Live Steam (Steel) Boilers - additive

[timmy wheeler]

Ken, do you use a different product than Fender?

[Carrdo]

I have no connection with this but right now on ebay there is an advertiser selling 16 fl. oz. bottles of LSB8000.

on ebay type " Live Steam Locomotive Boiler Treatment LSB8000"

[kenrinc]

Ken, do you use a different product than Fender?

I use the RWBT1 raw water boiler treatment from A&K Enterprises. It may be similar to what Fender is using as it's based on sodium sulfite.

Ken

[pat1027]

After my earlier post I looked back on the life of the two boilers on my locomotive. The first went into service in 1992. In 2004 the firebox side sheets had corroded to the point one developed a crack. Up to that time the boiler had been washed out each fall using a water spray from nozzles made to fit into the blow down plugs. The problem with this method is the stay bolts would shadow areas of the side sheets from being washed. At the time the cracks developed there was a 3/8" build up on the sheets in a 3/4" water space. My dad decided to build a new boiler. The second boiler went into service in 2005 and he began using LSB8000. In 2015 I took over the locomotive and added an annual wash with white vinegar. This fall I picked up one of the USB cameras and took a look inside. The sheets are in good shape and considering their condition today compared to 12 years service on the original boiler I'd have to say LSB8000 was doing a good job keeping the boiler clean.

Side sheets, fire box on the left. Build up with one summer of operation.


Lookng down the crownsheet. The hump in the center is a weld.



Throat sheet on the rights and tube sheet on the left. The cylindrical object is a magneseum anode.