Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Steam => Topic started by: kiwimodeller on May 09, 2010, 11:20:44 am
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Greetings all, has anybody experience with using an electric motor to restart a steam engine? I have seen it done but did not take much notice at the time. I have a Gage VR1A single cylinder 1/2" bore by 5?8" stroke. It is reversable but of course may not restart if it stops at top or bottom centre. I have a spare radio channel and room to fit a small electric motor which I thought I would connect to the flywheel with an O ring. Can anybody suggest how big a motor I might need and what reduction ratio? Thanks, Ian.
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Just a thought Ian.........how about a flywheel with serrations on the VR1A engine & a servo to joggle the serrations until a steam start is made .... :o - Derek
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Leave it permanently belt drive connected and use it as a generator to keep the battery re-charged?
As for size and torque it would be in the try it and see category if the belt drive went to the large diameter on the flywheel and you used a small pulley on the motor you may get away with a pretty small motor
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July/August 1986 "Radio Control Boat Modeller" A Barring engine for a Stuart 10V
And not sure if "Bogstandard" showed in effect a tumbler type mechanism for starting on this forum.
Regards Ian.
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In can't find any posts from Bogs on this forum but he's around as he pointed me to this forum yesterday. If you want I can PM him on the other forum?
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No problem, at the moment I am proceeding in fits and starts with the installation (see my other post) and then when it is up and running I will work on the electric start if it is needed. I have put a reversable prop in the boat instead of using the engine reverse so I may not need the starter but it would be an interesting thing to do anyway. Cheers, Ian.