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

Well other than your Oops, that one seems plenty good for the 1/4 hp Weed ..... nice!

I do have one question. If it has an electrical over pressure cut off, why would low water burn out the element? Seems to me that as soon as the element started to get close to exposed, the steam pressure would shoot up and shut the whole thing down. Am I missing something here?

Yes... low water exposes the element and it does not increase pressure when exposed to steam as a gas. The submerged heater's surface will never rise above the temperature of the water. For example, in this boiler at 50 psi, the water boils at 298 degrees F. The surface of the submerged element is therefore maintained at about that temperature plus 2 degrees. Once exposed, an electric heating element can and will reach 1900-2000 F.


Hope this helps.


Gil