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Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 5:11 pm
by mof1964
We have decided that we are going to put the EFM 520 on the shelf and look for a new very efficient oil boiler. The Efm 520 is just so darn dirty. The basement where we have it is dirty dirty and we plan to clean it and finish it into a partial living space area. I will leave the 520 in place in case oil goes back over $3.00 per gallon again. The wife is extremely tired of the dirty nasty coal in the basement.
Plus having to carry the ash tubs up the basement stairs into & through the main part of the house is a pain in the butt.

We are heating a 2800 sqft( basement not included) . The basement does have hot water baseboard plumbed throughout and is on its own zone, if we choose to heat that. it is approx. 850sqft basement.
We have hot water baseboard throughout the house. I also have a chubby in the family room on the first floor that heats the first floor pretty well on its own.
the chubby heat also makes its way to the second floor and that area rarely called for heat during the winter.
I felt that we basically ran the Efm 520 for hot water for showers, wash etc but not really for heat because of the chubby.

our current oil boiler is maybe 60% efficient at best. I'm thinking that if I can get a new oil fired boiler that is 25 -30 % more efficient and use the chubby for the really cold weather we should be able to be very comfy in the house and still save a good deal of money with much less work and have a much cleaner house.

Thoughts?
which oil fired boilers are the best and why?

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 5:28 pm
by lsayre
If maximum oil boiler efficiency is what you seek, then this Peerless condensing boiler may be just the ticket:

http://www.peerlessboilers.com/Default.aspx?TabId=115

70,000 input BTUH at 92% efficiency should yield 64,400 output BTUH. If your current boiler has 100,000 input BTUH and is 60% efficient it has 60,000 output BTUH. Therefore the 70,000 BTUH Pinnacle boiler would give you a bit more heat.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 6:03 pm
by Scottscoaled
EFM makes several models of oil boiler that are up to 87% efficient or so. Both the peerless and the EFM are pricey. Good used oil boilers are on the craigslist regularly. Guy on the forum has a Bruderus that is a fine unit.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 6:28 pm
by jpete
This is what is going in my new house. I like that I can easily switch from gas to oil.

http://energykinetics.com/

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 6:52 pm
by Rob R.
Modern oil boilers can require stainless chimney liners, depending on the stack temperature of the unit and the type of chimney you have.

Like Scott said, Craigslist usually has a nice selection of oil boilers - some of them may be only a few years old.

I am not sure why you are having such a problem with dirt in the basement. My dad and brother have EFM's in semi-finished basements with no complaints.

Any chance you are shoveling ashes out of the base?

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 7:08 pm
by mof1964
yes we have to scoop ash out of the base of the efm 520. Its very tough to contain the dust & dirt this way.
my unit does not have an ash guide installed in the unit. There are no rails on the base for a ash guide.

If the basement was finished, we would then have to carry the ashes through the finished basement and up the stairs and through the house to remove the ashes. Now we only have the upperstairs finished area to worry about ash spillage etc.

It really comes down to convenience etc.

I might consider a relatively new used oil boiler, but depending on the cost, it might we worth it to buy a new one for the warranty etc.

The oil boiler we have now is the original. I don't plan on moving so spending the money for a new unit might not be such a bad idea.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 7:32 pm
by jpete
Energy Kinetics can sidewall vent in a 3" stainless flue. Even with oil.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 7:44 pm
by Rob R.
I think it is a shame your dealer did not include the ash diverter and set you up for success. It would not be hard to fabricate one, but I understand taking ashes out through the house isn't good either. An exterior basement entrance would change the game.

Any modern oil boiler will be much more efficient than the old one you have now - especially if setup with some sort of reset control.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 7:59 pm
by Pacowy
If the unit has adequate draft the need to shovel the ash shouldn't make much of a mess even without a diverter. With the 900 in our old house it made less of a mess to carefully shovel the ash (don't drop it through the air; airborne dust vacuumed away by the draft) rather than drag the pan out. If the OP's 520 is being kept in place for future use, and if that place is being converted to living space, it seems like the OP needs to look deeper into how/why so much dust is being generated and what changes need to be made to control it.

Mike

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 8:20 pm
by Rob R.
Mike, the increased flue size on the 900 must allow it to pull quite a bit more room air from the area around the ash door. Anyone I have talked to that tried the shovel method with a 520 created a big mess...myself included (with strong draft).

An ash diverter and an ash tub with a slip-on cover works very well to contain dust.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 8:48 pm
by mof1964
we scoop the ash out of the base into the tub. About 50 % of the ash misses the tub. This makes a huge mess. Dust and dirt everywhere.
it is a shame the unit didn't come with the diverter. Shame on me for not knowing. I don't plan on removing the 520. IF oil goes to $4 per gallon we will use it again.
i have considered trying to add the diverter of some sort.

The oil boiler we have now is original to the house. 50+ yrs old. It was originally for a 1350 sqft ranch home with basement.
we have since added about 1250 sqft 2nd floor. this most likely worked the boiler.

The 520 has heated our home easily the last 7 yrs. I have never had to run in harder than 4 teeth.

i looked at the energy kinetics and it sounds awesome. We have a Weil Mcclain now. it hasn't required much money in repairs over the years.

I don't plan on moving ever so it might be prudent to spend the money on a new unit for warranty reasons etc.
the wife also wants something she doesn't have to worry about working at. She can't handle the ash tub when it's full. She tried carrying the tub out of the basement, up the stairs, through the house out through the garage to dispose of the ash. Its too much for her.
Any other reputable boilers out there?

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 8:49 pm
by mof1964
sorry for the repost. My computer went wacky and all of the sudden everything was gone.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 8:58 pm
by Pacowy
When we did it, not much dust was given off in the first place if the shovel was set on the bottom of the ash pan (so the ash never spilled or passed through the air). I agree with Rob's point about the lower "suction" through the ash door of a 520, but it seems like much of the airborne dust could be avoided.

Mike

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 9:14 pm
by jpete
mof1964 wrote: i looked at the energy kinetics and it sounds awesome. We have a Weil Mcclain now. it hasn't required much money in repairs over the years.
I can say that in 4 years I have worked on exactly ONE Energy Kinetics boiler. But countless Burnhams so I wouldn't recommend those if that narrows the search down any. :)

Weil McLane is good too. A GV90+ is worth looking at too. Reliable as an anvil.

Re: Best Oil Fired Boiler for Water

Posted: Sun. Jun. 05, 2016 11:10 pm
by lzaharis
My Buderus Logana G205 boiler is still for sale and rated
for at least 140,000 BTU @85% efficiency.

You would need to buy a new oil burner head for it.

The unit was used only for back up heat and in warmer periods
when we did not burn wood or coal in our hand fed boiler from 1988 until 2015.

I am only 45 minutes north of Sayre, PA for what thats worth.

If you do not want it its going to be scrapped.