Garden Railway Forum

Hello there, Having got bored of my 'Standard' Edrig, and taking note of what others have done, I've just fitted a globe valve insted of the horrid through the floor water drain off. Not quiet complete so i won't post any pictures just yet.

Also on the agenda;

- Working Steam Brakes

- Working Air Brakes on most if not all my stock

- Working Wistle (Longer Term Project)

As the Americans say,

"This I gotta see!"

all sounds very interesting

Now the working steam brakes is something I definatly want to see!

Ill post the pictures of the half finished drain valve tomorrow. And will keep the steam brake under wrapps until finished! Just incase!

I'm actually having these: http://www.stuartmodels.com/accessories ... in%20Cocks fitted to the lubricator and blowdown on my Edrig - I like the look of them very much!

Most interesting, although can't quite see how the whistle can be the long term project, as I think it is the easiest of the lot! Of course Mr Bond has his working air brakes but he never seems to mention them much unless a 16mm association AGM is coming up...

MDLR:64317 wrote:I'm actually having these: http://www.stuartmodels.com/accessories ... in%20Cocks fitted to the lubricator and blowdown on my Edrig - I like the look of them very much!

I'd like to see a pic of that, I was thinking today of doing something to the lubricator. I generally get oily fingers and then it drops right out before the water comes out.
what size are you using?

Gremlin:64354 wrote:

MDLR:64317 wrote:I'm actually having these: http://www.stuartmodels.com/accessories ... in%20Cocks fitted to the lubricator and blowdown on my Edrig - I like the look of them very much!

I'd like to see a pic of that, I was thinking today of doing something to the lubricator. I generally get oily fingers and then it drops right out before the water comes out.
what size are you using?

Picture's in the link. As for size, ask sir hadyn!! Picture of the job when I get it back!

MDLR:64357 wrote:

Gremlin:64354 wrote:

MDLR:64317 wrote:I'm actually having these: http://www.stuartmodels.com/accessories ... in%20Cocks fitted to the lubricator and blowdown on my Edrig - I like the look of them very much!

I'd like to see a pic of that, I was thinking today of doing something to the lubricator. I generally get oily fingers and then it drops right out before the water comes out.
what size are you using?

Picture's in the link. As for size, ask sir hadyn!! Picture of the job when I get it back!

They do look nice, I did mean a pic of them fitted.
I'm guessing it's the smallest size and I think that will be a very good improvement on the current set up.

Yes - a quick tweak with a touch of regulator is all you need to drain the lubricator - something I do at the end of every run. It's easier to fill when it's hot, too!

Now I DO like those Lubricator drain things, yet another thing to be added to the everlasting list

MDLR:64364 wrote:Yes - a quick tweak with a touch of regulator is all you need to drain the lubricator - something I do at the end of every run. It's easier to fill when it's hot, too!

A lot of people drain the lubricator at the end of a run. In 20+ years of doing 16mm stuff this practice has always been and continues to be a complete mystery to me. I accept that refilling is easier when warm, but can somebody explain why there is a need to drain the lubricator at all? This is a genuine question as I really do not know the answer!

TonyW:64367 wrote:

MDLR:64364 wrote:Yes - a quick tweak with a touch of regulator is all you need to drain the lubricator - something I do at the end of every run. It's easier to fill when it's hot, too!

A lot of people drain the lubricator at the end of a run. In 20+ years of doing 16mm stuff this practice has always been and continues to be a complete mystery to me. I accept that refilling is easier when warm, but can somebody explain why there is a need to drain the lubricator at all?

Hiya Tony, I don't know about any "need" to drain the lubricator but I personally find that it the provides the easiest way to refill (clears the accumulated condensate).
My own (probably misguided) logic also tells me that at the end of a running session, if I've drained the lubricator, there's less chance of the cooling boiler drawing in oil contaminated water?

Horses for courses?

Narrow Minded:64369 wrote:Hiya Tony, I don't know about any "need" to drain the lubricator but I personally find that it the provides the easiest way to refill (clears the accumulated condensate).
My own (probably misguided) logic also tells me that at the end of a running session, if I've drained the lubricator, there's less chance of the cooling boiler drawing in oil contaminated water?

Thanks! My thinking is that the accumulated condensate is basically an oil emulsion (i.e. an oil and water mix). I reckon that this is not a 50/50 mix and that oil is the largest component. By draining it out you are, in effect, wasting the unused oil, which would separate back to oil and water (i.e. not mixed in to an emulsion) over time so that the water can be drained before the next run. Is that correct and your understanding too?

Pulling oil in to the boiler is a justified concern, but it also requires that the regulator either leaks or is left open for this to occur. The regulators on my locos all close properly, and so oil cannot be drawn in to the boiler. Presumably I avoid this by leaving the regulator closed during cool down, but do others leave theirs open?

These are genuine questions and I am not trying to trick or ridicule anybody here.

I've usually find that somehow a certain amount of "water" accumulates at the bottom of the lubricator. The emulsion sits on top of this, and added oil will sit on top of that.
Even without the water build-up, I reckon there'd be some degree of "weakening" the mix (ie you're adding effectively less oil each refill) if this process was repeated...?
Now whether or not that's right and if it is whether the weakened mix would be detrimental is another question.

I don't know why, but I always leave my reg's (and the filler valves on loco's that have 'em) cracked "open" to allow the boiler to "breath".
Afterthought ~ If nothing else I suppose there's no pressure on the valves O rings??

I've got two locos which are vacuum fill, using the blowdown pipe / valve in reverse - once I've (wastefully) blown the lubricator out, I close the regulator, connect the water tank pipe to the blowdown valve outlet and let any remaining steam out through the tank. Once there's no steam left, the vacuum in the boiler as it cool refills it to the top, so I leave the blowdown valve open so when I next steam, the excess water is pushed out. Once I get steam out of the blowdown pipe, I close the valve and pressure quickly rises.

Brian, would that system of vacuum filling work with an edrig? Might be another mad mod!

anythingsdr:64384 wrote:Brian, would that system of vacuum filling work with an edrig? Might be another mad mod!

It certainly is going to - that's why the cock's being fitted, to make the job easier and to provide a convenient end to fit the pipe to.

Narrow Minded:64373 wrote:I've usually find that somehow a certain amount of "water" accumulates at the bottom of the lubricator. The emulsion sits on top of this, and added oil will sit on top of that.
Even without the water build-up, I reckon there'd be some degree of "weakening" the mix (ie you're adding effectively less oil each refill) if this process was repeated...?
Now whether or not that's right and if it is whether the weakened mix would be detrimental is another question.

The emulsion will return to its separate oil and water constituents over time, and so draining the water is a good thing to do and is something that I do. The lubricator mixes the steam supply and the oil together to form the emulsion and it is this that is fed to the cylinders, not neat oil.

Narrow Minded:64373 wrote:I don't know why, but I always leave my reg's (and the filler valves on loco's that have 'em) cracked "open" to allow the boiler to "breath".
Afterthought ~ If nothing else I suppose there's no pressure on the valves O rings??

I'd agree that it this might prolong the life of the O-rings, but the chances of an air circulation down the exhaust, through the valve chests, superheater, lubricator and in to the boiler are pretty remote, I would have thought. I remove the safety valve or water filler on some of my locos to allow the boiler to "breath" if they are going to be stored for some time.

My thanks to everybody who has responded.