The Steamboating Forum

ok.....................this is probably really stupid.............but how exactly do i run my engine at 50 psi if my boiler is at 100 psi ? It would seem to me that the pressure will be the same on both ends of the steam pipe and the opnly thing I am doing with the throttle valve is controlling the cfm of steam.

Ahh! 'Fraid not. If you were to open the reg wide, THEN you MIGHT get full pressure to the cylinders (if you're not running any cut-off, and it would depend in pipe sizes). It's like all things; supply and demand rules. If the engine were to stall and you left the reg part open then the pressure would build, or equalise to boiler pressure, but while it's turning it is using some of the pressure, and if that isn't replaced quick enough because to reg isn't open enough, then the pressure will settle somewhere less than 'boiler'. Hope that helps.

Ahh, that makes sense.............would it be wise for me to put a pressure gauge on my engine so I can see what I am actually running ?

jon

JonRiley56 wrote:Ahh, that makes sense.............would it be wise for me to put a pressure gauge on my engine so I can see what I am actually running ?

jon

I've seen it done but it wasn't all that informative. I would just accept what is, is what is.

I find it very informative- I know by what pressure the engine is running at how much fuel I will be using, what speed the boat is going and whether there are any problems. Traditionally a bush is taken off the steam line just before the engine, but I've seen them tapped into valve chests too if you're willing to do that to your engine.

Greg