REAL Scary!

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Marty_Knox
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REAL Scary!

Post by Marty_Knox »

Rather than continue to piggyback on Dianne's thread I thought I would start a new one. These are pictures of a boiler I dissected last week , after building a replacement. This boiler was built in 2002; it failed in February 2017, with bulges and leaks in the firebox.
I doubt that water treatment was used, nor do I think it was ever washed.
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IMG_8708.JPG
IMG_8711.JPG
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DianneB
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by DianneB »

Were those copper tubes in a steel shell?

Strange how the steel seems to show a lot more deposits than the copper!

My engine was built about 1962. I don't know if the boiler was ever replaced but it looked pretty good when I got it 6 years ago but as 1 1-1/2" scale American it is damned hard to see inside! I wish it had wash-out plugs but it doesn't and I am not about to install them. Those would be pretty hard to get at anyway.

I have dealt with many full size traction engines and seen a few as bad as the one in your picture.
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Builder01
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Builder01 »

The water legs look completely filled, amazing! Does this, or, can this, happen in a copper boiler?

HI Dianne, sorry about the slight injector hijack in your thread.

David
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DianneB
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by DianneB »

Builder01 wrote:... sorry about the slight injector hijack in your thread.
Not a problem.
Steve Goodbody
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Steve Goodbody »

Marty, in your recent post on Dianne's thread you mentioned the importance of boiler washing. Do you have any specific best-practice recommendations or suggestions for model boilers? For example:
- any recommended water additives (some folks use soluble oil, for example)?
- hot or cold water?
- repeatedly fill and drain, versus hook up a hose and continuously flush?
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Pontiacguy1
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

Those Allen boilers with the 3/8" wide side water legs are subject to get plugged up really quick if you don't take care of them. I built a boiler to replace one on an Allen locomotive that had failed after only 10 years in service. Just like this one, the water legs were completely packed and there was only 1 blowdown on the locomotive. There were a couple of cleanouts, but I can guarantee that they were never taken out. The boiler actually failed in the firebox side sheets where it had corroded to the point where it started leaking around a stay or something like that. Surprisingly, it hadn't started bulging or anything like that, but was leaking in the firebox, and not at the tube sheet either.

I put all kinds of clean outs in the new boiler and it also has 3 places where it can be blown down now (couldn't fit the 4th blowdown valve in there). Hopefully it will last longer than 10 years. Doesn't matter how you build them, though, if you're not gonna take care of them.
BClemens
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by BClemens »

Is this what would happen if the boiler was stored full of water? Some of that 'rust' looks like galvonic corrosion...the copper remained more noble so was not damaged as bad as the steel but probably is corroded too.

BC
david griner
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by david griner »

It might be added that the crown bars are quite small and not providing proper support, hence the sag in the crown sheet.
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Dick_Morris
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Dick_Morris »

Diane - there are cheap (under $25) bore scopes that can be used with a cell phone. Check Amazon to get an idea of what is available.
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Fred_V
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Fred_V »

Those flues are really packed in there too.
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Marty_Knox
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by Marty_Knox »

Steve Goodbody wrote:Marty, in your recent post on Dianne's thread you mentioned the importance of boiler washing. Do you have any specific best-practice recommendations or suggestions for model boilers? For example:
- any recommended water additives (some folks use soluble oil, for example)?
- hot or cold water?
- repeatedly fill and drain, versus hook up a hose and continuously flush?
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Steve, I recommend you use a pressure washer. No additives are needed, remove all the washout plugs and the dome top and get in everywhere you can. Most pressure washers have a 1/4"NPT connection somewhere. You can make your own nozzles to try and reach in the nooks and crannies. I will often go back a week or so later and was again.
SilvNor401
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Re: REAL Scary!

Post by SilvNor401 »

Very interesting photos Marty! I think it is safe to say that this boiler was never washed out. Also, judging by the intensity of the corrosion, the ph of feed water was never controlled nor was this boiler throughly dry during storage.
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