Glad I watched. I was just WILLED a 20hp Reid . Some piping was missing on the front so I think I got the knowledge here of how to replumb it Thanks for the video
a layman, myself, actually understood how this works by '4:00' - explained so step-by-step - wish all instructors were as well-paced and methodical [[ from 1st grade up! ]] also - at '7:25' your hot tube mock-up is a wonderful teaching aid, smart idea for kids and OLDER kids visiting Zagray..
Great video and explanation. Could you do one on magneto and buzz coil ignitions, with spark plug and the other with points type igniter? Maybe do one on Franko too explaining how he works......that would be really interesting.
Your first request is exactly what is in my video editor right now being put together! the second request... i don't think even he knows! I do know he runs on Cumberland Farms coffee, cigarettes, and junk ford parts.
It's not all that different from how the engines in my nitro RC cars/airplane fire off, only they don't use a torch to provide heat(Instead a catalytic reaction between rare earth metals in the element and the methanol in fuel combined with latent engine heat keep it lit and a small current is used for engine startup).
Is it necessary for the torch to be running the entire time the engine is used. Would the cumbustion gasses be able to keep the tube hot on its own like a hot bulb engine? Also, if your torch failed, clogged , etc could you keep it running with a small fire around the tube or something?
Do you think it's possible to turn a 4 stroke single cylinder lawnmower engine into a hot tube engine by screwing a no-foul insert into the spark plug hole and using piece of say a 1/2" NPT water pipe after re-tapping (or just welding it in) the spark plug end of the no-soul insert? From your video, the fuel and air is sucked into the hot tube rather than both going through an intake valve. Kind of like a diesel engine where fuel is injected at TDC but the air is sucked in through an intake valve. Could the fuel and air both be sucked through an intake valve? Either through a carburetor or simple a valve like these guys are doing converting lawnmowers to run on propane but without a mixer. Of course that would be set up for a single speed. Maybe disconnect the governor. Could this be accomplished on an OHV engine? They normally run 8.5:1. An L-head engine might work better at 6:1. I understand these engines ran around 3:1 . The no-foul insert should reduce the C/R but I don't know how much. Another thought was to use a glow plug instead of a torch. Hook it to a toggle switch and let it get hot for a minute or so.
No idea, I'm guessing the rpm that a small engine runs at would prohibit proper function of the hot tube ignition, but I'm not sure. And you misunderstand the hot tube a bit, it is a dead headed tube. Nothing flows through it.
@@themadmailler I was curious about where fuel entered the combustion chamber. Glad you cleared that up. I've seen allot of hit and miss engines here in the United States at tractor shows but never a hot bulb engine. For some reason I don't think they were that common but there was a company in New York I think that made them. Looking at videos I thought fuel was injected (or sucked) into the tube like a diesel at TDC then after the air was compressed and everything was pushed into the tube, ignition occured. Of course that would have to happen before the downstroke since the fuel is not under pressure. I'm definitely going to try this wheather it works or not. One of my concerns is power maybe reduced to the point the engine may not have enough bollocks to cut grass. I once replaced a 12 hp Briggs engine on a Snapper with an 8 hp Techumseh which has a 33" deck, I couldn't mow anything taller than 6" if grass. I'd have to make half a cut at a time in tall grass or it would bog down the engine. I think Snapper put 8 hp engines on 28" decks but never a 33" deck for that reason.
@@turbofiat the fuel and air are sucked in normally, and during compression some of it is forced into the tube where it ignites. Good luck with your experiment!
So does the hot tube have some sort of exhaust valve at the top? How does it hold compression to keep the gas in the tube/ push piston down once ignited but then also release the exhaust gasses?
It's just a dead ended tube. It doesn't release gasses, the spent gasses remaining in it is what created the ignition timing. Once the spent gasses are compressed up the tube on the compression stroke, then the fresh fuel can contact the tube and ignite.
Since the response of hot tube determines the timing, are these engines more or less constant speed? I have seen hot bulb engine out on farms running generators but from what I remember they did not need a constant flame. I assume that is the same thing, but as usual Americans have a different name for it?
hot bulb and hot tube are different. hot bulbs are oil engines, and the bulb vaporizes the heavier fuel. hot tubes are ignition sources. and they are more or less constant speed, but more due to their intended use and mechanical limitations. they can run a range of speeds though. ignition timing doesn't affect them that much.
The timing explanation seems backwards to me. As the tube grows longer, doesn't that mean that the fuel charge will not contact the hottest part of the tube until later in the stroke? Or is there another factor involved?
It does seem counter intuitive, but that's how it is. I have not verified that info quantitatively, but that's in the list of "hot tube rules". I've just always used and seen used 6" tubes, they seem to be good for most everything.
