Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

A special section just for steam engines and boilers, as without these you may as well fit a sail.
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by stevey_frac » Thu Mar 11, 2010 8:25 pm

i'm also looking at things like, USB device charges, and providing some A/C power capabilities.

Perhaps not to run a table saw, but possibly a small fridge or microwave, so some serious power draw.

It's one of the reasons why I was looking at having more power then I needed. The alternator is going to run off the main engine I think.
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by farmerden » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:19 am

In "Steamboater's Handbook" Volume VI` there is an article written by Bill Gilbert who built "Edith May" She was bought by Fred Beeks who has just now sold it to Micheal Jansen a neighbour.That's the history now here's what you want to hear! Powered by a Semple 354 she sports a 90 amp alternator,800 watt Trace inverter,120V AC automatic Becket oil burner,Vhf depth sounder,Etc Fred then added a micro wave,Ithink a fridge ,a map plotter etc etc.So the answer to your question is "yes you can!" Edith May ran out of Alaska for a while before returning to the Pacific Northwest.Though not traditional you could sleep on it,eat in it,live on it! all in 22ft. And remember you are building your rendition of a steamer not mine -it's your journey-so enjoy yourself. Den Image[/img]
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by stevey_frac » Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:25 pm

I'm glad people aren't all: "That's not how a steamboat should be built! RAWR!"
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by PeteThePen1 » Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:52 am

Hi

Just a thought about kitting out your boat with useful gadgets driven by this new fangled electicity stuff. There are now some really excellent (i.e. well designed and efficient) compressor fridges around that use 12v DC. We have one in our camper-van and it is as good as our domestic fridge, but will run for several days on the leisure battery without re-charge. When I get organised I am hoping to add a solar panel to keep the battery topped up to feed the fridge for a little longer.

My other question would be, do you really need a microwave? You might try thinking about what you want to cook and then see how you might do it with some of the steam your lovely boiler will supply. A friend has developed a steam powered kettle (Not at all like a Windermere kettle!), while I have been toying with the idea of a steam hot plate on which one could use "normal" camping pans.

Going for an inverter and "mains" style power seems like un-necessary extra expense unless you have some key component that needs it.

Regards

Pete
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by Maltelec » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:51 pm

I would have thought a table saw would have been a handy thing to have :lol:

The best option I can see for you is to have a couple of large batteries and a 240v inverter, and find a 3 amp alternator, or a current limiter for an alternator, and charge the batteries slowly.

A solar panel will also be highly useful.

With the 3 amp current limit, you can't draw too much from the engine which would be very noticeable should the batteries decide they wanted 20 amps to charge.

You may want to look into a multi-pole alternator as well, such like from a wind turbine. These things are designed to turn at 400 rpm instead of 4000.

Another idea I have thought of is to use a peltier heat pump. These things are known best in the 12v fridges you get. Apply power and you get the heat from one side pushed to the other, thus one side gets cold, the other side gets hot.

What most people don't know is that they work in reverse. You apply a thermal difference to them and they generate electrickery. All you need is a very hot heat source and a very cold one, about 180C is said to work well. Any idea where you could find such a thing on a steam boat?
I've got the vehicle, just need the boat.
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by artemis » Mon Apr 12, 2010 3:13 am

PeteThePen1 wrote:Hi

Just a thought about kitting out your boat with useful gadgets driven by this new fangled electicity stuff... My other question would be, do you really need a microwave? You might try thinking about what you want to cook and then see how you might do it with some of the steam your lovely boiler will supply. A friend has developed a steam powered kettle (Not at all like a Windermere kettle!), while I have been toying with the idea of a steam hot plate on which one could use "normal" camping pans.

Going for an inverter and "mains" style power seems like un-necessary extra expense unless you have some key component that needs it.

Regards

Pete
Here, here. All that steam sitting with nothing to do but spin a propeller. The Australians (I think it is) who, at an annual do, give prizes to the best cooked meal using only the boiler and such. Things are developed like a "pop in your firebox oven with steam driven turntable or rotisserie". Dick Vennerbeck (in the Bay Area of California) developed a steam powered marguerita mixer (instructions are in a 2006 or 2007 Steamboating Magazine). Most of us are aware of bread making via an oven box in the smokestack. And I've often though about a small steam driven fan to pull out those greasy cooking smells from the galley or a steam driven mixer for cakes. Be creative - I wonder if steam could replace a gas flame in a propane refrigerator. And a steam hot plate may work, but will only get to the temperature at which your water in the boiler "boils". Using that elecktrikity stuff can get your Luddite Membership revoked.
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by farmerden » Mon Apr 12, 2010 4:31 am

I couldn't resist Ron: With all this talk of "modern equipment" Steam is still best! You tea drinkers may have difficulty recognizing this! :lol: Image
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by artemis » Mon Apr 12, 2010 4:58 pm

farmerden wrote:I couldn't resist Ron: With all this talk of "modern equipment" Steam is still best! You tea drinkers may have difficulty recognizing this! :lol:
Dan Martin's had one of those things on Mosquito since the mid 1990's. Lots of folks have those on board now - almost as popular as a "Windermere Kettle" is across the pond. Although the best is still made by setting a coffee pot (with no inards) and 3/4 full of water on a flat spot atop of the boiler; bring the water to a boil, adding the right amount of ground coffee (Folgers is best for "boiler room" coffee): then add egg shells (from breakfast) and have a cup of "real steamboater coffee".
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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by stevey_frac » Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:37 am

Wow. There's been lots of action on this thread since I checked it!

Lets see. Peltier are hugely expensive for the current they generate. You also need to buy special peltier junctions to be able to take heat that high. Most Peltiers have solder that will melt at around 150 C. That being said, i'm not expecting to have too high a draw. Perhaps that's something to look into. I'd have to make sure I didn't accidentally turn the peltiers to slag though. Perhaps I could put them after then engine to make sure it's been expanded and is closer to 100c? Look here for a list of real power generating peltiers. http://www.tellurex.com/products/power.php

$110 buys you 7 watts at a dT of 100 celsius. $200 worth of alternator buys you 1000w.

I'm also not planning on having a microwave. I was just going to have a 750w inverter making some power available for things like say, laptops (on a calm clear day), or a little fridge (though now that you mention it, i will look into the DC fridge). More to have the option available, less to have a houseboat capability. Also planning on having a fish finder, GPS, as well as the electronics package to run the boiler, all of which run on 12v.

Hrm. As for the expense of an inverter, they're quite cheap for small 110v versions, and i'm not planning on having an outlet every 6 feet. Just one or two in the cabin. Compared to the cost of an engine or a boiler, or a hull, fairly insignificant.

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Re: Details on Steeple Compound from Mosquitoe Enterprises?

Post by artemis » Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:17 pm

stevey_frac wrote:... Hrm. As for the expense of an inverter, they're quite cheap for small 110v versions, and i'm not planning on having an outlet every 6 feet. Just one or two in the cabin. Compared to the cost of an engine or a boiler, or a hull, fairly insignificant.

Steve
stevey-frac - you have to do a little conversion here. Many of the people posting are from "across the pond" where they use double the US-Canada voltage and 50hz (helps them keep down population density!) for "house current". Just another reason to stay away from elect-trickery. Go to cruisin' about the world in your steamboat and you'll have enough problems without trying to match up them elektrons.
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