Corrosion of brass parts was reported recently by our customers. So we requested investigations of the damaged parts by specialized institutions and we discovered that dezincification, which is a common corrosion of brass in combination with galvanic corrosion and crevice corrosion, caused the damage. This happens when electrically conductive water stays between copper and brass and zinc, the chief component of brass, is transferred to the water. The corroded brass becomes like a sponge and its strength is lost. The pictures below show a Check Valve used for 8 years (left), a Drain Valve used for about 25 years. The corrosion doesn’t become advanced at same pace to the same parts because progress of corrosion depends on surrounding conditions.
 Livesteamers generally use tap water, so the corrosion advances faster because tap water has a high electrical conductivity. Using distilled water or filtered water through ion exchange resin is a good precautionary measure, however it is not a perfect solution because the possibility of incorporation of impurities remains.
 There are many brass made parts such as Check Valve, Drain Valve etc. on the locomotives. Those parts also play a role in holding steam pressure. In case the parts get corroded and break during operation, it is possible that the boiler may blow out steam or burst there, which is very dangerous. It is important that one should inspect these parts periodically, but we suppose this is not enough. One should take out and check the brass parts periodically, and replace any corroded parts.

 We will use corrosion-resistant parts on our products gradually in the future instead of brass made parts. However you need to check the locomotives you currently own by yourself. Please follow the instructions below to keep your locomotives in safe condition for as long as possible.

1. Take out and check the parts such as Check Valves and Drain Valves, which are soaked in the boiler water. In case they are corroded, replace them with new parts.
2. Use distilled or softened water if at all possible.
3. Drain all the water in the boiler and possibly dry it.