Proper smoke protocol

I don't know of any protocols personally, but I'll share how I run my loco smoke. I have never had any issues. I place about 5 drops of fluid in the reservoir and run my smoke for about the first 10 mins or so that I run the loco. Then the room gets filled or my wife complains so I shut it off and run the rest of the session without. I always add the few drops of fluid as I'm sure you don't want to burn up the wicks. I have many smoke features around the layout as well, ie, smoke stacks, exhaust ports. I basically do the same for those.

5 drops won't do anything for fan driven smoke units, even Lionel and MTH recommend 20 drops, and that's not enough for a truly dry smoke unit.

Very helpful input so far.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

5 drops won't do anything for fan driven smoke units, even Lionel and MTH recommend 20 drops, and that's not enough for a truly dry smoke unit.

once again, never had an issue. 20 drops and the thing is blowing fluid everywhere. to each his own.

Whatever blows your hair back.

A bunch of drops and then blowing into the stack. Works every time.

I can go into more detail.

First time I start an MTH engine with fan driven smoke, I put 20 + drops in stack and blow lightly down the stack.

I typically run engine for a few laps (5 minutes).

When done running, I put a few drops down the stack.

For MTH, I always use MTH Protosmoke fluid; for Lionel I always use Lionel Premium smoke fluid.

For all future runs of MTH locomotives with fan driven smoke, I put in 8 to 10 drops or about 20% of the medicine dropper of Protosmoke and lightly blow down the stack before I start the engine. Then, I follow the rest of the steps in the above protocol.

Doing the above has greatly reduced my problems with MTH Smoke units.

What do you think? Am I doing anything unnecessary? If so, what is unnecessary?

How much is too much smoke fluid to put into an MTH engine?

Arnold

I've needed 30+ drops in a new dry fan driven unit. Usually 20 will due after that. 10 drops if I'm topping off a still smoking unit on the tracks after a few minutes of cool down. I've never got anywhere with 5 drops.

I'm a big MTH PS3 guy for smoke like Arnold but I have to say my 5 or so lionel engines from more recent years smoke just as well.

From what I've  heard lionel has come a long way with their smoke in recent years. Not to mention JT Mega steam was a game changer in my opinion.

Brad