Geoffrey and Guys,
All the most recent talk about stainless steel and rusting
"spheres", raises a very basic question as follows:-
Is it better to drain all water from the boiler after
steaming at end of day prior to storing engine, or leave some
water in the boiler?. What are the advantages and dis-advantages?.
One reason I am asking, is that when I drain the
boiler on my Aster U1
and leave dry for a few weeks, the next time I raise steam,
the ball in the check valve appear to be sticking will not
lift against the boiler back pressure until engine has been run
for about 10 min or so. Whereas when I store the
engine with boiler over 3/4 full, at the next run several
weeks later, the check valve works immediately and allows water
to feed to boiler and keeps level at over 70% full while running.
I have dismantled the check valve 2 or three times and
found ball ok with no rust.
Any ideas, what do you think?. Keep boiler full or empty?.
Tony D.
At 11:05 AM 1/27/01 -0800, Geoff Spenceley wrote:
>Thanks Jim,
>
>Good information!
>
>Yep, I expect that you are too busy with Virginia to do much metal
>machining these days--give her my regards--take good care of her!
>
>BTW, Our oldest daughter is Virginia1
>
>Geoff
>
>Geoff, in the little metal machining that I've done over the last several
>years, a
> >test for stainless steel was that it was only slightly magnetic, as
> opposed to
> >carbon such as 1019. On that basis, the fact that it is slightly magnetic
> >does not
> >necessarily mean that your sample won't function as it should. BTW,
> >Virginia sends
> >her regards.
> >
> >Geoff Spenceley wrote:
> >
> >> Thanks Salty,
> >>
> >> Some Aster parts are steel and will rust--as Walt notes-especially in the
> >> swamp land-(*smirk*). In fact I have had a check ball rustily
> >> disintergrate--an error on Aster's part I believe. That is why I am
> >> suspicious if a magnet can pick the ball up.
> >>
> >> Geoff.
> >>
> >> In a message dated 01-01-26 13:12:06 EST, you write:
> >> >
> >> ><< I note that some Aster S.S. balls for check valves etc can be
> picked up
> >> > with a magnet--are they really S.S--will they corrode? >>
> >> > There are varying compositions to stainless steel some of which are
> >> >magnetic. As for the balls on a Aster without knowing the composition
> >>of the
> >> >material it is difficult to say if they would rust. With the quality
> that
> >> >Aster employes in the construct their locomotives I would doubt that they
> >> >would use any material that would rust. This would be a question to
> >>pose to
> >> >the manufacturer.
> >> >Salty
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
>
