Oil-Gas replacement conversion

Dave0176

Replaced a leaking oil fired steam boiler with a tankless heater probably installed sometime in the 1950s. The old lady didn’t want a separate hot water heater and she preferred to keep the tankless so after measuring the rads I came up with 237 sq ft and in went a Weil-McLain EG35 with a tankless domestic hot water heater.

On that old boiler the low water cutoff was clogged solid and the rear bottom drain only trickled water out, so it took time to drain it. When I pulled the fire box door off the combustion chamber had at least 4-5” of soot and carbon on the floor. The burner was a brand new Carlin and you see the head starting to warp from the heat. The oil company kept great records of all their yearly services though lol. In fact the last PM was October 2019. Unbelievable!!!

Jamie Hall

Nice looking job, @Dave0176 ! But one does sort of have to wonder about the previous service, eh?

jerryb46

no old pictures?

Dave0176

jerryb46 said:

no old pictures?

Just the one, it’s was too dirty once we started pulling it apart.

ethicalpaul

Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?

What did you have to dig out of the floor?

HVACNUT

> @ethicalpaul said:
> Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?
>
> What did you have to dig out of the floor?


Oil lines.

Beautiful job! Too bad it's not still oil fired though.

Was that a Winkler? I can almost read it.

Dave0176

HVACNUT said:

> @ethicalpaul said:

> Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?

>

> What did you have to dig out of the floor?





Oil lines.



Beautiful job! Too bad it's not still oil fired though.



Was that a Winkler? I can almost read it.

Yes it was a Winkler a three section pretty damn heavy too. In all my years of doing this job I’ve never come across a Winkler.

Dave0176

ethicalpaul said:

Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?

What did you have to dig out of the floor?

As @HVACNUT said we dug up the oil lines, tank company is there today pulling the tank.

And Paul actually the room was very small where they had the boiler only 6X8 so truthfully it was tight especially with all my tools and my pop in the same room.

Dave0176

Jamie Hall said:

Nice looking job, @Dave0176 ! But one does sort of have to wonder about the previous service, eh?

We see it all the time Jamie especially on the older boilers because it requires more work to remove the burner and fire box door.

Dave0176

And if anyone asks, no I still don’t own a propress I still sweat all my copper. Maybe someday.

EBEBRATT-Ed

A lot of old boilers that get thrown away because lazy technicians won't take down the smoke pipe and clean it and combustion chambers full of soot. Not saying that was the case here

ethicalpaul

HVACNUT said:

> @ethicalpaul said:

> Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?

>

> What did you have to dig out of the floor?





Oil lines.



Beautiful job! Too bad it's not still oil fired though.



Was that a Winkler? I can almost read it.

Thanks! Why is it too bad that it's not still oil fired? That sweet oil smell, the high cost, or the loud blower noise?

ethicalpaul

Dave0176 said:

ethicalpaul said:

Real clean install @Dave0176 ! Lots of room to work on this one for once, right?

What did you have to dig out of the floor?

As @HVACNUT said we dug up the oil lines, tank company is there today pulling the tank.

And Paul actually the room was very small where they had the boiler only 6X8 so truthfully it was tight especially with all my tools and my pop in the same room.

Oh wow, the picture was deceiving! The install is just so beautiful and simple even with the twin supplies and drop header.

luketheplumber

Dave0176 said:

And if anyone asks, no I still don’t own a propress I still sweat all my copper. Maybe someday.

I haven't done anywhere near as much soldering as anyone on this page. But I do really enjoy sweating copper fittings, its always quite satisfying to melt the solder around the joints and then know that the joint isn't going anywhere.

SuperTech

> @luketheplumber said:
> (Quote)
> I haven't done anywhere near as much soldering as anyone on this page. But I do really enjoy sweating copper fittings, its always quite satisfying to melt the solder around the joints and then know that the joint isn't going anywhere.

Its very satisfying until you have a problem. Leaky sweat joints are a real pain. Try to remember that keeping the fittings super clean and make sure everything is straight and level. Avoid trying to solder any pipe with water in it. If you have a valve that doesn't close fully and you can't keep water out of the pipe there's a product called a Jet Sweat that will seal the inside of the pipe and keep the water out.
Or you can use an old trick....stuff a piece of bread down the pipe and it will soak up the water so you can solder. Flush it out through the tub or a spigot without a strainer when you are done.

EzzyT

@Dave0176 beautiful job as always.