Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
Builds, Repairs, Show Your Machines! => Technical Tips, Builds, and Help => Topic started by: Raphael on November 13, 2024, 03:54:00 am
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Bonjour,
Epilogue :
https://youtu.be/F-uMhIyIIEU
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For every problem, there is a solution:
https://youtu.be/fz8qwJgi6PE
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Bonjour,
Another consequence of stagnant water :(
https://youtu.be/3UnkUD4QtbA
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Bonjour,
I try to minimize the splashing coming out of the steam exhaust pipe connected to the double oil separator by connecting it as close as possible to the steam outlet of the machine.
https://youtu.be/NOIW4ucypXw
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I was once told to look inside my tea kettle to decide if I should use tap water or not, fortunately we are blessed here on the West Coast of BC with excellent water.
Some years ago I installed a reverse osmosis kit under the kitchen sink in a house, the instructions warned not to use any brass fittings as the water would react with them.
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Bonjour,
Finally ;)
https://youtu.be/QNuKUhLQDeY
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Bonjour,
I couldn't resist, I have worked hard ;D to be able to make this second test, a few things to be repaired yet:
https://youtu.be/oafJz-LFU9g
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Bonjour,
Richard, as I Wouldn't have been confident if I had done this repair, I have choose to pay and the more you pay, the quicker the repair is ;)
As said in another post, I have had problems with all my chinese Hit & Miss engines and I have not been able with my friends to repair one, it is no just a piece of metal sleeping on a shelf >:( That is why, if I can, I favor local purchases.
To empty my boilers, I use a silicone pipe, I suck up the water and let gravity do the rest.
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Best way to empty boiler? Blowdown valve at bottom of boiler and open it under steam and tilt the boiler towards it. 99% of the water comes out.
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I don't use tap but purified and distilled water mix.
I have always read to mix 5% - 10% tap water with distilled water as by itself its to aggressive for boilers.
I haven't done a exact mix between purified and distilled water (I've always kept both on hand for various reasons). I think when I first joined here I read about straight distilled being bad, so I started to mix. Though just as important, if not more so, is as the thread title says "Empty your boilers after use!".
@Raphael that seemed really fast to get your boiler back! I'd wished I had places to send Empire's and Weeden's LOL
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Bonjour,
Advantage of living in France and buying French when you don't know how to fix your mistakes yourself ;)
https://youtu.be/i-HvjgEJBH4
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I don't use tap but purified and distilled water mix.
I have always read to mix 5% - 10% tap water with distilled water as by itself its to aggressive for boilers.
I will tell you that I formally was an Aquarium builder, which I got out of the hobby. I learned a lot about water quality and the chemistry of it.
Distilled water in very acidic. The pH is something like 4.5 which is very acidic. Acidity will react heavily. One way to bring the pH up is add maybe a half a teaspoon or less of sodium bicarbonate to a gallon of water. Stir well. Neutral water or slightly alkaline will probably do less damage to your boiler and brass fittings. Problem is “steam” is distilled water so once you open the steam line, that condensate will be acidic again.
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I don't use tap but purified and distilled water mix.
I have always read to mix 5% - 10% tap water with distilled water as by itself its to aggressive for boilers.
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Question, on boilers that have “flues” on the belly of the boiler aka in the fire box, those are nearly impossible to remove water from, and you can’t hold a 50 pound steam plant upside down to remove it.
What is the best way?
Not a problem in the copper tubes..... Dezincification only happens to brass parts and fittings.
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Unfortunately this is quite common a problem with brass fittings used with boiling water when dezincification happens.
I've replaced many..... And they always crumble and have that pinkish colour as Seen in Raphaels video.
Luckily most (or should be) brazed permenant fittings on quality Boilers are bronze.
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Question, on boilers that have “flues” on the belly of the boiler aka in the fire box, those are nearly impossible to remove water from, and you can’t hold a 50 pound steam plant upside down to remove it.
What is the best way?
Flexible tubing on the end of a large syringe, with the tubing angled down towards one end, while tilting the boiler to make that end the low point.
