Burnham 409 BI Parts

Stevie

Does anyone know if parts are still available for a Burnham 409BI steam boiler ? All the local supply houses say no. I have a crack in one cast iron section. Boiler is a 1989.
If not any recommendations for a new steam boiler by gas ? Thanks to all.

Steamhead (in transit)

Replace the boiler

there are more efficient boilers available now. The 409 was rated 700 square feet EDR. You will need to count up the radiator ratings on your system, though, to make sure you get the proper boiler size.

If your system actually has that amount of radiation or less, I'd recommend the Smith G-8. This is a wet-base boiler that can be equipped with either an oil burner or a powered gas burner. Not only does this give you a choice of fuels without buying a new boiler, but it is also roughly 6% more efficient than the usual dry-base atmospheric gas boilers currently available (the 409 falls into this latter category) which are probably a few points more efficient than your 409 was.

Here's a pic of a 6-section G-8 we recently installed. This is the model you would likely need. The burner is the Carlin EZ-Gas model.

The most important thing is that the boiler is installed properly. Try the Find a Professional page of this site, under Resources above, to locate someone who will install it properly.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Unknown

Series 4 parts

There are no replacement sections available for these boilers as they have long been replaced by the Independence Series steam boilers. Steam boilers don't develop cracks unless they have been fired with little or no water which can and does happen when Float Type Low Water Cutoffs fail due to age or neglect. Steam boilers normally fail above the water level from internal corrosion due to poor water chemistry or excessive makeup water addition. Steam boilers are only warrantied for 10 years for these reasons. The Independence Steam boilers are a very close replacement for what you have. Hope this helps.

Glenn Stanton

Manager of Technical Development

Burnham Hydronics

U.S. Boiler Co., Inc.

Unknown

Steamhead.....

Steamhead, I drool over those drop header pipings job you did on this boiler job. I even showed to people next to me in bar and they back away from me like I have leproy(sp)... Is something wrong with me or its them forced air heat that fried their brains ?

Steamhead (in transit)

I think

it's the scorched-air in their homes. What type of heat does the bar have? If scorched-air, that's part of the problem too. :-0

That drop header was actually pretty easy- we just extended the existing 3-inch header and dropped into it. Smith only requires a 2-inch header, but any steam boiler will work better if the header is a size or two larger than the minimum.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"