Blakes Hydram Wanted

[eric040866]

I am an amateur collector and restorer of vintage stationary engines and machinery which I exhibit at rallies/events around the country.

For some time I have wanted to build a working exhibit of a 'Blakes Hydram' to demonstrate how it works as I'm sure it would generate a lot of interest.

Unfortunately, they rarely come up for sale and, after contacting Allspeeds (the current makers of 'Hydrams') they suggested I search forums such as this. They informed me that over 25,000 'Blakes Hydrams' have been made since 1864 to date and many of the older ones may be rotting away in fields following the installation of mains water supplies.

If there is anyone out there who has (or knows someone who has) a 'Blakes Hydram' that they would be prepared to sell to me I would be very interested.

It would not need to be in working order, but it would need to be in one piece (no cracks/bits broken off). I would be particularly interested in the smaller models for ease of transportation. Any photos would be appreciated. I enclose a couple of pictures to show what I'm looking for. Thanks. [email protected]

 

[eric040866]

Sorry - I forgot to attach these pictures to the thread I posted a few minutes ago..

[email protected]

 

[Andy26]

Interesting topic, I've got one, still in situ, but hope to restore it myself to work once again, all the infrastructure is in place; header drive tank, overflow piping etc. will take some pictures tomorrow for interest.

@eric040866 hope you get sorted, keep the thread updated if you do with pictures.

 

[eric040866]

Thanks for your reply - I would be interested to see your pictures.

 

[100AcreWood]

This is mine:

 

[100AcreWood]

Unfortunately, since I filmed that, I stupidly ignored the age-old and well respected advice ''If it ain't broke, don't fix it'' and attempted to fix it, even though it wasn't broke. In my defence it could possibly have been working more efficiently, though, and I was curious to know how it worked and what would happen if I pushed this weird squirty thing just ...... here. Well, I think someone had stuffed a bit of something rather less robust in place of the proper bit which promptly broke and it stopped. I know You Tube is not short of examples but could anyone tell me what that little valve does and how it works? Or give me a link to a Hydram for Dummies site as I actually do need to fix it.
PS - I emailed Allspeed who told me a bit of the history of this very hydram.

 

[Zetor]

Mine, still working........ I hope!

 

[Zetor]

Unfortunately, since I filmed that, I stupidly ignored the age-old and well respected advice ''If it ain't broke, don't fix it'' and attempted to fix it, even though it wasn't broke. In my defence it could possibly have been working more efficiently, though, and I was curious to know how it worked and what would happen if I pushed this weird squirty thing just ...... here. Well, I think someone had stuffed a bit of something rather less robust in place of the proper bit which promptly broke and it stopped. I know You Tube is not short of examples but could anyone tell me what that little valve does and how it works? Or give me a link to a Hydram for Dummies site as I actually do need to fix it.
PS - I emailed Allspeed who told me a bit of the history of this very hydram.

Which valve? do you mean the main one in the bottom, a picture would be helpful?

 

[100AcreWood]

Wow, is that a No 1? Mine's a 2, so Jenni from Allspeed told me. The little air valve in the side that squirts a jet of water out with every beat. If you play my video you can see it.

 

[100AcreWood]

Do you have a video of it working, Zetor?

 

[100AcreWood]

 

[Cjm]

This one sold on eBay last year. Unfortunately not to me! I've always been fascinated by them and look after one for a friend. Normally on a bank holiday weekend or over Christmas as it's their only water supply! @Andy26 if be interested to know where yours is as we're obviously not a million miles apart...pm if you'd prefer

 

[Zetor]

Do you have a video of it working, Zetor?

I'll get one when I'm next on the hill, it supplies two cottages and a few fields

 

[eric040866]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm still holding out to get my hands on a small model so if anyone knows of one that might come up for sale please let me know!

 

[100AcreWood]

Well, I've cleared out any silt from any pipes - removed the waste valve and flushed through the drive pipe. The attached pics are of the innards of the waste valve and I now need to know how this is supposed to work. Anyone know? This was put in Spring 2014, I'm told, by the chap who was renting the field at the time, so it's quite new. Bearing in mind that this was working. I'm trying to work out, by process of elimination and trial and error, what bit of the whole shebang isn't doing what it should.
I have tried to find a diagram or explanation online of how this particular type of valve (for a No 2 Hydram) works but without success - such as whether the central spindle is supposed to be tighter or looser and why.
I have measured the water flowing into the top feed tank (from whence comes the drive pipe) as about 10 gals a minute. It was less but I altered it and wonder if it might not have helped. I thought the more the merrier but often you find there's a jolly good reason why random things in the middle of a field should be left well alone.

 

[JMM]

Well, I've cleared out any silt from any pipes - removed the waste valve and flushed through the drive pipe. The attached pics are of the innards of the waste valve and I now need to know how this is supposed to work. Anyone know? This was put in Spring 2014, I'm told, by the chap who was renting the field at the time, so it's quite new. Bearing in mind that this was working. I'm trying to work out, by process of elimination and trial and error, what bit of the whole shebang isn't doing what it should.
I have tried to find a diagram or explanation online of how this particular type of valve (for a No 2 Hydram) works but without success - such as whether the central spindle is supposed to be tighter or looser and why.
I have measured the water flowing into the top feed tank (from whence comes the drive pipe) as about 10 gals a minute. It was less but I altered it and wonder if it might not have helped. I thought the more the merrier but often you find there's a jolly good reason why random things in the middle of a field should be left well alone.

Put the valve back into its seat, clamp it down with the retaining ring. Do the spindle & nut on the top up tight, this brings the rubber up against the grate in the valve, this should hold back the water from the drive pipe when you let it into the ram. using a 4mm welding rod or similar push down on the rubber through the grate, water should then come out of the waste valve, keep doing this until the ram starts pumping, once it has settled down into a decent rhythm you can slowly wind the spindle out, this adjusts the amount of water pumped / wasted. If you have a seriously good flow going down the drive pipe you can virtually open it up all the way, but bear in mind as the volume of water decreases you will have to shut the waste valve by tightening the spindle, as a rule of thumb the ram should really pump 1/3 and waste 2/3 of the water coming down the drive pipe, generally I find if there's a good amount coming out of the waste and enough going to the tank / reservoir I leave well alone.

 

[JMM]

Your Valve is the one circled

This is how the ram works

 

[100AcreWood]

These two pics show the central spindle in the 'tight' position and then wound out. When I first removed it, the spindle was more 'tight' than loose but, as I say, never having seen any others I'm not sure what position it's supposed to be in. It had been working so I'm assuming it should be tighter rather than looser.
By the way, the other image - is that called a gate-valve or a shut-off valve or what? It doesn't work properly at any rate and could do with replacing but I'm a bit nervous about taking it off as, considering where it is, I can see it'd be a right sod of a job trying to get a new one on. Any thoughts?

 

[100AcreWood]

Thanks JMM - I cross posted. I was doing that but only as a trial and error exercise, not because I knew what I was doing!! I'll go and have another bash at it.

 

[100AcreWood]

Is there anything I should do with the air taps - apart from close them? When I took off the waste valve last time I opened them both up and let any water completely drain out on the assumption that it was like bleeding a radiator.