Help needed with injector

I am having constant injector troubles. When I clean it in descaling solution and can hear the little washer rattling up and down it works beautifully and cleanly at the first attempt, however, after three or four uses it becomes problematic and stops working. When I take it off I find that the washer is no longer rattling.

I have tried to take it apart to inspect it and possibly relieve the washer slightly but I can't get the bottom cone out.

Can anyone offer advice please, even better if there is someone I can send it to in order to have it sorted.

Colin

Hi Colin
R A Barker 01245 462100 did an overhaul on my injector.
Give him a call in the AM
But first just check that the clack v/v is seating properly as injectors dont like it if they get too warm.
Simon C

Hi

I had issues as well. Would work the first couple goes then stops. I polished the washer to round the inner edges a small radius.  This helped but I then ported the water feed valve out to 7.2mm I think. My injector now works instantly and every time.

This being after it went to the injectorman for fettling.

Lynn, could you assist with contact details for Terry please?

Cheers,

Colin

Sorry but Terry no longer does them

Schteamer wrote:Lynn, could you assist with contact details for Terry please?

Hi Colin

If you follow the link below it will take you to the company that we now get our injectors from, you can contact them to see what they can do to help.

http://rabarker.co.uk/

Thanks

Will@STW

Just a thought, but are you putting boiler treatment in the tender because that can upset them.

Some folks have no issues putting it in the tender where as others have all kinds of problems, I didnt have injector problems when I did it in the early days but I did find it made the water valve very stiff after a while. I now just put the treatment direct in the boiler.

I put my treatment straight into the boiler too,out of interest how much do you put in each time ?

Thanks

Kev

Typically what is the minimum pressure for the injector to work?
Thanks
Martin

Kevster wrote:I put my treatment straight into the boiler too,out of interest how much do you put in each time ?

Ah well it was just a thought, as for amount it does depend its use, if I've blown down and washed out then the first refill it will get around 100ml, after that it kind of depends on its use, if I'm on a full on weekend then I'll shove another 50ml in for the Sunday.
Does depend on the treatment you are using I think. I wouldnt say what I do is what is correct, I know others that use more, others that use less and some that dont use any.

parador wrote:Typically what is the minimum pressure for the injector to work?
Thanks
Martin

The one on my 4" Agri will pick up from 40psi through to 120psi but that seems pretty unusual from what I've seen, also at 40psi it doesnt last that long before it drops out and doesnt put vast amounts in. I'd say mine works best around 70-100psi.

You seem to the same amount of boiler treatment as me, as you say some use less some use more.

Thanks

Kev

Sorry for high-jacking this thread but I am having issues with my injector too, as it does not even pick up.
I even had the injector back to Bruce for checking but athough he has tested it, on my engine it does not work, so now I look into some fault on my built.
As having checked the boiler check valve - no steam being fed backwards => ball seating and I can blow compressed air into boiler (when cold) so valve is open too - I tend to assume that this part is ok.
Following a suggetion from Bruce I assembled the lot with loctite 243 to make it air tight I also assume that it‘s ok, too.
How I work the injector:
- open water valve fully
-> water flows out of overflow
- open steam valve fully
-> steam or a mixture of steam and water out of overflow
- reduce water (slowly) with steam/water continue to flow out of bypass until at certain point only steam emerges
- tried to catch excatly THAT point but almost impossible to reach.
- cracking the water valve (for a shock-suggestion by Bruce) no change
- injector cooled by water spray (garden hose) - cold to the touch - tried again, same result.
- water in tank is cold, too.

so either water/steam or only steam - with other miniatures and full sizes I experienced that at soon as injector picks up there is no water/steam coming out of bypass, max a (very small) dribble.

Ah and water/injection system and filter at tender installed as per instructions.

Any suggestions?

Cheers

Elwood

Have you given the boiler a good washout,preferably with a jet washer or garden hose to get the water running clear,it might be dirty boiler water.

Are you using boiler treatment? That can gum up injectors.

Is the clack ball lift correct?

Is plenty of water coming out of overflow before you add steam?

