Harman vf3000

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 6:42 am

Yes Bob ..I'm very happy to have found this wealth of knowledge and great people. I'm looking forward to installing this furnace in my home. I don't have it yet ...my friend that's giving it to me still has it in operation and is waiting till the weather breaks to make his change .
I'm sure I will have plenty of questions on my way through this project .
Thanks everyone... Ernie

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 7:43 am

Oh Ernie! You were doing so well!!! The quickest way to get the hackles up on the neck of a boiler man is to call it a "FURNACE!!" Furnaces produce hot air, boilers produce hot water. You get a free pass on this one.

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 9:51 am

Ohh boy ...my bad !
I would like to apologise to all BOILER men and women on the forum !

Ernie

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 7:07 pm

Hi everyone ..
So if I may ...I have a few questions about my new boiler installation .
Whats the life expectancy of the Harman vf 3000 ? I'm hoping it will last me quit a few years .
Would i be able to put a hanging hydronic heater in my cellar and pipe it into a zone I'm going to add in my sunroom ?
I currently have just one zone off my current oil boilet that's slit with a "Y" pipe ..so i would like to have two zones when plumb the new boiler .
Thanks ..Ernie

Post by **Rob R.** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 7:15 pm

I would say the average life span of a boiler is around 25 years. More if you are meticulous with your maintenance, less if you are not. My dad is running a 1953 EFM that still looks like new.

When you add that second zone, you can split it with two zone valves. One for the sunroom, one for the basement. Those hanging heaters are noisy compared to radiators - if that is the way you want to go, I would mount it so the vibration doesn't transfer to the floor joists above.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 8:20 pm

25 years is a conservative number I would argue. Members here are running Axemans built in the 1940s.

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 8:32 pm

Well..25 years or more sounds good to me . If I had to guess I think my friend purchased it about 10 years ago so I should get quit a few more years out of it with proper maintenance .
Thanks very much.. Ernie

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 11:21 am

Good morning everyone..
What would a fair estimate of coal I would use yearly for both heat and domestic hot water ?
I know there are a lot of variables here but maybe just a ball park .
Thanks ... Ernie

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 12:07 pm

How much coal & heating oil do you burn now?

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 12:16 pm

A rough guess for heat would be the Mayor's formula of 5 tons per 2000 sf of living area. A rough guess for DHW would be 1/3 of what is needed for heat, though obviously the real number would depend on your actual water use (# people; % teenagers and other waterhogs; low volume showerheads?; use of tubs?; etc.).

Mike

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 12:36 pm

coaledsweat wrote: ↑
Thu. Mar. 07, 2019 8:20 pm
25 years is a conservative number I would argue.

Me too - but for every boiler that is still running at 50 years old, there is one that has been left in a damp basement for 10 summers and has been ruined. With proper care, I think most units would last 50 years (or more).

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 2:16 pm

I go through 3.5 ton of range in my hand fed Harmans and somewhere around 250 gallons of home heating oil yearly . The oil boiler is only turned on in the morning and at night when we need hot water ..other then that I have it off all day and night and it's not used very much for heat having the two Harman stoves for heat..maybe once or twice a year if I'm not home for a long period of time .
My home is around 1100 sgft with one shower and three sinks .. it's only my wife and I living here . We don't use very much hot water at all . So I assume a safe estimate would be somewhere around 4 ton a year maybe ?
Ernie

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Mar. 10, 2019 2:30 pm

Assuming you keep the house about the same temperature as before, I think 4 tons is a good estimate.

ErnieG · Post by **ErnieG** » Sun. Apr. 19, 2020 7:56 am

Hello again everyone ..hope all are staying safe !
Well i got the unit but haven't got to install yet . It's just sitting in my cellar .
Before I install the unit I would like to clean the whole thing ..where would you recommend me starting with this process ?
I also did manage to find the oil gun and it's in good condition . Would there be any advice what to do with it before installing also ?
Thanks very much ...Ernie

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Sun. Apr. 19, 2020 8:05 am

Hell E, ya got the hard part done---gettin it in the basement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL