How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

--
posted from
http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...er-565723-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

On 2013-01-21, Piotr O wrote:
How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.


You can buy one, no need to build it. Landa makes them and so do a few
other manufacturers.

i

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:18:02 +0000, Piotr O
wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

You need power to run the pump. Fact of life

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:22:18 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:18:02 +0000, Piotr O
m wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

You need power to run the pump. Fact of life

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie
The pump can run on an ifernal combustion engine - diesel, gasoline
or propane. Can also be run off compressed air if the truck engine
runs. Nothing stopping a 12 volt pump motor from being used either.
Not real practical - but definitely possible.

The original Steam Jenny makes a gasoline powered one.

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:07:12 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:22:18 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:18:02 +0000, Piotr O
om wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

You need power to run the pump. Fact of life

Gunner


The pump can run on an ifernal combustion engine - diesel, gasoline
or propane. Can also be run off compressed air if the truck engine
runs. Nothing stopping a 12 volt pump motor from being used either.
Not real practical - but definitely possible.

The original Steam Jenny makes a gasoline powered one.

You are absolutely correct indeed. Ive only seen them that had a
electric motor to run the ignitor and blower

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:31:07 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:07:12 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:22:18 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:18:02 +0000, Piotr O
0f8503901d844703eea1acecb7a4938a_1458@example. com wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

You need power to run the pump. Fact of life

Gunner


The pump can run on an ifernal combustion engine - diesel, gasoline
or propane. Can also be run off compressed air if the truck engine
runs. Nothing stopping a 12 volt pump motor from being used either.
Not real practical - but definitely possible.

The original Steam Jenny makes a gasoline powered one.

You are absolutely correct indeed. Ive only seen them that had a
electric motor to run the ignitor and blower

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie
The gasoline powered ones are almost the ONLY way to clean up
equipment for field repair. The only option is a generator set to run
the electric one.

replying to Piotr O, Piotr O wrote:
Piotr O wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi
tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before
working on
the truck.



--
Thanks for the responses but this is not what I have in mind. I am looking
for a design for a water tank that is heated by a propane fuel with a high
efficiency burner that will generate enough superheated steam to locally clean
dirt and oily spots on a big diesel engine or other truck components. That
thing will have to fit in a side compartment under sleeper bunk of the truck.
So if I have to get my hands on the truck or get under it I would not get my
hands and clothes covered with huge amount of grease and dirt, and do a better
job fixing things. I do not want to carry big pressure washer around.

--
posted from
http://www.polytechforum.com/metalwo...er-565723-.htm
using PolytechForum's Web, RSS and Social Media Interface to
rec.crafts.metalworking and other engineering groups

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 04:18:01 +0000, Piotr O
wrote:

replying to Piotr O, Piotr O wrote:
Piotr O wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi
tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before
working on
the truck.



--
Thanks for the responses but this is not what I have in mind. I am looking
for a design for a water tank that is heated by a propane fuel with a high
efficiency burner that will generate enough superheated steam to locally clean
dirt and oily spots on a big diesel engine or other truck components. That
thing will have to fit in a side compartment under sleeper bunk of the truck.

See? If you had described -all- your requirements in the -first-
post, responses would have been better keyed to your needs. That'll
teach ya. The fix is to tell your mechanic to PW the engine and
chassis after every oil change. That's better than being stopped by
the inspectors at a weigh station and being arrested by the DHS for
carrying explosive devices across state lines, which your specified
device would cause, eh?


So if I have to get my hands on the truck or get under it I would not get my
hands and clothes covered with huge amount of grease and dirt, and do a better
job fixing things. I do not want to carry big pressure washer around.

Oh, hell. Just buy some waterproof overalls, duuude.

--
With every experience, you alone are painting your
own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice.
-- Oprah Winfrey

Larry Jaques wrote:

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 04:18:01 +0000, Piotr O
wrote:

replying to Piotr O, Piotr O wrote:
Piotr O wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi
tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before
working on
the truck.



