Pump

[hoppercar]

Guess I am not familiar with these pumps, I only know they look good, like a Worthington pump...why are the not reliable ?

[Bill Shields]

Too mamy fiddly little parts inside. I have seem maybe 5 of them and none ran more tham a few monrhs.

[PRR5406]

Bill: How complex are the interior mechanisms?

[NP317]

Very complex valving inside.
They typically have a vertical trigger rod inside the main piston shaft, that operates a slide valve for the horizontal shuttle valve, that operates the steam pistons.
All various forms of "control amplifier.", with many options to not work as intended, in miniature.
~RN

[hoppercar]

Hmm....I didn't know they were so finicky....I've built several of the little engines single cylinder and twin cylinder pumps over the years, there pretty reliable, and work fairly well....guess I'll stick with one's of those, since you probably can't get the moes pumps anyway.....

[Rayerroad]

If your looking for a 1 1/2” reliable steam pump
Soler II double acting pumps are a great investment
I still have 3 left. Over 350 of them out there in service
See Soler II pumps under marketplace

[Bill Shields]

The Soler and / or Keim pumps, based on Bill van Brocklin's duplex (twin cylinder) design are very reliable.

If you want plans to build your own from these designs, they are readily available.

[Berkman]

I do not think the moes pumps are actually compound

[Bill Shields]

from what I have seen they may well be...but I have never had the guts to take one apart

[Erie2936]

Just to clarify a couple points, water pumps are never set up as compound. Water is an incompressible fluid and cannot be compressed a second time like an air compressor.
My two cylinder water pump is not based upon the Van Brocklin design. My pump contains the valve mechanism internally. The Van Brocklin and Solar pumps have external linkages that drive the valves. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that design.
Both Van Brocklin and Solar work well when maintained.
Thanks,
Brian Keim
Keim Steam Pump
Extreme Steam

[Bill Shields]

Giggle....incompressible water???? must be an old-fashioned idea....

I have only seen the Moes' pumps connected for air service

[DianneB]

Giggle....incompressible water???? must be an old-fashioned idea....

Are you out-of-date Bill? ROFL!