Weeping safety valve - Roundhouse

[IrishPeter]

My Millie's safety valve is weeping ever so slightly - a steady quiet - sh-sh-sh-sh. Not being familiar with R/H safety valves I initially thought it was simply an eccentricity, but as Millie seems to be somewhat short winded I have decided it might be a leak.

The amount of steam lost is not that significnt but it does knock the edge off the performance. I am working on the theory that something or other that is between the valve face and the outside casting so that the valve does not completely close.

The question seems to be - how do I remove whatever it is that is making the safety weep?

Peter in AZ

[DLRdan]

Something I do when this happens is to get a pair or plyers while the engine is in steam and lift the valve up. This quite often clears little bits of debris under the O ring.

[Adam R]

Soak it in vinegar and replace the o Ring, I have some spare O rings I can lob in the post if you need, and I remember to do it

Check the operation of the 'pin' that pops out the top small.

if there is no obstruction and the operation is consistant, its adjustment, I advise you get it adjusted on a loco that has a pressure gauge, and steam theirs, see where the valve lifts on the gauge and set yours the same, DO not under and ciscumstances take the pressure on the gauge to be right, Small gauges are horrifically inaccurate. but if it lifts in about the same place on the gauge, it'll be fine. Better to be under set than over.

If yours has a gauge, find a friend with a millie, bertie or sammie etc or any other's with a RH safety Valve of the same type/ pressure.

You can always take it apart and clean out if the need arises, but id get it set up properly if you are not confident in getting it set correctly afterwards.

[tom_tom_go]

RH service is excellent - send them an email explaining the problem and they will sort it out for you if none of the suggestions work.

Cheers,

Tom

[IrishPeter]

I have found that tweeking the valve to blow the 'deposits' out of the valve seat does the trick After that I try to keep her just under blowing-off pressure so we do not get stuff back in there.  I am surprised that after filtering the water supply through a coffee filter that there is still so much rubbish in it, especially as I use rainwater.

Peter in AZ