ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on Apr 6, 2009 22:18:43 GMT
Finely got to set the loco up for a trail run on steam tonight but after filling the spirit tank with fuel it leaked badly so have spent the rest of this evening redoing the seam on the side. Finely sorted that out only to find the fuel regulator valve isn't working to great either so i will strip it down tomorrow and check it out. Does any one know what the drip feed rate should be on G1.
ace
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ianmac
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 308
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Post by ianmac on Apr 6, 2009 23:06:18 GMT
I found it was way easier to fiberglass the inside of the tender to stop the water leaks. not sure if that's an option but it did work for me.
Do you have any drawings of the meths tank that you could post?
what size drill did you use for the blower jet?
I did a bit more work last night, interesting to find new problems just when you think your getting somewhere!
Ian
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on Apr 6, 2009 23:23:09 GMT
ianmac
I have managed to fix the spirit tank and so far having just looked again it appears to have no more leaks. As for the drawings I will try to photo the originals and post them tomorrow. The blast pipe was crimped to a No 50 drill, but this may prove to be a bit big. My water tank was sealed with hermatite sealant, no leaks there now either
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ianmac
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 308
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Post by ianmac on Apr 7, 2009 5:45:25 GMT
Meths can be a pest it can leak out of the smallest hole.
how many mm is a 50, cant remember? i know my cylinders are 16mm so that equated to a 2mm blast pipe nozel
as for the blower jet how big is that
have you fired it up yet?
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Post by spamcanman on Apr 7, 2009 22:26:05 GMT
Hi Ace, The drip feed rate cannot be adjusted you need to turn the valve on the meths tank fully open the rate of meths used is governed by the wicks burning the fuel. If you only turn the needle valve slightly open the burners will starve of meths. Use some clear silicon fuel tubing from the tender to the wick burner turn on the fuel valve and you should see the meths traveling down the tube to the burner if you get an air bubble in the tube you need to get rid of it
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on Apr 7, 2009 22:35:29 GMT
Cheers mate, I'm just redoing the fuel valve I think it must be a few thou to short as it won't seat down fully.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on Apr 8, 2009 21:33:54 GMT
Boiler cladding - It is required to cover the boiler on my 'Project' loco? or can I simply paint the boiler as it is. Will the paint burn without any kind of protection. I see G1 loco's that have a cover over the boiler and fire box yet this is not mentioned in the build book. ace
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Post by spamcanman on Apr 8, 2009 22:54:49 GMT
many Gauge 1 locos just have the boilers painted including your V2.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on Apr 8, 2009 23:07:07 GMT
Good thats that sorted then. My fuel valve is not sealing so I think I will remake the valve housing as the needle on the end of the valve is ok so it must be the body. Waiting for a pressure guage to come in the post and and hopefully I will fire it up this weekend, the excitement is getting much. Just need to run out some track now and watch her go.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 19, 2009 22:51:45 GMT
G1 Boiler testing
Hi folks
I am looking at carrying out a full boiler test on my G1 Project loco. I have done one with just compressed air and all seemed well but now I need to carry out a hydraulic test. What is the best and safest way to do this and what equipment will I need. I believe that the working pressure is around 60 psi.
ace
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Post by alanstepney on May 20, 2009 7:47:33 GMT
In fact, testing on air is not a good idea, and is more risky that doing a proper hydraulic test.
First. Block up all the outlets, apart from two: one going to a hand pump (the conventional tender hand pump is ideal) and the other to a pressure guage. Note, The pressure guage should be one that is calibrated and large enough to read easily, rather then the usual small model ones.
COMPLETELY fill the boiler with water. Make sure there is no air left inside.
Then slowly pump up to 2 x working pressure, holding that pressure for at least 10 minutes to ensure there are no leaks.
Any leak, loss of pressure etc, is a failure and must be investigated.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 20, 2009 9:57:00 GMT
Hi Al
Can this test be carried out with the regulator still attached or is it best removed. I am competent that the regulator valves do not leak. I take it that what you are saying is that I can use the tender pump to pressurize the boiler!. I read somewhere that its best to use warm water but can't remember where I saw that. Will an old air compressor gauge do, I have a calibrated one that has come of a test rig for testing air tools.
ace
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simonwass
Part of the e-furniture
Cecil Pagets 2-6-2 of 1908. Engine number 2299. Would make a fascinating model....
