Screwy Nick

Follow up on yesterday: what a difference room temp air made on the results. Hoping to make video showing the difference between room temp and 25'F later. And the gears are in Edgewood NY. As the commercial said, "Any Day Now", yup.

Came to a possible reason for varied test results: My compressor that is supplying air pressure is in the unheated garage. Morning results are poor in comparison to late in the day, air temperature???, why not?? Borrowing a 'pancake' compressor that can be used in the house, more constant air temp.

Had some fantastic results yesterday afternoon. This morning got a piece of track and rollers, put the Baby Shark on it, applied air to warm things up and BLAH. Couldn't even get enough out of anything to even light the lights. Belts (rubber bands that hold vegetables) and drums (bottle caps) just didn't want to cooperate. On the bright side noted that my gears have passed through customs and are either on the water or in the air how ever they are crossing, can't wait for some consistency in this project. On hold till they arrive, thank you.

Sean, never too young to get them interested.

Yes, I'm barely started, got a long way to go.

A good day: threaded the hole in the gear so I could attach most anything to the end of the generator. Found a larger bottle cap, ratio is now 5.8 - 1. Noticed the whole assemble needs abut 1 minute of running before it settles into itself. Started this one from 0 and cranked the pressure up to 60 so you could hear it winding up. Highest reading on compressed air, can't wait to see this combination on steam.

Did steam pressure tests yesterday, here's one using 60 and another using 40 lbs.

Made a little progress. Test was made under load. The drive ratio is presently 5-1, looking for a bigger bottle cap or anything else I can press onto that gear, my order is still in China. Posted as much for audio as visual. Turbine seems to get it's stride at about 60 lbs pressure, which should be less with steam due to expansion. Hope to test that later today. Wish I had some way to measure the RPM's of the turbine. Oh yes, the little plastic steam connection blew out after 10 minutes at 65 lbs, have a better one in place, we'll see. Side note: Bug hides when the turbine is winding up.

Sean, thank you. Stay tuned, a lot more to come, just scratching the surface of this one and 'poking around in the dark'. Got a few ideas from yesterday's strike.

Very informative morning. I substituted the small drum (in the pic) on the motor shaft with the gear I ordered by mistake. Very happy with the results. Also learned the output without the load of the little Aristocraft diesel truck motor was only 1.5V higher, both with only 50 lbs pressure. I submit first two with the caption 'I know better, but did it anyway. I have a tube of ointment at the ready.

Tried to add this to previous post, wouldn't take. Here are tests with and with out a valve. The restricted are the highest settings as I closed the valve. Air Pressure VDC open pipe 60 4+ 80. 7+ 100. 10 partically closed w valve 55. 9+ 60 10+ It seems to me the pressure is actually turning the turbine right up to the exhaust port. So what if I moved the exhaust port to the other side of the housing giving the pressure more distance to influence the turbine?? If anyone has any real knowledge of turbines, or suggestions PLEASE jump in, thank you.

Enlarged the hole in the housing, used thin wall brass which compared to the copper tubing actually doubled the area. Something very curious: as I restricted the exhaust the RPM and voltage went up?? Next will be to put a valve on the end of the exhaust to be able to make the restriction constant, and I won't be able to use my finger with steam. Getting more interesting each time I do something.

Sean, I LIKE

Belt is probably slipping some, I also agree with your suggestion that I have the exhaust somewhat restricted. Not sure if I can find tubing a little bigger than what I am using, 1/4"OD, but do have thin wall brass tubing which will open it up some. Today's effort will be around that, thank you.

01/22:A rousing YEA, fired up the B3, throttle opened at 50 lbs. Once the turbine cleared, and straightened the belt drive the power jumped to 10VDC, (meter is on the 12V scale) pressure steady at 40lbs. Next is put a load on the generator and see how much that changes the equation, and how much constant pressure is needed to supply steady 24 volts. Still not sure what method to control the speed of the loco, steam to turbine or electrical, plenty of time for that. Notified the gears I ordered are now shipped, be about 10 days, got to get more esparagras as I don't think the band I am using will last that long. This test came out better, but need to find out why it jumped to 20 and dropped down to 15 and remained steady?? Meter is on the 60V scale for this test.

