Has anybody built their own pump to hydro test a boiler or superheater units. I would like to hear what is being used to do this test.

robert@trainorders.com

> Has anybody built their own pump to hydro
> test a boiler or superheater units. I would
> like to hear what is being used to do this
> test.

We use a pressure washer and manually operate the valve while looking at the test gauge. I have also used a pump with an air pressure regulator appended which didn't work too well. NHVRR is renting a real hydro pump now with a gas motor and a water regulator which seems to work pretty well.

It takes surprisingly little volume to maintain pressure once the boiler is filled and warm. You can probably find all the components you need from Grainger or McMaster.

Dave


irondave@bellsouth.net

> Has anybody built their own pump to hydro
> test a boiler or superheater units. I would
> like to hear what is being used to do this
> test.

I don't think I am out of place suggesting you call John Rimmasch, CMO at the Heber Valley Railroad (1-435-654-5601 xt 105) to find out what he uses. (John doesn't get around to his emails as often as most of us--he does return calls!)

sc 'doc' lewis

Heber Valley Railroad
utweyesguy@aol.com

We use an old "single lung" 9 1/2" Westinghouse air pump mounted horizontally. It works well.

roger_samuels@nps.gov

I built a hydro pump out of parts from graingers look up "positive displacement piston pumps" and the catalog has a table to cross to a motor. I think the motor and pump cost about $200.

Make sure everything is grounded and spend the extra money and make your wiring all NEMA 3 or 4 so you don't get a charge out of it.

Paul


Stuhr Museum
pfdx@aol.com

Project 1225 uses a pressure washer pump driven by a little gasoline engine. (Yes, Steve, it's that pump.) The other key tool is the propane burner in the firebox to raise the temperature of the water and boiler metal for a few days before the test to above the required 70 degrees to avoid damage from brittle failure.

Aarne H. Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665

froboma@mdot.state.mi.us

Sheesh, Aarne, thanks for the plug.

This was an old John Deere spray-down pump that was retired from my father's dairy farm!

Steve

> Project 1225 uses a pressure washer pump
> driven by a little gasoline engine. (Yes,
> Steve, it's that pump.) The other key tool
> is the propane burner in the firebox to
> raise the temperature of the water and
> boiler metal for a few days before the test
> to above the required 70 degrees to avoid
> damage from brittle failure.

> Aarne H. Frobom
> The Steam Railroading Institute
> P. O. Box 665
> Owosso, MI 48867-0665


SZuidervee@aol.com

> work too well. NHVRR is renting a real hydro
> pump now with a gas motor and a water
> regulator which seems to work pretty well.

This pump unit we rented is made by Rice and if you go to their website,http://www.ricehydro.com/ they have full descriptions of their pumps. Some of the parts listings are featured as well. The unit we're using has a hypro D-30 diaphragm pump rated at 9.5 gpm and 500 psi, mated to a gear reduction unit. A guy could get a pretty good idea of what these pumps are and what to look for from their web site.

heisler1607@earthlink.net