Hi@@themadmailler, As farr as i know the hot tube dosnt have anything to do with timing, it is merely there for ignition. Timing is achieved by way of a fuel inlet valve that in turn is operated off the side shaft, that is connected to the crank. All those mechanical parts are engine speed related, and there for timing is built into the engine parts by way of key ways and gib keys. The fuel ( kero ) is sucked into the firing chamber through the mechanically timed inlet valve, but that mechanical system is in turn operated from the engine speed governor, usually a fly weight setup. This is what causes the engine to hit and miss . When the engine is on the suction stroke, the timed fuel inlet valve is opened momentarily, this acts like a syringe being drawn backwards, so no pump injector or carby required. I see that you referred to a 6 inch tube in your comment, i wonder if you were looking at the vaporizer, it has a cylinder shape that houses the coils that witch the kerosine passes through, it is about 6 inches long. This is where the fuel is vaporized ready to be sucked into the firing chamber. Hot tube ignition is some times referred to as incandescent tube ignition, A starting lamp is used to heat up the head, then removed once the engine is running. An engine with this sort of ignition is called a semi diesel engine. I hope i have answered some of your questions. Ok, i just viewed your engine, perhaps i should have done that first before i commented. Your beautiful engine has a constant flame ignition, it is incandescent tube. Most of the information given above refers to engines like blackstones that have vaporizers.
No, because they run on a gaseous fuel and are not compression ignition. Compression forces gas into the hot tube to ignite, but that doesn't mean that the gas ignites due to heat provided by compression, such as in a diesel or oil engine.
Glad I watched. I was just WILLED a 20hp Reid . Some piping was missing on the front so I think I got the knowledge here of how to replumb it
Thanks for the video
a layman, myself, actually understood how this works by '4:00' - explained so step-by-step - wish all instructors were as well-paced and methodical [[ from 1st grade up! ]] also - at '7:25' your hot tube mock-up is a wonderful teaching aid, smart idea for kids and OLDER kids visiting Zagray..
Great video and explanation. Could you do one on magneto and buzz coil ignitions, with spark plug and the other with points type igniter? Maybe do one on Franko too explaining how he works......that would be really interesting.
Your first request is exactly what is in my video editor right now being put together! the second request... i don't think even he knows! I do know he runs on Cumberland Farms coffee, cigarettes, and junk ford parts.
Very interesting and clearly explained , thank you ! Such a simple and practical solution ( if you have a surplus Natural Gas supply anyway ! )
Thanks! glad you enjoyed.
or a wood gasifier, or a biodigester
Fascinating! Thanks for the tour.
Very interesting, thank you for the video!
keep up the good work
It's not all that different from how the engines in my nitro RC cars/airplane fire off, only they don't use a torch to provide heat(Instead a catalytic reaction between rare earth metals in the element and the methanol in fuel combined with latent engine heat keep it lit and a small current is used for engine startup).
can you explain how Emil Capiten's glowing tube engine worked.
Thank you sir ❤❤❤❤
Nicely explained, thank you...
Very interesting!
Very interesting video. Did the gas have to be lit all the time to keep the hot tube hot, even when the engine was running?
Yes. On a hotbulb diesel, however, the torch may be shut off after starting because the ignition heat is enough to keep the bulb hot.
Ok, thank's for the reply, something new learned. Regards from Ireland.
the tube’s flame could be turned off if the insulated chimney is closed at the same time.
Good explanation
Is it necessary for the torch to be running the entire time the engine is used. Would the cumbustion gasses be able to keep the tube hot on its own like a hot bulb engine? Also, if your torch failed, clogged , etc could you keep it running with a small fire around the tube or something?
Apparently hot tubes don't idle well, but up and running under load the bulb stays hot enough under use to require no further input.
So how does the fuel get into the cylinder?
typical suction operated poppet or reed valve.
Do you think it's possible to turn a 4 stroke single cylinder lawnmower engine into a hot tube engine by screwing a no-foul insert into the spark plug hole and using piece of say a 1/2" NPT water pipe after re-tapping (or just welding it in) the spark plug end of the no-soul insert?
From your video, the fuel and air is sucked into the hot tube rather than both going through an intake valve. Kind of like a diesel engine where fuel is injected at TDC but the air is sucked in through an intake valve. Could the fuel and air both be sucked through an intake valve? Either through a carburetor or simple a valve like these guys are doing converting lawnmowers to run on propane but without a mixer. Of course that would be set up for a single speed. Maybe disconnect the governor.
Could this be accomplished on an OHV engine? They normally run 8.5:1. An L-head engine might work better at 6:1. I understand these engines ran around 3:1 . The no-foul insert should reduce the C/R but I don't know how much.
Another thought was to use a glow plug instead of a torch. Hook it to a toggle switch and let it get hot for a minute or so.
No idea, I'm guessing the rpm that a small engine runs at would prohibit proper function of the hot tube ignition, but I'm not sure. And you misunderstand the hot tube a bit, it is a dead headed tube. Nothing flows through it.
