Cary Stewart wrote:If you ever run your loco at night you will find out just how big a deal burning wood is. The spaks with look like Vesuvius spouting off. Cary
I seem to recall that was a problem with burning char, too, although I could be mistaken. The last time I saw any used was about twenty years ago or so.
Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
kenrinc wrote:See what it is at 2 clicks and then compare that with 1 click.
That's where my problem is at, and I'm not sure which one was better. It started out as the engine moving the arm where it would move two clicks. Then I thought that it was too much oil, and changed the return spring so it moves the arm one click. I checked the smoke stack and the blast nozzle too, and they definitely aren't full of oil now. The cylinders on the inside had a thin shiny film of oil on them that looked almost like water except for the water drops on top of them. And I think I counted 24-30 strokes between the oil being pumped from the lubricator with the one click setup. The engine bedplate wasn't as messy either anymore, and the last time it ran with the two click setup it was completely covered in oil.
My order from PMR came in after waiting for a few weeks, and I installed a new globe valve and some tubing for my sight glass blowdown. The old brass drain valve leaked water pretty bad.
Here's a video from the New Years run at the SVLS. I ended up on running with coal for this run because I didn't want any suprises from the pellets. I figure I'll try it on another run when I'm not out just to have fun.
I'm making a propane manifold, and I have the burners but am not sure on how close is too close for the burners in relation to the firebox wall. How far should I have the centerlines(or burner heads) of the burners away from my firebox wall? I currently have the centers of the burners 1" away from the wall, and the burner heads are roughly 11/16"" away from the firebox walls. I'm still in the drawing phase, but am going to make the manifold. I know that 1" is pretty common, but is 3/4" fine too? Also, what is the guidline for making the blast nozzle on a propane fired locomotive? Mine is currently sized using the 1/7 rule, but that sized nozzle puts out quite a strong draft. Would a 1/6 or 1/5 sized nozzle work out better? a 1/5 sized nozzle would be around a 1/4", and the current one is 3/16".
Your layout looks perfectly fine. I actually have my burners closer to the firebox wall in my A3 due to the small width of the firebox. It doesn't really cause any concern.
You could do a couple things with the nozzle. I don't know what you currently have for a nozzle. It's probably different since your engine is a vertical boiler. For mine, my actual exhaust standpipe is a piece of 3/4 hex, screwed into my cylinder block. I drilled and tapped it for 1/2-32 threads and then made a series of replaceable nozzles from 5/8" hex with different sized holes from 3/16 to 5/16. Currently I run at 1/4" and don't have any issues with blow out.
kenrinc wrote:
You could do a couple things with the nozzle. I don't know what you currently have for a nozzle. It's probably different since your engine is a vertical boiler.
Ken-
Currently, I just have a 1/2" SS hex with a 3/16" hole drilled in it for the nozzle. It's mounted where the orifice is just at the top of the smokebox if I have the stack off. I probably will have to change the nozzle since my train can look like a roman candle if it/s working hard with a loud roar in the firebox. The original plans called for a same sized piece, but with a 7/32" orifice. I got the 3/16" dimension from using the 1/7 formula, and for coal it works perfectly. Normally with coal I never need to use the blower, and half the time it makes too much steam. I'll probably make a 7/32" nozzle, and a 1/4" nozzle and try both of them out to see which works better. I suspect that the 7/32" nozzle should work without sucking out the flame, but I'll make the 1/4" one anyways to try too. Maybe, the 7/32" nozzle will work fine for both coal and propane.
littleevan99 wrote:I got the 3/16" dimension from using the 1/7 formula, and for coal it works perfectly. Normally with coal I never need to use the blower, and half the time it makes too much steam. I'll probably make a 7/32" nozzle, and a 1/4" nozzle and try both of them out to see which works better. I suspect that the 7/32" nozzle should work without sucking out the flame, but I'll make the 1/4" one anyways to try too. Maybe, the 7/32" nozzle will work fine for both coal and propane.
Propane typically needs a bit of blower at all times or the flame will search for the nearest air source. That could force flames out the sides of the firebox or out the fire door (if it's open). I have good draft but not enough to suck out the flame. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. If I turn up the propane pressure past 1.5psi the fire will essentially dog itself out and will start searching for more air which I supply by turning up the blower; a process that takes a bit of getting used to when running. For nozzles, I've had a couple guys advocate using multiple hole nozzles in order simulate the prototype practice of using star or cross nozzles. You just drill smaller holes that total the same cross section as a single hole. I think it's overkill in a model but since it does increase turbulence I think it might have impact on the "bark" which is always good I am currently experimenting with multi hole nozzles.
I finished the manifold, and here it is being tested on propane. It mounts perfectly onto the boiler, but I still need to make the baffle that goes around the burners. Will brass sheet work? Or is stainless required?