Safety Check for an Electrically Heated Engine
Electrically heated engines can be a joy to own and operate, they do not involve a flame and are virtually odorless. There are several makes out there too, Jensen, Empire, Wilesco amongst others.
So what should one do when you get a nice electrically heated Steam Engine from Ebay, or as far as that goes from another Steam Enthusiast?
Here is a simple thing to do. All that is required is a working Ohm Meter.
Turn the dial so that the meter is set to check Ohms or Continuity. The meter in the photo is set for a Continuity Check but the readings will be the same if set to Ohms ( Ω )
When there is continuity or a dead short the Meter will register 0 or very close to it. When there is no continuity it registers nothing at all or in the case of a digital meter OL for Overload.
Here is the meter with the two probes touching each other, continuity exists and if the Engine being checked had a short this is what it would read.
In rare cases one side of an element could be touching the frame of the engine and the reading would be the resistance of the heating element and in that case the Meter would read numbers above zero, usually between 15 and 100 Ohms. Sorry I dont have any pictures of that situation.
Back to the procedure, I am using an American plug as found on the Jensen originally, but the two round prongs of a european plug will work just the same.
Touch one probe of the Meter to one of the prongs of the plug then touch the other Meter probe to the Engine.
Touch all of the metal parts of the engine with that probe and check for continuity.
Now, repeat the process with the other prong of the plug.
If there is a reading other than 0 ( sometimes 0.1 will happen due to fluctuations in the meter so that is still OK )
Now, another thing that can be checked on occasions. Some newer engines have a third prong on the cord, this is a grounding prong and it should always be a dead short to the metal parts of the engine as that is what the ground is. The Meter should read 0, if not the ground is broken and the third prong is basically useless.
This is fairly simple to do, doesnt take long, and could save a fuse, a heating element, or even your LIFE. So PLEASE do this when you get a new electrically heated engine.
When one can not check the engine with a meter and decides to go ahead and plug it in without checking it only touch the metal parts with the back of your hand. Often electricity causes muscles to contract and if you use you hand as you normally would an electrical shock could make it so that you could not let go by making your hand clutch.
The event of an electrical shock is rare, but it isnt worth the risk not to check
Electrically heated engines can be a joy to own and operate, they do not involve a flame and are virtually odorless. There are several makes out there too, Jensen, Empire, Wilesco amongst others.
So what should one do when you get a nice electrically heated Steam Engine from Ebay, or as far as that goes from another Steam Enthusiast?
Here is a simple thing to do. All that is required is a working Ohm Meter.
Turn the dial so that the meter is set to check Ohms or Continuity. The meter in the photo is set for a Continuity Check but the readings will be the same if set to Ohms ( Ω )
When there is continuity or a dead short the Meter will register 0 or very close to it. When there is no continuity it registers nothing at all or in the case of a digital meter OL for Overload.
Here is the meter with the two probes touching each other, continuity exists and if the Engine being checked had a short this is what it would read.
In rare cases one side of an element could be touching the frame of the engine and the reading would be the resistance of the heating element and in that case the Meter would read numbers above zero, usually between 15 and 100 Ohms. Sorry I dont have any pictures of that situation.
Back to the procedure, I am using an American plug as found on the Jensen originally, but the two round prongs of a european plug will work just the same.
Touch one probe of the Meter to one of the prongs of the plug then touch the other Meter probe to the Engine.
Touch all of the metal parts of the engine with that probe and check for continuity.
Now, repeat the process with the other prong of the plug.
If there is a reading other than 0 ( sometimes 0.1 will happen due to fluctuations in the meter so that is still OK )
Now, another thing that can be checked on occasions. Some newer engines have a third prong on the cord, this is a grounding prong and it should always be a dead short to the metal parts of the engine as that is what the ground is. The Meter should read 0, if not the ground is broken and the third prong is basically useless.
This is fairly simple to do, doesnt take long, and could save a fuse, a heating element, or even your LIFE. So PLEASE do this when you get a new electrically heated engine.
When one can not check the engine with a meter and decides to go ahead and plug it in without checking it only touch the metal parts with the back of your hand. Often electricity causes muscles to contract and if you use you hand as you normally would an electrical shock could make it so that you could not let go by making your hand clutch.
