My Mini has a stainless steam boiler. The Maxi has a nickel plated brass steam boiler.
I have some idea of the pros and cons of each material and the reason they may have been selected.
Anyone know for sure.....or want to take a guess?
Stainless vs Brass
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JohnB
Re: Stainless vs Brass
Only the designers know for sure but my "guess" is that stainless is cheaper then nickel plated brass & they needed a reduced price point for the Mini.
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Endo
Re: Stainless vs Brass
That's my guess too.
Price of stainless is about 33% less than brass these days. When the first Vivaldi was designed, the price of the copper was much lower so the brass option was not so bad.
They needed to change the steam boiler anyway on the new Mini, so by using a standard stainless tube for the boiler, they were able to laser weld a sealed steam boiler unit with less components as well as lower production (assembly) cost. There philosphy seems to be to make it a "disposable" item. You notice this in the cheap $190 replacement cost of the boiler (including heater element) and the lack of drain plug on the original.
There are some negatives of course. Stainless is worse at holding and transferring heat.
Price of stainless is about 33% less than brass these days. When the first Vivaldi was designed, the price of the copper was much lower so the brass option was not so bad.
They needed to change the steam boiler anyway on the new Mini, so by using a standard stainless tube for the boiler, they were able to laser weld a sealed steam boiler unit with less components as well as lower production (assembly) cost. There philosphy seems to be to make it a "disposable" item. You notice this in the cheap $190 replacement cost of the boiler (including heater element) and the lack of drain plug on the original.
There are some negatives of course. Stainless is worse at holding and transferring heat.
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Richard
Re: Stainless vs Brass
The function of a boiler vessel is to contain heat and pressure, not to transfer heat. Heat is transferred via steam and hot water, not the vessel. Therefore material with lower conductivity ratios, stainless, is preferable to something of higher conductivity, e.g., brass or copper. Ideally, boilers would be made of materials which are perfect insulators.Endo wrote:Stainless is worse [than brass] at holding and transferring heat.
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Endo
Re: Stainless vs Brass
I don't really understand your perfect insulator boiler material idea.
Perhaps to be more accurate, I should have said "better conductivity". The brass aids in thermal recovery (stability).
A good insulator around the brass boiler is definitely helpful (as John and Chas have demonstrate).
Perhaps to be more accurate, I should have said "better conductivity". The brass aids in thermal recovery (stability).
A good insulator around the brass boiler is definitely helpful (as John and Chas have demonstrate).
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Dodger1
Re: Stainless vs Brass
Richard's right on the mark.
After you use the boiler the hot brass will add a couple of degrees to the incoming water but then you not only have to bring the water up to its operating temperature, you also have to bring the brass up to the same temperature.
As Richard stated " Ideally, boilers would be made of materials which are perfect insulators." That way you don't have to insulate the boiler and your heating element doesn't have to periodically turn on to maintain the water at its operating temperature.
After you use the boiler the hot brass will add a couple of degrees to the incoming water but then you not only have to bring the water up to its operating temperature, you also have to bring the brass up to the same temperature.
As Richard stated " Ideally, boilers would be made of materials which are perfect insulators." That way you don't have to insulate the boiler and your heating element doesn't have to periodically turn on to maintain the water at its operating temperature.