[Steam-engine] Hard water & soft plug

[Richard Strobel]

Thank you Andy..you explained it well!!!

RickinMt.


----- 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 7:21 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
> 
> 
> 
> 
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