Pellet Smoke Unit Question SOLVED!

[EIS2]

I disassembled the smoke unit on my 675 steamer due to an electrical short where the wire passes through the smoke cover.  I removed a short length of the wire that attaches to the heater assembly because the insulation on the wire was frayed and not covering the wire which resulted in the short.  I reassembled the unit and still had a short which I assumed to be the solder joint contacting the cover.  I removed the heater element again and turned the element over so the solder joint would be down toward the liner and not contact the cover.  The two mods eliminated the shorting problem.

.The smoke unit smoked normally before I disassembled the smoke unit.  I put a few drops of smoke fluid down the smokestack.  Now, when I start the engine, the smoke starts up immediately, but stops after the engine travels a few feet.

What is the purpose of the liner in a pellet smoke unit?  In a liquid smoke unit, it serves as a wicking.  Is it to insulate the heating element from the bottom of the smoke chamber?  I'm thinking that the smoke unit would work better if the heating element was below, or at least in the middle of the liner so that the liner could serve as a wicking material.

How can I make my pellet smoke unit work better?

Earl

<See 11-8-2011 post below for results>

[TrainLarry]

The liner is an insulator for the smoke element, and must be at the bottom of the smoke chamber, underneath the smoke element. Make sure the hole in the smoke unit chamber is not clogged, so air from the piston can be pushed into the smoke unit. Also check that the piston is free to move, and does not stick. Scrape off any pellet residue off the piston and cylinder with a plastic or wood implement. Make sure the piston goes through its full range of travel as the wheels are turned. Finally, make sure that the wires of the nichrome element are not touching each other on the ceramic core, as this will short out the element, and not produce smoke, or lower smoke production. Remember that pellets release their smoke as they melt, so they may smoke longer than a few drops of liquid. There are smoke pellets for these units available, which would be recommended to use, and also a special element and liner to retrofit these units so that you can use smoke fluid. Larry

[wrmcclellan]

Earl,

I was told that the liner was to keep molten pellet material from coming out if the loco were turned upside down.

Here is a Ray Plummer article (sample from the book of 21 projects) about making the untis perform better.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1FYDd-z0E2MC&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=lionel+pellet+smoke+unit&source=bl&ots=o2gIhbHUPc&sig=1NMRCQ5xp_-kRVXoflJMnV1eDAI&hl=en&ei=00O3TsL0KbDCsQLSwdzQAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&sqi=2&ved=0CGsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=lionel%20pellet%20smoke%20unit&f=false

If the long link does not work you can also find this by Googling "lionel pellet smoke unit"

[ADCX Rob]

TrainLarry

...There are smoke pellets for these units available, which would be recommended to use, and also a special element and liner to retrofit these units so that you can use smoke fluid. Larry

Nothing special is needed to use fluid.  The pellets don't smoke until they become fluid anyway.  Fluids, all makes, work great in pellet type heaters/units with no modifications.

[EIS2]

The smoke is now working better than it ever has.  I learned more about smoke units then I ever wanted to.  The only reason I got into the smoke unit at all was a short.  I have now removed the heating element on three different occasions because the element or attaching wire kept shorting to the case. 

While I had the smoke unit apart, I saturated the liner with smoke fluid.  The engine now smokes better then any postwar steamer I have seen.  Most folks recommend only adding 2-3 drops of smoke fluid in a pellet smoke unit.  From what I have observed, I think the unit will smoke better if a lot of smoke fluid (10-20 drops) are placed in the smokestack and allowed to soak in over a period of time before the engine is operated.  The soak time is required because the liner has a burnt crust below the heater element and it takes some time for the smoke fluid to soak in. 

I also don't think it is necessary to replace the pellet smoke unit with a liquid smoke unit.  The liner in the pellet unit serves the same purpose as the wick in a liquid smoke unit.  The heater element in the pellet and liquid smoke units serve the same purpose.  They are just a different shape.

Earl

[sir james I]

This is not a negative, just wanted to comment on 10/20 drops. Too much fluid in those small smoke chambers will usually have the effect of throwing water on a fire. It cools instead of heats. However if it works best that way for you no harm done. Most of today's smoke units DO require more fluid.

[TRAINCAT]

I agree with about 10 drops of smoke fluid. What I do is shut the engine off, then point the dropper to each side of the stack at an angle, and drop in 5 drops each. It works great in the pellet types.

 

Roger

[EIS2]

Sir James,

I don't precisely know how many drops of smoke fluid I put in because the rubber tops on all of my eyedroppers for my smoke fluid have deteriorated to the point that they are no longer useful.  The 10-20 drops was just an estimate.  The engine does take quite a long period of time to commence smoking, but once the smoke starts, it is quite prolific relative to my other postwar engines.

Earl

[sir james I]

It's the smoke fluid that eats' the rubber tops. If you can check on them, keep the dropper completely empty.