BR Standard class 6 No. 72010 'Hengist' and Clan Discussion Thread

Would that survive the sort of temperatures in a locomotive firebox?

 

You can deposit copper on steel merely by immersing it in a copper sulphate solution. You need nickel or copper to electroplate steel for a chrome finish. It helps with corrosion resistance, and in decorative chrome, gives a better finish.

 

I assumed the suggestion was that it would be on the water side, not the fire side.

Seems a lot of extra faff to me though, when the evidence is that, suitably managed, both copper and steel fireboxes work in practice.

Tom

 

I don't know, but earth rods are not expensive, you could buy one and attack it with a blow torch and see what happens. Form the manufacturer's literature, if I remember correctly, the electroplated type are more resilient than other types of coating.

 

As I recall, decent chrome plating requires three layers: copper, then nickel, then chrome. For what it's worth, I prefer nickel plate for brightwork - less brash...

Copper plating with CuSO4 was a first year chemistry lesson at secondary school for me

 

Not just temperature, there are also electrochemical effects to consider. I know absolutely nothing about the subject in detail, but understand that when high temperatures are involved it gets rather complicated.

 

Correct..

 

As the suggestion was to apply the coating to the outside of the inner firebox, it doesn't really matter what it looks like. Copper coated steel is used on electrical earthing systems which can get extremely hot if there is a high power short circuit. This could result in higher temperatures than would occur in a boiler, though hopefully not for very long!

 

Then of course, having got your nice shiny plated box, you pepper it full of holes and screw in lots of dissimilar metal things. Heat up same and can imagine the coating fraying rapidly at edges.
While I like the lateral thinking, we can probably park this one?

 

Copper coating the inside surface of the firebox, that is fire side, would last about 10 of a hot coal fire, I imagine.

Not sure of the value of coating the water side.

 

There probably isn't one, let someone else try it out and we will just stick with the steel and good water treatment regime for Hengist. We could always try the idea out on the replacement firebox when it is due?

 

So a steel inner firebox with the boiler presumably built at Meiningen (I can't think of anywhere that builds newly designed boilers with steel fireboxes) with the design adapted accordingly with a wider waterspace and smaller grate? If the experience of 60163 is anything to go by, where is the advantage? Judging by the price quoted for other new similarly sized boilers with copper fireboxes, it's not price.

 

I seriously doubt anyone will be jumping blindly into bed with Meiningen in the near future given their recent track record?

 

Wolsztyn are having two new boilers built for Ol49-59 and 69 at Kolin in the Czech Republic. All steel, all welded. Judging by some of the photos I've seen, I wouldn't recommend them!

 

SEA ?
Surely they will be subject to Inspection like every other...

 

The suggestion was in reply to post #2777 above

 

Are Czech standards the same as UK standards? The photos showing the quality of the welding says otherwise.

 

Very doubtful, even German standards (during pre Brexit days) were not as high as U.K. standards, as I understand it Meiningen found it 'Cheaper' (more cost effective) to employ contract British welders for the first 'Tornado' boiler than to train German welders up to UK standards.