Severe humidity/storms and forge burners

G

Guy Thomas

Joined
Feb 1, 2000
Messages
1,370
Does anyone know if low barometric pressure and air that is highly saturated with moisture can drasticly reduce the efficiency of a forced air forge burner? I had both conditions yesterday and experienced problems with a forge/burner combination for heat treating that was running at least 100 degrees below what I expected to achieve.
 
I've seen a difference in the flames on my kitchen gas stove when there is very low barometric pressure.With a forced air forge the moisture in the air will affect the burning also. Somewhat like the burning of wet or green firewood, where you loose as much as 25% because that much energy is used to boil the water.
 
Jamie: That has been my experience also, the hottest my forge ever got was during a heavy rain storm, high humidity. Work with the air - propane mxture and it can work to your advantage. A friend developed a moisture injector, in the carborator as I remember, (never saw it, just heard about it) in his fuel for a dragster and increased performance also.
 
That goes for me too, I like to plan my forge welding, during days when rain is predicted. Higher humidity makes for a hotter forge which makes for less heat up time. Thats my experience.

Bill
 
I fired up today and forged for 3 hours. It was our first cool wet day for 2 months. My forge cranked up to 2350F and purred like a kitten. Damascus is so fun!
 
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