Screwy Nick Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Years ago Hyde-Out-Mountain produced a 'Live Diesel Kit'. Driven by a model airplane engine the generator produced electricity which powered the motors in the trucks. I got 2, had big plans. Project actually fell a little short of the original plan. Put one in an Aristocraft RS3 and to make life interesting added R/C. Still does an occasional run. The other one has been sitting on the bench since then. Not any more. Planning on turning this one with a turbine. As you can see, still in the infant testing phase, but I'm havin' fun. Pic of the present project, and for those that haven't seen a live diesel in G, included the video. May want to lower your volume, it is noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Very interesting project...will be a great one to follow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 I remembered you had that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 27, 2022 Author Share Posted December 27, 2022 First test on air, takes a little to break inertia but once the turbine is moving ***. Would like to run at least 1:1 ratio, but hoping for more as steam will give me much more power. https://www.boilerspecialists.com/steam-compressed-air-pressure-energy/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 29, 2022 Author Share Posted December 29, 2022 First steam was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't expect the little boiler to a whole lot, but did less than expected. One problem was the burner, needs some work. Next test will be using a main line locomotive and tapping off the pressure relief valve fitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 You need a hobby .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted December 29, 2022 Author Share Posted December 29, 2022 I kept opening up the boiler valve and it ran as you saw, gave it one more turn and the valve stem piped out of the base, but the set screw held it in the valve body. The boiler let go of all the steam, took about 45 seconds of high speed running and the voltage really climbed. By time I found the phone it was almost out of steam. Gives me a lot of promise for when I connect a larger boiler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 A bit more progress: used a Shay to supply steam, much better performance. Biggest thing I found was that standard compression fittings used on water lines, like the ice maker in your freezer, held up to 80lbs steam pressure. I didn't let it go beyond that. The second valve is incase the pressure got out of hand could vent the boiler. Could also have diverted to the engine, but doubted it would lower the pressure fast enough. Next step is to play with the drive to driven ratios. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Sounds like she's spooling up pretty good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 4, 2023 Author Share Posted January 4, 2023 Yes, Shay can give the pressure, but not the amount of steam needed to maintain. Next test will be using an 0-6-0 switcher and 1:1 ratio, hoping for better results for one of the items in question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 The switcher boiler didn't do much better than the Shay, and the 1:1 was just too much drag for the turbine. Need to find a 'kit' that will allow me to try different gear ratios to drive the generator. Doesn't take much steam to drive the turbine, and like the article said, steam is much more powerful than just compressed air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 Tried to edit above, guess timed out. Found a metal gear assortment set on Ebay, I may receive them anytime between now and March 2, can devote more time to (speaking of gears) Grandma. Old girl was in a storage shed for ?? years and then laying on the floor of a bedroom for another 20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 Haven't stopped playing with the turbine, the gears I ordered appeared to have been shipped but wanted to do some steam testing. Once the turbine is moving it doesn't seem to take much too keep it going. Actually took quite a while to wind down, even as the pressure dropped below 10lbs. Very promising. The generator used in this test was a motor taken out of an Aristocraft diesel truck, much less resistance. Boiler pressure held at 40lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 What monster are you going to build around this idea ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 I had hoped the Jawn Henry, but after seeing the wheel arrangement and size of it got discouraged. May turn out to be a 'one of a kind experimental' made by Screwy Nick's locomotive company. Another deterrent is the body will have to be made of metal. That is still a LONG way off. I know the turbine needs to be geared very low to drive the generator, so today joining an Aristocraft 90' diesel axle gear to the turbine and original heavier Pittman motor. Hoping to get the turbine to whine up like it does without a load and see what the generator puts out, still waiting on the gear kit I sent for, has a wide range of ratios to play with. More later (I hope). Here's a bit of trivia I stumbled on recently: Harland & Wolff made Diesel engines in Belfast for the CN rail road late 30's, and probably for European RR's as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 We will be watching your progress either way . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 11, 2023 Author Share Posted January 11, 2023 Here is what happened yesterday, geared extremely low, but like what I saw. Once it starts winding up it keeps going even though the pressure is going down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Very interesting progress and very cool concept! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 15, 2023 Author Share Posted January 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B44 Posted January 15, 2023 Share Posted January 15, 2023 You try a Aristo Mike? You can adjust the safety and get 60 lbs easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 15, 2023 Author Share Posted January 15, 2023 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Just amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 16, 2023 Author Share Posted January 16, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screwy Nick Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 That boiler looks like it's supply plenty of steam! How many volts is that producing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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