Regner Willi Gas Burner - any advice appreciated

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mikewakefielduk@btinterne
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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:20 pm

I'll try that with the Willi and maybe the Lumberjack as well as neither had any sign of PTFE tape.

Would still recommend an air control ring as well though, if your loco hasn't got one.


Mike

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Post by St.Michael » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:38 pm

I´d like to share my latest disaster with you :oops:  :oops:  
I few days ago I decided to fire up and have a go with my Vincent   ( the loco on my tag)  The current gas bottle I´m using is either very leaky or it flushes gas with very high preassure, so I have problems with getting the gas in a controlled way in to the gastank. And what happens is that I get a lot of gas flooding outside the fillervalve and that results in icing around the gastank. I´ve been through this before, but this time I lost my temper and gave me hell on that the gas should enter the tank...
So I flooded the poor engine with gas outside the tank and it froze so bad so the water inside the sightglass also froze and cracked the sightglass.  
Do you have any comments on this?? I just blame myself for my stupidity. And the final question: Where do I get a new sightglass? I don´t know if I can contact Regner, are they temporarely closed? What about the sightglasses at Chuffed 2 bits? Will one of those fit in?
Regards to you all
Michael (no saint)
Last edited by St.Michael on Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Wed Aug 07, 2013 9:51 pm

I have just the same problem when I use the Regner supplied gas can adaptor with their gas filler valve. The nozzle is so large compared with the Ronson adaptor that gas squirts every which way and covers everything in ice.

Which is why I'd rather use the Ronson type filler even if it makes the loco a lot more difficult to light properly.

Sympathies re the water level glass. You can get them easily enough though - I bought some on ebay when I cracked mine. You just need to measure the outside diameter of the tube. The tubes can be cut to length by scoring with a diamond file and then snapping on the score.

As a temporary fix replace the glass tube with a bit of brass rod of the same diameter, plus the old O rings.

Chuffed2Bits is closed until August 22nd I believe.

Mike

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Post by Chris Cairns » Thu Aug 08, 2013 4:43 pm

My Lumber Jack did not come with a Regner gas fill adaptor but I managed to get one of the nozzles that comes with the Ronson lighter refill can to fit without too much leaking. I now have a ronson filler valve fitted.

Just looked at the Regner filler valve and it was very stiff to operate. As recommended in the instructions I dismantled the filler valve and lubricated the 'O' rings with vaseline, and it now operates smoothly.

Over on the Airsoft community they have taken to fitting an 'O' ring over the filler valve tube to stop the leaking gas and magazines freezing up. I wonder if that would be an advantage to our scenario - http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwolf/a ... ulletID=50

Looking at their catalogue Regner only sell 1 size of sight glass tube so you are looking for a 4mm replacement. After cutting the tube heat up the ends gently in a weak flame to seal the glass/pyrex. On my Lumber Jack the sight glass glands are fitted using rolled PTFE tape - Regner does not seem to like using 'O' rings much!

Chris Cairns.

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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:38 pm

I think I really should read the friendly Regner manual more carefully in future. It says quite clearly:
"Remove the fill valve, lubricate sealing rings with Vaseline and reinstall the fill valve. In this process do not screw the sealing screw tight, only screw it in until it reaches the gasket, app. 1 mm clearance."
I had being screwing them up finger tight rather than leaving the 1mm which explains why I was getting a huge back spray of gas and icing everywhere.

Mike

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Remedy?

Post by IRON MAN » Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:43 pm

I own a Konrad which occasionally does this.

Once your gas tank is full and venting out the top, press down on the filler to remove the liquid butane (warning you will get a very cold finger) but once the liquid butane has passed out the top it tends to settle down and light properly.

Dan

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Post by St.Michael » Sat Aug 10, 2013 6:31 am

Hi.
I´d like to thank you for many good advices. 4mm sightglass has been ordered and you have come up with tips that I didn´t know about. I shall try them out when Gösta(Vincent) is being put together again.
Regards from Norway

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Post by St.Michael » Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:24 am

The sightglass has been successfully mounted (but I forgot to heaten up the ends as Cris Cairns suggested) The testdrive was problemfree :D
I finally found the reason for the flooding of gass: It is the Regner gas can adaptor. I changed the o-rings in it, and at last I managed to controll the gasfilling.
Regards to all from Michael

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Post by Chris Cairns » Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:04 pm

Good to hear that your repair was easy enough and that your butane is going where it should be - into the gas tank.

Hopefully I can get a run with my Lumber Jack on our railway group's 45mm indoor layout soon as we only have 3 open days left this year.

Chris Cairns.