The event of an electrical shock is rare, but it isnt worth the risk not to check
SL3 Loco Tune Up
No, I am not an expert on this, but since I have been doing all of this recently and found that each step has made a significant difference in the operation and performance of my SL3 Loco, I thought that I should share what and how I have done.
First off, for American Mamod Railway Enthusiasts, track is an important item. For 32mm Locos, O Gauge for us Yanks, Lionel track is abundant. IT can be found inexpensively on Ebay or at Yard Sales. However, there are two basic varieties of Lionel track, O27 which was for tintype toys, and Standard O Gauge track. The height of the rail is different and makes a big difference, go for the Standard and avoid the O27 if you can as I have found O27 to be problematic for several Cars and some Locomotives.
Note the difference, O27 is on the Left
Now, before the Loco can perform pn the track, it has to operate without leaking Steam and Priming like mad. There are two things that need to be addressed, the Cylinder/Port Face surfaces and the Reverser Block surfaces. Both are areas where Metal to Metal contact is made and a seal has to exist. If those surfaces are not perfectly smooth, they will leak.
Notice that the Cylinders are held on with four screws, the two front screws are threaded into the Reverser Block and the rear two are threaded into Nuts. You need to remove all four, but take care to hold the nuts as the screws are removed, I used Needle Nosed Pliers, but I suppose a spanner wrench could be found that would fit into the tight space inside the Loco Frame
The Cylinder removed, note the Gasket on the frame, the idea is not to damage it.
Remove the trunion screw and the cylinder comes apart from the Port Face
Now for the Lapping/Polishing step. I use a piece of 1/2" Plate Glass that is perfectly flat, it is imperative that whatever you use be PERFECTLY FLAT, wood will not do, maybe a piece of machined metal might do. I lay a piece of Wet and Dry Sandpaper on it, I first use 600 grit, then 1200 grit then finish off with 2000 grit ( sandpaper this fine is sold at Auto Body Suppliers ) I then use a Sharpie Pen and blacken the surface to be lapped, this way I can see the progress I am making, I do the Sharpie trick for each grade of sandpaper and often I redo the Sharpie while still in the same grade of paper. You can see the progess you make this way.
Then while holding the sandpaper perfectly flat on the glass I move the item to be polished on it FLAT in a CIRCLE or FIGURE EIGHT pattern, do not just go back and forth like you are sanding a piece of wood.
This is repeated for both Cylinders and Port Faces. When done they will have a mirror finish.
Next is the Reverser Block, the screws holding it in place are already removed as you have not replaced the cylinders yet.
Here it is before the second cylinder has been removed ( I did not remove the second cylinder as the surfaces were already polished on this engine so why take it further apart than needed )
You also need to remove the trunion screw for it also and once removed the Reverse block both comes apart and is easily removed from the Loco Frame. Behind the Reverse Block is a round piece of metal that retains the O Rings that seal the Steam Line and the Exhaust Line. The trunion screw presses the circular piece of metal against the Reverser Block and compresses the O Rings, sealing the Steam Line and Exhaust.
I then repeat the Lapping and Sharpie process on the parts of the Reverser block
Reassemble the Reverser Block and the Cylinders to the Loco and then proceed to do a test run, you will notice a considerable improvement over the leaky Loco you had before. Note that I use one hand to hold the sandpaper flat on the glass and the other hand to handle the parts to be lapped, When taking these pictures I did not have use of both hands as one hand was holding the camera.
I also have found that the three wick burner as sold by Dream Steam or Forrest Classics is essential.
No, I am not an expert on this, but since I have been doing all of this recently and found that each step has made a significant difference in the operation and performance of my SL3 Loco, I thought that I should share what and how I have done.
First off, for American Mamod Railway Enthusiasts, track is an important item. For 32mm Locos, O Gauge for us Yanks, Lionel track is abundant. IT can be found inexpensively on Ebay or at Yard Sales. However, there are two basic varieties of Lionel track, O27 which was for tintype toys, and Standard O Gauge track. The height of the rail is different and makes a big difference, go for the Standard and avoid the O27 if you can as I have found O27 to be problematic for several Cars and some Locomotives.
