gas fired h/w boilers

RMA

Hello,
I am pricing a boiler replacement job. The existing boiler has a power burner with about 400 mbh output. should I stay with a power burner replacement boiler or will a atmospheric burner work as well (412 mbh output)
thanks
RMA

Dale

Big

400K is a lot of output, anything more is commercial by definition. I would have the bld heat loss done and revisit the needed input. If really 400K then can you reduce heat loss, that's cheaper than nat gas. Then how about 2 smaller boilers? Usually a better choice in a big residence where the space heating load predominates. If you post specific specs for the current system you will get a more detailed response.

RMA

> 400K is a lot of output, anything more is

> commercial by definition. I would have the bld

> heat loss done and revisit the needed input. If

> really 400K then can you reduce heat loss, that's

> cheaper than nat gas. Then how about 2 smaller

> boilers? Usually a better choice in a big

> residence where the space heating load

> predominates. If you post specific specs for the

> current system you will get a more detailed

> response.



this is for a three story brown stone bldg. about 7000 s.f.

RMA

this is for a three story brown stone bldg. about 7000 s.f.

J.C.A._3

RMA,

I'm going to side with Dale on this one.

Short story....

We have worked on and maintained a rather large apartment building facing the ocean, at a southern(for the most part) orientation.(more like SE but..I digress)

One of the 2 W/M- EG/PEG 75 boilers failed at a most INOPERTUNE time of the year. Dec. 2004..and there just wasn't enough time in the schedule to replace it right then and there.

We decided,that it MAY be able to wait.....until the Spring.

LO-and behold, we didn't get any calls for lack of heat OR hot water ...until it was feasable for replacement.

The original installer had OVERSIZED the boilers SO much, that 1 of the 2 boilers was able to handle the full heating AND hotwater load of the building.

W/M was kind of amazed,when I asked if I could order a SMALLER boiler for the replacement of the effected one, which was still under warranty.

We installed a EG/PEG-45, and made it the lead boiler in/for a Tekmar 259 staging control, and cut the fuel bill astronomically! This "new/replacement" boiler carries the building through the "shoulder season", just fine....and is a bit more than 1/2 the size of the old unit!

I think Dale has a great point! Size 2 boilers for the total load, and stage them properly and you'll look like a GOD to the ownwers!

A 400,000 BTU single boiler sounds a bit wasteful. I'm REALLY coming around to this thinking..now that I've seen the results.

I guess the biggest concern will be "space available" ? Chris