Hey Guys, Merry Christmas!

Back to superheaters, I know most people seem to make them out of stainless, but is it really needed? Seems the old ones were steel and the heat transfer would actually be a little better. Do they really get rotted or burnt that quickly if make from a seamless black pipe rather than Stainless?

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Jared Schoenly

1919 Stanley 735B Original Car
1922 Stanley Sedan Project
1930 Pontiac Coupe
1933 Ford Stake Body
Whatever else I can get into trouble with....

The super heater made out of black pipe will quickly melt out if one fires up his boiler without water in the super heater to keep it from melting. Stainless has a higher melting temperature to make it last much longer. The trick here is to get as much super heater length over the fire that you can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2014 09:17PM by SSsssteamer.

Jared
It’s not the material as much as it is in operator error. No material will last if every time you fire up you keep turning the pipe red hot. You do want a seamless tube I like 4130 or A-106 pipe in many cases I do use seamless stainless pipe.
The real issue is how you start your boiler. I always start with my boiler full to the top. First step is to open the throttle as well as the engine drip valve. If you forget this you will create hydraulic pressure and blow your pressure gage.
Next light off the pilot. Water expands in volume very fast as it heats up. In no time water will be dripping out the engine valve. This means you superheated is full of water. Now you can light off your burner. I wait till I get 50 psi and blowdown my boiler to the proper high water level as well having my rear wheel jacked up to warm up the engine and make sure my pumps are working.
As long as steam is passing through the superheated it will not get hot enough to burn out.
Rolly

For my super heater legs, I used scrap 1/2" stainless pipe for the legs. See the attached photos.

Is it good to leave a little space above the superheater? It seems like if it's clamped right against the bottom of the boiler, there are quite a few tubes that would be permanently blocked.

Thanks I trailered my roadster with out the burner etc fitted and the super heater in place. It sagged from road vibration etc. I have been scratching my head as to what to do and bingo this thread popped up. I will fit the support legs as per your design.
Many thanks for you sharing.
Currently I am making new pointers for the fuel gauges and the kidney bottle plus sorting out remagnietizing the magnets that move the pointers. Always something new to learn.
Cheers
Mark



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2017 07:47AM by Marksteamnz.

Kelly Wrote:
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> Is it good to leave a little space above the
> superheater? It seems like if it's clamped right
> against the bottom of the boiler, there are quite
> a few tubes that would be permanently blocked.

Do not block the fire tubes. I try to leave "about" a one inch clearance between the bottom of my tube sheet and my super heater. I have seen people that pull the super heater tight up against the bottom of the tube sheet with hangers coming down through a couple of fire tubes. That would surely block the flow of heat up through the fire tubes in the shadow of which the super heater makes.

Thanks for all the superheater information. I have been working on a fabricated stainless steel elbow for the bottom of the condenser as the bronze Stanley one is missing. Went to test fit it, and merde the outlet of the super heater with its welded on 90 degree bend is right in the same space. Despite having spent what seems Like years lying under the boiler looking up I just didn't notice.
I am told this is character building, so off to make a bender and try to locate stainless 3/8 schedule 40 pipe or similar here in the wilds of Northland New Zealand, as I might as well do it properly and get a decent length over the fire.
On wards and upwards
Mark

Mark
Do you know
Chris McMullen’s
In Auckland New Zealand,
He is very much into Steam.
A good friend of mine.

Rolly

Hi Rolly
I haven't seen Chris since I moved 2 hours north of Auckland. We (auckland steam engine society) have a yearly meet at his shop and inspect progress on his Hershoff launch and engine and play with his collection of big steam toys. He has some amazing stuff, both tools and steam engines. I took my steam boat there a couple of times and used it a steam source to run all the engines members bought to the meet. Chris is a great guy and very modest about his suburb workmanship. The main lines in his outside steam shed are all insulated with glass fibre pipe lagging I installed one day. "Customer visit to evaluate insulation in an exposed environment" well that's what the job ticket I wrote said. :-)
Regards
Mark

Thanks Mark
I moved a year and a half ago and have lost touch with him. Say hallo for me the next yearly meet.
Rolly