# Ruby Questions



## Jerm (May 7, 2009)

Good day fellow steamers. Ruby is pretty much completed at this point - ****, she is completed really. But I have a question about performance. 

During a session, is usually takes about five minutes or so to raise steam to the point where a steady stream is coming from the safety valve and the pressure gauge reads about 30 psi. I open the throttle, move 'er back and forth some to clear the cylinders and it pretty much drops the pressure down to 5-10 psi. In about three minutes it will build up again, open the throttle and Ruby hardly moves. The long story short is that she seams to take forever to build up pressure and yet lose it in no time what so ever.

Now. Rational Jeremy says that it's probably nothing to be concerned about and just my own inexperience getting the best of me. After all, the one underlying fact I've read a thousand times is that live steam is not a push button hobby; it's not as simple as pressing ON, it involves some skill.


Irrational Jeremy thinks something, somewhere is broken or is leaking in spite of a lack of any evidence to back those theories up.


So the question is, which is correct?

It's worth noting that the jet is not situated perfectly even in the burner. In fact, from the pull curvature of the gas feed, it is pointed to the right by just a hair or two. Does/should this have an affect one way or the other? I honestly haven't had time to take it down to the workshop yet to correct.


Cheers and thanks for your patience.


----------



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeremy 
There are several references in the Live Steam Informational Index: 
http://www.santacruzlumberco.com/MLS_PDFs/SolvingRubyBurnerProblems.pdf 

A few aspects would be to: 
adjust the safety 
make sure that the jet is not clogged 

Read the article on inside admission by D. Hottman in the Informational index to tune the ruby


----------



## Jerm (May 7, 2009)

Thanks for the input Charles, I'll have a look, but I should mention I don't believe I have any burner problems. The flame stays lit perfectly well and is a bright blue with an occasional bit of green.


----------



## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

Try cracking the throttle when you start firing. Longer time to first motion, but the cylinders warm gradually so condensate doesn't make a mess at first motion. With a lot of practice, she will even self start. When you open the throttle to cold cylinders & oiler, you usually have a near full boiler, so little steam space. What little steam you have is quickly condensed by the cold metal parts.

You will still have to keep backing off the butane as the fuel tank warms, generating more pressure. After about 80 runs, I almost understand my Ida. Now, if she would just stop flying off those curves. Pulling a nice draggy Bachmann coach controls the speed - unless she uncouples. Then look out! After the last drop of about 4 feet, she had to have a spinal adjustment (as in clamp the rear in the vise, grab the front and twist carefully) to get all four wheels back in contact with the track. She runs well, but with a slight rocking motion. Her sister Julia (an IP Engineering Jane) now refers to her as Twisted Sister.


----------



## Jerm (May 7, 2009)

George, what you're describing sounds almost exactly like what seems to be happening. Once I open the throttle and clear the cylinders, I have practically no pressure left. I'll give it a try, thanks. 

In other news, I removed and reinstalled the burner last night and have it sitting flush in the tube now, though I still had the same result. I also examined the jet thoroughly and I believe it to be sound.


----------



## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Jeremy,
I don't have a Ruby, or have any experience with them, but here is a thought.
How full are you filling the boiler?
I think the amount of 'air' at the top of the boiler does effect how much steam can be produced.
In other words, if the boiler is nearly full, you use up the available volume of steam and then the fire has to make more.
Perhaps try with the boiler only 2/3 full and see if you get the same result.
Whatever happens, don't stop trying!
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


----------



## gwscheil (Aug 6, 2008)

If you use the cracked throttle warmup method then watch the cylinders. Droplets around the seals say steam is flowing, when the droplets start boiling off, you should be near motion.


----------



## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeremy, 
You should be getting more than 30 psi before that valve pops. I had the same problem with low pressure and had to add an additional washer on my safety valve so that it wouldn't pop before getting up to 40 psi. I also have the same problem with cold cylinders mostly in the winter. I do the same thing as George, only after she gets a head of steam. I put her in neutral first and pop the throttle a little to warm up the oiler and the reversing valve. Then when the steam builds back up I put her in reverse to let some steam in and then forward. I do this for about a minute and then start running her. I don't need to push her back and forth then.


----------



## rivets (Jun 17, 2009)

Hey Jerm, 
My Ruby kit went together OK but I had performance questions too. I did a few things and now she goes very well and can start a load (brick on a flat car) on a 2% grade. 

First make sure the chassis is really smooth and turns easily on air. I had to adjust things until it was smooth and sat on four wheels. After that: 

Best thing was to make it inside admission per the instructions around- basically you reverse the position of the drivers when setting the eccentrics. Reverse is the new forward then. 
I pulled the spring in the relief a bit, same as adding a washer as above. 
The fitting that holds the throttle assembly to the boiler can leak (mine and others have) and with the cab on you can't see it so check that. 
I had to tighten the cylinder end bolts and valve top phillips screws after only a couple hours running because they were leaking. 
I cut a long angle on the end of the brass exhaust tube, which opened it up and made it sound better too. 
When you fill the boiler, then take out 20ml. Even that space is hardly enough steam to start cold cylinders without a plume of oily water coming out. But my Ruby now starts on her own with the spectacular Fountain of Bellagio effect for a few feet. 

I also added RC because my Ruby liked to fly too. I bought a moderate RC car set and used micro servos, one to throttle and one direct to the reverser. Now she stays earthbound, and I can use the reverser as a brake and keep my "load" in control. Now that she runs the next step is to 7/8ths her. 

Keep tinkering, 

John


----------



## Jerm (May 7, 2009)

Thank you all for the hints and tips. Last weekend I changed Ruby to inside admission but didn't see any improvement (though I plan to keep it inside). I've tried stretching out the spring on the safety valve and plan to fire it up this afternoon to see if that helps any. Today is a good day for it, too; hot and humid.


----------



## Jerm (May 7, 2009)

Update: Tested out the modified valve this weekend past and met with slightly more success. I managed to get the pressure up to about 27 psi before it blew, which is better than the low-20s I'd previously reported, but still not great. I think I'll be looking into an aftermarket replacement. 

On a side note, I looked at the Sulphur Springs site but didn't see such a thing in particular for Ruby. Does anyone have the part number? 

Besides that, I was messing with the burner previously and I believe my gas line may have a leak as it took forever to raise the pressure such and I ran out of gas shortly thereafter. But that, at least, shouldn't be a problem to fix. Out of curiosity, anyone tried using a flexible gas line to the burner, ie. something from the R/C hobby?


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerm on 29 Jul 2009 02:22 PM 
Out of curiosity, anyone tried using a flexible gas line to the burner, ie. something from the R/C hobby? 

Not on a Ruby, but I have used model airplane fuel line on a "Bagrs Basic"..
I dont recall the brand name, but its flexable tubing made specifically for model airplane fuel lines..
works great! holds up to steam heat and pressure just fine..












For a Ruby, you should probably clamp the ends, where the blue tubing meets the metal piping..
I think the Bagrs basic boiler is quite low pressure..but I did have the tubing pop off once, due to pressure, because I waited too long to start the engine..
Scot


----------

