Hot Water Circulator Max Temp Rating.

[Listerational]

Hello All,

        I sell Listeroids and this problem with heat management comes up a lot. For starters 220F is too hot, should be 180F Max. The problem I've found with small automotive radiators is bleeding the air bubbles.  I find that the old NASCAR trick of feeding the engine coolant output into the bottom or the radiator works wonders. The bubbles automatically purge out the top. With the conventional plumbing of in the top and out the bottom on my 10/1 demo unit and the 180F thermostat stayed open, the electric fan never started and the recovery tank started over heating. Reverse the flow and the thermostat never opened releasing only the bleed volume through the closed thermostat. The fan started on a 50% duty cycle and the temp stayed at about 160F. Same load just different heat management.

Best
Graham Slieker

Thanks for the great help. I would definitely be lost without everyone's friendly advice.

I reversed the radiator hoses so that the hot water / antifreeze mixture leaving the 10/1 enters the bottom of the radiator and I am still getting about 260-degrees F with my non-contact infrared thermometer aimed at the engine block about an inch to the left of the hot water outlet. When I aim the thermometer right on the hot water outlet just before it enters the hose I am only getting about 190-degrees F. I have the radiator fan running and the temp entering the radiator is about 150-F and leaving the radiator is about 130-F. Do you think this is sufficient or maybe I should be thinking about installing a larger radiator? 

Thanks.

TEMPERATURE -                                              F
AT BLOCK TO LEFT OF OUTPUT =                   260
AT BLOCK AT OUTPUT              =                   190
ON RADIATOR HOSE AT RADIATOR INPUT =    150
ON RADIATOR HOSE AT RADIATOR OUTPUT = 130

[broncodriver99]

The problem with IR thermometers is that they work on a priciple called emissivity. Surface color, texture, and reflectivity can skew the readings significantly.

You would be better off to get a contact type thermometer as the readings would be more reliable. It is strange that you have a hot spot on the cylinder head as your cooling water numbers look pretty good assuming they are taken with the engine under load.

A picture of your setup would also help give an idea what you have going on.

[Listerational]

The problem with IR thermometers is that they work on a priciple called emissivity. Surface color, texture, and reflectivity can skew the readings significantly.

You would be better off to get a contact type thermometer as the readings would be more reliable. It is strange that you have a hot spot on the cylinder head as your cooling water numbers look pretty good assuming they are taken with the engine under load.

A picture of your setup would also help give an idea what you have going on.

Thanks for the great advice bronco. I really appreciate it. Been swamped at work and have not had time to get those pictures over. I can definitely relate to your concern about the contactless thermometers. I am an electrician and own the "FLIR ONE PRO LT" Thermal Imaging Camera and have issues with the emmissivity.
I was wondering if I can ask you another question. If I wanted to continuously monitor the coolant temperature what would be the best way to go about doing that? My Lister is made by Powerline and It's a 10/1.

Thanks again.

[broncodriver99]

You are quite welcome. I am a tradesman as well, HVAC/Refrigeration, been one heck of a busy summer here too.

If you mean "visually" constantly monitoring, a drilled and tapped hole for a thermometer well would be the most accurite but I don't think there is a anywhere on a CS cylinder or head thick enough to get a good thread. The easiest solution if you have pipe stubs at the inlet and outlet of the engine would be something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Dtacke-Thermometer-Spring-Temperature-Thermo/dp/B07XJM8XM8

They just strap on with various length springs and should be relatively accurite. Pretty cheap too.

I'm sure with a little digging around you should be able to find one with a proper Fahrenheit scale.

[Listerational]

You are quite welcome. I am a tradesman as well, HVAC/Refrigeration, been one heck of a busy summer here too.

If you mean "visually" constantly monitoring, a drilled and tapped hole for a thermometer well would be the most accurite but I don't think there is a anywhere on a CS cylinder or head thick enough to get a good thread. The easiest solution if you have pipe stubs at the inlet and outlet of the engine would be something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Dtacke-Thermometer-Spring-Temperature-Thermo/dp/B07XJM8XM8

They just strap on with various length springs and should be relatively accurite. Pretty cheap too.

I'm sure with a little digging around you should be able to find one with a proper Fahrenheit scale.

What a great idea. That reminds me of the magnetic thermometer that I have on my wood stove.

It's awesome that you service Listeroids. I am in North Carolina and have yet to meet a single person here in NC who has even heard of a Lister.

Thanks

[broncodriver99]

I am just north of you in Virginia. No one around here knows what they are either. I only know about them as I came across this board years ago when looking for a good simple back up power source. I imported a few originals from The UK and started tinkering with them.