Steam to steam, but

Steamhead (in transit)

it is a wet-base boiler that is available from the factory with either an oil or a gas burner. Gas utilities being as greedy as they are and raising rates at will, he will probably get tired of the high cost per BTU at some point. This setup will let him switch back to oil without buying a new boiler. The wet-base also makes it a bit more efficient.

The Burnham people know we want a gas option on the Mega-Steam.....

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Jim Franklin

oil to gas

A friend is upgrading his coal-age boiler to a modern one. Staying with steam, but switching from oil to gas. The gas is already piped close by and he really wants to be rid of the tank.

We haven't done a heat loss calc or radiation calc yet, but the place is about 1500 square feet, second floor flat (entire 2nd floor) near Boston. I see the Mega-Steam is oil only. Any recommendations on a gas fired boiler? And as a side question, how do they get a steam system to condense? You can't vary the condensate temp and it has to be way above the saturation point...

I've convinced him of the benefits of a drop header, and pipe insulation. How do you insulate pipes that run up inside uninsulated walls to the 2nd floor? 2st floor is owned by someone else so busting open their walls would sour their relationship I think :-)

thanks,
jim

Brad White

Several Options

Peerless, Burnham, Weil-McLain, Utica, all make gas-fired steam boilers among others.

Steam and condensing are mutually exclusive as a practical matter. Condensing as it applies to combustion condensing of fuel requires a water return temperature of less than 130 degrees as you note it is way above the saturation point. Steam itself however, does condense which is essential to how it works, -but you knew that.

As for pipe insulation, do what you can and admit defeat where you cannot. The larger piping near the boiler and the exposed mains are the bulk of it. Fittings are more intensive and less benefit for the money, but do them too if you can.

I wonder if the free heat you are giving the downstairs neighbors will un-sour the relationship?

Where in Boston roughly? That is where I am.

Al Letellier_9

gas steamer

I agree wholeheartedly with Steamhead about using a wet base cast iron boiler for option of using oil or gas. I use the Weil McLain SGO and a Riello burner for great results.

Jim Franklin

Do (could?) they circulate the water through a heat exchanger during cold start to gain efficiency that way?

As he's on the second floor I bet he gets that heat back and more :-)

He's in Waltham. Since Ed can't be found we'll be looking for a good steam person to install the boiler and build a header. Any reccomendations?

thanks,
jim