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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
| Subject: Question
I see on some videos the wonders of submarine candles are shown. I never served on a nuc, only visited two. Did anybody on diesel boats have them. I find very little info on them. How long did they burn for, and how many did a boat burn at a time.
I wonder why my diesel boats never got them. Many times on long submergences guys would have to search to find an overhead air cranny to find enough oxygen to light their smokes. Maybe these didn't exist in '68? I believe back then diesels were being shortchanged on equipment that the nucs weren't.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 874
| Subject: RE: Question
Maybe this helps
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20170002051/downloads/20170002051.pdf
The early nucs, seawolf, nautilas sargo boats, had candle burners.
The later fast attack boats had treadwell 6l16 o2 generator in amr1 and backup candle burner in amr2. The o2 generator made o2 from distilled water and the candle burner was seldom used on the 679 and 683. O2 tech and atmosphere control was my nec. The boomers had a diffrent o2 generator and i have no knowledge of them. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1175
Location: NE Florida | Subject: RE: Question
More on the subject:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_oxygen_generator
Seadragon had a candle burner. The cans to be used were stored in Aux1 and the trim line red-tagged. We'd draw out a dozen or so when needed. After burning, the residue went out through the TDU. The aux gang (of course) was placed in charge of the beast.
Coyote |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
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Thanks for the responses. I see one patent for this goes way back to '49. If we had them on my diesel I never knew it, and it was never brought up at Hunters Point sub school, or in my Qualifications. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 287
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: RE: Question
On Gudgeon, SS-567, we had O2 bottles to bleed into the boat. And we lithium hydroxide that was used either in a hopper or spread on flash covers. When we were spotted trying to exit Haiphong Harbor in '71 it was our last day on station and it took us three days to evade the Oshas and Pachas (sp?) to get to clear water. By that time we were spreading it on the flash covers. People went at least two days without smoking because lighter woud not light. On Barb, SSN-596, we had scrubbers and O2 generators. Thw worst thing I remember about lack of O2 on any patrol was the headaches.They were bad. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
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Geno,The Gudgeon and Wahoo were with us at Pearl in '68. Maybe sometime after '68 and your service years they put them on diesel boats.
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1278
Location: Hopewell Junction NY | Subject: RE: Question
Did not have candles on my boat, SS407 in late 60's. We did have canisters but never had the opportunity to use them while I was aboard.
When O2 diminished and butts were hard to light, we ETs used our Weller soldering iron. |
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Plankowner
Posts: 9182
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Question
Flasher, though being a Nuc, never had an O2 Generator but did have all the piping for one. We had 2 O2 furnaces. One in the "Air House" at the aft end of the Torpedo room one aft in the AMS (Auxiliary Machinery Space). We carried 30 days of liquid O2 that was bled into the boat. We then began burning "candles", 2 at a time alternating furnaces. Each 2 candle set burned for 45 minutes ( 600 degrees) and was allowed to cool down so the "clinker" could be emptied into a steel bucket. Meanwhile the other furnace was lit off. Back and forth for the next 30 or so days. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 287
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: RE: Question
Not sure what Gil is referencing when he says "they put them on". If it candles or O2 genarators, I was on Gudgeon from 71 to 75, she was my qual boat and we never had candles or an O2 generator. We only had lithium and O2 bleed. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
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It seems so that back then we never heard of them. Ric I know you were at Pearl during my time. I wonder why diesel boats were not set up to anticipate this. Afterall, the Pickerel lasted four more years before it was sold to the Italians. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
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My old 2nd class shipmate who went on to be a chief I believe answered my question of why diesel boats of 1968 did not have O2 generators. Gary said: As far as I know there were not any diesel subs that had O2 generators. Reason being is they take a s**t load of electrical power to operate. While the nuc boats could generate a lot of power submerged the old diesels could not.
Edited by Gil 2025-03-29 11:02 AM
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Plankowner
Posts: 9182
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Question
Diesels charged batteries at night or snorkeled. We were down 24/7. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1655
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Geno,Not knowing anything about these things I left my boat in drydock at Hunters Point in 1968. Maybe piping or candles were put on then. Ric had mentioned his boat had piping. I have no clue about what piping is. |
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