"Real" Steam?

[mouseketeer]

Hi, I have a Hogwarts Express model I designed which sits on a base, and I'm wondering whether it would be possible to get something akin to smoke coming out of the chimney. I've done some googling for this already, but almost all of the advice I've seen is in relation to *moving* trains, not ones confined to a stationary base. Because of that, I think I might have some more leeway in how to achieve the effect, as I can hide whatever contraption I use for the steam behind or within the base, and then just put a pipe up through the model, without having to worry about it moving with the model.

The options I've come across seem to be smoke machines and water vaporisers (I've even seen people suggest the vapour that comes from e-cigarettes) - real steam can't be used because it certainly damages the bricks. I was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge or experience they could share about using either of these methods (or if there's any other way of achieving this that I'm missing)? The main consideration is that I don't want to damage the Lego. Is there a way this can be done?  

 

[Sven J]

I'm currently also working on a model with smoke effect (a "moving" model, though), and like you, I've considered various options. In the end, I decided to use a Seuthe no. 99 smoke generator, which is small enough to be hidden inside the chimney, and can be operated by a 9 V power supply (BuWizz "fast" mode in this case).
Vaporizers or e-cigarette parts proved too bulky for my model, especially as they need additional electronics.
I did some tests before and couldn't find that the Seuthe smoke liquid causes any damage to the bricks - no guarantee, though...
The chimney of my model consists of stacked tyres; they are kept away from the smoke generator by metal spacer rings (one is supplied with each smoke generator; had to buy two...), so the generator's surface temperature hasn't led to any problems until now. The only drawback in my opinion is that the Seuthe smokes for only about 3 minutes, then it needs refilling.
On a static model like yours, when you have enough space inside the base or the locomotive (I suggest you don't need room for motors then), it might be a nice gimmick to use a pulsed smoke generator like the ones from Massoth. Compared to the Seuthe, they're very expensive, though, and need a higher current in analogue operation (0.7 A as opposed to 0.14 A for the Seuthe).

[locoworks]

i suggest that for even the static model  it is jacked up and the wheels and motion actually move.    to look good it needs a 'chuffing' effect ,  on the old hornby models that had smoke there was a small cylinder and piston that basically sucked the smoke in and pushed it all out in a chuff so there was a pulsed smoke effect and not just a gentle wisp of smoke.

[JopieK]

The Seuthe stuff will leave residue on your LEGO though, I have experience with it. It is easiest if you control your train with DCC, those steam generators work well with that.

[Sven J]

10 minutes ago, locoworks said:

i suggest that for even the static model  it is jacked up and the wheels and motion actually move.

Surely. But I think it could be possible to drive the wheels from underneath, with the drivetrain hidden in the base, so that there's enough space in the locomotive for the smoke generator.
The Massoth smoke generators use a little fan to achieve the pulsed effect.

3 minutes ago, JopieK said:

The Seuthe stuff will leave residue on your LEGO though, I have experience with it. It is easiest if you control your train with DCC, those steam generators work well with that.

You're absolutely right regarding the residue. However, its's easily removable with a microfibre cloth - and it actually keeps my "tyre stack" smooth and shiny...
The Seuthe can as well be connected to an analogue power supply. I used a modified PF cable (outer wires cut away, ends of the inner ones stripped), and now even the amount of steam produced can (to a certain degree) be regulated by the BuWizz slider

[Paperinik77pk]

Hi all,

this is the solution I'm preparing for my new big garden toy locomotive - which is under development and it's a steamer.

It is a Seuthe 99 Steam Generator  - I saw it on YouTube on a small Lego locomotive and I bought it some weeks ago.

I glued it to a red Technic bush, using its lateral holes for the wires. The bush can be attached to bricks without problems. An old  9v wire in very bad shape was used to retrieve the "electric connector", which was opened, and connected to the two wires of the Steam Generator.

In order to have ithe whole solution completely independent from receivers, I used a 9v battery box.

 

Here's how it sticks out from the "boiler" (sorry for dirty bricks - locomotive is not finished and it still needs a good cleaning 

 

And this is the chimney - I used the two top plates to make it more solid. The Seuthe 99 is just under the red line. No problems with heat - it works fine and  it is a nice feature, but it lasts for a few minutes only. 

It leaves oil residues, but they can be easily cleaned. 

Ciao!

