Steam operated cylinder drains?

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

Post Reply
User avatar
DianneB
Posts: 733
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:05 pm
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by DianneB »

Has anybody build the drains shown here? http://modelengineeringwebsite.com/Drain_cocks.html

Do they work well? Any "tweaks" to improve the design?
Attachments
Steam Operated Drains.jpg
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by NP317 »

I have a commercial set like that on my Ten Wheeler, plumbed differently. They have worked perfectly for years.
I did plumb them so there is a drain plug between each set/cylinder, accessible from the outside, below each cylinder.
When finished with an operating session, I remove the plugs and blow the water out of the system with compressed air in the boiler.
~RN
User avatar
Highiron
Posts: 791
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 7:04 pm
Location: Lancaster, PA

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by Highiron »

These are the cylinder cocks that little engines has been making and selling since the 1960s I have them in stock ready to run at $100 a set of four plus shipping
User avatar
Joe Tanski
Posts: 317
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:44 am
Location: Eden ,New York

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by Joe Tanski »

what thickness (Teflon) PTFE sheet do you guys use in these cylinder cocks.I have two sets of these one on my 4-6-0 1 1/2,one set on my 1" little engine atlantic.
I have tried to use 1/32" (.0313 )thickness Teflon white and can only get 4-5 hours of use on the cylinder cocks before the Teflon
sheet deforms and two dimples form. when the steam is turned off they will not open
Thanks
Joe
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by NP317 »

Joe: I think mine use thin hard brass sheet instead of Teflon sheet.

Mike: I PM'd the Original Poster info about the cylinder cocks still listed in your catalog.
~RN
User avatar
DianneB
Posts: 733
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:05 pm
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by DianneB »

Unfortunately my cylinders were tapped 1/4-28 for the drains. Don't know if I want to re-tap them ......
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by Harold_V »

Joe Tanski wrote: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:36 am what thickness (Teflon) PTFE sheet do you guys use in these cylinder cocks.I have two sets of these one on my 4-6-0 1 1/2,one set on my 1" little engine atlantic.
I have tried to use 1/32" (.0313 )thickness Teflon white and can only get 4-5 hours of use on the cylinder cocks before the Teflon
sheet deforms and two dimples form. when the steam is turned off they will not open
I can't address the proper material, but I can assure you that using Teflon is most likely not proper. It cold flows, and will do so regardless of the thickness you choose. I'm interested in hearing what does work, though. :wink:

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by Bill Shields »

I had the same problem with VIRGIN PTFE in that application, but it works like a charm with fiber filled PTFE...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
DianneB
Posts: 733
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:05 pm
Location: Manitoba, Canada

Re: Steam operated cylinder drains?

Post by DianneB »

Thanks for the discussion folks; it was very informative. After careful research and deliberation I decided to overhaul and modify my existing steam-operated drains. I don't know who made them but I managed to reduce the height, re-packed the pistons so they move more freely and hopefully don't stick in the future.
Attachments
SNB11517.JPG
Post Reply