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Searching for Oil Boiler

WoNHUSA
WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
I am in the market for an oil boiler.  Currently, I will eventually be heating nearly 3000 square feet and getting domestic hot water.  I am going to check my work, but have completed a heat loss calculation and came up with about 100,000 BTU per hour.   I have looked at a few systems and need to make a decision fairly soon.  I have considered the System 2000 EK1, a Buderus 115 and have also looked at the Burnham MPO-IQ 147.  I have also thought about direct venting so I can gain access to the chimney flue.  However, one local "oil guy" told me that he will not install a direct vent for an oil boiler because I would likely be unhappy.  I want reliability and efficiency...just like everyone else.

Comments

  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    In addition...

    Should have added...



    That I am looking for suggestions.  Does anyone have experience with the boilers mentioned?  Cost is a factor in my decision...thanks in advance for any help.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,559
    edited September 2013
    Oil?

    Check out this link to compare the costs of different fuels.www.eia.gov/neic/experts/heatcalc.xls‎

    It is always surprising to see folks installing new oil systems as they are very expensive to run.

    Your heat loss calc of 100K seems high.

    Carl
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    heat loss

    I used an outside temp of zero degrees as part of the calculation.  My understanding is that you use the "lowest" temp expected to complete a heat loss calculation.  If I am wrong, please let me know.



    I used the Slant Fin app I downloaded to complete the calculation.  I also had to do a search for the heat loss factor of logs since I live in a log home.
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Fuel options

    do you have electricity available?  A VRF air source heatpump might make more sense nowadays.



    How about wood?
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    use wood

    Yes, I do mainly wood...however, our furnace is getting old and we are finishing our basement so "if" we are going to go to a boiler, we need/should do it now.  Electricity is expensive in our neck of the woods, which is one of the reasons to go to the boiler for domestic hot water. 



    BTW...we have a Jotul woodstove and it is amazing.
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Prices

    for oil and electricity there?



    Sounds like you are planning on removing a forced air furnace and installing a boiler?
  • Steve_152
    Steve_152 Member Posts: 26
    boiler...

    hi,  i am in maine...am a retired  master  heat tech...it gets cold here...i think the  system  2000   would  work  nicely for your heat, & domestic  h.w. needs.../  have installed   & serviced many of them...nice  units.../    as i said...i'm retired, not looking for work...
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    NH

    I am in NH and it gets cold here too...I have been in a house with System 2000 before and I liked the system. It is expensive though and this switching out from my hot air furnace to a boiler is an added expense to the remodel project. Any experience with the Burnham MPO-IQ? From looking around the internet, it looks like it is less than the System 2000, but still a good system and pretty efficient.
  • Aaron_in_Maine
    Aaron_in_Maine Member Posts: 315
    2000

    The system 2000 is the quietest oil boiler if noise is a factor being as you are finishing your basement. My second choice would be a Buderus.
    Aaron Hamilton Heating
    ahheating@ yahoo.com
    (207)229-7717
  • Ron Jr._3
    Ron Jr._3 Member Posts: 603
    I've installed all 3 brands

    and the choice for my home would be the EK . Quieter than the others and it has built in advanced functions and can control 4 zones and hot water right out of the box .  We installed this EK1 in a 5000 sq ft home , all cast iron rads , and it's been working great for 5 years or so now . 
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    Direct Vent or Chimney

    My oil company has strongly advised against direct vent...even saying that "he would not" install an oil boiler with direct vent.  It sounds like he has experienced too many issues with the set up.  We have a chimney, but would like to get the flue back for something else down the road...



