Hello All,

Does anyone have any experience of fitting a pressure jet type burner to a Stanley type boiler? This is the type of burner fitted to oil central heating systems and requires an electrical supply but it is very reliable and requires no pilot so only one fuel is needed. The problem I am having is getting burner manufacturers to give any info. on combustion chamber volumes and materials. Obviously the size of flame would be considerably bigger than that of an average central heating system (about 3galls/hr compared to 1/2gall/hr or less) so the combustion chamber would be considerably bigger, but bigger than the existing burner pan under a Stanley??


Jack......

Jack

I have no experience of this but from what I have read those who have tried pressure jet burners under a Stanley boiler generally revert to the original before too long. Jeff could comment more on this as he has done just that with his latest 735 - although admittedly that particular pressure burner was just not powerful enough.

Mike

Hi Jack,
First of all my advice would be.... DON'T DO IT!! Firstly it takes all the charm of a steam car away, second you will be constantly worrying about battery power, I know there have been some successful conversions in the States, but remember we don’t have open roads to keep speed and charge rate up, we have loads of traffic, hills, and narrow roads, also you will need to change the battery and charging system to 12 volts putting extra load on that little gear!

If you do decide you can’t live with the Stanley system, which is always a crowd pleaser with blow-lamps, pops, bangs, and howling, you will need to fire into the inner fire box at a tangent to create a swirling action, the inner fire box will need to be a little deeper, made of stainless with a 12” or so blast hole facing the boiler, your burn rate will need to be 3.5 to 4 GPH otherwise your fire will be going continually.

Keep us posted on what you do, hope this helps, Jeff.

Jeff and Mike,
Thanks for your comments. I should point out that the car is not a 'real' Stanley but a new-ish close relative to a 10hp type and operates on the same system. I am, therefore, not concerned too much with authenticity. Personally I do not care too much for the start up ritual or the susequent howling of the burner(perhaps I am just jealous that I don't have a 'proper' Stanley), I would like to use the car for semi regular trips and would just like to be able to switch on and go (after 20mins.or so) without having to worry about the possibility of carbonised vapouriser or blocked jets etc.
I know the pressure jet burner consumes around 125watts but I have a modern alternator that begins charging at 15mph.
What I propose is a burner pan 9" deep and lined with refractory material. I will do as you suggest Jeff and put the fire in at a semi tangent (chord?) and let it impinge on firebrick to achieve swirl. I have made a mock up in mild steel of such an arrangement using a burner of 2.5gall/hr but with no boiler on top, the flame is impressive! but will it burn with the boiler on it? I will let you know in due course.

Jack.......

Here in the States.Beckett has a ready made 3.5gal/hr 12volt oil burner.....works O.K. with the more modern steamcars.Uses
electronic ignition like modern home furnaces do.
I'm a bit dated on the price,but 5 years ago they were $600 USD.
They also offer custom units out to 35gals/hr. .....not sure what kind of car
would need that.But they had 12 volt blower motors ,in case someone did need one.
Probably be 300-500hp steam turbine powered machine....Burners is all Beckett does,for home and industrial equipment businesses.

Thanks Arnold, I would like eventually to get hold of a Beckett burner as I think they are the only people that do a 12v option, but for initial trials I have a mains (240v) unit that I run through an inverter from a 12v battery. This is not the best arrangement from the point of view of safety! and there are additional power losses in the inverter. If I am able to ascertain that this type of burner does what I want then I shall look at investing in a Beckett 12v.
Incidentally I have looked at their web site and find no mention of 12v units and no contact e-mail address, but I am sure someone can get that info. for me when the time comes.

Jack.......

www.steamboating.net has a Beckett burner listed in thier online catalog.
Looks like the price has dropped over the years.

Arnold,thanks for guiding me to the Beckett burner on the steamboating web site.
They sent me details by return e-mail !!

Jack...

While reading about the locomobile kit car Simon is offering noticed he included a burner from a British firm along the line of the Beckett.
Riello....maybe a car builder or factory could let you scope out burner on the Derr/Winslow boiler.
Understand that it is better built than Beckett,but have not seen a Riello to know for sure.

Jeff,
I am begining to see the downside of pressure jet burners. The power consumption at 175watts probably represents in excess of 1/2 hp robbed from the engine when allowances are made for generator efficiency and inverter losses, fan noise is more than expected and the unit is quite a lump of hardware to disguise hanging on the burner pan, and I am not too happy about the life expectancy of the combustion chamber.
If I am to revert to a vapourising burner of the Stanley type I would like to eliminate the need for 2 seperate fuels. Could anyone advise me if it is practicable to use a pilot burning main burner fuel which in my case is paraffin. I have found this to be less prone to carbonisation than kerosene.
Secondly what is the source of the howling from the main burner, and how can it be reduced/eliminated?

Jack........