1 Steam Cars : Phorum
General Steam Car topics
superheater test
Posted by: Eric Gleason (IP Logged)
Date: January 14, 2003 04:30AM
<HTML>Hi,
I think the burner and pilot problems that I am having are the result of a leak, either in the boiler tubes, or, in the superheater. The boiler is an old steel tubed one with the tubes welded into the base plate. A number of tubes have been plugged, about 8 or 9. I know it is only a matter of time until I must spring for a new boiler, but, in the meantime I would like to get things sorted out with this one. I pressure tested it a couple of months ago and it was fine. When I first fired it up the automatic was not adjusted correctly so I shut down the burner at 600lbs, a tube split at this point. So, I took things apart and plugged the tube, found another with a pin hole leak and found that one of the old plugs was leaking a bit. So, I think I got things pretty tight, pumped water into the boiler to 500 lbs and everything looked fine. Then when I fired up next things were burning well up until about 300lbs, when the pilot blew out, then at 500 lbs I noticed that the pilot light was actually burning out the air intake at the bottom. Seems like I must have some steam escaping to blow the fire down like that. I had the wheel jacked up and the engine running. Well, I dropped the burner again, the tubes look good, could not see any leaks, however it is leaking around that plug again, maybe I will have to try and get it out and put a new one in. The leak at this time is about a drop of water every two or three seconds with 300 lbs in the boiler, would this have been enough of a leak to cause those problems with the burner?
Anyway, to make a long story a bit shorter, I was wondering if anyone had a recomendation for how to test the superheater to tell if it has a leak as well without taking it out? I thoght I could disconnect and plug the steam line at the engine, but that looks like a formatable task. Thanks, Eric</HTML>
I think the burner and pilot problems that I am having are the result of a leak, either in the boiler tubes, or, in the superheater. The boiler is an old steel tubed one with the tubes welded into the base plate. A number of tubes have been plugged, about 8 or 9. I know it is only a matter of time until I must spring for a new boiler, but, in the meantime I would like to get things sorted out with this one. I pressure tested it a couple of months ago and it was fine. When I first fired it up the automatic was not adjusted correctly so I shut down the burner at 600lbs, a tube split at this point. So, I took things apart and plugged the tube, found another with a pin hole leak and found that one of the old plugs was leaking a bit. So, I think I got things pretty tight, pumped water into the boiler to 500 lbs and everything looked fine. Then when I fired up next things were burning well up until about 300lbs, when the pilot blew out, then at 500 lbs I noticed that the pilot light was actually burning out the air intake at the bottom. Seems like I must have some steam escaping to blow the fire down like that. I had the wheel jacked up and the engine running. Well, I dropped the burner again, the tubes look good, could not see any leaks, however it is leaking around that plug again, maybe I will have to try and get it out and put a new one in. The leak at this time is about a drop of water every two or three seconds with 300 lbs in the boiler, would this have been enough of a leak to cause those problems with the burner?
Anyway, to make a long story a bit shorter, I was wondering if anyone had a recomendation for how to test the superheater to tell if it has a leak as well without taking it out? I thoght I could disconnect and plug the steam line at the engine, but that looks like a formatable task. Thanks, Eric</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: Pat Farrell (IP Logged)
Date: January 14, 2003 05:26AM
<HTML>To test the super heater for leaks, block your wheels (park against a wall) and set your brake so that the car cannot roll. With steam up to operating pressure, slightly open your throttle valve and test to see that your car will stay in it's place. When you are sure that it will not roll, look into your peek hole and also listen for steam leaks. If your superheater is leaking enough to put out your pilot light, you will hear it leaking only when you open the throttle. This test is also good for checking for leaks in the steam lines, in engine stuffing boxes, piston rings, slide valves, etc. You would go to each item to check for it's leaks. The small boiler tube drip of one drip every two or three seconds is not enough to put out your pilot. While the fire is on, these leaks will usually stop. With the fire off is when they will weep. I have been where in order to finish a tour on a bad boiler, I had to drive another three hundred miles and not let the main fire cycle off. I needed the main fire always on to keep the tubes tight so I could keep the water in the boiler. I controlled the main fire by the main fuel valve. If the fire cycle off, I then had to let the boiler pressure drop to below 100 pounds before it would quite raining inside the burner enough so that I could relight the pilot light. By then the boiler would be empty again and I had to refill the boiler along the side of the road by running the car on it's axle jack again. We still had fun. :-)</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: Roland Evans (IP Logged)
Date: January 14, 2003 07:15PM
<HTML>Eric
If you can disconnect the end going to the engine in back of the boiler and make up a plug to fit the connection, you can open the throttle and hydro the boiler and the supper heater as well.
Rolly</HTML>
If you can disconnect the end going to the engine in back of the boiler and make up a plug to fit the connection, you can open the throttle and hydro the boiler and the supper heater as well.
Rolly</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: David K Nergaard (IP Logged)
Date: January 15, 2003 10:52AM
<HTML>Another check for boiler leaks: open the hatch in the breeching over the top of the boiler and CAUTIOUSLY wave you hand over it. If there are no leaks the flue gases will feel warm, not hot. If there is a significant leak it will feel HOT. You should use this test ONLY if there are NO audible leaks.</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: George Nutz (IP Logged)
Date: January 15, 2003 02:33PM
<HTML> Is it not possible to put the engine in midlinks and have steam pressure on the steamchest with the valves closed? I remember testing an earlier Stanley with thermocouples years ago and that is what the driver did---he opened the throttle and the test-installed steam chest pressure gauge went to 500psig. If this is true it would not require any messing/plugging the steam line to the engine to put pressure in the superheater. This is not something to be done unattended!</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: Eric Gleason (IP Logged)
Date: January 17, 2003 04:09AM
<HTML>Well I tried something, hooked up the engine, filled the boiler with water, jacked up the rear wheel and then opened the throttle. The pressure dropped and I rotated the wheel until I had the least amount of water leaking, leaving the boiler hooked up to the hose and water running through it I was able to at least maintain a pressure of 100 lbs in the system with water flowing through the superheater. Did not find any leaks, so I guess I might have to look elsewhere for the reason that the pilot lights back.</HTML>
Re: test
Posted by: C Benson (IP Logged)
Date: January 17, 2003 01:59PM
<HTML>HI,,,,Is there any chance a mudd wasp has filled part of the casting inside,,,Take out pilot and put on a rock or brick and hook up w / a length of copper line,,,???? Just a thot,,Cheers Ben</HTML>
Re: superheater test
Posted by: Rolly Evans (IP Logged)
Date: January 20, 2003 09:48AM
<HTML>Eric
That’s not good enough, you need at least 700 Lb’s I’ve Hydro’ed stuff and some leaks only show up and certain pressures. A leak that leaks at 400 Lb’ s you won’t find at three hundred. My pressure gauge would leak only after an hour or two and took half and hour to fill up the glass with water. If I held the pressure under 500 Lb’s I had no leak. If sitting still and the burner shut off at 550PSI It would start to leak. Same with some boiler tubes. Try again, you need to Hydro it at least at 700 to 800 Lb’s when cold.
Rolly</HTML>
That’s not good enough, you need at least 700 Lb’s I’ve Hydro’ed stuff and some leaks only show up and certain pressures. A leak that leaks at 400 Lb’ s you won’t find at three hundred. My pressure gauge would leak only after an hour or two and took half and hour to fill up the glass with water. If I held the pressure under 500 Lb’s I had no leak. If sitting still and the burner shut off at 550PSI It would start to leak. Same with some boiler tubes. Try again, you need to Hydro it at least at 700 to 800 Lb’s when cold.
Rolly</HTML>
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.