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[frazer heslop]

I am returning to steam boating and don't know what the current rules are for boiler testing and design.I used to use a safety factor of 8 as per model engineering practice of 10 years ago and hydraulic test twice working pressure/ steam test 1.5 times and no more than 10 percent increase with blower full on .Can anybody please advise where i can either purchase or find the most recent standards that are in plain English and what sort of documentation needs to be kept on a home built boiler. I apologise if this topic has already been covered as new to site.
thanks frazer

[Bunkerbarge]

Everything you need to know can be found at this web site here:

http://www.southernfed.co.uk/index.htm

If you are a member of an affiliated club you can obtain copies of the documentation through the club.  If you are not you can still buy copies of the "Blue Book' through the Southern Fed but you will need to be tested by an accredited examiner who must be a member of an affiliated club.

I would strongly advise that you get hold of a copy of the 'Blue Book', it's in plain english and lays out the requirements quite clearly.

By the way in a nutshell the first test is 2 x working pressure and subsequent tests are 1.5 x working pressure.  Boilers below 3 bar-litres do not require pressure testing but all require a steam test certificate.  If you are building your own boiler it should be examined at least twice during it's construction and agreed building procedures adhered to.

[frazer heslop]

Thank you, I will read through later
regards frazer

[SteamboatPhil]

You can also go to WWW.MPBA.ORG.UK and go to the boiler testing section.
Please bear in mind that the Southern Fed deal mainly with Loco type boilers and testing there of, and there are certain regs in there that will not apply to  model marine boilers. You don't say if you are going for a loco or marine, but as you are on this site I'm guessing a boat.
With regard to the bar -litre chart, and not testing under 3 bar-litres, this is a bit of a Chinese whisper (sorry Bunkerbarge), it is only acceptable if the club / society that you belong to have adopted it, and it has been approved by their relevant insurance company. The MPBA (Model Power Boat Association) does not however advocate the Bar-Litre chart and all pressure vessels need to be tested. Bear in mind that most refillable gas tanks would fall in the bar litre chart !!!!, again these should have a test certificate.
Hope some of this helps.
Phil

[frazer heslop]

As a lone modeller and not a member of any club and not wishing to join a club just to use the boiler test facilities as its not fair on the club . Most of my boilers are low pressure and below 3bar pressure /litre is it possible to get independent tests that both organisations recognise .Are these regs retrospective as I have some steam boats that are now 10years plus.How are the the toy steam engines effected by these regs as many must have been re soldered etc by now and do the likes of Cheddar plants need retesting annually?.Sorry for appearing a bit dim but for some reason I'm struggling to understand if there is one set of rules or do they change from society to society
thanks frazer

[Bunkerbarge]

I understand what you are saying Phil but it's not a Chinese whisper, as you say yourself if your club is affiliated to any of the societies that are combined with the Southern Fed and I can't remember the names of all four but one is a Northern Society and one is a Midlands one then you do not need to pressure test your boiler if it is below the 3 bar-litre limit.

As you say if you are at an event run by a Model Power Boat Association club then they have a different set of rules just to keep it simple!  Also you might just find that local clubs or councils may add thier own requirements on top of it all so you are quite right it is not cut and dried.

I sometimes make the mistake of seeing things only from the point of view of my own club set up which is not a good thing.  Thanks for the reminder.

[benjaml1]

I always wonder, coming from >80mph nitro powered scimitars at + 6bhp per engine at 22000 rpm, thowing ninja star propellers into adoring crowds.  I am entering the steam world of "chuff chuff woo woo"....I ask myself, has this world I live in really gone mad ??

[frazer heslop]

Well I know its not me who has gone mad as they gave me a letter saying i was sane when they let me out of hospital although i have my doubts playing with steam engines.
Thank you for the replies

[SteamboatPhil]

As a lone modeller, and you are just going to you local pond for a steam ( /chuff chuff woo woo) then unless (as Bunkerbarge has said) your local council requires test certificates (although I wouldn't try asking them, because believe me, you will start a paper trail that will send the council into meltdown----wait to be asked-play Innocent)

Lots of clubs have adopted the bar litre guide, some have not. My own club is not only affiliated to the MPBA but also to the Southern Fed, so on club days bar litre chart comes into play, but for MPBA all pressure vessels  have to have a test certificate. Steam plants like Cheddar etc if falling outside the B/Litre chart do require testing every 2 years, which is the normal for Marine / Loco boilers, again this is very much down to clubs to police.

In all cases common sense is the name of the game

Hope this helps 

[frazer heslop]

Thanks for the advice,I will chance my arm and act Innocent I don't sail very often but test my boilers annually and deliberately don't use refillable gas tanks preferring throw away canisters as i don't like refilling in public areas. Also a lot of my small steam boats have very simple pot boilers  feeding oscillators with no stop valves i very much doubt they reach more  than  20 psi and suppose the cylinder spring acts as a secondary safety . I can understand the reasoning behind the regs for large model boilers especially when some times ambition out strips ability . Thanks for the info

[Ian Robins]

Hi all,
I hope I'm not hyjacking this thread and if I am sorry.
But my clubs insurance uses the bar/litre rule and I am a member of the mbpa also.
I have a cheddar puffin steam plant. we do not have a steam tester in the club.(i am the only steam user). 
I cant test my own boiler.
Has the MPBA got a list of testers that are availiable for MPBA testing?
Also anyone got any ideas on what I should do?
thanks
Ro88o0

[Bunkerbarge]

First of all you have to decide whether you want your model testing under MPBA rules or Southern Fed and associates rules, or both!

Then I would ask around for nearby clubs that do have an inspector and go along to meet up with them and arrange to have you plant tested.

To find a list of MPBA testers I'd start by sending them an e-mail and asking them the question.

[Ian Robins]

Hi,
I was hoping phil would answer with a local tester as he is listed in the mpba book
thanks
ro88o0

ps counld the mpba have a tester at certain events eg: mayhem, scale finals, etc

[Bunkerbarge]

We are hoping that there will be a Southern Fed Inspector at the Kirklees Steam Convention in May, if you want to go up to Yorkshire, but not, I'm afraid, a MPBA one.