on purchasing your Boxfish ROV! Please read these
instructions carefully before using your ROV.
We have strived to make your Boxfish ROV as intuitive as possible. It has been
designed to operate under extreme conditions. It is also a complex product with
sophisticated features and functions, and this manual aims to give you simple,
and easy to follow instructions for use, as well as a reference to all its features
and technical specifications.
If you need further support, please contact us at [email protected].
For general enquiries or to purchase accessories or updates, please email
[email protected] or visit https://www.boxfish.nz/contact/.
We hope you enjoy your Boxfish ROV!
2 Safety
To prevent damage to your Boxfish product or injury to yourself or others, read
the following safety precautions before using your ROV. Keep this manual
where all those who use this product can read these instructions.
Lifting
The ROV, travel cases and tether reel (>1.2km version) are a two (2) person
lift. Some components of the Boxfish ROV system are bulky, heavy and
awkward; please take care when lifting.
The ROV can only be safely lifted by the bumper/protection bars, frame
tubes, or the lifting point on top.

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Hazards
Take extreme care around deep water and potential slip hazards when
piloting and retrieving the ROV.
Plan your operations to minimize trip hazards from the components, tether
and cables.
Never operate the ROV in the presence of unaware swimmers or other
vessels.
Always supervise children around water and when ROV is operating.
While ROV is running pay close attention to the thrusters. Do not touch the
thrusters any time the ROV is powered on or serious injury may occur. Keep
fingers, long hair and loose clothing or anything that may become entangled
well clear of the thrusters when operating.
The ROV should not be operated close to any object which may get caught
in the thrusters.
DO NOT look directly into the ROV LED illumination lights when they are
turned on.
DO NOT look directly into the ROV scaling lasers (if supplied). The scaling
lasers emit Class 3R laser light. Laser protective eye wear is normally not
necessary. A Class 3R laser is not a skin or materials burn hazard.
Batteries
The ROV uses lithium-ion batteries. Misuse of the battery may cause the
battery to get hot, rupture or ignite and could cause serious injury.
Be sure to follow the safety rules listed below.
General battery safety
DO NOT place battery in a fire.
DO NOT heat battery.
DO NOT install battery so polarity is reversed.

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DO NOT connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery to each
other with conductive material (such as wire).
DO NOT pierce, strike, stand on or subject the battery to strong impacts or
shocks.
DO NOT expose the battery to water or allow the battery to get wet.
DO NOT disassemble or modify the battery.
ONLY use replacement batteries supplied by Boxfish.
Receiving
The ROV battery must be discharged to around 14.8-14.9V for shipping, but we
do not recommend storing your ROV with the batteries at this level. To prolong
the life of the battery, as soon as you receive your ROV after shipping, charge
its battery to the safe storage voltage of 15.4V. See Chapter 15: ROV battery
charging and discharging.
Charging
ONLY charge using the Boxfish-supplied charging equipment and charging
process, and always refer to the safety information provided with Boxfish
battery charging instructions. In this document, see Chapter 15: ROV battery
charging and discharging.
Storing
To prolong the life of your ROV battery, when storing your ROV for a few
months or more, ensure the battery is charged to 15.4V.
Shipping
ROV battery must be discharged to a safe voltage of 14.8V and 14.9V for safe
shipping requirements. Refer to the shipping requirements for lithium-ion
batteries outlined in Chapter 15.4: Prepare batteries for shipping.
Disposing
Dispose of used batteries safely, according to local battery disposal laws.
ROV operation
The Boxfish ROV takes at least two people to operate: one person to control
the ROV and one person to manage the tether cable.

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DO NOT use the ROV below its depth rating: check the rating specified in
your order or contact us if you are unsure.
DO NOT operate in currents where control is impeded.
DO NOT operate outside the water temperature range of -10˚C to +45˚C.
DO NOT store the ROV outside the range of -20˚C to +70˚C.

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3 About this document
How to use this document
When first using your ROV, we recommend reading this document from
beginning to end. Once you are familiar with your ROV, you can use it as a
reference or to refresh your memory.
This document covers:
Components and anatomy of the ROV system.
How-to guides for using your ROV. We start by getting you familiar with the
ROV components and take you right through to using it in the water.
Tips and tricks to get the best out of your ROV.
Maintenance instructions.
Appendices with more detailed specifications about the ROV system, and
troubleshooting information.
Important notices and warning messages
Throughout this document you will see the following messages:
IMPORTANT!
Important notices draw your attention to things you must do (or must not
do) so that you don’t BREAK OR DAMAGE the ROV or its accessories.
WARNING!
Warnings are for your SAFETY so that you don’t CAUSE
INJURY to yourself, any other operators of the ROV, or people
nearby.

