When do you refill your smoke units?

Do it when the smoke starts to taper off. Do NOT wait until it stops, or you will be rebuilding a burnt up smoke unit.

Modern smoke units are not like postwar smoke units. You can run postwar smoke units dry and not harm them. But then postwar units did not produce the volume of smoke that modern units produce.

I usually refill when the smoke intensity gets weaker but never let it get to the point when I don’t see smoke at all.   I also let the smoke unit cool down 5 or 10 minuets before refilling. 

At the end of each session I empty one full dropper in.

Jon

When the smoke lessens I turn off the smoke unit and at the end of the running session I refill the unit with about 3/4 of dropper. 

Seems to work, I have proto 2 L1 Mikado that is 19 years old and it smokes as good as a brand new locomotive. The wick has never been changed! 

Dave

Just before a video shoot..jk..anyway fast forward to 50 seconds for eye watering room filling smoke

KOOLjock1 posted:

At the end of each session I empty one full dropper in.

Jon

At the start of the next session do you then add another full dropper ?

I always add fluid before running. Depending on the fluid, some evaporation happens. If I dont run an engine for a long time it's going to be slightly dry anyhow. And speaking of dry, gravity has stopped the flow of upward wicking and wicking fiber is kinda empty on top. At least 1 drop is a good primer for wicking. If it slows in smoking, it gets a max refill or put on the shelf till next run.

Willygee,

Nice video!

First thing I check upon start up on single diesels. It's a little more involved when choosing ALL.  

I either add fluid if desired or needed or make sure the smoke is OFF. 

ONLY refill your smoke units when the smoke starts to taper off.  The way modern SUs work is a fan blows smoke out of the vent which is heated by a wick.  The wick in the smoke unit has a coil around it that heats up the smoke fluid that is on the wick, which eventually gets blown out by the fan.  If you overfill your unit, you risk damaging the coil, or even worse, the fan.  I always count how many drops I put in a locomotive, I start with 25, turn it back on and see if it’s enough, and then add another 15 IF NECESSARY.  I won’t go above 45 drops.  You should also wait before adding smoke as the “pot” at the bottom of the unit can crack (just like hot glass when cold water is poured in) and then the unit won’t operate properly, if at all.

I always turn my smoke off and let it run a lap to 3/4 of a lap before I refill it. I refill it when it is to the point where it starting to fade in and out. I always put 20 drops when I start in the beginning of the day if it hasn’t operated within 2 weeks. (Basically every engine gets filled before it runs).

Arthur posted:

KOOLjock1 posted:

At the end of each session I empty one full dropper in.

Jon

At the start of the next session do you then add another full dropper ?

I do the same as Jon and others. I’ll put more fluid in when I power down for the night but I will run the engine before I put more in to have a visual of where the level is at and not flood the smoke unit. 

I refill when I notice the smoke volume has dropped significantly. As mentioned above, don't let it diminish too much or it will just burn the wick even more. Keep that wick soaked for long lasting performance, more than 4 hours  

I add smoke when I can see the other side of the room ;-)

Usually I put in 0.5 ml at the beginning of running, and let it soak in for a couple minutes.  I only run the smoke for a few minutes at a time.  Sometimes I also put a half ml in after running or just if it hasn't been run in a while.  

I put in a full tube after running trains When I start back up I am good to go  and never run out or over fill. NICK

Maybe a stupid question, is it bad to add fluid while the unit is on?  Will the room temperature fluid hurt the hot unit?

thanks

tony

Tony H posted:

Maybe a stupid question, is it bad to add fluid while the unit is on?  Will the room temperature fluid hurt the hot unit?

thanks

tony

Yes and No. In some cases leaving it on can result in smoke fluid being sprayed out everywhere inside and outside on top. 

I shut it off to re add smoke fluid so I can save the wick there was a video that Mike Regan did that explains this

https://youtu.be/7-DEZ6CErz0

Always shut off the smoke unit.  The fan is running and will stray fluid all over the place

Assuming its a fan driven unit....

SDIV Tim posted:

Tony H posted:

Maybe a stupid question, is it bad to add fluid while the unit is on?  Will the room temperature fluid hurt the hot unit?

thanks

tony

Yes and No. In some cases leaving it on can result in smoke fluid being sprayed out everywhere inside and outside on top. 

I shut it off to re add smoke fluid so I can save the wick there was a video that Mike Regan did that explains this

https://youtu.be/7-DEZ6CErz0

Hey Tim,  In days gone by - I would be critical of some your posts and suggest you go get a girlfriend.  Now I have to COMPLEMENT YOU as  your your posts over the last year have been really good.  What did it?  Did you matured OR you get a girlfriend.  Whichever - you have come a long way - keep it up - WE NEED YOU!

And don't do laundry or dryer when operating with smoke!  

Bill