[Steam-engine] Hard water & soft plug

frederick crammond fcrammond at hotmail.com
Wed Nov 2 13:20:18 PST 2005


Leaving the water in could be a bit dodgy come winter.
Fred
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Strobel" <Richard_Strobel7 at msn.com>
To: "Steam-engine mailing list" <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 1:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Hard water & soft plug


> Ok thanks Harold..I'm familiar with that sort of testing..and I can find
out
> about further water treatment.
>
> Actually never thot about leaving the water in it..dunno why
>
> Ok..take care
>
> RickinMt.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Harold Kuret" <cceinc at sympatico.ca>
> To: "Steam-engine mailing list" <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 5:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Hard water & soft plug
>
>
> > I use rain water in my engine. If you are planning to leave the water in
> > you
> > may want to up the Ph. Here in Ontario the rain water comes in around
6.5.
> > I
> > use swimming pool "ph up" to bring it up in the 7.5 to 8 range. I then
> > continue on with my water treatment program.
> >
> > Harold Kuret
> > Lynden, Ont. Canada
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Andy glines" <pioneersop96 at yahoo.com>
> > To: "Steam-engine mailing list"
<steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> > Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 9:21 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Hard water & soft plug
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > --- Richard Strobel <Richard_Strobel7 at msn.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > >   Howdy all;
> > > > Well the boiler inspector should be out sometime
> > > > this week and am ready for
> > > > him.  Can't wait!!!  The fusible plug came out
> > > > easily and with a little
> > > > blasting it cleaned up nicely.  Looks like 1" npt.
> > > > Not allowed to reuse
> > > > this, right?..if so why is that and do they need to
> > > > be changed at an
> > > > interval?
> > > >
> > > >   Out here in the sticks, we have pretty hard water.
> > > > What is the accepted
> > > > method for treating this water to reduce mineral
> > > > deposits, scale and such?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks in anticipation!!
> > > >
> > > > RickinMt.
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Steam-engine mailing list
> > > >
> > > http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/steam-engine
> > > >
> > > The bronze plug should be filled with pure Tin which
> > > has a melting point of around 450 degrees F.  The
> > > problem with old plugs is that the Tin oxidizes as a
> > > result of being exposed to the extreme heat of the
> > > fire.  What you end up with is a plug filled with Tin
> > > oxide instead of Tin.  The melting point of Tin Oxide
> > > is well in excess of 1000 degrees F meaning it won't
> > > work.  There is no way to prevent the oxidization of
> > > the Tin so we change the plug regularly.  For most of
> > > us hobby guys every other year is a good schedule.
> > > Frequency will depend on how much you fire your
> > > boiler.  We have known about this problem for a very
> > > long time.  The Steam Boat Inspection Service (later
> > > Coast Gaurd) requiring that soft plugs be renewed in
> > > steam ship boilers every 6 months around the time of
> > > WWI.  Bruce Babcock wrote an excellent article in
> > > Steam Traction on this subject a couple of years ago.
> > > Maybe someone here can help us find it.
> > > You have already gotten some suggestions on your
> > > water.  Rain water is a good idea.  Pond water can
> > > work good as well.  You don't want water from spring
> > > fed pond because the spring is the same as your well
> > > water.  Look at the runnoff into the pond.  I would
> > > think you want one in a grassy field.
> > >
> > > Andy Glines
> > > Evansville, IN
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > __________________________________
> > > Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
> > > http://mail.yahoo.com
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Steam-engine mailing list
> > > http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/steam-engine
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Steam-engine mailing list
> > http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/steam-engine
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Steam-engine mailing list
> http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/steam-engine
>



More information about the AT mailing list