Electric steam engines, the future!

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

I beg to differ Noel,
Most modern showers use a plastic "tank" the heater has a metal header plate and is held in by a band clamp and elastomeric seal. You might have trouble finding the bare element but replacment tanks are available. e.g.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284926876997?

These have two elments so you don't have to have the whole 7.5kW rating. Obviously you would have to remove the plastic tank and put it in a metallic boiler.

See 20 minutes into this video for internal details. Note he cut the plastic tank rather than just un-hooking the brass band clamp. It can even be re-fitted.

I've had a bit of experience with these including a discussion with Mira over one in our house that tripped the 45A circuit breaker while in use. As it was still under warranty the sent a fitter. He claimed that it was a faulty circuit breaker and changed it. They tried to charge me for this, but I claimed that there were turns shorting out inside the heater when it got hot. The shower still tripped the breaker So I put a current clamp on the feed an measured the current. I went up in discrete, equal, steps as sucessive element turns touched eventually reaching 50 odd amps before tripping the breaker. When I sent Mira the recorded data they send a different fitter who replaced the heater and fitted a new breaker. He would not give me the old element. There was no charge but Mira never admitted there was a problem…

Robert.

Edited By Robert Atkinson 2 on 27/02/2023 21:51:31

[Clive IndiaParticipant @cliveindia]

Posted by Cyril Bonnett on 24/02/2023 14:36:51:

Has anyone tried an electric steam engine miniature, would it be feasible?

Depends on what you mean by an electric steam engine. Seems to have been taken here as a loco with an electrically heated boiler – in which case I think it is extremely unlikely.

I have seen a 5in. gauge Mallard outline loco with all the action in the tender e.g. battery, motors etc. – if that meets your needs?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I though most here were thinking of an electrically "fired" boiler for stationary engines etc and it's a lot easier to plug it in than lug a battery about.

If anyone wants a basic sketch or two to see how one can be made then Chiltern have some diagrams to go with there electric boiler

Edited By JasonB on 28/02/2023 10:06:39

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

To Robert I owe appologies, you're right 30+ years ago triton had a plant locally, 7Kw and metal tank. Modern ones are plastic and 10Kw. Local chip shop, Bain marie, I happened to touch it and could feel a slight buzz, said to staff for a laugh I would check voltage on the casing of the unit, – 236V, SOMETHING IS WRONG ! Why has the trip not gone ? Nearly new, the unit was supplied with a continental 3 connection plug, plugged into a cheap adaptor to 13A, NO EARTH ! Called the owner, on liftting the pans out all was revealed ! The outer sheath of the heating element had burst leaving 10 or more turns in the water !!!!! By the grace of God nobody had touched the earthed range only 3 feet away and the plastic flooring had saved the staff. New element and a new plug !

Clive, as my ealier post states, Wilesco make/ sell the D32 which is a 220v electrically heated boiler and steam engine.

A phase shift dimmer and sub 1Kw heater would make a very controllable way to heat a boiler, but I would want a feed water pump as well. Noel.

Edited By noel shelley on 28/02/2023 11:19:53

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