|
|
Post by alanstepney on Mar 24, 2009 8:18:57 GMT
A few years ago several clubs made spark arrestors on loco's mandatory, after a number of incidents with sparks burning clothing, and even setting the grass alight.
What are the rules at different clubs now?
What do the members here do about spark arrestors?
What type is best?
Do you make, or buy, and if so, from whom?
|
|
russell
Statesman
Chain driven
Posts: 762
|
Post by russell on Mar 24, 2009 9:02:33 GMT
Here, where it is very dry and we have forest fires every summer I would consider them essential. but as I haven't got that far in my build I would be interested in seeing some designs.
Russell.
|
|
|
|
Post by jgb7573 on Mar 24, 2009 9:10:44 GMT
Spark arrestors are mandatory at my club. To the best of my knowledge they are all home made. The designs vary with two principal options. The first uses a gauze mesh which surrounds the blast pipe and the petticoat. The other type is a deflector rather than an arrestor. This usually sits on top of the chimney somehow and directs the sparks either to the side of the track, or back down over the smokebox.
The chimney top deflectors are the easiest to fit and use. Most of them are a simple plate mounted horizontally about an inch above the chimney top. The blast comes up out of the chimney, bounces off the plate, and the sparks head back down around the smokebox. They seem to be pretty effective but do not do anything for the looks of the loco.
The gauze mesh system looks a lot better (you can't see it) and is also effective. When we first started using them,there was a lot of experimentation on gauze size etc. The gauze needed to break up the larger particles without allowing the smaller ones to block up the device. The club now has a supply of gauze (it might be expanded metal, I'll have to check) which is available to members. The gauze is very effective. Anything that comes out of the chimney is sufficiently smasll that it cools rapidly with no burning. At the end of the run, the smokebox is usually pretty clear. The one problem with them is fitting and removing them, particularly the latter as they are hot.
When these first came in there was a lot of concern about whether they would affect steaming properties. But as is the way with things, once we got used to them, they became a non-issue.
Hope that helps.
|
|
|
|
Post by mutley on Mar 24, 2009 11:48:32 GMT
Mandatory at Guildford if you are using any of the club passenger stock or passenger pulling. If you have you own passenger trucks then on a club play day you dont need an arrestor. An area that is often forgoten and causes more problems with track side fires is the ash pan.
Andy
|
|
geoffj
Active Member
Posts: 17
|
Post by geoffj on Mar 24, 2009 13:42:10 GMT
Thanks for that input JohnB. Attempts on our site to impose use of arrestors have not been easy. Certainly blockage has proved a problem on what has obviously been too fine a mesh gauze.
I'd appreciate knowing as much specific info you can obtain about your `Club Provided Gauze'.
This might help us to reduce the smut risk. (That should leave room for additional comment!)
Anticipative thanks - GeoffJ (Mid Cheshire SME)
|
|
|
|
Post by AndrewP on Mar 24, 2009 14:42:37 GMT
I made a mesh spark arrestor for our club loco - 5" Achilles, which works well, doesn't block up or seem to affect steaming.
The mesh is stainless woven, sold as fly screen or reptile cage covering. The wire gauge is around 9 thou and there are 18 wires to the inch, I'll bet it's really metric but you know what I mean.
Andy
Edit: In fact I have about 2 lifetime's worth the rate at which I am building so if you want a lump to try Geoff drop me your address in a pm.
|
|
|
|
Post by odc on Mar 24, 2009 17:31:12 GMT
Again my club has been on the end of a hefty law suite following a burning so we now have to have an arrestor if carrying public. We have no standard or supply of suitable material though, so this has led to many people running with too fine a mesh impairing steaming and other members observing this then voting with their feet and declaring themselves and there engines not to be modified and no-longer available for public running, which is causing some concerns and a possible reduction or curtailment of our public running. (allong with increasing demands and difficulty finding stewards, see another thread)
|
|
|
|
Post by spamcanman on Mar 24, 2009 17:33:39 GMT
They are mandatory at the NLMES club a few years ago a mother sued the club because her child got a cinder burn on a ride since then we must always have one fitted. On signing the running book we must 'tick' a yes box to an arrester fitted. I make my arresters from stainless mesh bought from Reeves, Blackgates or Polly they all sell the same size. Mine never blocks and just fit it around the blast nozzle and chimney, I think you can never stop all cinders but at least we have taken the safety precautions. www.pollymodelengineering.co.uk/global/technical-notes/stainless-steel-mesh.asp |
|
|
|
Post by steamjohn248 on Mar 24, 2009 21:52:06 GMT
We use SS sieves from the local kitchen hardware store. Bowl shaped, about 4" dia. bend the handle to suit and fasten to the chimney about 1" above the rim, with a Jubillee clip. Not very elegant but very effective and you can see if they get blocked up with oily soot if like us your Ewins Type lubricators, one to each cylinder, are delivering plenty of oil.
John
|
|
denis M
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 300
|
Post by denis M on Mar 24, 2009 23:30:06 GMT
At the City of Oxford S.M.E they have been mandatory for about four years now. It was hard at first to get the drivers to agree but now all the loco's have got them.
Have a look at the scar that a child can have or think about the pain if you do not agree, it was one of the best things we as a society brought in. Not only does it stop passengers getting burnt but it also stops the drivers getting covered as well. I also think that the loco do not get so dirty.
The main thing that you have to avoid is the oil getting onto the gauze as this then mixes with the ash and soot and blocks the arrester.
On my locos I simply make a tube of gauze supplied by Blackgates, Bruce or whoever and push it down the chimney so that the exhaust, blower and vacuum exhaust are all inside the tube, you may have to re-pipe them so that they enter the tube from the bottom. This way any oil can still be ejected up the chimney inside the tube but the ash stays on the outside in the smoke box. The advantage of this is that it does not spoil the looks of the Loco as you can not see it unlike a tea strainer. Also the spark deflector type I have seen send sparks onto a passenger on a passing loco. I clean the spark arrester every time I run with an airline and occasionally take it out to give it a full clean, when doing this it also cleans the chimney.
I use stainless steel gauze.
We have all sorts of different ideas in the society but the only ones I see getting blocked are the ones that catch the oil.
Just my opinion
Denis
|
|
|
|
Post by mutley on Mar 25, 2009 10:49:39 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by jgb7573 on Mar 30, 2009 10:46:58 GMT
Hi guys, I was down at the club this weekend and found the material we supply for spark arrestors. In fact it's expanded metal. the following picture should give you some idea of teh size. Hope that helps, John  |
|
|
|
Post by jgb7573 on Mar 30, 2009 10:47:47 GMT
Sorry about the size of that image guys. Thought I'd got it sorted.
|
|