    Have you installed the EK1 direct vent?  If so, how is it?  Soot on the outside of the house?  Misfires etc.?  Thanks.
  • Aaron_in_Maine
    Aaron_in_Maine Member Posts: 315
    edited September 2013
    Buderus

    The Buderus can be direct vented. The System 2000 uses a power venter last I knew. If your oil company doesn't want to do a direct vent get a new contractor. The Buderus North American headquarters is in New Hampshire I have done some training there so you should be able to find someone. If your in southern New Hampshire I could send you a couple names of guys I know.
    Aaron Hamilton Heating
    ahheating@ yahoo.com
    (207)229-7717
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    My question about energy prices

    Was serious.  Can you get electricity for $0.125 per kWH?  If so, an ASHP will produce heat at the equivalent of about $1.78 per gallon for #2 oil.
  • todd_ecr
    todd_ecr Member Posts: 91
    Boiler

    A couple of other options might be our Utica TriFire:

    http://www.ecrinternational.com/secure/upload/document/2661.pdf

    or our Dunkirk Excselsior:

    http://www.ecrinternational.com/secure/upload/document/3173.pdf

    If you have any questions about our products, feel free to give me a call at 1-800-325-5479.  My name is Todd and i can be reached at ext:4163
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    Price

    Electricity is about .124 per kwh...oil is around 3.30 (I think). But it get much colder than freezing here in NH for much of the winter. I do not know much about heat pumps, but wouldn't I still need another heat source in the house?
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    Local

    These look similar to the Burnham I have considered...are they? Reliability and efficiency wise too...not just AFUE, but DHW, standby loss, etc.?
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Heat pumps

    Variable Refrigerant Flow has transformed the industry.  COPs are quite impressive at low temps now.  http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/134887/Altherma-Measured-COP has some info -- at your load (8-9 Tons) you have even more options available.
  • todd_ecr
    todd_ecr Member Posts: 91
    Boiler

    Yes, in alot of ways they are similar.  The TriFire and Excelsior are low mass boilers.  Compare the water content of ours with others.
  • NRT_Rob
    NRT_Rob Member Posts: 1,013
    I'm with SWEI

    oil is kind of a dead end. and your heat load is REALLY high.



    I would consider modern cold climate air source heat pumps in larger areas (great room, etc) and oil backup.



    Pellets would be great too if you don't mind being a little involved with your heat source. easily cut your definitely significant operating costs in half.
    Rob Brown
    Designer for Rockport Mechanical
    in beautiful Rockport Maine.
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    Ideas

    I am not familiar with those types of systems at all, but they do sound very interesting. I am looking for advice on a boiler...and am open to suggestions. I know a bit about the system 2000 and have read about some other systems. One that sounds interesting is the Burnham MPO-IQ, but I cannot find much about it. It is starting to cool off here in New Hampshire, so I need to come to a decision fairly soon. Thanks for all the help...I have learned a lot about heating systems since I started my search, and I don't want to sink several thousand dollars into something that I won't be satisfied with in a decade or two.
  • NRT_Rob
    NRT_Rob Member Posts: 1,013
    definitely

    look into pellets in your area if you are ok with emptying ash once in awhile.



    here in maine it can literally cut operating cost in half. don't see why it would be different on your side of the boiler. need a place to store pellets and a good supplier of course.
    Rob Brown
    Designer for Rockport Mechanical
    in beautiful Rockport Maine.
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    alt heat

    We have a woodstove which is our main heat source. We do not have heat in our basement which is being finished for living space. Our current system is "older" and we are planning to change out the system before finishing the basement and don't have access to install PEX and baseboards. We like the alternative heat sources, particularly the woodstove. It is nice to have in case of a long power outage (ice storm). We will be putting in a new boiler and keeping the woodstove. At some point down the road, we could put a small woodstove in the basement...just in case.
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    More info or suggestions

    How do these compare to a System 2000? Stainless Stain heat exchange vs. cast iron...which is better.
  • WoNHUSA
    WoNHUSA Member Posts: 34
    Rinnai

    I just had a guy at the house and one of the boilers he recommended was a Rinnai Combo. I took a look at their website and it looks like it could be set with an indirect hot water heater...this sounds like a reasonable option since I have "heard" that the Rinnai on demand hot water heaters can sometimes slow down to a "dribble" because they cannot keep up with the demand for water.



    Does anyone have any experience with these? Reliability? Life-expectancy?
  • Jason_13
    Jason_13 Member Posts: 304
    MPO-IQ

    The easy add option cards for LWCO and ODR are a plus, pre-purge on he circulator, self troubleshooting etc.

    I also agree that 3000 sq ft @ 100k loss is high. I would suspect more like 60 - 70K. 
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