@@themadmailler I was curious about where fuel entered the combustion chamber. Glad you cleared that up.
I've seen allot of hit and miss engines here in the United States at tractor shows but never a hot bulb engine.
For some reason I don't think they were that common but there was a company in New York I think that made them.
Looking at videos I thought fuel was injected (or sucked) into the tube like a diesel at TDC then after the air was compressed and everything was pushed into the tube, ignition occured. Of course that would have to happen before the downstroke since the fuel is not under pressure.
I'm definitely going to try this wheather it works or not.
One of my concerns is power maybe reduced to the point the engine may not have enough bollocks to cut grass.
I once replaced a 12 hp Briggs engine on a Snapper with an 8 hp Techumseh which has a 33" deck, I couldn't mow anything taller than 6" if grass. I'd have to make half a cut at a time in tall grass or it would bog down the engine.
I think Snapper put 8 hp engines on 28" decks but never a 33" deck for that reason.
@@turbofiat the fuel and air are sucked in normally, and during compression some of it is forced into the tube where it ignites. Good luck with your experiment!
So does the hot tube have some sort of exhaust valve at the top? How does it hold compression to keep the gas in the tube/ push piston down once ignited but then also release the exhaust gasses?
It's just a dead ended tube. It doesn't release gasses, the spent gasses remaining in it is what created the ignition timing. Once the spent gasses are compressed up the tube on the compression stroke, then the fresh fuel can contact the tube and ignite.
@@themadmailler cool thanks for the quick response
Since the response of hot tube determines the timing, are these engines more or less constant speed?
I have seen hot bulb engine out on farms running generators but from what I remember they did not need a constant flame. I assume that is the same thing, but as usual Americans have a different name for it?
hot bulb and hot tube are different. hot bulbs are oil engines, and the bulb vaporizes the heavier fuel. hot tubes are ignition sources. and they are more or less constant speed, but more due to their intended use and mechanical limitations. they can run a range of speeds though. ignition timing doesn't affect them that much.
New subscriber here. Great videos! Where in Ct are you? I also live in Ct
thanks for subbing! i'm in south central CT.
@@themadmailler oh, hi neighbor!!
The timing explanation seems backwards to me. As the tube grows longer, doesn't that mean that the fuel charge will not contact the hottest part of the tube until later in the stroke?
Or is there another factor involved?
It does seem counter intuitive, but that's how it is. I have not verified that info quantitatively, but that's in the list of "hot tube rules". I've just always used and seen used 6" tubes, they seem to be good for most everything.
Hi@@themadmailler, As farr as i know the hot tube dosnt have anything to do with timing, it is merely there for ignition. Timing is achieved by way of a fuel inlet valve that in turn is operated off the side shaft, that is connected to the crank. All those mechanical parts are engine speed related, and there for timing is built into the engine parts by way of key ways and gib keys. The fuel ( kero ) is sucked into the firing chamber through the mechanically timed inlet valve, but that mechanical system is in turn operated from the engine speed governor, usually a fly weight setup. This is what causes the engine to hit and miss . When the engine is on the suction stroke, the timed fuel inlet valve is opened momentarily, this acts like a syringe being drawn backwards, so no pump injector or carby required. I see that you referred to a 6 inch tube in your comment, i wonder if you were looking at the vaporizer, it has a cylinder shape that houses the coils that witch the kerosine passes through, it is about 6 inches long. This is where the fuel is vaporized ready to be sucked into the firing chamber. Hot tube ignition is some times referred to as incandescent tube ignition, A starting lamp is used to heat up the head, then removed once the engine is running. An engine with this sort of ignition is called a semi diesel engine. I hope i have answered some of your questions. Ok, i just viewed your engine, perhaps i should have done that first before i commented. Your beautiful engine has a constant flame ignition, it is incandescent tube. Most of the information given above refers to engines like blackstones that have vaporizers.
@@blackstone3323 you're confusing hot bulb ignition with hot tube.
@@themadmailler Ok right, i know thay are two different things but i dont know the differences, can you please explain it to me. Much appreciated.
@@blackstone3323 hot bulb is for oil engines and work as you described. Hot tube is for gas (propane/natural gas) engines, oilfield engines typically.
Does hot tube work as a spark plug ??
I explain how it works in the video.
Interesting, would this mean that these engines are considered diesels? Or at least a semi diesel?
No, because they run on a gaseous fuel and are not compression ignition. Compression forces gas into the hot tube to ignite, but that doesn't mean that the gas ignites due to heat provided by compression, such as in a diesel or oil engine.
@@themadmailler neat, thanks for clearing that up
No. A diesel engine is one that runs on _diesel fuel_
@@sourbrothers73 diesel engines can also run on other things such a peanut oil, a diesel engine is an engine which uses compression to ignite its fuel