[SEL] O/T Steam main bearing babbitt

[Richard Strobel]

Good point Orrin,, yes we purge both plus the valve chest for quite a while 
before closing any of the valves.  We get a lot of condensate out of the 
valve chest and lower cylinder drain.  Course they have to heat up more iron 
as opposed to the top.  I've seen the results of hydrostatic lockup on a 
cylinder...ouch!! And we keep them open during initial startup and only 
closed when we're assured that we have fairly dry steam...and I use that 
term loosely :-)

Thanks much
Rick






> Rick -- 
>
> This is just a SWAG, but I'm wondering if you thoroughly warmed up the 
> steam
> lines and engine.  If you didn't, the engine might have excessive 
> condensate
> in the cylinder and is going into hydraulic lock-up at TDC.
>
> If you've ever seen footage of steam locomotives pulling out of the 
> station,
> you'll see steam blowing out of the cylinders at every stroke.  Petcocks 
> are
> left open to let excess condensate escape.  They are closed after the
> cylinders are up to temperature.
>
> Regards,
>
> Orrin
>
> Orrin Iseminger
> Colton, Washington, USA
> http://users.moscow.com/oiseming/lc_ant_p/menu.htm
> So many projects.  So little time.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> [mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Richard
> Strobel
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 4:40 AM
> To: The SEL email discussion list
> Subject: Re: [SEL] O/T Steam main bearing babbitt
>
> Joe, we've ran it on air and steam. With steam the knocks are very
> obnoxious.  To be honest, I don't recall it on air.
>   Here's the deal on our timing.  Please keep in mind the eccentric is 
> keyed
>
> to the crankshaft and eccentric has two keyways with setscrew.  I assume 
> the
>
> two positions are for forward and reverse.  There is no reverser lever on
> this engine.
>
>   So we centered the piston in it's throw and adjusted the slide "D" valve
> linkage so that the throw was equal on both centers.  This automatically 
> set
>
> the lead/lag/cushion which in turn opens the ports when the crankshaft is
> past it's centers.  This is not right but we don't know how to change
> it...other than elimate the key on the eccentric and just use the setscrew
> so we get a "lead."
>
>   We don't have a good book now on timing a stationary.  One is on order 
> and
>
> the other we'll get at Rollag steam school next year.
>
>   I find the governor feature you mentioned very interesting.  We have not
> loaded the engine yet nor "put it on the gov." so to speak.
>
>   Gotta be something simple...hell, I might be turning the engine the 
> wrong
> direction.
>
>   Very soon the setup will be going into the shed as winter is arriving 
> way
> too soon...and then back to the drawing board...."steam 101 fer dummies."
>
>   Thanks much Joe...ya got me thinkin' which is a scary thought in itself.
>
>   Many thanks also to Ken, Curt, Dave, and Peter.  I have re-read all your
> posts..hopefully it will sink in.
>
>   Sorry to garbage up the SEL, the steam list is pretty dead nowdays.
>
>   RickinMt.
>
>
>
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