Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

I would like to run my Mamods on compressed air for test purposes. Have read that this is not a very wise thing to do. I would have thought that if I fed the air into the whistle hole and kept the pressure from a compressor down to about 12 PSI, that should be OK? Any excess pressure would escape via the safety valve. My car tyre compressor would do I would have thought!

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Brian

MODEL ENTHUSIASTS sell an adaptor if you need to buy one,  £7.99 with freepost  - extract from their website as follows :-

Run your Mamod engine from a foot pump or with compressed air
For testing your engine prior to steaming
This adapter fits into the water level plug hole (3/16 bsf)
The outer thread is the same as a car tyre thread
Provides a quick and easy way to test your engine

I have seen them listed on ebay as well. I use the type that screws into the water level plug as this means the safety valve is not removed.

Stuart

I would like to run my Mamods on compressed air for test purposes. Have read that this is not a very wise thing to do. I would have thought that if I fed the air into the whistle hole and kept the pressure from a compressor down to about 12 PSI, that should be OK? Any excess pressure would escape via the safety valve. My car tyre compressor would do I would have thought!

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Brian

Just make sure the regulator is turned down, I have a separate regulator on my bench I installed after I forgot I had turned up the one on the compressor to use my nailer and 90 PSI blew the bottom seam in an old Doll boiler I had been working on. 

Wet steam does provide some lubrication while dry air does not...

Which has nothing to do with this post.

I don't have a water level plug but obviously have a whistle. What sort of PSI pressure is recommended?

From memory, mamod SV lifts off at 15 psi.

A 1/4 bsf brass bolt with the head cut off, a 3mm hole through the centre, makes a cheap and simple adaptor for the whistle hole.

If it helps, send me a PM and I will make one and pop it in the post.

Stuart