"Steam 101"
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "How do I run this engine?", hopefully this will answer some of your questions. The Basics
Check condition of engine
Lubricate engine
Add water to boiler
Initiate heat source
When pressure is up flip flywheel
In More Detail
Check engine for loose steam
lines, missing parts, make sure safety valve is functional and
unit appears to be in working condition.
You will find four basic styles of
safety valves, FIgure 1 is the most common, it has a spring
loaded plunger and threads into the boiler. Figure 2 is an older
style of the spring loaded plunger, you unscrew the top to fill
the boiler. Make sure the plunger is free to move and there is
spring pressure with these two styles. Figures 3 and 4 are
weighted styles, the arm with the weight attached puts pressure
on a plug to block steam from escaping, lift the arm up to fill
boiler.
Lubricate all moving parts, use
steam oil anywhere steam comes into contact, use regular oil on
bearings and shafts. I you don't have steam oil, regular oil is
better than nothing for occasional runs.
Fill boiler to half full level,
using hot water will increase run time and allow for faster
start up.
If unit is flame heated fill burner
about half full with Wood alcohol, which is also known as
Methanol, Methyl Hydrate or Methylated Spirits. Adjust wick
height so tip of the flame just touches bottom of boiler. Keep
an eye on the water level in the boiler, do not let it run dry.
After a few runs you will have a good idea how much alcohol to
add to the burner to get a maximum run time.
Alcohol vapors can communicate
flame, so fire doesn't have to touch the liquid, it can ignite
the vapor that comes from evaporating alcohol. Always be sure
the flame is extinguished before refilling the burner, outside
in daylight it is often difficult to see the burning flame.
The most common burner is shown in
Figure 5, it may or may not have the vent pipe as a handle, some
larger models came with a two wick burner as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 7 shows the style with 3 wicks that came with the No. 14
and and other similar horizontal boiler models. All these
burners use cotton wicks that are usually available as
replacement wicks for patio torches at most dollar stores.
With an electrically heated boiler
it is simply a matter of plugging it in and waiting for the
boiler to come up to pressure. With an electrically heated
boiler there is a greater risk of boiling the boiler dry, it is
very important to keep an eye on the water level.
A note of caution, the original
electrical cords had two prongs with no ground, for safer
operation they can be changed to a three prong configuration. Instructions
here.
Once the steam has been built up in
the boiler, this can be checked by opening the whistle valve, if
it whistles, usually more of a hiss, it is ready to go, give the
flywheel a flip and the engine will start.
How a Toy Steam Engine Works
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