--
Thanks for the responses but this is not what I have in mind. I am looking
for a design for a water tank that is heated by a propane fuel with a high
efficiency burner that will generate enough superheated steam to locally clean
dirt and oily spots on a big diesel engine or other truck components. That
thing will have to fit in a side compartment under sleeper bunk of the truck.

See? If you had described -all- your requirements in the -first-
post, responses would have been better keyed to your needs. That'll
teach ya. The fix is to tell your mechanic to PW the engine and
chassis after every oil change. That's better than being stopped by
the inspectors at a weigh station and being arrested by the DHS for
carrying explosive devices across state lines, which your specified
device would cause, eh?

So if I have to get my hands on the truck or get under it I would not get my
hands and clothes covered with huge amount of grease and dirt, and do a better
job fixing things. I do not want to carry big pressure washer around.

Oh, hell. Just buy some waterproof overalls, duuude.


Or cans of engine cleaner. Clean the damn thing once ina while.
Live steam is dangerous, and 'superheated' requires high pressure when
can rupture the boiler. You can't use a "water heater" to produce
steam. It has to boil. Also, steam damages the wiring and plastics
used on most vehicles.

In article .com,
Piotr O wrote:

replying to Piotr O, Piotr O wrote:
Piotr O wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi
tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before
working on
the truck.



--
Thanks for the responses but this is not what I have in mind. I am looking
for a design for a water tank that is heated by a propane fuel with a high
efficiency burner that will generate enough superheated steam to locally clean
dirt and oily spots on a big diesel engine or other truck components. That
thing will have to fit in a side compartment under sleeper bunk of the truck.
So if I have to get my hands on the truck or get under it I would not get my
hands and clothes covered with huge amount of grease and dirt, and do a better
job fixing things. I do not want to carry big pressure washer around.

It sounds like you are describing a propane-powered steam generator used
for taking wallpaper off of walls. I suspect it would take a fairly
large unit to generate sufficient steam for cleaning the underside of a
truck. But these steam generators can be rented for a tryout.

Joe Gwinn

On Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:18:02 +0000, Piotr O
wrote:

How can I build a steam cleaner to carry with me in my truck (big semi tractor
trailer)? I would like to use it to clean oil, dirt and grime before working
on the truck.

You need two. You can make a small pressure washer that'll fit in a
Possum Box on the truck, maybe an 18" cube, but it isn't going to be
heated - just a little 4-HP gasoline engine and a pressure pump. You
can hit the area in question with some Gunk Engine Brite from an
aerosol can to soften up the crap before you blast it off with cold
high-pressure water.

Or a thought... If there's space, you can hang the pressure washer
pump off an APU for your sleeper heat and lights, or on the PTO from
the main truck engine. The hard part would be clutching it in and
out. And it is possible to use stack heat from the engine to preheat
the water - 140F in is almost as good as 200F for the real steam ones.
But you start hanging odd bits off the engine and APU to 'build it
in', and you're going to get a lot of raised eyebrows at the Safety
Inspections - Plan on explaining the whole thing to every inspector
that wants to ticket you for something illegal in their state...

Steam pressure washers are generally a whole lot larger because of the
boiler section - and you'd have to dismount it and move it into the
open, or deal with an exhaust stack from the boiler if permanently
mounted - Possible, but not easy. You probably could make brackets
and mount one on the frame just ahead of the rear axle, or on a cargo
pallet between the Cab and Fifth Wheel - IF you don't have an
Interstate Sleeper. And you'll have to drop the trailer to get the
stack clear.

But you can probably come up with a LOT better use of the cargo weight
and space on the frame rails - like another tank and 150 gallons of
fuel to get across a high-tax state without contributing to the
delinquency of a government.

I would keep the Steam Jenny at home base and clean the chassis about
once a month or when you see it starting to get bad - if you do get a
breakdown on the road the layers of crap won't be all that thick.

WD-40 (it's all solvents...) and a roll or two of sacrificial Scott
Blue Shop paper towels can get that little bit of gunk off, and a
whole lot easier to carry. Carry it in a 5-Gallon plastic bucket with
lid that can be used to cart away the trash.

-- Bruce --