Automatic Oil Back up for Stokers

Decided to start a new thread because this kind of sort of makes sense to me. Toyotomi makes fuel oil instantaneous hot water heaters that direct or chimney vent. If this appliance is plumbed into a stoker boiler correctly, would it be capable of providing flip of a switch oil fired boiler water heating for say, stoker breakdown or a couple of days away from home? If it works, it might be much more convenient than the currently available duel fuel stokers. I'm guessing it might not be very efficient, or maybe it will? Any thoughts from those with more know how than I posses??? I suppose an oil fired hot water heater could do essentially the same thing if plumbed correctly.

Sure, you could back it up w/ any fuel one might think of.

Ha! Even better!

http://www.toyotomiusa.com/products/waterheaters/OM-180.php

By pass the boiler and use it for DHW during the summer, if you prefer.

I like the idea. The questions then become:

Will 4 gal per minute at 60 degree rise be enough to heat the house: do the math.

Will the stainless combustion chamber hold up? In the past they have not.

Service and replacement parts with a unit unfamiliar to most service personnel?

Many questions to ponder. If it's hooked up to the aqua stat it should just function like a regular oil burner. Would heat the boiler water to limits and control circulators appropriately. Would a 60 degree rise ever be needed if it's circulating water between say 140 and 180? I guess it depends on the size of the heating load. Is appears to make over 100,000 BTU's/ hr NET.
UNFORTUNATELY,.....the price is around $2000.00. Oil fired hot water heater aroun$1500.00. It WOULD be more efficient for DHW in summer than an oil or electric hot water heater, I suppose.

That second one looks to be a boiler for radiant floor heating, no?

Was gonna say .. that looks expensive. My instincts were correct. HOLY CRAP!!

Holy crap is right! If you were replacing an oil hot water heater it MIGHT make sense from an efficiency standpoint. I still like the idea though. I guess it would be cheaper than a new oil fired boiler for back up and since you wouldn't use it often it should last a while. I wonder what the lowest mass oil boiler you can buy costs? That would work if plumbed correctly.

Plenty of used oil boilers for sale all over Craigslist since oil prices shot up. All the sheep in MA are dumping it for natty gas. Can't wait to see what they do in 5 years when natty is just as expensive as oil ...

Used boiler would be a good idea! Brand spankin' new small oil boilers appear to be in the same ballpark, price wise, as the instantaneous one. Brand name with the usual and customary components. I guess having easy oil backup comes at a price no mater how you decide to do it.

Everything does nowadays ...

I would still like to hear from those in the know about this idea. It really intrigues me for some reason

Carbon12 wrote:I would still like to hear from those in the know about this idea. It really intrigues me for some reason

me too the question is who's gonna be the Guinea Pig

The most fault tolerant backup boiler is Electric

A resistance heated appliance can sit for years without being needed -- yet will come on line in an instant - no worries about ignition or fuel condition - it just works and that's what a back up is supposed to do

Even a simple ( or several in series) Domestic water heater can be a backup for simple freeze protection or extended solid fuel vacations