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Some help with sq.ft and boiler recommendation please

PaulC
PaulC Member Posts: 9
in Strictly Steam
  I currently have an oil fired steam boiler. I'm piped in and converting to gas. The current oil burner is a peerless. It's gross output is 179k steam, net is 550 sq.ft steam, IBR 134k btu/hr steam. It was also used for domestic hot water, but that has already been switched over to a hot water heater

  I have 5 single feed radiators and 31 linear feet of cast iron baseboard. 2 baseboards are single piped, one has a feed, and return. 

  My calculations are 156sq.ft on the radiators, based on information charts from this web site I don't know how many sq.ft. to use for the baseboard. 

The radiators are as follows:

1) 7 3/8"w 23"h

  2 large tubes, 12       sections

2)4 3/4" w 23"h, 4 thin tubes, 26 sections

3&4) 4 3/4"w 25"h, 4 thin tubes, 12 & 18 sections

5) 3 1/2w 25"h, 3 thin tubes, 10 sections

The baseboard is 7" h, 2 1/2w, 31linear feet. 

  I've had 2 estimates, reasonably close in price.

One contractor used the information I gave him, he calculated 452-480 sq.ft. He also forwarded the info to his distributor, they agreed on a w.McClain 5500 200k btu. input, 167k btu output. I also gave him the info on the existing peerless. 

  Another contractor just read the info on the existing. His unit recommendation is a w. McClain 120k btu, 83% AFUE gas fired steam boiler. 

  Does anyone have any thoughts on these recommendations?

Comments

  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,437
    A few thoughts

    A few thoughts:



    1) I'm getting roughly 305 sqft., but I'm admittedly taking some liberties as your dimensions don't seem to EXACTLY match any EDR charts I have at a glance (198.76 sqft. for the (5) radiators, and 105.4 for the cast iron baseboard).



    2) Anything over this number seems to be over-sized, in other words, 452-480 sqft. seems over-sized.



    3) If the second contractor only used the existing boilers specifications, they don't care enough to install the appropriately sized boiler, and therefore, their estimate should be dismissed.



    Where are you located?
  • PaulC
    PaulC Member Posts: 9
    Some help please

    I'm located in Monmouth county in NJ. The peerless was probably installed in the mid 60's. It was probably a replacement from an earlier boiler. My home is over 100 years old. It originally had coal. I had suggested that it was probably oversized, but he ( the first contractor) didn't really respond to that statement. I was not impressed with the second estimate, even though it was lower.
  • PaulC
    PaulC Member Posts: 9
    Some Help Please

    Ok, obviously my calculations were off. I think I used an old chart, & misunderstood some things. #1 is 2 column. Also, do you add any sq. ft. For piping?
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    edited September 2014
    Jstar

    Please do the right thing for your system and call Jstar.



    He will do what is best and is the only one in NJ I'd trust to work on my system.



    Here is his info :



    Joe Starosielec

    732-494-4357

    j.star@thatcherhvac.com

    http://thatcherhvac

    http://facebook.com/thatcherhvac
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    Piping

    is already accounted for in the IBR, but your piping losses might exceed this allowance if the pipes aren't insulated.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
  • PaulC
    PaulC Member Posts: 9
    Some Help please

    Yeah, the pipes aren't insulated anymore.

    I know the system needs a bit more attention than just a replacement boiler.
  • PaulC
    PaulC Member Posts: 9
    Some Help please

    Hi Chris, thanks. Have they done work for you? How did you find them?
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,231
    Yes

    Joe did some custom wiring for me when the Ecosteam system was installed.

    I found Joe on here and have seen a lot of his work.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    Recommendation

    Joe is a little too far from me to call him for service, but I wanted to say how impressed I've been with the way he understands steam. He not only has tons of experience, but he's clearly spent a lot of time studying the physics involved. As someone with a science/engineering background I'm not easily impressed, but the knowledge he displays in this forum never ceases to amaze me.
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Advantages of this forum

    If you click on Joe's name, you will get a list of all of his postings on this site.

    If you read a number of them, you will understand that he is a true steam expert, who is also a good communicator.

    You would be better served getting this job right, done by someone with easily verified talents, rather than choosing someone else who may be a shot in the dark.--NBC
  • PaulC
    PaulC Member Posts: 9
    Some help please

    Thank you all for your input. Any other thoughts are still welcome. I did call Joe, and have an appt with him next week.
  • RobG
    RobG Member Posts: 1,850
    To iterate

    When I was reading the post and saw that you were in N.J. I was going to recommend Joe. Chris beat me to it though. Joe will probably not be the low bidder however you don't get what you don't pay for. Have it done once and have it done right.



    JMHO,



    Rob

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