Problem with blower pipe

[Drummond]

I've a secondhand Sabre. It's very good, after the rebuild, but has scale in the boiler (yes, I run it on filtered rainwater).
The blower pipe blocks , now three times. The first two, I backflushed with water,from a garden spray bottle, having taken the cab blower valve off.
Third time, I can't. The spray bottle simply squirts water at high pressure from the smokebox, and there is nothing in the cab.
Any suggestions, (of a practical nature!)?

Tim

 

[bobg]

If your problem is limescale in the boiler then put some citric acid or white vinagar in and swill it around for a while then empty and wash out well with fresh water. Ensure that it gets through all the tubes etc to make sure they are clear as well. If it's really bad then it could stand a couple of goes.

 

[400Parker]

Well, I think the problem at the moment is a blocked blower pipe. From memory what I did when I had that problem was use a very fine piece of wire - made up from a strand or two from a multicore electrical cable - poked down the blower pipe from the smokebox end. If the wire doesn't have enough strength add another strand. The advantage of using copper wire is that it will bend round corners. An alternative is thin stainless steel wire, like that used for model aircraft control lines. It's tough and strong but bendable. If it doesn't work from the smokebox end try if from the blower valve end.
And if you have no luck with that you could try Bob's suggestion and put some diluted citric acid down the pipe from both ends and leave it overnight.
Good luck.

 

[John Morgan]

Hi Drummond,
Funny this should be posted tonight I spent time this afternoon doing the same thing.
On going problem with coal fired locos sorry to say. The restriction may be where the smaller dia. pipe is hard soldered onto the larger dia. pipe in the smoke box. As for wire I use a length of Silver Solder wire to clear the blockage pocked down the chimney and wiggled up and down with needle nosed pliers.
The other method I used was kettle de scaler forced down the blower pipe thro a syringe, works well. Leave it a while and flush out with clean water having undone the union on the boiler manifold. I have to do this about every 6 or so steam ups. Just part of normal servicing practice.

John.

 

[400Parker]

Yes, but don't try and force a thicker piece of wire/solder through the blower nozzle or you're in danger of widening it and then you'll have a problem with the blower not working at all. Kettle descaler and citric acid do the same job and are pretty much the same. I suspect citric acid is cheaper.
Of course this could be a problem from when the loco was built. I had problems with a blocked blower pipe early on, but I haven't had a problem since. (Touch wood). And I made sure I don't get muck in the boiler via the water tanks by fitting a filter as recommended by Andy Bolle (scaleandy). It works a treat.
Steve

 

[Drummond]

Thank you one and all, I'll try the wire. Oddly enough,it's only the Sabre which has the problem; the others are ok.

Tim

 

[tagorton]

Thank you one and all, I'll try the wire. Oddly enough,it's only the Sabre which has the problem; the others are ok.

Tim

Odd that8|. I have had no trouble with either Shawe or DJB locomotives in this respect over several years steaming... Unfortunately I have to say that when it comes to coal fired locomotives then a backlog of experience in building small locomotives helps enormously. I hope you get it sorted ? there are several people on the group that have fettled their Sabres into reliable machines.

One thing I take care to do is to cover the blower pipe whilst cleaning the tar from the chimney....tho I don't imagine this would cause any serious blockage.