Wells traction engine

[GordonL]

I am starting to feel really dumb. I built a Cracker steam engine which is supposedly simple and almost idiot proof. After playing around with the burner for many hours I still cannot get it to work on steam. I decided to just set it aside for a while and try something else so I built the Wells Traction Engine. Free plans.

I can get both of these engines to run on compressed air at <5 PSI but no luck on steam.

The Cracker just draws the flame up the stack and burns at the top of the stack where it does not heat water. I think on that engine I have to play around with extending the stack into the chamber to eliminate the chimney effect.

Now the Wells almost runs. I thought that I possible was trying to heat too much water so I filled the tank about 1/4 full. I tried different disperses over the fuel tank. I am heating with Duraflame solid fuel. I am wondering about insulating the tank in the non flame area. There is a shell around the front of the boiler and it might help to leave a little more dead air space.

How can I screw up things that high school kids have done successfully? Any thoughts?

Gordon

[stevehuckss396]

I am starting to feel really dumb. I built a Cracker steam engine which is supposedly simple and almost idiot proof. After playing around with the burner for many hours I still cannot get it to work on steam. I decided to just set it aside for a while and try something else so I built the Wells Traction Engine. Free plans.

I can get both of these engines to run on compressed air at <5 PSI but no luck on steam.

The Cracker just draws the flame up the stack and burns at the top of the stack where it does not heat water. I think on that engine I have to play around with extending the stack into the chamber to eliminate the chimney effect.

Now the Wells almost runs. I thought that I possible was trying to heat too much water so I filled the tank about 1/4 full. I tried different disperses over the fuel tank. I am heating with Duraflame solid fuel. I am wondering about insulating the tank in the non flame area. There is a shell around the front of the boiler and it might help to leave a little more dead air space.

How can I screw up things that high school kids have done successfully? Any thoughts?

Gordon

Hello Gordon!

Can't help you with the steam problem. I too know nothing about steam. All I can tell you is, don't get too down on yourself. It takes a long time to learn all the things you see on this forum and others. By asking for help here you will learn a few things and as time goes on it will get easier and easier. Just don't give up and in time you will be glad you didn't.

Cheers!

Steve

[Jasonb]

Quite possible the solid fuel tablets are not getting enough heat to the boiler, try with the meths burner.

J

[GordonL]

This is not the sold fuel tabs. It is what is know in the US as Sterno and used in fondue pots. I assume that is what you mean by meths. Dumb yank here.

[Jasonb]

The Sterno Jell should be OK

Meths is liquid - Denatured alcohol to you.

Try filling with water from a kettle so you are not heating from cold

[arnoldb]

Hi Gordon.

Sterno burns at a lower temperature than methylated spirits...  I think the US equivalent is rubbing (or denatured) alcohol.  That will burn hotter and thus produce steam more efficiently.

As to the Cracker: Did you build it with the gas tank an burner as per plans? - from what you describe (flame burning in the chimney) - you're not getting enough secondary air in with the gas mixture, so you might have to increase the size of the "flat" for secondary air on the burner...

Kind regards, Arnold

[GordonL]

OK I will try making a fuel tank which holds liquid. That is the fuel I use in my backpacking stove. Actually in the US we usually use HEET gas line anti freeze.

[GordonL]

OK Did a crude solder job on the tank and used alcohol and it works fine now. Just not quite enough heat. Time to make a good tank and clean up the whole engine and give it some paint.

RE: Cracker. I have tried the original burner and also tried the burner used by Tony Bird. I have tried everything I can think of to make the air/fuel mix correct. Smaller air inlet to no busing at all and just the burner in the flue tube. Tried different jets. Once I have the traction engine complete I will get back on it.

Thanks for the input all.

The only information I had found was to use the jell. I was not sure about the alcohol and the fuel tabs really stink.

[fcheslop]

Not sure why you are having probs with Tony Birds burner
Do you have the slots on the top of the burner when its in the flue as my burners work better inverted
What dia is youre flue
cheers

[GordonL]

Flue dia is .750. Burner dia is .25. I have tried pointing up and pointing down. Burns fine in just a piece of tube and as soon as I place it in the assembly the flame just gets sucked up the chimney. That is what makes me think that the problem is in the chimney but others seem to have it working.

[Zephyrin]

just put a burner from one of those cheap small pencil butane torch on your Cracker, I did that on mine with success.
making a working butane burner from scratch needs a lot of tweaking, usually...
For the weels TE, maybe you boiler is too thick or heavy, all the heat is wasted getting the whole hot enough to boil water, this is puzzling, since the simplicity of this engine is hard to beat