Screwy Nick Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Realizing the water bath for the Aristo Mike is much too small to be effective, holds only 2 oz of water. Purchased small 5VDC heating pads. Positioned one on the bottom and one on the front, wired in parallel for a water only test. In 30 minutes the water went from room temp to 110'F, battery never went below 6V. Decided to take the live test outside, just in case. Outside temp was 46'F and the tank is fully exposed. Filled butane tank, added 110'F water to the bath, and it immediately cooled down to 77'F. Wasn't sure the pads could keep up with the heat absorption of expanding butane. Fuel was still flowing after 35 minute run, I shut it down. GScaletrainforum.com exclusive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Great idea! Your live steam expertise is second to none! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 Not that good, but always something rolling that I am willing to try. Hope to fully assemble it today and maybe have a test run tomorrow. I expect it to perform better once it is encased in the tender shell out of the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 On 12/6/2022 at 5:29 AM, Screwy Nick said: Not that good, but always something rolling that I am willing to try. Hope to fully assemble it today and maybe have a test run tomorrow. I expect it to perform better once it is encased in the tender shell out of the weather. I agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 9, 2022 Author Share Posted December 9, 2022 Heat pads and insulation in place. Need to replace the rubber bands with something more durable as these I'm sure will dry and fail in a short period of time. Next is the battery and switch. EDIT: thought I posted this yesterday, I am slipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 9, 2022 Author Share Posted December 9, 2022 Put the finishing touches on it. Switch on the bottom, pointed rear will send power to the battery for charging or off if not connected to charger, pointed forward sends power to the heating pads. This tender has a 24 pin male plug connected to the base for that board, and matching female on the cover for the controls under the coal load, what fun lining them up properly so they all mate and don't bend any of them. Well, during my many attempts accidentally flipped the switch fwd, so now the tank is warm and battery partially discharged, so a test run this afternoon won't happen. Tomorrow AM should make for nice plumes, so stay tuned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 10, 2022 Author Share Posted December 10, 2022 Did I say Stay Tuned. Perfect day for running live steam loco, make plumes and see all the little areas that weep steam, will look great. Make a long story short, nothing happened, burner wouldn't even light. struck yet again. Back blew jet, nope, just not putting out fuel, and I know the tank is full, push down on the fill nipple and liquid butane mix bubbles out. Been looking at what I figure is a regulator of some kind, never saw one on a live steamer before. People that design these things are a lot smarter than I, so it must be here for a reason. Decided it had to go, which meant disassembling the tender that I just insulated and all that. Gutted the unit, and reassembled the tender. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Burner lights and burns with the valve just cracked open, so as the pressure reduces still have more valve to go. Burner is also quieter. Ran it on rollers for over an hour without using the heating pads, I was indoors. Tomorrow morning will be the track test, same weather predicted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 A little progress is still progress ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 11, 2022 Author Share Posted December 11, 2022 Had a GREAT run this morning, just under an hour, called due to rain, temp 40'F. Boiler maintained 30+ lbs pressure and never had to increase the fuel. I wanted to do a once around to warm the cylinders, I didn't notice the cars rolled up and coupled. Even with a cold start it walked away with 10 cars and caboose. If you listen carefully can hear that not all wheels are on the rails. Sorry it is such a short video, had to crop it due to 'excited utterance'. Water bath at end of run was 68'. Very happy and well worth the effort. When they were produced many, including myself didn't even give them a second look, 16 years later, couple minor mods which we all do, I am very happy with it. LiG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash 8 Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 Operation successful, patient lives. Yes, it's true, what I read about it at the time was not so good. But now it has become a piece of jewelry, in the right hands. Regards Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 12, 2022 Author Share Posted December 12, 2022 Jan, still needs some tweaking. Previous owner messed with every part of this loco, and IMHO really screwed it up. After I got it in my hands, took pics and sent to the seller. Was an Ebay purchase, he refunded quite a bit. Still now finding stuff that was buggered, turned out to be a good 'project' locomotive, glad to have it. Returned the exhaust and the stack to original yesterday, hoping for improved plumes today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 Looked and sounded great in the video .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 12, 2022 Author Share Posted December 12, 2022 Was very dissapointed in the stack plumes yesterday. Plenty of vapor from the pressure relief so why not the stack?? Found previous owner cut the exhaust tube from the cylinders short and also cut the tube to the stack short so the openings were seperated by almost ½ inch. The exhaust was being reheated by the burner, no vapor. Restored it to how Aristocraft made it, lengthened both the exhaust and the stack tubes. Exhaust is now 3/8 – ½ inch into the stack tube, BIG DIFFERENCE. Same weather conditions as yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 Great job! Looks great and runs great just like a real one...well it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 Now that you mentioned that ..even nicer video ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 13, 2022 Author Share Posted December 13, 2022 It runs as well as my steamers from other manufacturers, durability, only time will tell. I'm very happy with it. Thank you for the encouragement. LiG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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