New Gas Gun on Old Boiler

steam-rookie

Hello everyone,
I had an oil delivery last week. 100 gal.
I immediately smelled oil coming from the basement.
This is normal after a delivery, but always goes away in just a few minutes. This time no. This time the smell was lingering for hours, and getting worse.
So I go down there and take a good look with a drop light. Sure enough, there is oil on the floor, and a pin hole leak in the bottom of the tank.
This is a very old tank, and there is no question about it, it needs to be replaced. And replaced immediately.
The cost of taking out the old tank, and putting in a new one, is about the same price as the Wolf gas stove that my wife would love to get for the kitchen.
There is a gas line right on the street that I live on. The gas company will bring the gas to my house for free. Anything after the meter is my cost.
This sure does sound like a good time to get rid of the oil, and switch my boiler over to gas.
We currently have a oil fired Becket burner. Which is also very old.
I have heard a lot of good things about a gas fired Carlin gun.
I must pay to get that leaking tank out of my basement. There simply is no way around that.
So now for my question:
Can I convert this old boiler from oil to gas?
I do understand that it is a very old boiler. But it's been my friend for the over 30 years that I have been here. It works well, and heats the house without a sound.
I have no choice to pay to get rid a the leaking tank.
I can afford the new Carlin gun
I might then be able to get that Wolf gas stove that my wife would love.
I will attach a photo of the old boiler.
Steam-Rookie

Steamhead

Well, it can be done. Certainly won't be as efficient as a newer boiler, but it's doable. Until then, you can use a magnetic patch to stop the leak.

The advantage is that when it's time for a new boiler, you could get something like a Weil-McLain SGO and use the EZ-Gas therein.

Is that a wet-base or dry-base Arcoliner (does the return line go in the rear of the boiler just above the floor, or 12-18 inches higher)?

Where are you located?

BobC

If you do convert the old girl make sure it is very well cleaned before the EZ-GAS goes in. This takes some time so it's going to increase the costs some.

i converted back in 2012, my oil tank had a very small leak and it was from the early '50's. The boiler was a Burnham v75 and those had suspect castings so I replaced it with a Smith wet base steam boiler.

Bob

jerryb46

that arcoliner can be converted to gas but make sure who ever you get to do the work has done it before. that boiler can be baffled down to raise the effy , higher than you might think .

ethicalpaul

Do you know the sq ft of radiation installed in your house?

I think I said this on another thread, maybe it was yours, I would get a nice atmospheric gas boiler in there. No blower noise or expense, and a chance to install a correctly-sized boiler (if yours is by chance oversized)