# Upgrade to a Summerlands Chuffer...



## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

Just got my summerlands chaffer installed in my Sp Ten wheeler that I ordered from Silverstate (thank you) . What a huge difference! And does is sure sound great!!! Time to get one for my shay now.... 

Before... 



SPng 8 from Matt Z on Vimeo.


After....


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds great, I have one on my Mikado and really like it. Can't go wrong with them, low price, easy install.


----------



## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

Yep, you have got that right jerry, can't beat 45 bucks for that part!


----------



## papachazzz (Jan 9, 2011)

Sounds Great! 

Makes a huge difference in the sound of the loco you experience. This will be on the top of the list to tweak my first live steamer.


----------



## roadranger (Jan 6, 2008)

Sounds good! 
I have a chuffer on each of my engines... well worth the time/money IMO. 

Zonk - your engine sounds a little out of time?


----------



## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

Thanks guys. Jim I did notice that, it is definitely noticeable with the chuffer now. May be time to do a little tweaking.


----------



## docstoy (May 15, 2009)

Not all engines tolerate the Summerland chuffer. i installed one on an older Roundhouse SRRL #24 and found the whole system went out of sync. Apparently the design of the Roundhouse system doesn't leave much room for alteration. More specifically, the bore of the inside of the stack is not large enough to accomodate the additional pipe diameter of the chuffer, and air flow suffers. I had to remove it after 10-15 runs as the firing of the engine was much more difficult, lighting, consistent burn etc. In some engines the Chuffer will be accomodated, but in others it may lead to problems.


----------



## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Summerlands Chuffer really improved my Roundhouse Katie, as did the Jim Sanders WeeBee safety, as seen here...


----------



## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Jim C (AKA Dr J) had a chuffer in his Roundhouse SR&RL 24 and it seemed to work fine, sounded good too!


----------



## agrund (Feb 19, 2011)

I made good experience with Summerland Chuffers in a Regner G 3/4 and an Aster 3 Cylinder Shay (though geared locos are not the ideal case...) and I ordered another one for an Aster Krauss tank loco. Please note, there are standard versions and slim versions, depending on smoke stack dimensions, available. 

Andreas


----------



## Chris B (Oct 18, 2009)

Posted By docstoy on 18 Jul 2012 06:09 AM 
Not all engines tolerate the Summerland chuffer. i installed one on an older Roundhouse SRRL #24 and found the whole system went out of sync. Apparently the design of the Roundhouse system doesn't leave much room for alteration. More specifically, the bore of the inside of the stack is not large enough to accomodate the additional pipe diameter of the chuffer, and air flow suffers. I had to remove it after 10-15 runs as the firing of the engine was much more difficult, lighting, consistent burn etc. In some engines the Chuffer will be accomodated, but in others it may lead to problems. 
Hi Docstoy
In fact the Summerlands Chuffer was originally designed for Roundhouse. I started with a Katie, which I think has a narrower stack than the No24, and now cover the entire range. Roger Loxley (the founder of Roundhouse) was concerned to begin with, but then tested one at the factory and found no problems. When I came to do one for the Tom Rolt, which has a tiny stack, Roger tested the 3/16" size and found no problems in lighting or burning. There must be close to 1500 running in Roundhouse locos across the globe, including a good number of No24's.

I find that it is much better to light Roundhouse Locos at the bse of the smokebos, whether a chuffer is fitted or not. I recently filmed a chufferless Bertie and had great difficulty lighting it at all without putting my finger over one hole on the burner - a useful trick, incidentally, on some Accucraft too. You mention that yours was an older loco - did you check the jet? Sometimes gunge forms in the gas tanks wch causes a gradual problem.

As has been mentioned, there are now four main diameters of Chuffer and we can always do a a special for a particular loco if the one off-the-peg doesn't suit. Please do PM me to discuss this if you would like to do so off group.

Incidentally - many thanks to Zonc for posting the video - it is the first time I have seen an SPng8 if full voice ;-)
Cheers
Chris


----------



## Zonk (Feb 20, 2008)

You're welcome Chris. Thanks for such a cool product. 

Matt


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris--you have a PM.

Larry


----------



## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

Chris, you have another PM 

Chester Louis SA #64 
Hampshire County Narrow Gauge


----------



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris,
Any way you can decrease a chuffer's volume? Sometimes chauffer is over powering. I swear, some loco'


----------



## Chris B (Oct 18, 2009)

Posted By Chris Scott on 22 Jul 2012 08:19 AM 
Chris, Any way you can decrease a chuffer's volume? Sometimes chauffer is over powering. I swear, some loco' 
Hi Chris 
Thanks for the question - which seemed to end rather suddenly - I hope you are OK!!

I have always designed the chuffers to deliver the best and loudest sound by using the natural accoustics of the loco. This is because most folk run their locos outside and like to be able to hear them. Where the problem comes, I think, is where we have big locos, running indoors, with huge loads and for a long time. That can become a bit wearing! The answer is that some can be made quieter by lowering the height of the chuffer until the sound slot is right at the base of the stack. When it is inside the smokebox, it tends to muffle and can possibly affect the butner, but just inside is ok. This can only be done where the 1/4" or 7/16" chuffer is used and then it is a case of cutting a piece out of the copper tube and sleeving in a piece of 5/32" K&S tube. This will fit firmly on the 1/8" copper and if it is loose, you can tighten it with the slightest bend in the copper. You can then adjust the position to alter the volume. Please note that this does not apply to the Shays, Climax, K4 or any of the chuffers for the more complex stacks.

A simpler solution would be to swap back to the standard exhaust for prolonged indoor running and a more complex one would be for me to design a special for you to make it softer. 

Incidentally, thanks for the PM's guys - I am always happy to deal with questions. 

Cheers
Chris


----------



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris. 


Chris B.; 
Quite ok. Wife, plane, let's go, etc. 

Stack diameter source sounds right. Only remember noticing on big narrow gauge locos. Their stacks prob 2+ diameter vs RH. Their stack must be closer to a cayon echo. Seems like a sleeve pipe diameter of RH loco stack slipped over the chuffer would quiet things. Could even try different diameter sleeves to experiment with volume and tuning. 
Thanks.


----------



## ththfxr (Dec 27, 2007)

Putting a Summerlands Chuffer on my new Accucraft Forney was a given....sounds great....


----------