Be 100% there are no air leaks

Take the injector off and give a good clean in a descaler of some sort,there might be debris in there,you can take them apart with care to make sure nothing is in there that shouldn't be.

Hope this helps

Kev

Hi Kev,

thanks for the info.
- as it was steaming No. 12 yesterday, no boiler treatment yet, but blowout after every steaming.
- clack ball lift checked -> per spects and sealing
- steady stream of water coming out of overflow, not just a dribble.
- injector has been cleaned by Bruce as part of his checking, this was first test after returing it, so dirt in injector should not be a issue (nor should it be with dirt in boiler as injector does not get worse in time but does not pick up at all right from first try).
- Injector and parts „glued“ in with loctite as per Bruce‘s suggetion and plenti of it, so no, I hope and am quite sure no air leaks
- have not given the boiler a washout as such, but as above it does not get worse in time....Will give it a try just the same

But all told, I am under the impression that contamination from boiler could only reach injector via steam head, globe valve, piping, so it should take some time to have any adverse effects.

Cheers

Elwood

Maybe you have put too much loctite and the little collar in the injector is stuck,if you shake the injector does it rattle?

You should be able to hear the little collar moving.

Hope this helps

Kev

Hi Kev,

Valuable input but I no don‘t think so as I was putting loctite only on the thread parts, leaving the first one or two threads bare.
I am quite sure i heard the „washer“ rattling and I had the same issue when using teflon tape before.

Must be something else I can’t put my finger to at the moment.

Cheers

Elwood

Have you tried operating the injector with the output side disconnected from the clack to see if it picks up?

If it's been Sent away and tested that it works then it could be a foreign body of some sort got into the injector somewhere when you first tried It .

It doesn't take much to stop them working.


Keep trying

Kev

Hi Kev,

no did not try that so far, should have thought of that.

Will give it a try tomorrow, if weather allows.

Thanks

Cheers

Elwood

Another thought is check you've not got any air leaks on the water valve or associated connections on the water side.

Hi Elwood.

Here is some videos of my own injector and a couple engines that came up for repair or fettling.

This is Crystal once I ported the water valve out to allow more water through.
Good demonstration of water flow "out of steam"



This clip is of a stock STW injector working in steam.

This injector has a steam leak from the clack so got a bit warm. The injector did not pick up straight away but a couple flicks on the water valve got it going.



This clip is a fully stock configured injector.



And this final clip is a longer how to video I did with Crystal a couple years ago.



Boiler treatment added to the water tanks so does go through the injector as well.

Hi Lyy,

thans for the vids.
First one could be mine, have about that much water coming out of bypass.
Vid 2 is about the situation I have, either water and steam or only steam. Tried flicking the water vavel but could not manage the injector to pick up.
And the last one together with the other 4 parts is my „bible“ on how to fire up, so, yes I know....

Thanks

Stay safe all of you!

Cheers

Elwood

Hi All,

just a quick update:
flushed the boiler today - unfortunately could not use my steam cleaner as the nozzle is too big so I filled up the boiler to the top of water glass via smoke box plug, removed one of the plugs at rear of boiler to get cross flow, and let the water run for about 10 min. the supply was amlost able to compete with the drain, so at the end the water glass still was about half full. Turned off water supply and let it all run out, then did the same with second plug. clear water beginning to end.
while boiler was full removed tube to injector clack valve. no water! pused up the ball with a allen key => water flows. remove key water stops, no dribble. so if it is ok with THAT pressure (8 inch of water head - Very positively calculated) gives 0,02 bar or 0,3 psi) it should be ok at 12 bar/180 psi, me thinks.
Water runs feely out of overflow (just as in vid 1, thanks Lynn) and pipe from steam head to injector is not kinked. as for air leaks I am quite positive with loctite 243 and teflon tape it‘s air tight.  

I am running out of ideas.

Cheers

Elwood

Hi Elwood

When in steam do a video of the injector "in action" for us to see as a video speaks a million words.

Hi Lynn,

I actually have such a video, just don‘t know how to put it in the forum.

Elwood