Hi Guy's,
Not sure what is going on with the forum... I posted a reply at 9:46PM last night and it went missing.
The Index of new posts (front page of the forum)registered that a new post had been added to the thread at that time and under my user name, however, the content of the post was not showing... all very strange!!
Anyway... I am pleased my input was of some help in restoring equilibrium and that we are now all singing from the same song sheet.
On reading Ians post with reference to Westbury and Harris it made me wonder why I was so sure that Clause 14.3 refered to 1.5 x wP as a steam test so I decided to look up Harris's book on boilers and testing and low and behold way back in 1967 K.N.Harris quotes that the steam test should be no more than 25% of the boilers wP and to acheive that the safety valve was adjusted and then returned to it's original setting. ( pages 126-127-128 ) you will remember them Ian way back then and how simple and efficient it all seams.
George, Ian and Jerry... I have just looked up my copy of Harris (which may be a later edition than yours) and my copy states...
on page 126... " with a steam test, a pressure of 25%, in excess of working pressure is sufficient"
and on page 128 it does indeed say that "the safety valve/s will either have to be set temporarily to blow of at the required higher pressure, or removed and their sockets temporarily plugged".
So I can see where this would lead to confusion with regard to the wording in the latest regs. section 14.6.
Unfortunately, Harris's method fails to address the purpose of the ACCUMULATION TEST in that it does not prove that the safety valve is capable of releasing all excess steam without the pressure rising more than 25% (our latest testing is 10%) above working pressure when fired at maximum. It merely proves that the safety valve/s open at Pw + 25%.
It would also not comply with section 3.5 and section 11 of the latest regs.
The problem is/was that, at that time in history, no real statutory regulations existed and most countries, clubs, authorities (local or otherwise) made there own rules up.
It was not really until the
Pressure Equipment Regulations 1999 were published that any form of common rule applied.( but even these were open to interpretation)
What this does highlight though is the need for all of us to follow the
LATEST REGULATIONS, for the particular country we live in, whether we agree with them or not.
It certainly does not help us much though, when the regulations are ambiguous as written.
Derek: -
I have already been in touch with the publishers regarding this and await some sort of response. Not holding my breath though
Ok then, Keep happy and enjoy your steam models.
Best regards,
AlexC. (sandy)