Note the difference, O27 is on the Left
Now, before the Loco can perform pn the track, it has to operate without leaking Steam and Priming like mad. There are two things that need to be addressed, the Cylinder/Port Face surfaces and the Reverser Block surfaces. Both are areas where Metal to Metal contact is made and a seal has to exist. If those surfaces are not perfectly smooth, they will leak.
Notice that the Cylinders are held on with four screws, the two front screws are threaded into the Reverser Block and the rear two are threaded into Nuts. You need to remove all four, but take care to hold the nuts as the screws are removed, I used Needle Nosed Pliers, but I suppose a spanner wrench could be found that would fit into the tight space inside the Loco Frame
The Cylinder removed, note the Gasket on the frame, the idea is not to damage it.
Remove the trunion screw and the cylinder comes apart from the Port Face
Now for the Lapping/Polishing step. I use a piece of 1/2" Plate Glass that is perfectly flat, it is imperative that whatever you use be PERFECTLY FLAT, wood will not do, maybe a piece of machined metal might do. I lay a piece of Wet and Dry Sandpaper on it, I first use 600 grit, then 1200 grit then finish off with 2000 grit ( sandpaper this fine is sold at Auto Body Suppliers ) I then use a Sharpie Pen and blacken the surface to be lapped, this way I can see the progress I am making, I do the Sharpie trick for each grade of sandpaper and often I redo the Sharpie while still in the same grade of paper. You can see the progess you make this way.
Then while holding the sandpaper perfectly flat on the glass I move the item to be polished on it FLAT in a CIRCLE or FIGURE EIGHT pattern, do not just go back and forth like you are sanding a piece of wood.
This is repeated for both Cylinders and Port Faces. When done they will have a mirror finish.
Next is the Reverser Block, the screws holding it in place are already removed as you have not replaced the cylinders yet.
Here it is before the second cylinder has been removed ( I did not remove the second cylinder as the surfaces were already polished on this engine so why take it further apart than needed )
You also need to remove the trunion screw for it also and once removed the Reverse block both comes apart and is easily removed from the Loco Frame. Behind the Reverse Block is a round piece of metal that retains the O Rings that seal the Steam Line and the Exhaust Line. The trunion screw presses the circular piece of metal against the Reverser Block and compresses the O Rings, sealing the Steam Line and Exhaust.
I then repeat the Lapping and Sharpie process on the parts of the Reverser block
Reassemble the Reverser Block and the Cylinders to the Loco and then proceed to do a test run, you will notice a considerable improvement over the leaky Loco you had before. Note that I use one hand to hold the sandpaper flat on the glass and the other hand to handle the parts to be lapped, When taking these pictures I did not have use of both hands as one hand was holding the camera.
I also have found that the three wick burner as sold by Dream Steam or Forrest Classics is essential.
I will try to post things that make operating my Steam Engines and Accessories Easier here.
VARIAC
I love using a Variable Transformer to operate my Jensen Electrically fired engines with. This is far superior to a simple dimmer setup and enables me to reduce, or increase the Voltage that is fed into my engines. I strongly recommend that if you decide to use one, to constantly monitor the Voltage with a good quality Meter. Using my Variac I can reduce the Voltage to around 45 Volts and run a Jensen for hours and still have some water left in the boiler (never run one dry!) This one is rated at 10 Amps at 120 Volts AC input so Volts X Amps means that it should handle up to 1200 Watts. My Jensens have 450 Watt heaters.
VARIAC
I love using a Variable Transformer to operate my Jensen Electrically fired engines with. This is far superior to a simple dimmer setup and enables me to reduce, or increase the Voltage that is fed into my engines. I strongly recommend that if you decide to use one, to constantly monitor the Voltage with a good quality Meter. Using my Variac I can reduce the Voltage to around 45 Volts and run a Jensen for hours and still have some water left in the boiler (never run one dry!) This one is rated at 10 Amps at 120 Volts AC input so Volts X Amps means that it should handle up to 1200 Watts. My Jensens have 450 Watt heaters.