Injector - Leaking steam head globe valve - Leaking Siren

Injector - I have managed to figure-out the setting to get my injector to work.  Open the water valve then after a few seconds open the steam valve fully then slowly close the water valve until the injector starts to pick up. It seems to inject ok down to about 100psi but there is a constant stream of water passing out of the overflow whilst injecting so I guess this means that it is not working fully.  Engine has only been in steam 3 or 4 times so I wouldn't have thought that it needs cleaning yet.

I have been following Elwood's earlier injector thread with interest but if anyone can suggest a reason for the water overflow please let me know.

Steam head globe valve - When first in steam the globe valve is sealed but after opening to use the injector it won't fully seal when closed so there is a small but constant pass of steam from the injector.  I've taken the valve to bits but can't really see anything to 'fettle' .  Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution?

Steam Siren - on the last steaming the siren was passing steam.  Decided today to take the siren off and then buy a blanking plug as I am finding steaming the engine to be a very steep learning curve without having to cope with a leaking siren.  Once the siren was removed I decided to strip it down and I then discovered that one of the two O rings was partially disintegrated so when replaced hopefully this will sort out the problem.  Surprised that the O ring is damaged as this was a new siren - well 3-4 steamings!

Kind regards
Martin

Hi Martin

You need to balance the injector while it looses boiler pressure by backing off the water more. You want a slurp slurp sound.
The other possibility is the ball lift needs opening ever so slightly as you may be restricting the flow too much past the ball.
But I would say it is just balance needed as once setting does not fit all so to speak.

You can get duff O rings out of the box. But yes keep it simple while your learning.

Thanks Lynn
I do get the slurp slurp sound as its injecting but still water out the overflow so as you say it might be that I need more ball lift.

Any thoughts on globe valve? I've seen somewhere on here that the RA Barker versions have PTFE washers.

Regards
Martin

On the globe valve. I have a steamfittings.co.uk item on mine. Brass throughout. I was a unlucky one with the Steam Traction World supplied one.

I modified my globe valves as they were always leaky, so I stripped the valve down and popped the shaft into a friends little lathe and turned down the cone to make a seat with a post, then bought a small length of PTFE rod and cut a thin washer and drilled a hole in the center for the post.

Below shows the before and after


Now with the PTFE washer popped on the center post.


They can now be operated with one finger and seal perfectly, the only problem is reminding others when they are on my agri not to wind down the valves hard as you just dont need to and runs the risk of damaging the washer.
Cost was 15mins on a small lathe and less than £10 for some PTFE rod. I do know someone whos done this by putting the valve shaft in a drill and turning it down carefully with a small file.

Hi,
@ LiveSteam: looks like I might have similar issue with my globe valve which looks like yours. As I have no direct access to a lathe I will look how to modify mine.

@ Lynn: which one of steam fitting sdid you sue?

Cheers

Elwood

elwood-59 wrote:Hi,
@ LiveSteam: looks like I might have similar issue with my globe valve which looks like yours. As I have no direct access to a lathe I will look how to modify mine.

My injector one was always whisping steam causing it to heat up the injector meaning it needed cooling before it would run up, when the water lifter started doing similar, enough was enough and I did the mod and I've never looked back. I was worried the little PTFE washer might break up but as long as you are gentle with them they seem fine. They do need changing now and then but I get at least 3yrs out of them and its a 5min job to change it
As mentioned I know someone who did the mod putting a electric drill in a vice and then used a file to gently take down the cone and it worked rather well. So you dont need a lathe I used one as I had access to one.