Propane burner suggestions for 6" vertical boiler

[Doug_S]

Now that I have decided to use propane to fire my new boiler, I wondered what others are using for this task. I looked at SchwankUSA burners but weren't too impressed. I see some burners on the A & K Railway site and wonderd if they would be the way to go or if a larger fabricated 4" ceramic burner would work. I would appreciate any ideas or photos of what some of you are using.

Thanks for your help
Doug

[kenrinc]

Can you provide any specifics on the boiler? What size, etc.... Would be helpful in providing info on what burner sizes to use. Just an FYI, the A&K burners are WAY over priced for what they are. If that's the type of burner your looking for I'd go with Locoparts.

Ken-

[ng_2-4-2]

Google "Marty Burner".

[ccvstmr]

...what's the diameter of your firebox? If it's small...you may not get more than 4 or 5 of the smaller rosebud burners in there using a 1.5" to 1.75" center spacing...and that might be enough for your application. More burners is better...but available area and spacing limit the number of burners that will fit.

One thing to watch for when you install such burners...interleave the flame spears so they don't impinge on one another. Carl B.

[Bill Shields]

have you see what Conner (Connor) uses on his vertical boiler?

Granted, it is a little larger, but shrunk down, will do a wonderful job

Here is a photo




4" ceramic might work if your firebox is close to that diameter.

[Bill Shields]

I added a picture of a Conner burner..

[Doug_S]

The firebox is 6 1/8" id diameter and is roughly 4 1/2" tall and is open on the bottom at the present time. There are 31 flues @ 10 inches long plus makeup. I think I can get 6 "Marty Burners" in there with the proper spacing but am not sure if that will be enough. I think I will try and see what happens using a manifold made of plumbing fittings. That way, I can easily change the configuration if need be. Wondering if I should feed the 6 burners with 1/4" or 1/8" plumbing to the manifold?? The Connors burner might also work but I want to keep the external part of the burner as small as possible. I will probably just drill some spaced holes around the firebox for combustion air and add a firebox door for lighting.

[Bill Shields]

6 burners will make plenty of heat.

I have not looked at the spacing for that diameter firebox, just realize that these burners should be spaced as recommended - 2" on centers and 2" or slightly less from the wall.

[Doug_S]

Somewhere I read that I could space the Marty Burners 1 1/2inches apart. If I space them 2 inches apart, I can only get 4 burners in a 6 inch circle. That leaves about an inch and a half from the center of the burner to the firebox wall. I'm not sure if 4 burners will do it. Time for an experiment!

[bcody]

I have a Bill Conner 4+4 engine with a 12" diameter vertical boiler. My engine is the first one built after the prototype, 2001.

The firebox is 10" in diameter by 5" high. The burner is 5.5" in diameter with two rows of holes around the edge and 6 rosette burners on the top. BTW - there are 306 3/8" diameter fire tubes in my boiler. I run my burner with 12 PSI propane inlet pressure. Control is a manifold with a ball valve for main firing and a needle valve for pilot flame control.

The engine is a two cylinder double acting 2x2.75" driving 4.375" diameter drivers through a 20% overdrive. With a warm engine - I can return to the engine after a break, light the fire and when the pressure gets up to 40 PSI I take off and I'm lifting the safety within a half mile of running at a track speed of 6 MPH. The burner is more than adequate. At Train Mountain I take the hills like they arn't even there. I have run at Reno Fannelli's American Flat Railroad and Mining Co. track where the mainline grade is 3.5%. I do limit my train to engine, tender, propane tank car and a single passenger car with two riders. I don't worry about going up, its going back down I worry about.

Bill

BTW - Have you considered going to a gas appliance dealer and getting a small off the shelf burner?

Bill

[ccvstmr]

Doug...be careful when talking to any kind of dealer about off-the-shelf type burner systems. Some are very sensitive about putting their products into a hobby locomotive boiler. If nothing else, tell them you're working on a miniature hot water heating system....and you wouldn't be telling a lie! If the dealer is really interested and doesn't push the liability excuse...then you might share what the burner is really for.

Burner spacing for the small rosebud burners....1.5 to 1.75" spacing is more than enough...1" spacing from the side walls should be good too. 2"...and you're going to have too much open air space. Chances are, you'll never be firing at full fuel flow...and shouldn't do that anyway. You risk over-firing the burner and will probably get propane odors out the stack...maybe even some flame! Not good.

Once again, when you get to the smaller burner spacing, be sure to orient the burners so the flame spears interleave...don't let them impinge on one another. You might also consider getting a separate pilot burner in there that gets T'd off your fuel line upstream of the main gas control valve. Hope that helps. Carl B.

[Trainman4602]

Try one of this . It is six inches in diameter.

I used a simular one (9") on my vertical 12" boiler. It really works great. Not fuss no muss. All done for you.

This one is priced at $94.00 but I think if you search the web you may find it for less.