Conversion Burner Firing Rate

Paul48

I have an 11 year old Smith 8 series, 5 section,DHW, oil-fired boiler that I am considering converting to gas and have a couple questions.

1. Is this boiler a good candidate for conversion?

2. Would I have it fired at the rate based on the Heat-Loss?

3.Given the mass of this boiler, would firing it lower create any problems?

4.Anyone know a good contractor in So. Connecticut (New Haven County)?

Tim McElwain

To answer your questions

1. Is this boiler a good candidate for conversion?Yes!



2. Would I have it fired at the rate based on the Heat-Loss?



It is always a good idea to have a heat loss and a determination of lineal feet of baseboard or EDR of steam done. If the boiler is typical it is probably oversized. Everyone here knows I am not a big fan of firing boilers at a reduced rate but it can be done. I would limit it to 10% as far as a reduction goes.





3.Given the mass of this boiler, would firing it lower create any problems?



It depends on the size of the dwelling and if you are going to still get domestic hot water from the boiler.





4.Anyone know a good contractor in So. Connecticut (New Haven County)? Let me check on that for you.Reply

Paul48

Thanks Tim

The boiler is over-sized, based on the heat-losses that I have done, but not horribly.The house is an old gravity conversion and the boiler does not have short cycling issues. I would have no problem with firing at the same rate as oil, and save the 50% with gas. It has a Carlin ez-1 on it now, and I figured they'd use a Carlin ez-gas.It now, ( as oil), exhausts to a relined flue,with a gas water heater exhausting over that.

I know...I said the boiler was used for DHW, and it is. The water is fed through the boiler to the gas hot water heater.We have 4 adults in the house, and 3 kids approaching their teen years, and enough hot water to fill a swimming pool, if needed.Pictures of this system definately would not make it into any magazine, but it's solid and functional.Thanks for your help!

Paul

Steamhead

The 8 series boilers

could be fired at two different rates on oil. But on gas, they only can use the lower of those two rates. Do you know what nozzle size and pump pressure are used on your EZ-1? 

Paul48

Thanks

It's a 1.10B nozzle, and off hand I can't remember the pressure. I'm not at the house now, but will try to check it tonight.O.K...I just remembered....It's an ez-1 HP.

Steamhead

It's probably at 150 PSI

at least that's what the Carlin OEM spec manual says. A 1.10 at 150 PSI results in a firing rate of 1.35-1.40 GPH depending on whose charts you read. That's the "lower" firing rate for the 5-section series 8 boiler- the higher is 1.7 GPH.



So an EZ-Gas can be fired at the same rate you are now using.

Paul48

Thank You

Honestly, I think if it were the high, I could have fired it low based on the tentative Heat Loss of 100,000 btu's. EDR totalling a little over 95000 btu's. Some idiot that looks just like me, removed a cast-iron radiator from the kitchen because it took up too much space (major mistake). I'll take care of the cold spots in the spring.

One thing I did notice was that the ez-gas could be purchased with a optional pedestal. Does that mean that it requires some type of support? It looks like a large burner, but pictures may be deceptive.

Once again......Thanks for taking the time to look at my situation and respond. If my father was still around, I'd have bought him a laptop just so he could read        "The Wall". He would have loved it.

Steamhead

You can order the EZ-Gas

with a welded-on flange that will fit your Smith. I don't know the part # or the # you would use for ordering a burner with that flange, but you can call Carlin to get it.