Large Scale Central

Steam oil and distilled water

Electronics Live Steam
#1

I can’t quite understand the mentality of some of the live steamers I’ve met, and watched on the chats at various web sites, and steam ups.

They go out and spend big money buying great live steam locomotives, and then are so cheap (As in tighter than Toby’s private part…) that they try to get away with not paying a very modest price for good properly distilled water, and last but not least, are looking for Cheap replacements for good steam oil.

You would think that after paying big bucks for a good piece of machinery; that they would treat it to the best of lubrication and water; if for no other reason, than to protect their investment.

I know that up here in Canada; I can buy a BIG jug of distilled water for 99 Cents…egads…

…almost like some of these guys buying cheap bheer, just because it’s cheap, forgetting that they only get what they pay for…alcohol flavoured crap.

#2

Now , Fred ,
You know we won’t believe that you ever buy water , come on !! Whisky , yes , but WATER ? You disillusion me .
Actually I put filtered water in a kettle , boil it and then fill the loco boiler . Given the crap that’s put in water to make it drinkable (?) I wouldn’t do it any different .
As for Oil , I use the Roundhouse steam oil . Tastes good , smells real .
Good point to raise .

#3
Mike Morgan said:
Now , Fred , You know we won't believe that you ever buy water
And what else would uisge bheatha be but finely enhanced water? Distilled, even.
#4

That’s as may be , Chris , but it never came out of my water taps , even in whisky country in Scotland where I lived for seven years . But the water in Loch Ness was clean enough to drink .Went very well with whisky . Must have been flavoured by the Monster .
I lived near a distillery where their customer bar was a cave with a stream running through it , the same stream that fed the manufacture . The water jug on the bar was simply dipped into the stream to fill it , and the water , like in Loch Ness , was very pale brown from the peat .
Not a lot to do with steam power , but everything to do with enjoying life .

#5

When I experiment with a fine Malt Whisky; I don’t pour just any old water into it. I only use properly steam distilled water. I only add the water using an eye dropper, so as to not put so much water in to ruin the Whisky.

Properly distilled water has no mineral content, or any other crud that might find it’s way into the water supply. (Or very little)

Miniature boilers can build up a lot of scale with the use of “Bad water”, just like your kettle.

Why would anyone take the risk of scale build up, just for the sake of saving a dollar or so for a jug of distilled water, after spending the big bucks on the steam boiler.

After bringing the water in your kettle to a boil; what have you done, except killing any bacteria…the mineral content is still in it, although a bit may have deposited it’s self on the inside of the kettle when it’s water evaporated.

All of this talk on distilled water is very simple basic science, learned in the junior grades…why do so many grown up, supposedly well educated “Experts”, not understand and continue to use such hairbrained schemes to get water for their boilers…even using water from a de-humidifier, with all the crud in it that gets in from the air; when pure steam distilled water is so inexpensive and readily available at your local “Boots” or other drug stors. ?

#6

Fred, I’ve never understood it either…but maybe they are just so busy paying exhorbitant credit card interest on their loco purchase and don’t have any money left for distilled water!

#7

Fred ,
I was not suggesting that distilled water is not necessary , I was just saying what I do . Boiling the water means not having to wait for the burners to do it . It also is better than using pond water . Or whatever comes out of the tap . I also happen to use a scale capture system in the kettle .
Finally , distilled water is NOT cheap here . Usually only available from chemist shops in half pint bottles . This is since de-ionized water became the top-up for batteries .
So , yes , nice to aim for distilled , not always practical . I think we should emphasise instead the fun we can get out of live steam , and gently suggest certain things which can make for a longer time between servicings .

#8

Mike,

I would think that a man of your talents could build a simple still, for water purification only, of course. :wink:

I used to work with a guy that would only drink distilled water, he was always sick because he never had any of the impurities of life to allow him to build up resistance.

#9

Just out of curiosity, what is used to clean out the boiler after the crud builds up from non distilled water. I know that some people use vinegar to clean out the crud from coffee makers. Does this work for live steam boilers?

Warren

#10

Not sure about the hot vinegar (bleah, smells like easter eggs!)…I know the full sized guys were a mite upset with a product marketed as a boiler saver which was supposed to remove the scale, which it aggressively did, INCLUDING the stuff in the joints…much like using de-ionized water in a live steam model will leach the silver out of the solder joints…which meant the boilers started to leak…double bleah!

#11

Oh , dear , Ric ,
Ya found me out . And I was trying to keep it quiet . We still (HA HA ) have “revenuers” round here .
With regard to cleaning out the crud , I have not seen any yet , like I said , my kettle has a decrudder in it , and I fill it with filtered water . I do not like the taste of the tapwater here , it tastes of chlorine . The water filter gets rid of that , and I never put unfiltered water in the kettle .
A sure sign of crud is the appearance of a whitish dry stain around places where the steam leaks out . Like around safety valve outlets . If you are running without safety valves , you’re on your own .
Mike

#12

Egad! Are you suggesting using commercial “distilled” water in a boiler! That bilge water has 'way too many impurities to be used so. My Chief Engineer would have a stroke were he to find out!

You must distill your own water, if only to ensure quality. What you do with the still during the time it is not distilling water is your business.

How is the corn in your neck of the woods?

madwolf

#13

…very ripe…good for mash…come git some…although I’m medicating on a fine Islay Malt; Laphroaig…lots of peat and iodine…and a good lot of fine Whisky…!!!

#14

Steve, hush with that corn crap. There’s too many of them Nebrasky folks a hangin’ around these parts…:smiley: They get a bit touchy about corn.

Warren

#15

…could never figure why Idaho wasn’t the US Vodka State…Are there any LS model pikes in Idaho running on alcohol burners ?

#16

Everybody in Northern Idaho runs sparkies for LS. But I do know a few people who are running on alcohol burners…:smiley:

Oh, in case you don’t know, us Washingtonians have as many spuds as those Idahoans. Many of those white BNSF refer cars that roam all over the US come from Washington…the Orida French Fry factory.

Warren

#17

Egads…funny thing is…Idaho, and now it is claimed that Washington grows spuds…but if you travel out of Canada, you can’t find a restraunt that will serve you vinegar to put on your French Fried Potatoe chips.

Try it some time…you will like it…then of course to gravey over the French Fries is good too.

#18

Hey Freddy.

I thought they were called “Freedom Fries” now.

#19

Bush and his cronies can call them what ever they want. In my books they are still FRENCH fries. At least as far as Iraq goes the French have far more good sense about that than the Bush Regime.

Fred, I often get gravy on my fries. I love a good hot beef sandwich but I get mine with fries instead of mashed spuds…and have them put gravy over the whole works. You MAY find vinegar in some places that serve fish as their specialty. They should have vinegar for the fries there…Red Lobster comes to mind. Skippers is a cheap place but it seems I recall seeing it there too. Another French Fry treat you can’t find much any more is fries with chedder melted over the top and served with Ranch Dressing.

Warren