Select a boiler

[Urs]

My boat is still only on paper but the machine ist bougt.
Now is time for me to select the "right" boiler.

The machine is a semple 354DL it is said she delivers around 10HP (maybe)
The boat will be 8m with maximal 3.5t deplacement

i need a suitable boiler with ample power to operate the engine and auxilaries.
Somthing with 4.5m2 heating surface?
easy to operate for the first heated with wood but later a conversion on oil?
High power to weigth ratio is desirabe

Watertube or Firetube
Vertical or horizontal
Superheating or not
Ecconomisier?
Do ai'm need a safetyvalve?

Please say what you would buy
And if you now a reliable suplier .......................
Selfbuilding is definitiv out of question i'm a bad welder.

Urs

[fredrosse]

My vote would be for a simple Vertical Firetube Boiler, with a Wet Firebox for firing solid fuel. These boilers do not change pressure very quickly, because they are having more water and more metal than the water tube types.

Your boat can easily accomodate the extra weight (total boiler weight, about 600 pounds, 275 kg), and control of steam pressure will be more easy with the Vertical Firetube Boiler. This type of boiler is also well established and simple design, can meet all legal requirements, and be built by several suppliers. I would think a boiler with heating surface of about 40 square feet (4 square meters) would be correct.

Exhaust Feedwater heater, Economizer coil in the exhaust stack, and superheater in the exhaust stack would be wise, but these features could all be added at a later time.

All boilers must have a safety relief valve, plus several other attachments.

[87gn@tahoe]

My vote would be for a simple Vertical Firetube Boiler, with a Wet Firebox for firing solid fuel. These boilers do not change pressure very quickly, because they are having more water and more metal than the water tube types.

Your boat can easily accomodate the extra weight (total boiler weight, about 600 pounds, 275 kg), and control of steam pressure will be more easy with the Vertical Firetube Boiler. This type of boiler is also well established and simple design, can meet all legal requirements, and be built by several suppliers. I would think a boiler with heating surface of about 40 square feet (4 square meters) would be correct.

Exhaust Feedwater heater, Economizer coil in the exhaust stack, and superheater in the exhaust stack would be wise, but these features could all be added at a later time.

All boilers must have a safety relief valve, plus several other attachments.

Fred, the boiler you just described is almost exactly the same as the Semple VFT40, down to the weight.

I've run a wood fired Semple VFT40 and 3&5x4 compound many many hours on a friends boat and they work together beautifully. Semple made a very fine product.

[steamdon-jr]

Fred is correct on using a VFT for ease and steam capacity and 87gn is also correct about semple boilers, have fired and/or know of at least 10 that have been in service for 10-25 years. however sadly Fred Semple is no longer with us and all Mary Semple would be able to produce for you may be a few spare parts to engines, an obsolete catalog or some user manuals. Also the semple boiler is not code which if your can go code it would be wise just in case future laws change. Rappahannock boat works in Bealton, VA USA can supply a code boiler. visit there boiler page athttp://www.tinypower.com/store.php?crn= ... 80904ce5e7

[Urs]

Do i need realy a safetyvalve.......... was a joke of course i will mount at least two!

I survived 2 weeks ago a blasting boiler from a large professional dishwasher!
A employe of my company and myself conected a used dishwsher in a Boyscouts house.
Then we ran it to test we stood 3m away and boooooooummm!
Steam evrywhere flying parts we were lucky and ran unharmed away

AND it was only a boiler with 15litres (4gallon)

Urs