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Question, on boilers that have “flues” on the belly of the boiler aka in the fire box, those are nearly impossible to remove water from, and you can’t hold a 50 pound steam plant upside down to remove it.
What is the best way?
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Thank you Rich.
Interestingly, the first time through the menu, Auto-Translate doesn't come up, but the second time through it does. Some strange artifact in my machine perhaps?!?!
NP, happy to help :-)
Actually, that happened to me on the other video that @Raphael posted!!
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Bonjour,
Many thanks Richard for your help, you even learnt me something today !
However, I hope that the videos show what happened to my ferule and pipes, gnawed and full of a blank stuff as hard as stone.
As I am not equipped to re-weld a new ferule (I can build a new pipe to the regulator hopefully) I have been obliged to undress the boiler to send ot back to JMC the manufacturer : https://www.jmc-vapeur.fr/ our last one in France after Anton retirement.
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Thank you Rich.
Interestingly, the first time through the menu, Auto-Translate doesn't come up, but the second time through it does. Some strange artifact in my machine perhaps?!?!
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Bummer, I have a early Weeden Big Giant, likely pre-1923 (as I found a ad for 1923 that says improved brass tank for this engine) and it was very rusted - to the point it had 4 pinholes. Though I think it would be hard pressed to find any 100 year old steel tank that isn't rusted. I don't use tap but purified and distilled water mix. Then l drain while its still hot-ish. I haven't had the balls to heat up whilst empty.
For the English CC, perhaps this little video will help?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJOgdflke8
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Bonjour Raphael
By clicking on the CC icon on the lower tool bar, I do get subtitles, but they are also in French, so while they do help a little as so many of our words have common basis, it goes by faster than I can make much use of it!
So sorry to hear of your problems with what is so obviously a beautiful and very capable boiler!!!
After you get the subtitles, click “settings” or the little gear/wheel and you can change them to any language
Doesn't seem to be the case here Nick. I can turn them on or off and have a number of other types of function options to choose from, but French is the only language listed!
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Bonjour Raphael
By clicking on the CC icon on the lower tool bar, I do get subtitles, but they are also in French, so while they do help a little as so many of our words have common basis, it goes by faster than I can make much use of it!
So sorry to hear of your problems with what is so obviously a beautiful and very capable boiler!!!
After you get the subtitles, click “settings” or the little gear/wheel and you can change them to any language
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Bonjour Raphael
By clicking on the CC icon on the lower tool bar, I do get subtitles, but they are also in French, so while they do help a little as so many of our words have common basis, it goes by faster than I can make much use of it!
So sorry to hear of your problems with what is so obviously a beautiful and very capable boiler!!!
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Bonjour Bruce,
Thank you for your feedback, personally, I never heat my boilers when they are empty, perhaps should I do it a few seconds like you do.
And you are right, I was not happy to discover these unexpected problems :(
I have been very impressed by the hardness of the residue found in the pipes, it looks like stone !
That literally desinterate the ferule at the botton of the water level, I have sent back the boiler to its manufacturer to have it replaced.
Besides this, I add the option "English subtitles" on my videos,do you see them ?
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Although I didnt understand a word Raphael, I believe you were lightly cursing in French ;) , I usually try very hard to not leave water residue in the boiler, in my shop I have an overhead furnace that blows down on my radial arm saw, this serves as my "paint drying/curing spot" & my "boiler drying out spot." it may be foolish on my part, but with boilers that are flame fired I have been known to apply a little heat for 30 seconds or so to dry up the few drops left over after I've thoroughly run compressed air threw the entire system.
I'm sorry you had problems with a boiler stored away with water in it.
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Bonjour,
I have bought a "brand new" steam plant, only tested once then left on a shelf ... for more than 10 years !
Bad luck, for me I mean, water was left in the boiler... The rest in pictures :
https://youtu.be/j_2xBOR2ais
https://youtu.be/yxJUC9kUlyM
Morality, I highly recommend emptying your boilers after using them