Davide

 

[Sven J]

Hi Davide,

Interesting to see your solution for the Seuthe no. 99. Mine is a bit different: I found that the metal shell which comes with it, when turned upside down, fits perfectly between the studs of a plate with holes - where it can be glued to accomodate the smoke generator. On the right, you can see the whole arrangement:

Best regards,
Sven

Edited August 8, 2018 by Tenderlok
fixed broken image link

[Dorino]

Can we see any video of it in action? Interested :)

[Sven J]

4 minutes ago, Dorino said:

Can we see any video of it in action?

I'll make one when the model is finished - just three or four weeks more, I think (the whole back of the engine still has to be built)...

[Paperinik77pk]

2 minutes ago, Tenderlok said:

Hi Davide,

Interesting to see your solution for the Seuthe no. 99. Mine is a bit different: I found that the metal shell which comes with it, when turned upside down, fits perfectly between the studs of a plate with holes - where it can be glued to accomodate the smoke generator. On the right, you can see the whole arrangement:

Best regards,
Sven

Hi Sven!!! 

Fantastic solution with rubbers!!!  -

Strange - I do not have that additional metal part in the package!  Initially I wanted organize the whole thing exactly as you did - Seuthe over a plate with holes and wires going down in a hole 

...I still cannot believe how much detail is in that little part of locomotive shown in this picture 

 

 

[Sven J]

Thanks Davide! Of course, I'll show the whole model once it's finished.

17 minutes ago, Paperinik77pk said:

Strange - I do not have that additional metal part in the package!

Were the smoke generator's two wires already soldered to it when you bought it? If not, I think the seller sold you a no. 9  instead of 99:
http://seuthe-dampf.de/spur-h0/
(Unfortunately, the website is in German only, but you can see the package contents in the pictures.)

Edited June 22, 2018 by Tenderlok

[Paperinik77pk]

It has both wires soldered -  It is a "99" for sure (I have the package here) - but it lacks that second black part - I have everything apart it.

Now it comes back to mind - the package was a bit open when I received it - maybe It was lost in some way.

But nooooooproblem it works fine - the only thing worrying me - it makes a little puff of smoke - will anyone be able to see it when the locomotive is  moving?

I have to try the whole thing !in motion".  Yesterday it was too late to put down a little track - plus, my wife after 3 minutes of "smoking" asked me "what's this smell - it seems oil burning" - in fact - it was! 

[Sven J]

2 minutes ago, Paperinik77pk said:

[...] the only thing worrying me - it makes a little puff of smoke - will anyone be able to see it when the locomotive is  moving?

When I tried it, I thought that it produced almost too much smoke. Do you use rechargeable batteries? In this case the total voltage might be too low. Connected to my BuWizz, in "normal" mode with its 7.2 V the Seuthe emits a very thin stream of smoke, but in "fast" mode (9.2 V) and with the slider at 100%, it's fogging the whole room...

And as you said, the smell is a bit special - for connoisseurs only...

[MAB]

If you can get hold of cardice / dry ice pellets you can put drop some those down the chimney into a small dish of water. Although it is heavier than air so the "smoke" falls to the ground unless you have decent movement to make the smoke move as it dissipates.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

11 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

Hi all,

this is the solution I'm preparing for my new big garden toy locomotive - which is under development and it's a steamer.

It is a Seuthe 99 Steam Generator  - I saw it on YouTube on a small Lego locomotive and I bought it some weeks ago.

Amazing steam generator! 

Thanks for sharing Davide

[Paperinik77pk]

23 hours ago, LEGO Train 12 Volts said:

Amazing steam generator! 

Thanks for sharing Davide

Thanks to you for being always supportive

I understood why I had only a small amount of smoke - I checked with my tester the 9v battery I was using - it actually produces 8.1v - so it is completely tired! I used the 9v train transformer - and smoke finally came out easily!

A very mean idea to use the smoke generator connected to a 12v steam locomotive is passing trough my poor brain right now...

 

 

[Sven J]

27 minutes ago, Paperinik77pk said:

A very mean idea to use the smoke generator connected to a 12v steam locomotive is passing trough my poor brain right now...

Uh-oh...

 

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

12 hours ago, Paperinik77pk said:

A very mean idea to use the smoke generator connected to a 12v steam locomotive is passing trough my poor brain right now...

And in my brain too...

[Sven J]

On 6/22/2018 at 4:08 PM, Dorino said:

Can we see any video of it in action? Interested :)

Ooops, nearly forgot this thread, sorry...
In the meantime, the engine is finished (see here); the requested video is on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac6lm0-XT_g

(Sorry, but somehow, embedding the video doesn't work.)