What's the best residential steam boiler on the market?

Don1450

I'm about to replace a Burnham V8 steam boiler that developed a hole directly in the top of the casting after just 12 years of service. It can be seen by removing the chimney vent pipe and looking straight into the boiler from above. Many people are telling me not to purchase another Burnham boiler. Many recommend Peerless. To me they all look pretty much the same in terms of design. Despite losing the V8 prematurely I'm really leaning quite heavily toward the Burnham Mega Steam. It appears to be of really high quality and most reviews are very positive. Can anyone advise on the best route?

Fred

I'm assuming you use oil to fuel the boiler. Most of the Pro's on this site speak very highly about the quality and reliability of the Megasteam but it is not certified for use with natural gas so if there is any intent to use or convert to natural gas in the near term, be aware that will void the Burnham warranty. Many suggest (and I agree) that most boiler brands are similar in terms of quality and that the best outcome is driven by the quality of the installation and by using a brand that can be locally supported/maintained. I, for one, have a 32 year old Burnham, cast iron boiler that is still going strong (knock on wood). Adding too much fresh water is probably the #1 killer of any boiler. Make sure you take care of any leaks in the system and that you watch water usage over the life of the boiler. I do believe there were/are some problems with the V8 casting that may have lead to premature failures. You might want to check with Burnham to see if they have any special deals/arrangements for customers who want to upgrade to a Megasteam.

Don1450

My boiler is oil fired. The 10-11 years that I owned it the auto feeder put less than a gallon of make-up water per year into the boiler. This year it just developed the hole and its taking on gallons per day as much of the steam pours out of the chimney. Its still heating the house and still supplying plenty of hot water to my Mega-stor Tank. I am on well water, but I don't soften it just an inline filter to remove iron and manganese.

Fred

May be a faulty casting. What is the PH of the water? Low PH can promote rust/corrosion. Typically the boiler water should be in the 8 to 9 range. If you are much lower than that you may need to periodically add a water conditioner.

Eric_32

The most efficient oil fired boiler will be a "3-pass". There are a few companies that offer them, the Burnham Megasteam is one. The flue pipe comes off the back of the boiler as opposed to the top of the boiler.

rrwitherspoon

If fresh water is the killer of steam boilers. What is it in fresh water that causes the problem? Can there be a modification or additive added to water to prevent or lessen this effect.

Fred

More often than not it is excess oxygen, in fresh water, that promotes rot. The solution is to make sure any new water added to the boiler is immediately brought to a boil to burn that off. Water with a low PH can also promote rust/rot. There are water conditioners available to adjust the PH. High Chloride levels are also not good.

rrwitherspoon

what is the name of a good water conditioner. Do they really extend the life of your boiler?

Fred

Many like Steamaster tablets, by Rectorseal. I have some but have not used it yet. This is the link to Supplyhouse.com and the page that has info: http://www.supplyhouse.com/Rectorseal-68732-Steamaster-Tablet
All the guys say it works well but that you do not want to follow the directions on the bottle. The bottle says use 4 tablets but most guys say only use 1 tablet, maybe 2 if you have a large boiler.
I have used a product called Rust Raider by gunk. It too is a "leave in" conditioner and I liked it but this year I decided not to use anything as the water quality and PH levels of our local water supply are pretty good. I do see a difference in the water color in the boiler (a Little more rust colored) and I may try the Steamaster tablets.

Bug512

Do you live in northern NJ ?

Fred

Obviously sooner or later they all rot through. It's just a known fact that constant (or frequent) additions of fresh water exaserbates the situation. Usually they rust through at the waterline or at the top of the boiler block. Even with an auto water feeder, it should only add water rarely. That's why most people install the water feeder with a meter on it. So they can see whats going on.

Fred

I'm not a chemist so I will have to yield to someone on this site who might be