Locomotive Steaming Down Tips

[ccvstmr]

Thanks all for the metallurgical background info on the various types of boiler plugs. Much appreciated. Obviously, a sacrificial plug is better than a stuck-in-place. Carl B.

[steveleatherman]

In reply to John's question regarding the frequency of boiler blowdown during operation. Most folks in the live steam hobby blow down during operation far too frequently. It wastes water you've spent money trying to heat along with boiler water treatment. During a day of operation, blow down once or twice a day is all that is needed (*depending on various conditions).

I recommend folks buy a digital TDS meter and take readings throughout the day from preferably their gauge glass blowdown or if not possible, their bottom blowdown. Blow down the boiler when your readings reach 1500ppm to 2000ppm. You can also tell you need to blowdown from a wet sounding exhaust or whistle or you may have difficulty firing.

Start by filling the boiler relatively full and blow down to 1/2-2/3 glass (keeping at a safe operating level). As you continue running, you will reintroduce fresh feedwater with boiler water treatment which has been added in during each tender fill. You will get rid of some of the dissolved solids in the water, but most of them are at the top 1/3rd of your water line.

If operating over a period of days, during shutdown, fill the boiler completely full as you drop your fire/have dropped your fire. In the morning, open the blowdown until the water level is at the bottom of the gauge glass. Add the correct amount of boiler treatment to the hose, connect to the locomotive and fill the boiler to where you normally would before you light your fire. This method allows most of the dissolved solids to settle into the mudring and drain out.

I will also strongly recommend that folks perform at least one yearly boiler wash at minimum (more if operating more frequently), using a piece of tubing connected to your pressure washer or a garden hose. Wash top to bottom, front tube sheet back to the firebox, down each side of the mudring. I also recommend that if folks are operating at tracks without filtered and softened (naturally or mechanically) water, that you invest in a portable softener with filter. ANY boiler water treatment on the market only goes so far to correct poor water conditions. It's like beginning a weight loss program, religiously exercising, but continuing to eat a poor diet. You won't see any positive results. Same goes for folks that only use boiler water treatment, but do nothing else to care for their boilers.

[Pipescs]

Does anybody use a nitrogen or other inert gas purge?

Bill I am very new to this compared to most. Being in the club with Pontiacguy, I know the member who uses argon or nitrogen for storage. Being in avionics all my life, we used nitrogen for any pressure vessel, tire, or wave guide. Not having a nitrogen bottle on hand now, I have made up a service flow meter to purge with Argon after blowing it all out and oiling the valve and cylinders.

I would really like to bore scope the ten engines that have be stored with inert gas over the years.

[Bill Shields]