Coalpail.com Forum

I will be purchasing a coal boiler to install inline with my Peerless oil fired unit at Tax time. I was hoping you would be able to recommend good reading before I attempt instillation.

For those of you who are factory trained. What does training for coal boilers cost? EFM Axeman Anderson etc?

I plan on taking the 80hr NORA Bronze course here in Mass and getting my oil license in the spring.

If you want a real education about boilers buy these three paperback books:
"Classic Hydronics" , "Pumping Away", and the third is "How Come?" all written by Dan Holohan and they can be purchased directly from the author at www.dansbooks.com

He has 2 excellent books about steam "WE GOT STEAM" and "GREENING STEAM".

As far as training goes they are "boilers" that can be employed for steam and hydronic heating with most of them carrying the A.S.M.E. H stamp. The AHS units can be A.S.M.E. H stamp qualified at an extra cost.

You would have to contact the manufacturers directly to find out if they have seminars ment for plumbers on their coal boilers.

In New York State specifically the folks that sell coal stoves can also sell coal boilers and not install them or offere service for them-I went through that mess.

ASea wrote: ↑

Fri. Jan. 12, 2018 11:37 am

I will be purchasing a coal boiler to install inline with my Peerless oil fired unit at Tax time. I was hoping you would be able to recommend good reading before I attempt instillation.

For those of you who are factory trained. What does training for coal boilers cost? EFM Axeman Anderson etc?

I plan on taking the 80hr NORA Bronze course here in Mass and getting my oil license in the spring.

Since you are installing INLINE with your oil boiler,it is very doubtful that the steam books will benefit you.... unless you plan to go into steam boiler service & repair as a career.
Are you getting educated/trained just for your install ??? Or will this involve your future career ? Or are you required to be licensed to do boiler install in your house in your area ?
I did my own boiler install,no license,it was my 1st boiler install.

The steam suggestion comes from our in-house steam salesman... he has won the steam salesman of the yr award for quite a few yrs now. He is the best.

I'm a full time Paramedic. This is something I'd be looking at as part time. My Wife's uncle owns an oil company and I would be providing service for them to gain experience. I don't need to be licensed to do my own but I want to make sure it's done right.

Your going to have to check to see if you as a lay person can install a boiler without a plumbers license with or without a steam rating and umbrella liability insurance policy, Workmens compensation etc in your county.

Doing it part time will be a bit of a stretch unless you have help and a trailer with an I beam and trolley or a used burial vault trailer that is self propelled. Ideally you make up a circulator module with all your plumbing in two connections with unions having one on the steam chest and the second to connect to a dielectric pipe fitting at the customers home IF you can lower the boiler in one day map out the ciruit and the nearest tappings in the home and do the plumbing the next day- all is well until Murphys law or a stubborn pipe fitting says "not today" which would require a oxygen acetylene torch and fire proof sheets to remove it with heat and a long chain or pipe wrench.

You will probably be better off selling them and making an arrangement with a local plumber that is licensed, has insurance and access to a pipe threader and other tools.

I don't see why I can't install my own? At any rate the plumbing inspector didn't seem to take issue when I was discussing it with him.

To be clear my house is cast iron hwbb not steam.

I plan on going to school for oil burner repair etc. Then Coal, and then Gas burner.

You were looking for good books with information about heating, I mentioned the 2 books on steam as they are extremely well written as regards to heating.

About doing the work yourself; your plumbing inspector is not your insurer, your insurers carrier company may take a very dim view of self installs it and not insure you and if something happens, god forbid, they may not pay.

I can't for the life of me think of a single install on this forum that someone had a professional install their boiler. I've done two here and I'm sleeping with my insurance agent, they pay even if you screw up.

If you want my $0.02, I suggest you buy "Classic Hydronics" and "How Come?" from heatinghelp.com. That will give you sufficient understanding of how your existing heating system works. I also have some good information about oil burners and boiler piping that I can send you later this weekend.

Do you know how to do basic plumbing and wiring? If you do, install it yourself...and keep quiet about it. Probably the most stressful part is when you have to cut into the existing system, and get it back up and running again before the house gets cold, or your wife gets a cold shower. This is the part that you might want to have a pro handle - figure out where you want the tee's installed, and have them installed with a short nipple and a ballvalve. Then you can connect the second boiler at your leisure, and if you have to fix a few leaks afterwards, no big deal.

"Modern Hydronic Heating" by John Siegenthaler was the best investment I ever made in a book on the subject. I also have some of the other books suggested.

Asea.two of my most favorite titles are " Be A Bullhead & Screw Up Royally" and "Know-It-Alls Cry Too",both written by Hambden Bob. You can buy them from me,either individually,or as a Deluxe Hardound 2 Volume Edition for around 5 cents each !

What I've learned is that Education,Relevant to The Mission,is priceless,and Cheap,compared to the Poor Launch Effort and Subsequent Poor Results. Take Your time,do Your Homework,and get Competent Help when it's needed. Sting,and many others,have been advocates of anything from Dan Holohan. Look at what other folks have done here and learn from them ! Windyhill's hugely helpful thread regarding his conversion to Hotwater Land was good to follow. The same goes with Iz's Nefarious Dealings with his Construction and Install. You have an Amazing Reference Library right here on this Board ! I think if You have the Passion,then You are unstoppable in Your Quest for Knowledge,Enlightenment,and Fullfillment in a Job Well Done,Done Right and Safely !

Carry On,Carry Forward,And Cash And Carry,Mistah !!

Haha! Thanks for your input everyone!