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
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4 Notices
Boxfish Research reserves the right to change the specifications of the
hardware and software described in this manual at any time and without prior
notice.
Boxfish Research will not be held liable for any damages resulting from the use
of this product.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual
is accurate and complete, Boxfish Research will not be held responsible for any
errors or omissions. We would appreciate it if you could bring any errors or
omissions to the attention of Boxfish Research.

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V1.3. All rights reserved. Information and specifications may change at any time without notice. p12
5 Boxfish ROV System
Receiving your ROV
Storage and Shipping Cases
Your Boxfish system will arrive in at least three large waterproof Pelican cases.
Cases should be used for storage and shipping.
1.
USBL case (will be supplied only if ordered).
2.
Tether reel case. Includes tether reel, tether cable and winder handle.
3.
Control Station case / accessories box. Contains the Control Station
in its own case. Also includes all necessary cables, tools and
accessories for your ROV.
4.
ROV case. Can also be used to soak ROV for cleaning.
IMPORTANT!
As soon as possible after receiving your ROV, sure to charge its battery to
15.4V as soon as possible to prolong the life of the battery. See Section 15:
ROV battery charging and discharging for details.

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
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ROV
Our standard ROV is shown below.
Front and left side view
Rear view
1.
Pressure vessel
Pressure-rated ROV body
2.
Front dome
Contains front camera and wide-angle navigation
camera
3.
Bumpers / lifting
bars
Stainless steel lifting bars and bump protection for
sensitive domes and tether areas
4.
Laser scalers
(optional)
Two Class 3R Lasers used for size estimation of
objects
5.
Frame tubes /
balancing
chambers
Carbon-fibre shock-absorbing buoyancy tubes with
balancing chambers at each end
6.
Thrusters
Eight 3D vectored thrusters
7.
Tether port
To connect fibre optic tether cable
8.
Lifting eye
For attachment of a lifting or securing cable
9.
Rails for optional
accessories
For mounting accessories such as sonar or USBL
10.
Lighting arms
and LED lights
Adjustable arms with LED illumination lights
11.
Rear dome
Contains Status LEDs and rear camera
12.
Battery balance
port
For connecting cell balancing cable to charge each
battery cell to the same voltage
13.
Battery charge
ports
Positive and negative ports (terminals) for battery
charging

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14.
Depth sensor
Port containing ROV depth sensor
15.
Vacuum port
Port for applying vacuum to ROV body
16.
Off pad (red)
For powering off ROV using magnetic key
17.
On pad (green)
For powering on ROV using magnetic key
Control Station
The Control Station is a multifunctional unit that is used to:
Receive and display video and telemetry data from the ROV
Pilot the ROV
Record video (via Ninja V recording accessory)
Plug in optional accessories or computers
Update software and firmware for the ROV and Control Station.
The Control Station attaches to the tether reel via a fibre patch cable. The
tether reel in turn is attached to the ROV via the tether cable.
IMPORTANT!
The Control Station is designed to be splash-proof but it is not waterproof.
Ensure all ports are covered when not in use. Do not block the air vents (34)
otherwise the Control Station could overheat.

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Control Station layout
Common functions are detailed below. For the full list see Appendix 1: Control
Station – More information.
1.
17” 4K monitor displaying images from the main camera in the front dome
of the ROV
2.
Power in port. Provides power to the Control Station
3.
Fibre communication port. Used to send/receive telemetry, control
signals and video between the Control Station and the ROV. Must be
covered with its red plastic cap when not in use
6.
Enable button (green). Used to power on Control Station and also to
enable the ROV thrusters
7.
Thrust control thumb wheel. Used to adjust speed of the ROV through
the water
8.
Left joystick. Controls the ROV depth and lateral (sideways “crab”)
movement
9.
Zoom dial for front camera

