Dynamo test 2

Shortly after the first dynamo test, I ran the engine again after making one or two minor modifications to the plant (including finishing insulating all the pipes, and adding a new pipe from the blowdown cock to the sump tank).

The performance was no better than on the last occasion, and some experimentation reveals that an enormous amount of steam is leaking past the pistons when the engine is stationary.

At the time of writing (November 2008), I am in the process of replacing the pistons with better fitting ones, fitted with silicone o-rings.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• dynamo
• Stuart
• Score
• model
• steam
• engine
• 504
• gas
• fired
• boiler

[jamespetts2]

I already have the original wick burner that came with my boiler - but a wick burner is far less efficient than a ceramic gas burner.

[silver760]

So have you sorted your sloppy pistons by now?As for the burner I do mean meths,look up the original burner for your boiler,youll see its much bigger than your current one,it is a wick burner,a vapourising buner,you can get a meths pressurised burner that works like the old blow lamps,but they are me suited to horizontal tube boilers,they are really fierce.I do seriously suggest looking into getting the original Stuart burner though.

[jamespetts2]

Ahh, no, it was not built by Stuart - it was built by somebody from whom I bought it over eBay. And are you sure that you are not confusing methylated spirits burners with paraffin burners (which *are* indeed *very* hot - too hot for a small boiler like this)?

[silver760]

I assure you that the original or larger meths burners these boilers were designed to work with work a hell of alot better than any of the gas burners that came along later.The meths burners provide a vety hight heat that heats not only the bottom of the boiler but the sides and due to the tubular boiler some of the top,due purley to the long length of the flame.Did you engine come built from Stuarts?See if you can get a burner and try it,you must set it up properly though.

[jamespetts2]

The main problem with the engine was probably the fact that the pistons were far too small for the bores (about six thousandths of an inch smaller), and had no packing. I have been rebuilding the engine with better fitting pistons with proper packing, and also lapping the slide valves. I shall use water from a reverse osmosis machine and proper steam oil and hopefully things will be better. Will probably still need a new boiler, though.

[jamespetts2]

Actually, the pipe is already 1/4". As to the fuel - although ethanol has a higher energy density than butane/propane mix, burning it with a wick does not produce more heat than a ceramic burner because it does not combine efficiently with the air. A carburettor or similar would be needed to acheive the full potential of alcohol.

[silver760]

I really want to see this steam plant running that eninge with a full head of excess dry steam,rather than the condensate drench puff through a straw it has at the moment,meths burner,please,please,buy one and increase the supply line bore to the engine!!That unit should thrash away until the boiler is nearlly empty on the glass!

[silver760]

Dear James after thinking about your steam boiler/eng,can i suggest you increase the valve and pipework to 1/4 or bigger to allow the steam to flow faster to them engine this should also allow the boiler to "boil up" during running producing more free steam to replaces that used.Another suggestion would be to build or buy a multi tube/wick meths burner,far hotter than gas and the fuel is pence compared to gas cyclinders.That boiler is no steaming during use,so all you have is the free steam

[Axbent]

Great vid, love them!!

[Axbent]

thx for info!