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

The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: SeeSteam on June 04, 2019, 12:45:58 pm

Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Stoker on June 21, 2019, 12:18:54 pm
Many engines in my stable have no throttle, so speed can only be controlled by using a variac on an electric, or building a smaller fire on the flame fired models. I almost always work at keeping my engines running well under max rpm, but just every once in awhile I like to take a Jensen 35 or 70, or a Mamod Minor out for a spin!

ZOOM!
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Hero on June 21, 2019, 07:45:36 am
I've abused my Olds a time or two...  ;)


Looks like my daily driver....
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Hero on June 21, 2019, 07:42:04 am
For some reason, most people try to get their engines to run as slowly as possible, and that certainly works with things like beam engines and large mill engines, which never did run quickly in their full-sized incarnations.

Personally, I vary the speed during each run. I become bored easily....
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: jerseysteam on June 06, 2019, 04:16:03 pm
A homemade El Camino?
A Woodchero?

 :D
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 06, 2019, 02:36:00 pm
Here is an engine under different belting ratios to optimize the power generation:
https://youtu.be/HeSA97h8-Vc
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 06, 2019, 01:33:56 pm
A homemade El Camino?
A Woodchero?
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: St Paul Steam on June 05, 2019, 07:29:01 pm
I've abused my Olds a time or two...  ;)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48010313461_cf23f8f359_z.jpg)
I don't see any issues with it Nick ...what have you done to it....its hard to tell ?
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Nick on June 05, 2019, 06:36:56 pm
Would you run your car engine at full speed in neutral ?.....Allan... :)

I've abused my Olds a time or two...  ;)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48010313461_cf23f8f359_z.jpg)
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Jim on June 05, 2019, 06:28:56 pm
Would you run your car engine at full speed in neutral ?.....Allan... :)

Only if I was 16 years old and I'd stolen it.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: jerseysteam on June 05, 2019, 09:50:44 am
Locomotives at realistic scale speeds, usually as slow as possible.

Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: wulfrun on June 05, 2019, 09:41:36 am
I only have mobile engines, no static ones. Some Mamods won't run particularly slowly but I always run them as slowly as practicable, the others certainly run slowly. I'm not a fan of a mobile running around at scale speed of 200mph whilst throwing oil around (and more importantly, away from where it should be). I try and work engines with some load to pull, to slow them down (if there's no throttle, like most Mamods) or I'll run them on a whiff of burner. Looks much more realistic to me but each to their own.

I have run engines flat out a) to see what they're capable of or b) to maximise power - such as for running a generator.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: MrandMrsferrysteam on June 05, 2019, 04:10:05 am
Would you run your car engine at full speed in neutral ?.....Allan... :)
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Scorpion2nz on June 04, 2019, 11:36:48 pm
Usually the slower the better .
High speed if under generator load .
When repair one usually a quick sprint then forever slow .
I like the Stuart  sun just turning over but boy can it speed as it was designed to .

Cheers
Dennis
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Nick on June 04, 2019, 11:16:26 pm
Forgot to mention though, my Stuart BB is another story, that is meant to run full speed and sounds great doing it  8)
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Roscoe on June 04, 2019, 11:14:39 pm
I like the sound of my J55 running slow to moderate speed.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Nick on June 04, 2019, 11:07:29 pm
Running on steam or air?
I suspect steam as I see water.
Actually very interesting, so much of the energy is used, you get only water out of the tail pipe rather than steam...

Very cool and amazing. Can anyone go slower??

Yep steam, slowly turning the variac lower and lower before stalling. I calculated it to 26.4 rpms. A non-reversing Jensen 25 may be able to beat that...
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 04, 2019, 11:02:50 pm
Running on steam or air?
I suspect steam as I see water.
Actually very interesting, so much of the energy is used, you get only water out of the tail pipe rather than steam...

Very cool and amazing. Can anyone go slower??
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: IndianaRog on June 04, 2019, 10:36:20 pm
Nick, I have watched a few Jensen 50's run, but I don't think I've ever seen one go as slow as yours...must be well machined and timed!

Rog
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Nick on June 04, 2019, 10:20:03 pm
25-30 rpm's is about the slowest I have gotten them to go...

26-27 rpm's here

https://youtu.be/8BhjoKCdmVY
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 04, 2019, 10:02:44 pm
Getting them to run slow is a challenge. Thinking about it, I do have an tach, so it would be interesting to post some numbers here!
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: St Paul Steam on June 04, 2019, 08:36:35 pm
the older I get the less I feel the need to run WOT, but usually a new to me engine will get some rpm's thrown at it to see if there are any problems, or to see if it WILL run at fast speed like I know it should, once I'm satisfied that all is well I don't usually run them vey fast again...no Joy in it for me.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: jeffl on June 04, 2019, 08:35:18 pm
I try to keep mine running as slow as possible
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Jim on June 04, 2019, 07:09:53 pm
Sometimes just for very short periods, for no other reason than I can.

Mostly I'm the opposite, if the engine has no load I try and get it running and ticking over as slow as possible so it looks more realistic and for me its just all round more relaxing to watch CB.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: Nick on June 04, 2019, 07:05:44 pm
I avoid it with most engines, and am usually on the opposite end... seeing how slow I can get them to run.

I do run my little Mamod oscillators (like an MM2) full speed every once in awhile as those that show no interest get a kick out of seeing them run fast.
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 04, 2019, 02:57:35 pm
Is the first one a Bing? From the fire box I would say yes. Both look to be sturdy workhorses. :)
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: komet163b on June 04, 2019, 02:43:09 pm
Just for a bit......if it is not too old.
Old is anything older than me.
I'm past running at full steam.
Taking it easy.

I added a too-old and younger than me engine pix.
Wayne
Title: Re: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: RedRyder on June 04, 2019, 02:25:05 pm
Toy steam.....yes, sometimes.

Precision scale models and full sized..... almost never.
Title: Do you run your engines at wide open without load?
Post by: SeeSteam on June 04, 2019, 12:45:58 pm
Survey time!