Author Topic: 3 inch boiler build  (Read 53077 times)

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #270 on: April 24, 2019, 11:44:08 PM »
Any sensible person would have at least paused with the above, but I remain carried away on a wave of experimentation with heat sources, hence my just having ordered this:



https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JQ2DG4A/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item

It will run on a range of fuels, including - if the words of one reviewer are correct - methylated spirits, provided one enlarges the hole of one of the spare burners to 1mm. Just imagine -  a meths-fuelled pressure stove! It could then be used interchangeably with the Punjabi Pressureblaster featured above...

Even if it's not a success on meths it will be interesting to see how it compares with the Indian stove running on kerosene. Or petrol. Or Coleman fuel. Or diesel...

And I'm thinking that the alloy fuel bottle will look pretty handsome stripped of its paint and polished up.

The world is my fiery oyster...

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #271 on: April 25, 2019, 12:01:04 AM »
Good grief Gary, have you got a burner fetish  ;)

I'd be interested to see how it shapes up on different fuel, I could be wrong but I don't think it will run on diesel though - you can put fires out with diesel.

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #272 on: April 25, 2019, 12:07:44 AM »
Not so much a fetish, just the endless quest for the perfect flame.

Oh, ok - a fetish, then.   ;)

They say it will run on diesel but I'm not too bothered about that and probably won't even try it.

But meths under pressure has to be worth investigating if the customisation job is easy enough... especially that cheap colourless 'alcool a bruler' from France.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #273 on: April 25, 2019, 07:01:28 AM »
If the diesel flows through that tube across the top of the burner then it should run on it, not so easy to put a fire out with hot vaporised diesel :)

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #274 on: April 25, 2019, 12:54:56 PM »
If the diesel flows through that tube across the top of the burner then it should run on it, not so easy to put a fire out with hot vaporised diesel :)

I take your point about vapourised fuel  :)


Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #275 on: April 25, 2019, 09:42:18 PM »
Yes, I'd tend to agree.

I'm not planning to use diesel though  :)

Offline steamboatmodel

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #276 on: April 27, 2019, 06:51:02 PM »
Good grief Gary, have you got a burner fetish  ;)

I'd be interested to see how it shapes up on different fuel, I could be wrong but I don't think it will run on diesel though - you can put fires out with diesel.
With the proper nozzle they will run on Diesel, with a lot of preheat. It does run dirty and smokes but I have run one once on Diesel. They run best on naphtha or white gas and the propane/butane mix.
Gerald.

PS Only used mine for camping so far, may buy a couple more to play around with for the boats.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2019, 06:54:41 PM by steamboatmodel »
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors--and miss. Lazarus Long

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #277 on: April 28, 2019, 09:20:12 AM »
Thanks Gerald.

Yes, stoves of this kind are advertised as running on gas, petrol (gasoline), diesel and Coleman fuel (white gas). I have no doubt that it would run on diesel, though I have no great desire to do so. Or petrol for that matter. Diesel dirty, petrol scary  :Mad:

What does  interest me is the claim that if one of the spare nozzles is drilled out to 1mm it will run on alcohol. Someone on the amazon page describes this and includes a video which looks pretty good. I plan to try this as I reckon a presurised vapourising stove running on alcohol is something worth investigating. If that doesn't work, it will still be interesting to see how this stove compares with the Indian pressure stove in a side by side test using kerosene in both.

That, as they say, is the plan.

 :ThumbsUp:

Offline steamboatmodel

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #278 on: May 02, 2019, 03:13:29 PM »
Before drilling out a nozzle I would try it with the nozzle for naphtha.
I may try mine out this weekend on methyl hydrate, If I do I will let you know.
Gerald.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors--and miss. Lazarus Long

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #279 on: May 02, 2019, 08:20:42 PM »
Gerald -

my stove hasn't arrived yet so I don't know what burners it has but I guess probably they are quite standard for this type of stove.

Yes, I'll be interested in hearing how it goes with methanol using the naphtha burner if you get round to trying it.

Thanks,

gary

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #280 on: May 10, 2019, 11:29:01 AM »
Well, the multifuel stove arrived. It's a nicely made bit of kit.

First, I removed the pot stand/legs, as the plan is to mount it on a column:



Then I followed an idea contributed by someone who reviewed the stove on Amazon. The stove came with two 0.35 mm nozzles, one fitted, one spare. I drilled out one of them to 1.0 mm for use with alcohol and refitted it to the stove. I lit up, using French 'alcool a bruler' denatured alcohol (which is very clean and very cheap) both in the fuel bottle and as a primer to heat the vapourising tubes. It worked!



Ain't that purty?

I haven't yet tried it under the boiler or even to heat water, but I am optimistic. The flame was hot. Opening the valve too far caused it to flare yellow (unvapoursied fuel coming through I guess) but I soon got the hang of that and got it burning smoothly. Also, it didn't use a great deal of fuel. I have a hunch it might blow out easily in a breeze but a windshield is on my to-do list. Assuming it will raise steam, it will be a good alternative to the Indian burner for indoor use as it doesn't stink like kerosene does. More to follow...


Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #281 on: May 10, 2019, 02:26:02 PM »
Looking promising  :)

The carrying handle on the top must get hot though  :Lol:

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #282 on: May 10, 2019, 02:31:33 PM »
Hello Gary,

That is a nice looking "heater" unit and should produce all the heat that you will need. If that "handle" or what ever it is, is not required for the proper operation of the unit, you may consider removing it.

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #283 on: May 10, 2019, 03:26:02 PM »
Cheers guys.

Thomas - the handle-like structure is the vapourising tube which is essential to the working of the burner. Just Peter larking around as usual ...  :)

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: 3 inch boiler build
« Reply #284 on: May 15, 2019, 08:24:49 AM »
A couple of days ago I tested the multifuel burner with alcohol under the boiler and the small oscillator hooked up:



The engine ran, but not brilliantly and not for very long. That said, it was quite a windy day and the camping windshield you can see in the photo could only offer so much protection.

My fuel tests are nearing their end. At this point I can say vapourised kerosene definitely, gas definitely and vapourised alcohol maybe. I have decided to forget about coal until I make or buy a bigger boiler. The next step is to complete the boiler with a finished stand and proper mounts for the gas and alcohol burners, then to insulate the boiler. I don't think the system can be properly evaluated until the boiler is insulated.

 

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