What's on this sight glass

A section for all non-Steamboat things and machinery - Steam vehicles, trucks, plant, cars etc...
Post Reply
User avatar
cyberbadger
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1123
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:16 pm
Boat Name: SL Nyitra
Location: Northeast Ohio, USA

What's on this sight glass

Post by cyberbadger » Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:26 am

At 2:30 in this video....

What is connected to the top of that boiler's sight glass?



-CB
User avatar
fredrosse
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1906
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:34 am
Boat Name: Margaret S.
Location: Phila PA USA
Contact:

Re: What's on this sight glass

Post by fredrosse » Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:25 pm

Looks like a steam connection for the steam lance, usually used to blow dirt off surfaces of the machinery. Not the best place to take steam from a boiler, but it does have some advantages.

Easy to make the connection

Pure dry steam if only the top glass cock is open, the bottom glass connection cock is closed. This is best for blowing soot off the boiler heat transfer surfaces. Can also clean other dirty surfaces, generally better than 2500psi pressure washers, not quite as well as 3500psi pressure washers.

Two phase steam/water if both top and bottom glass cocks are open, washing effect is tremendous with this hot mixture. Not suitable for blowing on the boiler proper, as the high velocity water will be at only about 200F, and would thus quench the hot boiler metal which is at about 350F. For cleaning dirt and grime off of machinery, this mixture is far more effective than a steam lance.

The main disadvantage I see is the rather high probability of breaking the sight glass if using it as described above. I would not recommend it for safety sake.
User avatar
DetroiTug
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1863
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 5:56 pm
Boat Name: Iron Chief
Location: Northwest Detroit

Re: What's on this sight glass

Post by DetroiTug » Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:38 pm

"Not the best place to take steam from a boiler"

Not a good place, if one just wants steam, and it renders the glass unreadable. I have the top blow off (evacuates excess water at start up and releases excess pressure to prevent a PRV release which startels people in proximity) on the car piped in to the upper glass and when opened it pulls water up the glass. Cleans the glass out real well.

-Ron
User avatar
cyberbadger
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead
Posts: 1123
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:16 pm
Boat Name: SL Nyitra
Location: Northeast Ohio, USA

Re: What's on this sight glass

Post by cyberbadger » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:34 am

Looking at this video with better angles - it's not actually connected to the sight glass...

It's got a plug in this video..



-CB
Post Reply