replacing a condensing gas boiler with a conventional

jimzab

I've had my experience with a Peerless Pinnacle boiler. Was average for about 8 years but now have a bad combustion blower. A $900 part. So disgusted, I've heated my 2800 sq ft house with a wood pellet stove. This has worked out so great, Ive been doing it for 4 years and saved a ton of money. I need to replace the condensing boiler and would like to return to old school. I would like to trade all the bells and whistles for a more reliable boiler. I do not have a chimney and would like to stay away from a power vent. That leaves me with a few direct vent options. I'm leaning towards a Slant/Fin Victory direct vent unit that appears basic in design and also carries good reviews as well as there customer service. The piping I have was designed for a condensing, higher head pressure heat exchanger. This includes a primary/secondary loop. The primary loop has a big Taco 010 circulator. I have five zones on the secondary which includes DHW, each having Taco 007 circulators. The system worked great when ever the boiler wanted to stay running. I would like to get the opinion of a few experts about the design in place for a conventional boiler. The installer did a great job. (not around anymore). I do not want an heating installer to come in and start ripping it all apart because maybe he does not understand it. Also i'm thinking the Taco 010 circulator should come out and use what comes with the new boiler for the primary loop. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Jim

kcopp

I understand where you are at. You really need to find an installer who can look at your system and your needs to figure out what is best for you.
Where you located?
Is this Nat Gas or LP?
What do you do for hot water?
What do you have for radiation? Fin tube , radiant floor or Ci rads?

Gordy

This is one of the draw backs to mod/con technology. Part goes bad in this case is a 1/3 of the cost of the boiler. However it is possible bad venting leading to cross contamination may have caused such an early failure of the combustion fan. Any pics of the damaged part?

Ironman

4 heating zones on a mod/con; probably no buffer and low mass emitters?
What are the chances it short cycled itself to death?

jimzab

The exhaust / intake were connected per manufacturer specification. I do believe it was cross contamination. I'm just running fin and tube baseboard. The combustion blowers have a high rate of failure along with the Controll board.

jimzab

I live in CT. And use LP gas. House is 12 years old. Insulated very well. If 4 zones is causing it to short cycle, would the fox be to undersize the boiler or just lower the boiler temp

Gordy

Do you know the heat loss of each zone? Combining zones, or adding a buffer tank is the solution. Rule of thumb is a zone should not be less than the minimum modulation of the boiler. However anything above design would still be an issue. So buffer tank is the better solution.

What is the total heatloss? You may run into short cycling with a CI boiler to.

jimzab

I'll have to look for the heat loss info. One zone is just for the 16 x 18 bonus room over the garage. That's extremely well insulated. I imagine the zone to heat the indirect hot water is small. Good points to think about.