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[Jerry C]

I don't like filling the boiler via the safety valve. Fiddly. spanner, hot, dropped it, slow, need to remove canopy-----loads of reasons. So I have been filling it with a 40cc syringe through the skin fitting for the feed pump suction. This has the advantage of flushing the feed pump valve seats but the disadvantage of having to repeatedly remove the syringe from the pipe, refill and re-attach to pipe. How nice it would be to add a pair of valves to the syringe and turn it into a pump. Even better, why not buy a pump? Couldn't find one suitable so I looked for check valves, nothing cheap enough. Then it hit me, I already have 3 valves on the plant, ie. 1 on the boiler and 2 in the feed pump as can be seen in this photo:-


So why not connect the syringe to the discharge from the bypass valve, open the valve and pump. Like so:-


I had originally bought a brass hand pump and converted it to a servo driven feed pump but replaced it when given the engine driven pump. That cost £35 and I flogged it at the Ellesmere port show and got some of it back. I cannot add any more weight to the boat so this is a great solution. Takes seconds to set up and works as it should. I get the big syringes from the vet. He only throws them away when used. The traces of antibiotics are good for the boiler.
I think there is an opening for someone to make some miniature instanter couplings for us steamers.

Jerry.

[tobyker]

Windscreen washer non-return valves?

[rmaddock]

The traces of antibiotics are good for the boiler.

[steamboatmodel]

I bought syringes like that at the Coop Feed store $2.00 each. The Vets over here have to dispose of them as a biohazard.
Regards,
Gerald.