I thought very impressive, on compressed air and not over 55lbs. It kept winding up and output went to 12V, more than twice previous even on steam. All it cost was 1 French coin.

Sean, don't feel alone, sometimes the most obvious seem to be obscured. Here's mine: Only a very small distance from where the steam enters the turbine, it then exits through that huge pipe in the side??? I want/need that steam to push that turbine as much as it can. Closed up the hole with a coin, drilled a hole 180' from the steam supply, threaded and forced a piece of copper pipe into it. Preliminary test on 40 lbs pressure air showed a jump in voltage, and that was with a rubber band drive so it is much better. Need to put things away then fire up that B3. Side note: no US currency was defaced or destroyed.

Yes Sean, keeping calm and steaming. Appears I have a lot to learn ordering on Ebay, I concede I did order the wrong item, scrolling all the way down is a detailed description of the item that is totally different than the picture. Gears I ordered this morning have 5 actual different tooth counts, also saw the box to change the hole diameter of the gear AND there appear to be no less than 4 different 'sellers' of the same product, really????? Never too old to learn, and I will keep on steaming.

With the gearing I am presently using the generator is only putting out 4.5V, that is why I was anticipating the gears. Evidentially gear'S' was a miss representation in the ad as I received 1 gear, and not even the right center hole dimension I ordered. Not deterred, have other things to try also.

Made some progress, and realized how much more power is produced with less steam pressure than compressed air. Check out my suicide relief valve, would like to make one that holds to 70lbs. Need a higher gear ratio to get more voltage, but not too much where the turbine bogs down. Tracking the gears I ordered, sitting in my post office for some reason?? EDIT: tracking just updated to OUT FOR DELIVERY. LIG

The tender puts out 8.5VDC on pins 7 & 8, through a coil and to the front of the loco smoke box, well beyond the end of the poker. There it arcs over a tiny wire above the brass collar, and Do Da, ya got fire. Right now mine is sparking at the base of the sleeve and should be at the tip, more inside the boiler, but it will ignite as it is. It will spark as long as the button is held down.

Found another challenge on the Mike. It was designed to be able to ignite the gas by pushing a button on the tender. Most owners have stated that is usually the first feature that stops working. I 'think' it is an adaption of a Piezo igniter, although the description on the video refers to it as 'electronic ignition'. So far been able to see a steady 8.5V sent out on pins from the tender to the loco when the button is pushed, need to go further. Anyone who has any input on this it would be appreciated.

Chuck & Jerry, thank you. Hoping to fire it up, manually hold down the release valve and see just what it can do. Adding a piece of pipe to direct the expended steam further down the table.

I had the Switcher putting out 80lbs, but the rail locomotives don't produce enough to keep supplying steam at that pressure, that's why I went to the B3. So far I put a plug in one of the release locations and will adjust the other for higher pressure. Will test it with just air in a little bit. PM: tested the boiler and piping up to 100 lbs, not the little pressure gauge, 2 gauges on the regulator. Pop valve: added couple washers under the spring, only able to get it up to just over 55 lbs, would like more. While I was testing the boiler opened the throttle valve and the turbine wound up for all it was worth. I know will get more out of it with steam, but think I am geared too low as it is. Waiting for the gear kit I ordered. Quit for today, consider myself ahead. LiG

Took the boiler out of the Salvage tug, a Saito B3. Been raved about as being able to supply steam to several steam piston engines. Test showed it really does produce a lot of steam, both release valves were letting go and the turbine was also spinning, BUT the pressure never got to 40, I need more than that. Technical spec's stated that relief valves are set to 2Kg/cm2, which is only about 29lbs/sq in. Same spec stated "permissible steam pipe boiler 35KG", which converted to 497lb/sq in. My farthest stretch of fantasy just can't believe that. Soooooooo today going to take the boiler in the garage and compress about 80lbs pressure into the boiler and see what happens.