New Boiler install with...

Cougarman

Am replacing my 29 year old Burnham RS-112 (125k rated) steel dry base tweaked down to .75/80B with a tankless coil. Cracked fire box and age is the reason. Although still dry as a bone.  Am using the L7224U- 1002 Aquastat which I plan on using on my new Burnham RSA - 125 (125K rated) nozzled down again to .75/80B again with a 5 gpm tankless.  The new boiler has a Beckett Genesis 7505B 1500 control and my question is - is it worth the expense for either the Beckett Heat Manager or the new AquaSmart control to automatically do what I have been doing for years. And that is with the 7224 I set my HL to 185 with a HDF at 20 - my LL at 155 with a LDF at 20 in the cold season. Then the HL at 160 with a HDF at 20 and a LL at 145 with a LDF at 10 during the warmer seasons. I am heating an 1800 sq.ft. Cape that could use some more insulation in attic areas where I can get to and I use an average of 650 gals. per year. Don't know if just the fact that the unit will be new and doing what I have been doing will save me some gls/year ( I do keep the unit very clean and tuned more than the norm.) or if it's worth changing to either of the products I mentioned. Also one last question is my L7224U is Enviracom compatible - what excactly is this and will this also make the new boiler more efficient?  Thanks to al who respond.

Rick

Steamhead

Why are you using another RSA?

The MPO is a much better boiler, more efficient and quieter. 

billtwocase

Why?

I would take an RS over an RSA any day. They are both dry base steel boilers, and are not efficient. The RSA boiler chambers also let go, and long before 25 years. I mean 29 years   oops

Cougarman

Why an RSA....

I chose the RSA because I had such good luck with the RS. Also because it's located in a utility room with minimal space, therefore the reason for the tankless, and in the summer I feel a cast iron boiler (e.g. weil mclane or peerless etc) would produce to much heat from the exposed cast from the swing out door that it would make it to warm in the room. A friend of mine has a similiar situation and it's unbearable in his utility room during the summer months and he doesn't have a washer and dryer in his. And as far as longevity of the RSA vs. an iron I can't argue that point, however I know of people who have changed their cast units within 10 years or less because of leaks. so my thinking was steel vs. steel (e.g. Burnham, New Yorker, Columbia, Thermodynamics--etc.) and figured we had a good run with the RS so for the price give it another shot. And so having said this how about my question in reference to the controls ned of it? Go with a AquaSmart/ Heat Manager or not?  Also if I get 20 years from the RSA I'll be happy.    Thanks Again.

Rick

Ron Jr._3

We used to install the RS series

But it does not make much economic sense nowadays , when a good cast iron boiler with a coil is a minimum 5 AFUE points higher for a little extra dinero .



I tend to disagree about the heat given off of the RS compared to cast iron also . I had an RSA 109 in my home for about 8 years till it burned a hole though the chamber . Gotta admit though , it gave us plenty of hot water . But I can undoubtedly say it gave off much more heat than the Peerless WBV that replaced it . Boiler room is actually under my stairs .  



The AquaSmart is a good control but you won't reap all the benefits of it's use if you have to maintain temperature for a coil . Enviracom compatible means any control with that built in can relay info to each other . Not sure how it works and what benefits are seen from some of the control strategies , but it makes connecting outdoor reset and hot water priority controls a snap . I know Honeywell's oil burner control has it too but not sure what extra it'll do if it's connected to the aquastat .



Good luck on the boiler choice Rick .

icesailor

New Yorkers:

I put a bunch of those in. They were nice at first but I ended up very sorry later. The sealing between the boiler block and the box that the combustion chamber failed due to expansion movement and the efficiency went way down.

I personally think that dry based oil boilers should be banned as unsafe or inefficient.

billtwocase

I wouldn't go that far Ice

Thermodynamics "S" series boilers are good boilers for those who want them. RS series boilers hold up good.

carl_nh

Comparison & Thoughts

I am heating an 1800 sq.ft. Cape that could use some more insulation in attic areas where I can get to and I use an average of 650 gals. per year.



Cougarman - this is good, but we are heating and providing DHW in a 2800 SF cape (3 people)  with 500 gals oil per year - in NH. Depends on your HDD - we are 6700-7000 HDD average.



We installed the Buderus G125BE (Blue Flame) Feb 10 09 and are at 1600 operating hours hrs in 2 years running this unit, I check the unit every 3-4 months - still runing the orignal nozzle etc.. We are over 90% eff and very low CO as well (under 40 PPM) so is good for the environment as oil can obtain.

These units burn clean day one as day 700. with very little to no soot just normal red flake residue from the oil..

I doubt you are getting these #s and yes, it does take tools to make this unit optimal.. but well worth it..