Posts: 472
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Post by simonwass on May 20, 2009 14:11:07 GMT
G1 Boiler testingHi folks I am looking at carrying out a full boiler test on my G1 Project loco. I have done one with just compressed air and all seemed well but now I need to carry out a hydraulic test. What is the best and safest way to do this and what equipment will I need. I believe that the working pressure is around 60 psi. ace Alan has mentioned it but another warning never goes amiss! NEVER test a boiler with air, especially if you have no certificate to show its been hydraulic tested. IF the boiler was flawed the 1st youd know is the thing litterally blowing up, doing a hydraulic 1st you'd just get a little wet. The only accepted ait test is one that curley used to describe, in a bucket using a bike pump.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 20, 2009 22:11:49 GMT
Boiler testWell I managed to try out a hydraulic test and sadly there are three faults. 1/ the water pipe to the boiler is leaking under pressure on the tender solution - a small piece of wire wrapped around the tube and tightened with pliers, works OK 2/ the clack valve is failing to stop the pressure returning to to pump solution - new clack valve fitted and this one worked OK. 3/ the top of cross tube at the rear of the firebox is leaking and looks like it will be a pig to get to. solution - don't know yet I will have to see tomorrow if or how I can get a flame in towards the back. ace
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Post by baggo on May 21, 2009 0:02:16 GMT
3/ the top of cross tube at the rear of the firebox is leaking and looks like it will be a pig to get to. solution - don't know yet I will have to see tomorrow if or how I can get a flame in towards the back. If it's only a tiny weep and the rest of the silver soldering is sound, use a bit of Comsol to seal it. That will be much easier to use as you won't need so much heat as trying to silver solder it again. When reheating a joint to silver soldering temperatures there's always the danger of disturbing the rest of the joints, especially in an enclosed area like a firebox. You can finish up with more leaks than you started with. My brother's just been through that nightmare with his Greene King boiler John
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 21, 2009 21:21:07 GMT
Hi John
I'm not familiar with Comsol, I've heard folk on this site mention it but not sure what it is. Can you enlighten me. I have just come in from the workshop after hopefully re-soldering the the joint and I will test it tomorrow again. I have just pickled it in a solution part water and part Thermachem, fantastic stuff cleaned up the boiler well.
ace
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Post by baggo on May 21, 2009 23:18:06 GMT
Hi Ace,
Comsol is just a high melting point soft solder. It contains a small percentage of silver which raises the melting point above that of ordinary soft solder (which should not be used in a our sized boilers). It's the solder you use to caulk threaded and nutted firebox stays rather than silver solder them. Comsol is the Johnson Matthey version but Cup Alloys do a similar solder as well (CupSol). The melting point is about 305°C. Use Bakers Fluid as the flux.
John
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 22, 2009 11:16:05 GMT
Many thanks John, I take it that it is available form most M.E. suplliers? So I will invest in some as I intend to make my own boiler for the V2 which requires stays in the fire box. I have just been looking at your web site, very intrest stuff and lots of tips there for folk like me even just looking at the photos gives me ideas on how to set up stuff on the lathe, excellent work John thanks for sharing your knowledge.
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ace
Statesman
Posts: 528
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Post by ace on May 22, 2009 21:34:28 GMT
Boiler test (failure)I managed to fix one leak only find more water p*ssing out of more holes. This is not what I was hoping for more leaks appearing on the seams of the fire box, I am wondering if I should just hit it with a hammer and build a new one from scratch. This was a project that was started by a former member from this forum and the boiler came already built but untested. Should I try to grind out some of the solder from the seams and re-solder it? There are two pin holes on the cross tubes that I can't see but water traces are showing after the tests. ace
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Post by alanstepney on May 22, 2009 21:44:26 GMT
If the area concerned has never had any soft solder on it, then it should (hopefully) be fairly easy to re-fix the tubes. If that is the case, thoroughly clean the area, heat well, apply lots of flux, and then silver solder.
If it has had soft solder on it, then you cannot silver solder afterwards. About the only option in that case is to use comsol to try to seal the leaks. Again, clean thoroughly, then flux & solder.
I know it is annoying: been there, done that! About the only consolation is that it is G 1 and not 5" or 7 1/4" where the cost of materials brings a pain to the wallet.
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