Search found 4 matches

by troye_welch
Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:13 am
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: digital steam engine indicator
Replies: 134
Views: 148940

Re: digital steam engine indicator

" Looking back a few posts, I don't think much of a home made linear potentiometer. The environment is too grubby for any sort of exposed ohmic contact I guess you can go your way and I'll go mine then. I change rotary pots out of German-designed multi-million dollar medical diagnostic imaging equip...
by troye_welch
Thu Oct 06, 2016 9:06 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: digital steam engine indicator
Replies: 134
Views: 148940

Re: digital steam engine indicator

I've never used a prony brake, but the way I understand them to work is that the flywheel is gripped with a belt with friction blocks and this is tightened to a degree and the torque is transferred to a lever which exerts a force on a scale. The torque can be figured simply by multiplying the weight...
by troye_welch
Thu Oct 06, 2016 4:34 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: digital steam engine indicator
Replies: 134
Views: 148940

Re: digital steam engine indicator

The indicator card is the most direct, reliable way of telling what's going on in an engine during different working conditions. I have easily a dozen engines, all from different sources. I've seen many engines (not necessarily my own) that were timed badly. Sometimes it's a simple offset/shifting o...
by troye_welch
Thu Oct 06, 2016 1:59 am
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: digital steam engine indicator
Replies: 134
Views: 148940

Re: digital steam engine indicator

I've been thinking about this for awhile now (despite the fact that I own half a dozen of the old-style mechanical indicators). I think a good solution would be to fabricate a linear potentiometer out of nichrome resistance wire. Apply a voltage (5,10,12,24 volts- whatever is electrically convenient...