# Steam power ... AGAIN



## SkizzlePig (May 14, 2006)

Everyone thoroughly exhausted from questions and discussions about the potential use of steam to gen electricity? Yeeeeah, me too. ... buuuut here we go again ...

So, I'm sure it's not new to y'all, but it is to me. (And, yes, the rock I live under is heavy). Give me your thoughts on the following. It's a steam engine, rather than a turbine.

http://www.mikebrownsolutions.com/stmpwr.htm

... release the hounds ...


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

I know a guy who built a boat and put a steam powered engine in it. He had a lot of fun with it. Cut the lumber from dead pecan trees and the fuel to run his engine as well. 

If you want to do it to do It then by all means have fun.

Just not understanding why not solar or wind if the object is to make electricity Cheap gas generator if the object is just to have a back up during short term grid outage. 


If you are going to the trouble to build a steam engine can you figure out how to heat the house/ greenhouse in winter while making electricity? I might then think more of it.


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## SkizzlePig (May 14, 2006)

Our primary source will be solar, but, in coastal Southeast, we could go a few days without sufficient sun. The battery bank is sized right now to two days. Soooo ... it just becomes a math problem.

I'm looking for a back-up to solar. Right now, the back-up is a diesel generator. (Read: expensive to run for long periods)


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## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

You can look at www.greensteamengine.com for a low pressure steam engine and http://www.windbluepower.com/category_s/1.htm for a low rpm alternator.


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## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

I have had a lot of fun building my steam engine. Nope its not done or perfect but it does run. At this point it mainly needs a better boiler. There are other companies out there building engines Mike is a bit high.

Larry


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Unlikely Farmer said:


> Our primary source will be solar, but, in coastal Southeast, we could go a few days without sufficient sun. The battery bank is sized right now to two days. Soooo ... it just becomes a math problem.
> 
> I'm looking for a back-up to solar. Right now, the back-up is a diesel generator. (Read: expensive to run for long periods)


Any Chinese restaurants or fast food places near by? If so, SVO is the way to go!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Not sure if you know how much maintenance goes into a decent size steam engine... enough of one to run a generator... They also take a lot of babysitting... You don't want to fire up a boiler and walk away for long periods of time.. 

If you are a tinkerer, then a steam engine might be for you... Depends on what your time and mechanical skills are as to what you hold the value of that electricity at..

Notice too if you search for a 10 or 20 hp steam engine to run a generator big enough, you find very little in the US... it's because it's really not a good viable option... not to mention dangerous because of a big enough boiler..

Here's a video of a larger one...

[YOUTUBE]bxv6uT6AGxM[/YOUTUBE]


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## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

The main reason I have taken a rest on my steam project is like Simi said. You have to sit there and baby sit the engine / boiler when its running. If I could walk away and just check up on it every few hours that would be ok. I haven't given up on it it just moved way down the priorities list. I have better things to do with my time than baby sit an engine. 

What I was / am shooting for is a way to make power and heat/hot water for our home. I guess you could say I succeeded since it does work. It just doesn't make enough power for the time required to be worthwhile at this time. For me. I spent a pile of change to learn this. At this point it was entertaining but thats about it.

Larry


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

the video of the little engine turning a generator. was producing 0 power.....the gauges showed a voltage but producing 0 amperage. 0 wattage. the video proves zero except that a steam engine can turn a shaft mounted between bearings. why not show the little engine powering a bank of 100 watt light bulbs?

anyone talking about making pressurized steam and boilers better get an education in boiler operation, safety, controls, and remember to get the yearly boiler inspections (which you will not be able to afford unless you are wealthy)


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

For the people that have the big steam tractors, they don't need to have boiler inspections do they? Aren't boiler inspections for stationary boilers?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

simi-steading said:


> For the people that have the big steam tractors, they don't need to have boiler inspections do they? Aren't boiler inspections for stationary boilers?


It depends. After a boiler blew up at a fair there was a survey.

http://www.farmcollector.com/steam-traction/antique-boiler-inspection-survey.aspx


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## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

Don't quote me on this but I think any boiler over 16" diameter has to be inspected IF its accessible to the public.

Yes steam tractors (or traction engines as they are called) are supposed to be inspected. 

Technically any boiler should be inspected. I built my boiler and tested it myself. But on the same note I would rather I was the only one around when its operating just in case.

I have another boiler in process that may or may not get finished some day. If it does I wont worry as much as it is way over built. I am setting it up for 150 PSI working. The materials are boiler rated for 600 PSI. The actual drum is rated at 1800 PSI.

Larry
Steam is a lot of fun to play with but also deadly.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

huh.. interesting stuff..


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

pretty sure by law they all have to be inspected here. If not you bear the sole responsibility should something happen. but rather then civil its criminal also.

don't hold me to that , I can double check it just not at this hour.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

the inspections have been law since the 60's,

the traction engine explosion boiler mentioned had not been inspected for decades, had safeties out of spec. and the owner was detracted by a "discussion" with show officials. he and one other family member died, a few others hurt.

the end sheets of the destroyed boiler showed extreme rust. the boiler would never have passes the required inspections required decades before.

i had the opportunity to operate a steam train engine a decade or so ago, (licensed station boiler operator at the time). a few times, i thought to myself "i'm 3 feet from a 75 year old boiler face sheet of 250 psi steam" not a comfortable thought, but a great experience.


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