Keyspan boilers OK?

Craig Garnett

Now that the heating season is (almost) over, I'm looking to move ahead with the replacement of the boiler in my house. The current boiler is an ancient Gurney, originally coal-fired, which was converted to oil somewhere along the way. It was sucking down 400 gallons of oil per month during the winter and lacks both a Hartford loop and low water cutoff, so it's got to go. The question is: what do I put in its place? We're going to stick with steam, are planning to convert from oil to gas, are planning to install an indirect hot water heater and also will need to pipe the boiler to accomodate a hot water loop to heat the basement once we finish it.

I had three companies come in to look at the system and give me proposals for the boiler replacement and related piping work. One suggested going with the Burnham Independence steam boiler that Keyspan's offering, the second said that the boiler that Keyspan provides is inferior to the "regular" Burnham boiler because they put cheap controls on it for Keyspan, and the third strongly recommended a Weil-McLain boiler because they continue to improve their products and their method of connecting the individual boiler elements is superior. All three (found through this web site) seemed to really know what they are doing and otherwise had similar advice.

Going with the Keyspan boiler's obviously the least expensive route, but I'm going to be living in this house for a long time and am willing to spend more on the boiler if there's a good reason to do so. Thoughts?

Thanks!
-Craig

JB_8

National grid

My son who lives on the island got a kspan water boiler in the middle of the winter took one day. The gas co did a real nice job. Your chimney will need a SS liner about $l,ooo.oo and maybe a HW heater too. Gas is nice and more room for your stuff in the celler without a 275 gal tank. Wait till they have a deal in the paper.

Steamhead (in transit)

Not sure if this has happened

up your way, but in Baltimore, the gas utility's bigwigs tried to give themselves AIG-style bonuses. There was a firestorm when word got out, and they backed off (for now, and I'm sure they're trying to sneak it through another way). This is unconscionable in today's economic climate, especially with a captive customer base. Do you really want to tie yourself into something like this?

I agree you need a new boiler- Gurney became part of National Radiator Corp in 1928, so that tells you how old that thing is. But the fact is that either a new gas or oil boiler would produce major savings over the old one.

It doesn't make sense to limit your possible fuel suppliers. For that reason, I'd recommend a boiler that can use either oil or gas. This would produce the highest level of competition. The boiler would have to be factory-approved for burners using either fuel, as the Slant/Fin Intrepid and Smith 8 series boilers are. You'd still need the infrastructure (oil tank, gas lines etc) but you would not need to buy a new boiler and have it installed to switch fuels.

Also, the wet-base boilers that can use oil or gas are a bit more thermally efficient on gas than the usual atmospheric gas boiler. You can't lose if you go this way.

Here are pics of two steamers that can use oil or gas. One is an Intrepid and the other is an 8 series. These two are both currently set up to burn gas.

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Big Ed_4

I agree.....

.... With Steamhead's way of thinking

QHS GR11 HEATING MEN

controls ?

I have been installing nat grid boilers for some time now and am wondering what controls the plumber told you are sub par..When someone tells me something like that I ask for facts not opinions.....Burnham make a fine boiler.. Knock down any cast iron boiler and what you will find is they are all very similar just different in color...A section is a section a relay is a relay a roll out sw is a roll out sw etc. etc. Install it by the book and you will have years of trouble free heat

Pat_40

Agreed

I purchased my house and replaced my boiler through national grid. The install took 1 day and the controllers are all honeywell controllers. I don't see how this is subpar compared to the controllers your local plumbing company puts in.

if you are a long time lurker on this forum, you should be able to guide the techs on the proper piping of the install as I see most of them are not properly trained in steam installation. The boiler itself is fine, just make sure you walk them through the piping and exactly what you want based on Dan's recommendation or the manual specified instructions.
Plus national grid gives you 1 year warranty parts and labor which I found every useful because I called them over a few times for issues like adjusting pressuretrol and re-pipe after learning more about steam via this forum and Dan's books.

Tim Weaver

Put in a high efficiency wall hung boiler and look what rebates you can get back from the feds and local gas company. Sometimes the rebates pay for the boiler and you only have to worry about the removal and installation. Most wall hung boilers are in the mid 90's in terms of efficiency. Add out door reset for even bigger savings.

Craig Garnett

> Put in a high efficiency wall hung boiler and

> look what rebates you can get back from the feds

> and local gas company. Sometimes the rebates pay

> for the boiler and you only have to worry about

> the removal and installation. Most wall hung

> boilers are in the mid 90's in terms of

> efficiency. Add out door reset for even bigger

> savings.




I wish I could, but as far as I can tell, you can't get those wall-hung, high efficiency boilers for steam.

-Craig

Big Ed_4