Original Coal steam boiler coversion from oil to coal, feasabili

Ken D.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, why not install a new coal fired furnace? They are automaticaly stoked. Electric Furnace-Man of Allentown, Pa makes them as well as others.Not bad equipment.

Kerry Lane MD

Reconversion Steam coal boiler back to coal from oil, feasabilit

I own a 1900s era building, heating about 5000 square feet, burning on average 3000 gallons of oil/year. It has an old coal fired steam bolier, single pipe radiators, that was converted to oil in 1985. I am thinking of converting it back to coal as I can get coal for 1/3 the cost of oil per BTU. I have a coal bin; the boiler is 40 feet away. I think this beast was manually stoked. My geezer stepfather says something about grates and stokers. Can I place a mechanical feeder stoker in this antique or am I asking for trouble. What will the insurance company say? Should I just suck it up and let my tenants pay for their own oil and, freeze, and forget about it? Any thoughts, PLEASE!

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Is the grate still there between the combustion chamber and the ash pit? The ones I've seen all had a grating mechanism to break up clinkers. Believe this significantly eased fueling and cleaning chores. Frequently a long, heavy lever at the side of the boiler operates the mechanism. Some or all of this may have been removed when the boiler was converted to oil and I very seriously doubt you'll be able to find replacements...

Weezbo

this is just a thought....

insulation might be a handy way to redirect some of your funds from a hasty trek to the fuel oil companies...

Jim S

Why not just replace the boiler?

bob young

a diehard

a successful doctor going back to the victorian age to save a few bucks ??? any idea how dirty coal is ? who will be removing the ashes in the three hundred pound ash cans ? not a practical idea . do you travel to the office by horse & buggy ? lol