SE3 blow out.

Michael · SE3 blow out.

Her she is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp7GBVdRtyo

Gents,

I have finished the restoration of my SE3 as pictured below.

She started turning over nice and smoothly and building up speed for almost a minute before bursting a solder joint on the outlet T piece. The engine has been soldered with a soft low tempter solder so I guess this wasn’t up to the job.

Notably the soldered joint did not just come undone as I would expect if the bond wasn’t good but left a fine spray of solder up the side of the engine and a larger droplet on the piston below.

I will look for some higher temperature solder to re do the job and get her running again.

One thing I am concerned about is that all my other soldered joints will likewise perish. I also soldered the SV collar back into the boiler but this shows no ill effects as of yet.

I guess the super heating of the outlet pipe caused the T connector to endure more heat and fail first.

Any tips on do’s and don’ts would b appreciated as this was my first time soldering except for a couple of test pieces.

Cheers Mick

Michael

Mamodman123

If soldered properly and well cleaned etc it shouldn't burst out. That pipe shoudn't heat up to the temperature high enough to melt solder.

To be fair the pictures are so small I can't see the pipework anyway

Michael

I will go back and re load pictures again, I didn’t expect them to come out so small.

I was careful not to apply to much heat on this joint as I was concerned about de soldering the first pipe joints when soldering the second & third. Perhaps this may have contributed.

However it was not just unbounded as I would have expected with a poor joint. The solder did come out in a droplet and some fine spray on the side of the boiler so that is why came to the assumption of melting solder.

Stilldrillin

I have that happen to me, twice!
Both times due to ticking over, while using full burner heat.

The solder melts & the steam pressure sprays it out of the joint......

Dr. Rog

I had lots of fun researching solder for my post - then closed too many windows

It sounds like the melting point of the solder is too low. If this was a design fault it would happen to everyone's.

Can you guys look on the packet or even the manufacturers website and see what it says? eg:
http://www.aimalloys.com/solder_products/plumbing_solder.htm

johnreid

Plumbing solder should work unless you are gas firing it or run it dry.

Mick, you need to sign up for Photobucket.
http://photobucket.com/
But please when you do, make the pictures 800X600 so as not to make us scroll