> I wondered if the average steam boiler of that era worked with higher
> pressure than our compressed air tanks do.
Yes. The other problem is that the water inside is well above the boiling
point and so flashes instantly into steam when the pressure drops.
Low water was primarily a problem when part of the heat exchange surface was
no longer covered with water. With a big, forced draft fire on the other
side, the iron would quickly get hot enough to melt, with disastrous
results.
I agree the danger is real with air tanks, but they are much less likely to
go boom than steam, IMO. When my cheap 20 gal air compressor tank rotted
through, it just started quietly hissing. I didn't even notice until I
decided to take a break and the compressor caught up.
-- Randall
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