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| Nick |
Nick's Jensen Riveted 25How is this for a setup?
The video is loading from my camera, but I am testing this engine to see how little power I can use and keep it running. I set my variac at 49 volts at 12:10 am. The current time is 12:25 am and it is still going steady. I will keep running it and see how long it will go on a boiler that started 3/4's full of water. |
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| Nick |
20 minutes later, 12:30 am and it's still going.
Here's a short video. (poor quality, no sound  )
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| Nick |
Here are some closeups:
These sight glasses are nice looking, but a pain when they get air bubbles (shown in picture). 
Larger SV with boiler bushing (rivets in background). 
Smaller sized steam screw with taller steam dome (rivets again). 
Regulator. 
Jensen decal, that I think may be a replacement (it has more of a yellow color than my 10's). 
Update on engine running: Current time 12:48 am, so far it has been running 38 minutes, with plenty of water in the boiler. |
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| Nick |
I caught the engine at slow speed, close to stalling.
Towards the second half of the 10 second video, you can see it picking up speed. Update of engine running: Current time, 1 am. The engine has been running non-stop for 50 minutes! 
How long will it go? |
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| Nick |
Has anyone else run their engine non-stop for 1 hour, without adding water to the boiler?
I just did! 
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| Nick |
All right, I chickened out.
After running the engine for exactly 1 hour, I pulled the plug. The engine was running at such a low pressure that it stopped almost immediately. I just could not trust that tube sight glass. I drained the boiler and was shocked at what came out. Other than a piece of styrofoam packaging, there was actually quite a bit of water, 143 cc's to be exact. Looks like I'll have to try this again sometime and go for an hour and a half or two hours! (Only kidding, I don't have that much patience.  )
This one hour of run-time was done at 49 volts. It came close to stalling several times, but always picked its speed back up. |
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| Les Marsh |
Very nice pictures and video, pity about the sound, but nice to watch anyway.  
I have managed to run a Bowman 101 for an hour, but they were designed for that anyway, but I stopped just after the hour as there is no sightglass, but it still had plenty of water. That was the one I was running at Tilford the other week.
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| Nick |
It has been requested in other threads that I take some closeups.
The lighting isn't the best, but here they are: Underside of wood base: 
The cast flywheel: 
A few engine closeups: 
Not sure if this is a repair or factory: 
Sight glass block: 
Tall steam dome: 
And finally, the whistle: 
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| Les Marsh |
Thanks for the closeups, shows how much cleaning and polishing you are going to have to do!!
Looking at the flywheel, it shows that they did not bother too much with any filing at all, just machining and send it out.
Mind you, for it's age, it is very good condition.
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| Nick |
It has some work that will need to be done, but I'll wait to polish until I fix a few things.
This engine has been restored at one time. The engine frame has been repainted. I know the original paint is on the underside, so I'll have to see how close it matches. The firebox is not the original, but I believe it is the correct size. The cord will need to be switched with a cloth one. The insulation inside is in very poor shape. All the nickel needs a good polishing. I am undecided what to do with the base. It is in good enough condition for me that all of this can wait awhile. Until the repairs, I plan to run it a lot.
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| Les Marsh |
On the firebox, what is that I can see where the burner would have fitted?
And where the base is concerned, if it is the original one, I would keep it as it is. |
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| Nick |
All of those electric Jensens have that opening, I am not sure why though.  Inside there is insulation that you can see.
The earlier ones had the cord running through that opening instead of out the back. The base, I am not sure, but I think it has been refinished. I was thinking of going Roger's route and putting several layers on, so it can handle a lot of steamings. |
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| Wallace |
Interesting test there Nick.
Nice engine, and am amazed at the potential it has for it's running time.
Great pics too 
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| IndianaRog |
You have a beautiful classic there Nick...I really like the squared off regulator Jensen used for a short time between the earliest round design and third design used to this day. There is a bit of info on that regulator from a dating standpoint on my website.
As for the decal you thought might be a reproduction...I personally think it is original. I have seen decals that turned varying shades of gold, green and yellow and yet were original. Perhaps different suppliers in the early years, different finishes applied that affected the color or different environments where stored. Glad you are enjoying them...they are among the best ever made by Jensen. Rog |
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| johnreid |
I chicken out at about an hour too, and there is always enough water left to run even longer. Use an external meter with the Variac as the umbers on the dial might not be the actual voltage. My Variac was full of soot and dust, I blew it out with compressed air but it only puts out 120V now, I will clean the wipers etc, but fear that I am now without a Variac. Mine was open and on the shelf near the Wood Stove, the soot must conduct electricity. | ||||
| Nick |
John, I did check the variac and it was putting out the same as the dial. | ||||
| johnreid |
Good, I am of the overly cautious type. | ||||
| Nick |
Roger, I checked your website. So, does that regulator make this engine from between '38 or '39? | ||||
| redryder |
CONGRATULATIONS NICK !!!!!
Those are both absolutely great addtions to your collection. Enjoy ! Gil |
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| IndianaRog |
Best I could narrow it down to was sometime between 1937 and 1939...meaning 1937 or 1938 or 1939. This was info passed to me by a very knowledgeable Jensen collector. Of course there never seem to be absolutes when we are talking 70 years ago...but that is the guideline I've been given and it's good enough for me. |
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| redryder |
I would agree with Roger's suggested time frame.
Gil |
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| Griffin |
A lovely engine you have there Nick. The variac is a real asset to running these engines, as the best I can get out of my #25 is around 25 minutes of a run time on a constant 110V input. | ||||
| Nick |
3 years is close enough for me.
Thanks for the compliments and help. 
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| steamyjim |
A very nice engine Nick!
Well done
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| oldstuff |
Great to see any oldtimer but this one is quite special! Thanks for sharing it with us, Nick.
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| steamgranny |
I've learned enough about Jensen on this forum to know that is a very fine acquisition
Congratulations
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| Cedge |
I'll have to agree with Roger. 1937 to 39 seems to be about right for that particular throttle valve... or at least as close as I've been able to narrow it. You can't beat a classic model 25 from the riveted era. They just seem to run sweeter with age. A bit of clean up and you'll have a true show piece.
I use Murphy's oil soap on the wood bases. Straight from the bottle and only a little water to let it foam up as I wipe with a soft cloth. It refreshes the varnished wood and you'll be surprised at the grime it will remove without doing damage to the finish. The decal looks original from here. Steve |
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| mogogear |
Great looking, running engine Nick!! You film is like the Sienfeld episode where Kramer takes the car for a long , long teat drive!!
WOW- 1 Hour- I salute you, the variac and the 25! |
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| Nick |
Thanks again for the compliments and tips!
Mo, I love that episode.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dealership Quote from the episode:
My next attempt at one and a half hours:
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| Nick |
The weather has been cloudy and rainy the last few days, so I haven't been able to take
the nice pictures I had promised.
Instead I will post the outdoor shots the seller sent me of the engine. (These are not my pictures, they belong to him.) 
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| James |
Wow Nick, you lucky bugger
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