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[kitcrazy]

hi this is the steam plant i bought from e-bay all looks in good order but this is my first steam engine so all advice welcome cant wait to try and get it up and running but it all needs setting up so hopefully with some advice from the forum i can  

[boatmadman]

There are certain safety issues to be aware of when you operate these things. I know you said this is your first model steam plant, but do you have any experience in operating any sort of steam plant?

Has the boiler got a current test certificate? If not, you need to get one.

We need to know how much you know so we know where and what to help with.

Ian

[kitcrazy]

hi no there is no certificate for the boiler i will get it tested there is one for the gas tank but no date on it  so do i need to have that tested as well ?as i said this is my first ever steam anything i have ordered some books on the model steam engine that i will read do you have any idea what the cost for testing the boiler is?

[Bunkerbarge]

First of all don't rush!  Disconnect the steam pipe from the engine inlet and see if the engine turns over nice and freely.  You should feel a good resistance when the control valve is in the central position but the engine should feel a lot more free when you move the valve to the ahead or astern positions.  Thisn proves the rings are OK and the control valve is nicely sealed.

Next you need to try to get an air supply available.  If you don't have a compressor then an inner tube filled up from a foot pump or a garage will do.  Pour some  normal engine oil into the inlet then connect it to the engine and see if it turns nice and freely on air.  The slower the better at this point.  Check the engine operates freely in both directions and the speed varies appropriately.  If it was me and I wasn't sure if the engine had been run in properly then i would run it for at least a couple of hours on air.  Start slowly, vary the speed and slowly increase the revs.  Lubricate every fifteen minutes with the engine oil.

When the engine is nice and free and runs on a very low air pressure at a very slow speed then we can consider the engine OK.  

Then turn your attention to the boiler.  Remove the filling plug, fill the boiler with fresh water, slosh it around and then pour it out through a piece of kitchen roll.  Hopefully you won't see any signs of debris so you can then fill the boiler with water to a normal level.  I use water from a condenser dryer but you can use distilled water or even tap water if you have to but do not use de-ionised water.  Check the burner by lighting it outside the boiler and check you have a nice even flame that controls with the gas tank valve.  Refit the burner. Reconnect the steam line to the engine and shut off the boiler outlet valve.  Fill the engine lubricator with steam oil, not engine oil this time, and light the burner.

Watch the pressure gauge closely, if after a few minutes, say five, you haven't seen any increase in pressure stop and get the pressure gauge checked.  If you do take the pressure up with the outlet valve closed until the safety valve lifts.  It should lift with a pop and close cleanly sealing off the steam again.  If this does not happen before you get to 100 psi we need to look at seting the valve.  

If all is OK open the steam valve slowly to the engine with the control valve in the neutral position.  Move the control valve to a slow position and turn the engine to get the water out of it.  When steam only comes out of the exhaust open the boiler valve fully and then play with the control valve.

[kitcrazy]

OK thanks for the help i will follow your advice and let you know how it goes the engine does turn over go by hand but i have a small air bottle i will give it ago thank you

[Underpressure]

OK, lets detail what you have. I'm afraid the photos wont open to full size for me, so I'm going to have to make some educated guesses.

You have a Cheddar Models set up: Boiler is a Puffin Horizontal, it will be fitted with a low pressure safety valve, set to lift at 45 psi. I am assuming you have a ceramic burner, as I can see you have a gas regulator (the red device between the gas tank and burner). The engine is a Pelican, which is a Puffin but in a V configuration. The gas tank is the standard Cheddar model.

If you PM me you e-mail address, I will scan the original instruction for the Puffin set up, which you can follow. The gas reg works pretty much the same way as the one offered by Forrest classics, but if you get stuck, then a phone call to Bruce Engineering (Polly Model Engineering) or Stuart Models will point you in the right direction. You never know, somebody on the forum may have a set of instructions they can copy for you.

With regard to lubrication, whatever you do, DO NOT use WD40 anywhere near the plant. I have always used steam oil on all my engines, but I can't see light use of engine oil doing any harm.

To get familiar with the operation of the boiler, it is worth steaming it up a few times with the steam valve closed as Bunkerbarge suggested. The safety valve will lift and will let off sufficient steam, even if you leave the gas full on.

Clevedon Steam can provide you with any O rings that may be getting tired. Jerry has an e-bay shop and you can always e-mail him. He is an ex-Cheddar employee.

Take you time and have fun.

Neil

[Bunkerbarge]

Engine oil is for use when running in only, the use of steam oil during this process delays the bedding in.  Once the engine has been successfully run in then steam oil should only be used for further operation and always when running on steam.

[kitcrazy]

thanks guys your all very helpful 

[HS93 (RIP)]

first off the item in the second picture is the safety valve cover to direct steam to the side of the funnel,cheddar recommended NEVER to use tap water, I did this once and it took ages to clean the water pump on my engine. i have the instructions for the GAV regulator as they called them for some reason , you have to take the pressure of the diaphragm when not in use. if you just set the jet up as per the instructins they work well as for messing about with air unless the engine heats up and expands as its supposed to it will not bed in correctly , the first time you run the engine on steam do not touch it when hot with a rag or anything the paint goes soft, just leave any oil till it is fully cool to clean it down and the paint will have baked on I have seen a few smudged engines, and the reason why an engine will run in quicker on ordinary oil is that it emulsifies and brakes down so does not work , the engine is not run in but run out.

Peter

[HS93 (RIP)]

Gav instructions

peter

[Bunkerbarge]

first off the item in the second picture is the safety valve cover to direct steam to the side of the funnel,cheddar recommended NEVER to use tap water, I did this once and it took ages to clean the water pump on my engine. i have the instructions for the GAV regulator as they called them for some reason , you have to take the pressure of the diaphragm when not in use. if you just set the jet up as per the instructins they work well as for messing about with air unless the engine heats up and expands as its supposed to it will not bed in correctly , the first time you run the engine on steam do not touch it when hot with a rag or anything the paint goes soft, just leave any oil till it is fully cool to clean it down and the paint will have baked on I have seen a few smudged engines, and the reason why an engine will run in quicker on ordinary oil is that it emulsifies and brakes down so does not work , the engine is not run in but run out.

Peter

Just to clarify

You only use normal engine oil if you are running in on air as per my description above.  If you use steam oil when running in on air it simply won't happen as the lubricating properties of the oil is so good and the oil remains very viscous at normal temperatures.  Running in on air with normal engine oil should take in the region of 3-4 hours and, again as already stated, always use steam oil when running on steam to avoid the effects of emulsification.

Emulsification is not an issue when running in on air.

Tap water is dependant on the type of water in your particuloar area.  Certain areas of the country where the water is particularly hard would be unsuitable but other areas where the water is very soft would be OK for a single fill.  If in doubt use condensate.

[steamboatmodel]

When running on Air, I always use the oil designed for air tools. Also never run the engine wide open without a load on it.
Regards,
Gerald

[HS93 (RIP)]

is this your lubricator?

Peter

[kitcrazy]

pics sent sorry cant get them any bigger on here.