Boiler Water treatment

[steamjohn248]

Having got pages and pages of analysis from the local water works about their water quality, they had absolutely no idea of what water treatment we should use in a steam boiler. The manaufacturers simply say use ours, its the best. Having crewed on a full size railway where they had horrendous problems through using the wrong type/amount of treatment we don't want to repeat the experience.

Anyone got any ideas?

Steamjohn

[denis M]

Try "Live Steam Models", I think, the traction engine people I got some from them, very helpful.

If I remember I will get the name of the stuff if you have no joy.

[alanstepney]

There are some interesting articles on Andy's first Board about water treatment.

www.modeleng.org/articles.htm

[steammadman]

When the LNER started using water softening tablets, (or bombs as they were called) the
footplate men played holy hell, they said they spoilt the taste of their tea.
Don't know if the did anything to the boilers though, good or bad.

[havoc]

When the LNER started using water softening tablets, (or bombs as they were called) the
footplate men played holy hell, they said they spoilt the taste of their tea.

Are you seriously telling me that they used the water fom the boiler for their tea?

[greasemonkey]

Yep, and you could use it to warm your water to wash in as well! Almost as good as bacon and eggs of the shovel.

Andy

[steammadman]

Thanks Greasemonkey,you took the very words from my mouth.

must go , can smell the bacon n eggs cooking, a a a a a ah they aren't arf good.

[greasemonkey]

never tasted better.

[steamjohn248]

Thanks for the response (serious and otherwise) re water treatment. Cooking on the shovel, great, the pong from a gurt big cock pheasant that travelled from near Newbury to Bath jammed beteen the smokebox and the deflector of a rebuilt Bullied was also a never to be forgotten aroma!

Steamjohn

[spurley]

Ref cooking on the shovel; do any of you older members recall the 'Go to work on an egg' series of adverts? There was one featuring an engineman cooking breakfast on the shovel, this was made on te Bluebell using the Dukedog. Typically the film crew failed to listen to the reasoning of the experienced loco crew and wasted nearly 50 eggs, drawn off the shovel by the GWR bark, before they agreed to film the actual cooking bit whilst the engine was stationary!!! The final ad then showed the train passing at speed somewhere on Freshfield bank but the shots of the cooking were filmed at rest whilst in the station at Sheffield Park. Much nearer the real thing!

Ref water treatment; on the Bluebell tea was made, and washing up water provided, from locomotive injector overflows with carefully adjusted added steam at Sheffield Park up to the late 60's when a boiler treatment, known to us as 'DM', was bought into use. This treatment, to the best of my knowledge, is still used to this day. Initially we added a full jug daily to the larger engines but a suitably smaller amount, relative to boiler/engine size, for the smaller engines. In later years we took a sample from the water gauge blowdown cock on a weekly basis and used a set of chemicals provided by the manufacturer to determine exact 'doses'. This helped with both intervals between washouts and the propensity for the engine to prime towards the end of it's period before washout. Typically the interval was 14 days in steam, the loco roster was arranged to keep an engine in steam for as long as possible and to carry out a daily blowdown to shift the sludge. I believe this process certainly helped engines such as 'my' North London Tank and the Maunsell Q to make the best use of their 10 year boiler certificates. Both engines went well over nine years in service before any tubes failed!

Cheers

Brian

[alanstepney]

DM is the treatment I have often seen mentioned as "THE" best.

I did once find it on the Internet, but goodness knows where as I cant find it now!

[Richardw]

There is an interesting web site on water treatment at www.portatreatment.com/ although aimed at larger locomotives rather than miniature ones it is well worth a read.

Regards
Richard

[ron]

I've been using distilled water [actually drain water from a dehumidifier] in my small vertical boiler, is this OK or should I be looking for an additive?
Ron

[jackrae]

Don't know about boilers but I certainly would avoid using dehumidifier water for batteries. It is not "distilled" water, merely atmospheric moisure (from the air) that has been condensed on (probably) aluminium fins. Hence it is bound to contain some metallic ion from its contact with the fins.
Jack

[chris vine]

Hi, Again on water from dehumidiers, I was told by the manager of a public gym/fitness place that the water in the tanks under the dehumidifiers was horribly greasy from the sweat in the air. I quizzed him on this as I was expecting it to be, more or less, distilled water but he was adamant.

Anyone any thoughts?
Chris.

[steammadman]

Get to know a local publican and persuade him to run the water from the beer coolers
into a plastic drum or something similar,keep him supplied with empty drums and you will have a free supply of pure de-ironised water, just the job for our small boilers.
OH, AND DON'T FORGET TO BUY THE PUBLICAN , and his wife a drink at fairly regular intervals.

I used this type of water for a few years without any boiler ,safety valve, or regulater
problems. AND IT WAS FREE! ! !

[alanstepney]

Heck, blow the beer coolers, how about getting him to run the beer into a container...for free!!

[jackrae]

Having had a word with our company chemist ,I need to correct my previous entry on the quality of water from coolers and dehumidifiers. He's advises that the aluminium fins on coolers etc will permit some aluminium oxide to be disolved into the resultant water which will result in a very low level of ion content. But this is likely to be so low that it will be every bit as good as commercially available deionised water and hence perfect for both boilers and betteries. Mind you it tastes like ***** I tried what came off my home dehumidifier but I think it was the taste of the plastic container. Perhaps I should stick to the amber nectar.
Trust this helps
Jack

[ron]

Cheers Jack, I'll stick with the dehumidifier water then, I was curious because when I used to work in a coal fired industrial boiler station we went to a great deal of effort and expense to soften and treat the BFW with various chemicals, oxygen scavengers, de-sludgers etc and sampled and tested it twice a shift.
Ron

[jackrae]

Ron,
Where abouts in SW Scotia do you live, I'm from Langholm (aka the muckle toon)
Jack