Ideal Boiler?

Ken_40

I find it difficult to NOT focus ONLY on condensing boilers. The costs have dropped, the reliability is there and the fuel savings unquestioned.

With larger systems like yours, step-staging multiple boilers vs. mod-cons becomes almost moot.

Completely separating heating boilers from domestic hot water needs - makes no sense at all. Especially given the superior efficiency of most boilers vs. most water heaters.

An absolutely key way to determine BTU output needs is to see exactly how many of the Hydrotherms are functional; or, how many are pulled on-line during the coldest day of the year! We went to a job in norther Jersey at an apartment house and saw six S/F modulars sitting there. It was a design day weather, in the single digits and the wind was howling. We noted two of six S/F's were valved off and had been for years! They had been leakers and were intentionally valved off. One of the modules had the gas valve on the floor, hadn't been repaired since the prior year. The call was for "insufficient heat." We replaced the offending thermocouple on the "problem/repairable" unit and the super mentioned, "Without two units running, we cannot maintain 70F in the apartments"!

My 30+ years of experience suggest the complex NEEDED all six boilers on a design day. Yet here I had empirical evidence that only two modules needed to be running!

I was in the area the fllowing day, stuck my head in the boiler room, saw the two boilers were off having satisfied the system water temp limit (190 out) and I took that to the bank! When spring came, I proposed a system based on a similar system WITHOUT doing a heat load calc.

We got the job. We serviced the account for a few years after the install and NEVER had any issues with isufficient heat...

If you can obtain that sort of info, you can be certain of the results, better than a H/L calc. anytime!

STEVEN MARKS

Ideal Boiler?

Looking to put together a propsal to replace existing Nat. Gas Hydrotherm boilers that have ABC burners. Total existing input is 1.4 million BTU/HR. Will do a heat loss if I get the go ahead. System uses a seperate AO Smith Burkay water heater 600,000 BTU/HR with a 200 gallon storage tank.
With todays and future gas prices a mod/con setup like the NEWYork Thermal Ti400 staged looks attractive. The sell may be easier with a relatively short payback but I am concerned with longevity.
Another option may be to replace with another, similar to the Hydrotherm. Multiple cast iron boilers. Possibly Buderus would still be more efficiant than existing and would offer the longevity of cast iron but a longer payback.
The 3rd option would be copper finned boilers with staged gas valves such as RayPack.
Any feed back would be appreciated.
Steven

Uni R_3

Cleaver-Brooks

I would think that a Clearfire commercial modulating condensing boiler would be a good match.

Paul Pollets

Vertomat

I'd be considering the Viessmann Vertomat. It's simply the best commercial modulating/condensing boiler. Viessmann reps can prepare a fuel cost analysis and 'payback' report. This boiler is easy to install, pipe and wire.

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