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Post by Chris Cairns » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:04 pm

Had an interesting discussion this afternoon at a Garden Railway regarding modifications to Regners to improve burners & tank capacity.

An owner was having difficulties with the burner in his Lumber Jack. It was sent to Mike Ousby (ACME Engineering) and his solution was to drill a hole through the top part of the ring around the burner that fits into the flue tube. Apparently this lets in enough secondary air and the burner works well. Mike also machines the Regner gas tank filler valve so that a Ronson type is fitted on the top, but retains the main body of the Regner valve. This prevents overfilling the gas tank that can happen with the alternative shorter Ronson filler valve (like the one available from Chuffed2Bits).

And another tip for those Regners where the gas can last longer than the water. Reduce the gas tank capacity by filling it with lead shot.

Chris Cairns.

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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:44 pm

his solution was to drill a hole through the top part of the ring around the burner that fits into the flue tube
Any chance you can clarify that Chris please as to exactly where he reckons the hole should be?
Since I put hinges on my Regner's smoke box door I haven't had any issues lighting it if I open the door and apply a match there rather than over the chimney.
Still a few issues with the gas tank filling which can be rectified by opening the valve after filling until the liquid gas is expelled. I've got a couple of spare Regner gas tank valves so will have a look to see how easy it is to machine one to get a Ronson valve screwed into it. Whether I can find the time is another matter though, as am currently drawing the plans for a small extension on the house so trains have had to take the back burner (ha ha).

Mike

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Post by Chris Cairns » Sat Nov 09, 2013 9:22 pm

Sorry Mike, I appreciate a photo tells the story better but I did not have access to an appropriate one and it was too late & dark to pull my Lumber Jack out of its box. Hopefully this one will make sense.

As I understood the conversation Mike Ousby drilled a hole horizontally in the position marked by the green arrow to allow the secondary air direct to the burner.

Image

This of course would appear to have the opposite effect to my wrapping that ring with PTFE tape to stop air getting in. I intend putting some filter paper/tea bag material behind my jet to see if I can reduce the likelihood of another blocked jet.

Chris Cairns.

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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:59 am

Doing my day job as a clock repairer I frequently have to use a gas powered blow lamp when soldering large items of brass.

I've had a lot of trouble recently with the blow lamp getting a blocked jet using the most common make of butane/propane mix available in all of the local DIY shops. Switched to a different make (that I picked up from the Locobox stall at the last show I'd attended) and the problem with blocked jets has gone away. Can't help but conclude the gas was contaminated.

Mike

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Post by Chris Cairns » Sun Nov 10, 2013 3:01 pm

When I started with gas burners (Cheddar Models) I used whatever butane/propane mix was available from my local DIY store. I found the mixed gas was generally too hot for the various Mamod gas burners, and as I've only been running them indoors switched to butane only. Having read recommendations and a standard adopted by at least one 16mm group I settled on Go Systems Butane which is stocked by a "ye olde type" ironmongers in town , and I picked up another supply at the Peterborough show. That is the brand being sold by Loco Boxes at present.

Since using this Go Systems I've suffered one stuck open EN437 fitting on a cannister (talking to other users in the Garden railway community this is uncommon occurrence but can happen), a partly blocked jet on my Mamod Brunel, and repeated blocked jets on my Lumber Jack. The filter paper tip comes from Tag Gorton and a photo posted on the Facebook 16 mmngm Association Closed Group recently visually shows the advantage as it was heavily stained a brown colour. Although their on-line shops show some supermarkets sell this coffee filter paper I've failed to find some so far - need to ask Customer Services the next time I shop there.

Chris Cairns.

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Post by mikewakefielduk@btinterne » Sun Nov 10, 2013 4:09 pm

The make of cans I'm using successfully is called Parasene. I bought them from the Llanfair Show at the end of August and thought it was from the Locobox stall (I was certainly talking to them and thinking their gas was a reasonable price but maybe I got it from one of the other exhibitors instead - senior moment I'm afraid).

Anyway, the ones I've had jet blocking issues with are also made by Go. I tend to use the butane/propane mix simply because my workshop is often freezing cold so butane by itself won't evaporate. The locos usually get filled with whatever can I'm using on the blow lamp.

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Re: Regner Willi Gas Burner - any advice appreciated

Post by Gavin » Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:42 pm

Thank you all for the information on this thread. It helped me sort out my dread-bay purchase! :D

After doing the thing with the PTFE tape earlier today, I found that the fire was still at the chimney. I then loosened the retaining bolt for the burner and moved the burner back approximately 1mm. Tried it again and the fire is now in the firebox end of the boiler.

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