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10.
Mode button. For selecting ROV operational mode: Sea Mode or ROV
Mode
11.
Dial for adjusting intensity of LED illumination lights
12.
Lighting Switch. Turns on and off LED illumination lights
13.
Stabilisation Switch. To enable/disable Stabilisation Hold function
14.
Depth Hold switch. To enable/disable Depth Hold function
15.
Sensor Power switch. Use only if additional sensors are supplied and as
directed in the sensor’s manual.
16.
RTS Disable switch (Return to Surface)
17.
Manual Focus switch. Used for camera focus mode
18.
Altitude Hold switch (can be used if optional altimeter accessory is
present)
19.
Multi-functional buttons – will be specified in the manual when/if used
21.
Level button. Used level the ROV from any pitch or roll
22.
Central joystick. Controls pitch and roll ROV movements
24.
Cancel button (X)
25.
OK button (√). Used for thruster test
26.
Focus button. Used to manually focus the camera
27.
Right joystick. Controls ROV yaw and forward/back movement
28.
Video toggle button
29.
Photo button. No function on the standard ROV
30.
Stop button (red)
31.
¼” mount (used for mounting Ninja Recorder)
32.
Accessory port (used for Ninja Recorder)
33.
Clean HDMI port (used for Ninja V Recorder)
34.
Air ventilation intakes. Used to keep Control Station cool. Do not cover
38.
Telemetry screen. Used to view data from the ROV to assist in piloting
the ROV.

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
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Tether reel
The tether reel comes in a few standard sizes and lengths depending on the
depth capability of your ROV. The parts shown below are common to all sizes.
The tether reel is connected to the ROV via the fibre optic tether cable. The
tether reel also passes data from the ROV to the Control Station via the fibre
patch cable, which is attached to the side of the tether reel.
1.
Tether cable
(fibre optic)
Durable fibre optic cable neutrally buoyant in salt water.
Carries all control and video signals to and from ROV.
2.
Tether
penetrator
Connector at the end of the tether cable, used to attach
the tether to the ROV. Should always be covered with
cap when not connected to ROV.
3.
Tether
penetrator
protective cap
Cover for tether penetrator (end of tether cable). Should
always be in place when not connected to the ROV.
4.
Drum
Used for winding tether cable on for storage. Wind
cable neatly and make sure it is not jammed or kinked
while winding on to the drum.
5.
Carry handles
Used to carry and move the tether reel. Larger tether
reels (carrying more than 1000m tether cable) are a two
(2) person lift, please take care when lifting
6.
Fibre patch
cable
connector
Port for the fibre optic patch cable between the tether
reel and the Control Station. Always cover the
connector with its red cap when not in use.
7.
Tether reel
winder handle
Used to wind the tether cable back onto the drum. Not
for use as a winch: do not use winder to retrieve ROV
using the tether cable.

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Accessories provided
We provide the following accessories in the same case as the Control Station.
Control Station power cables
You can supply power to the Control Station via an AC cable, or if no AC outlet
is available you can use a DC outlet such as boat or car.
1.
Control Station AC
power adapter
Universal single-phase (100-250V AC 50-60 Hz)
AC adaptor for powering the Control Station from
an AC supply.
2.
Control Station DC
power cable
Standard vehicle type plug to Control Station
cable for powering the Control Station from a DC
supply.
3.
Wall outlet cable
To connect the AC power adapter to your local
wall outlet.
WARNING!
ONLY use AC power adapters supplied by Boxfish.
DO NOT connect the Control Station to a DC supply less than
10.5V or greater than 29.5V.

Boxfish ROV Owner’s Manual
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Fibre patch connector cable
The fibre patch cable connects the tether reel to the Control Station, passing
the data from the ROV to the Control Station via the tether reel.
We supply two standard lengths (3m and 5m) but can supply longer cables if
required.
Fibre patch cable. Note the ends are protected with clear plastic caps – keep
these on at all times when cable not in use.
Battery charger and cables
The below items are used to charge the ROV battery.
1.
Battery charger
Universal (100-250V AC 50-60 Hz) AC charger used to
charge, discharge and balance the ROV battery
2.
Battery charger
power cable
Used to connect the battery charger to a suitable AC
supply
3.
ROV battery
charging cable
Used to connect the battery charger to the ROV
battery charge ports to perform battery charge and
discharge
4.
ROV cell
balancing cable
USB and JST connectors connect to the battery
charger; the other end to the balance port on the ROV.
Cable is used to perform cell balancing within the
battery