Does anyone have a source for a small check valve to be used with a lubricator? Or a source for a drawing for a check valve?
Would be using 1/8" copper tubing with it, this is for a 3/4" scale engine.
Inline Oil Check Valve
Inline Oil Check Valve
-Frank K.
Re: Inline Oil Check Valve
Pm research has check valves down to 3/16ths mtp......you could make a threaded pipe reducer to take it on down to your 1/8th tubing
Re: Inline Oil Check Valve
i run these out of sight, they work flawlessly
https://www.clippard.com/part/MCV-1BB
with these
https://www.clippard.com/part/11923-BLK
https://www.clippard.com/part/MCV-1BB
with these
https://www.clippard.com/part/11923-BLK
If it is not live steam. its not worth it.
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Sandiapaul
- Posts: 567
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 8:04 am
- Location: Princeton, NJ
Re: Inline Oil Check Valve
Locoparts have 1/8" I just got one a couple weeks ago. They are (I think) the old Coles ones. Not on their site. Email and ask.
Re: Inline Oil Check Valve
Hi Frank,
A few years ago I made 3 LBSC style mechanical lubricators, one for a part built 3 1/2" gauge "Virginia" and two for the 3 1/2" gauge Boston & Albany Tank locomotive, one for each side. They had the regular spring ball check. I put one on each side of the B&A but when I ran it, I found that the least bit of dirt in the steam oil caused the balls to not seat properly and then the cylinder steam pressure would blow all the oil out of the lubricator reservoir, or if it was a slow leak, the reservoir would fill with water.
The conventional solution to this problem is to add a second ball check in series with the idea that both shouldn't fail at the same time.
I didn't like the idea of having to make more ball checks for an unsure solution, so I came up with a solution which was simple, easy to make and reliable. I made one for each lubricator, installed them and basically forgot them. They are simple and work perfectly every time.
The attached drawing shows how to make one. The finished check valve screws into the bottom of the LBSC style lubricator through the bottom of the oil reservoir. Don't silver solder the side branch into the valve body until you have the lubricator mounted on the locomotive. That way you can see which way the delivery line has to face. Mark the position on the valve body and then silver solder the discharge line in place.
In operation, the upper "O" ring seats on the flat face inside the valve body to make a seal while the second "O" ring acts as a spring to hold the sealing "O" ring in place. The pin that the "O" rings fit on keeps the "O" rings in place and also prevents the sealing "O" ring from collapsing from the reverse steam pressure.
I'm sorry about the quality of the drawing. When posting to this forum, blue isn't the best choice for annotation or maybe green for object lines, but when you create it in Anvil1000, it looks great and is fine for all my regular needs.
As a check valve for low flows, you can't get anything simpler. Its a perfect example of the KISS principle.
Richard Trounce.
A few years ago I made 3 LBSC style mechanical lubricators, one for a part built 3 1/2" gauge "Virginia" and two for the 3 1/2" gauge Boston & Albany Tank locomotive, one for each side. They had the regular spring ball check. I put one on each side of the B&A but when I ran it, I found that the least bit of dirt in the steam oil caused the balls to not seat properly and then the cylinder steam pressure would blow all the oil out of the lubricator reservoir, or if it was a slow leak, the reservoir would fill with water.
The conventional solution to this problem is to add a second ball check in series with the idea that both shouldn't fail at the same time.
I didn't like the idea of having to make more ball checks for an unsure solution, so I came up with a solution which was simple, easy to make and reliable. I made one for each lubricator, installed them and basically forgot them. They are simple and work perfectly every time.
The attached drawing shows how to make one. The finished check valve screws into the bottom of the LBSC style lubricator through the bottom of the oil reservoir. Don't silver solder the side branch into the valve body until you have the lubricator mounted on the locomotive. That way you can see which way the delivery line has to face. Mark the position on the valve body and then silver solder the discharge line in place.
In operation, the upper "O" ring seats on the flat face inside the valve body to make a seal while the second "O" ring acts as a spring to hold the sealing "O" ring in place. The pin that the "O" rings fit on keeps the "O" rings in place and also prevents the sealing "O" ring from collapsing from the reverse steam pressure.
I'm sorry about the quality of the drawing. When posting to this forum, blue isn't the best choice for annotation or maybe green for object lines, but when you create it in Anvil1000, it looks great and is fine for all my regular needs.
Richard Trounce.