Beckett Oil to Propane conversion kit: requesting advice / suggestions

Dog8

I have a 9 year old Carrier oil furnace with a Beckett NX oil burner -- both work great ... with the exception of the price of fuel oil these days (I reside in PA). I read where Beckett makes Oil to Propane conversion kits which would save me thousands of dollars by not having to buy a propane furnace OR new ductwork. The problem is, Beckett discontinued manufacturing its NX oil burners and none of their replacements are compatible with their oil to propane conversion kits. And there are NO GAS lines near to where I live where I could consider a gas to propane conversion kit ... only propane. I contacted Beckett this morning (October 2024) and asked if they had any suggestions which would enable me to make this work, but was told they couldn't help and I was to contact Carrier. Can anyone give me some solid workable advice as to how to make this work -- easily, safely and affordably? Everyone on my street has propane heating with the sole exception of me who has oil heat. Thanks. in advance.

Jamie Hall

First things first. Are you quite sure that the price of propane, per BTU, is less than that of oil? Enough less to make the switch pencil out. Remember that a gallon of propane has only about two thirds of the BTUs that oil does — so you'd need half again as much propane to keep warm as you do oitl…

SuperTech

I wouldn't do it. Furnaces don't adapt to the change in flame temperature and flame pattern like a boiler does. Especially a Carrier furnace. Those furnaces aren't built like a tank like a Thermopride furnace. I would be concerned that the heat exchanger would fail as a result of the conversion. Have you checked with Carrier and found out if they approve of a LP conversion? Chances are good that you would void any warranty that you may have.

Dog8

I have an 1,800 sf home and pay $2,500 — $2,700 per heating season for fuel oil which — to me — is outrageous. Meanwhile, my neighbor — whose home is more than 4,300 s.f. pays between $600 - $800 for propane during the heating season to heat his home.

Knowing this, might you be able to suggest how I can make converting my Beckett NX oil burner to a propane burner via a conversion kit? As Beckett's NX burner is no longer being manufactured and their replacements for the NX are not compatible with their oil to propane conversion kits, I was hoping there might be accessory parts which I could purchase in order to convert the NX oil burner into compatibilty, or perhaps purchase a different Oil to Propane BRAND conversion kit thereby allowing me to use Beckett's NX oil burner in the process.

Thanks for your input.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Beckett makes oil burners and gas burners but as far as I know there is no conversion kit. You can't turn an oil burner into a gas burner.

You might be able to remove the oil burner and put a Carlin or Beckett gas burner in your existing furnace but I wouldn't do that with a 9 year old furnace.

Neither Carlin, Beckett or Carrier would have tested that combination as Gas furnaces are available so you would be in uncharted territory even if you could find someone who would do the switch.

As @Jamie Hall mentioned oil has 140,000BTUs/ gallon.

Propane has 91,500 BTU/gallon of propane

So for example if you burn 500 gallons of fuel oil/year (500 x 140000)=70,000,000btu/year

70,000,000/91,500=765 gallons of propane to do the same job. Efficiency is about the same

Check the fuel price before you do anything. In most areas fuel oil is less expensive.

Jamie Hall

@Dog8 , if you are burning that much oil, there is something else amiss. I know oil is expensive — but you are using at least as much, if not more, oil per square foot as the house Cedric powers uses — which is 7,000 square feet usable space, built between 1780 and 1890, with no insulation.

The first thing to do is to see if you have any insulation at all. Next, go find all the air leaks. And fix both problems. Also add storm windows if you don't have them.

HVACNUT

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1813337#Comment_1813337

Is a warm air furnace, or a water boiler? The Carrier boilers were just rebadged Dunkirks.

LRCCBJ

I have an 1,800 sf home and pay $2,500 — $2,700 per heating season for fuel oil which — to me — is outrageous. Meanwhile, my neighbor — whose home is more than 4,300 s.f. pays between $600 - $800 for propane during the heating season to heat his home.

With an assumed price of $2.80 for propane, your neighbor, by his claim, is using 250 gallons of propane for the entire heating season.

There are only two possibilities:

a) Your neighbor keeps the house at 45 degrees throughout the season.

b) Your neighbor is lying.

You use about 875 gallons of fuel oil per heating season. This is quite typical of an 1800 square foot dwelling that is a bit compromised on air sealing. Work on that and you can reduce the fuel oil to about 700 gallons per heating season. Propane will not affect the outcome in any way. In fact, due to the 65% energy available from propane, it will likely cost you more. LOOK ELSEWHERE!

pecmsg

You can't compare your home too your neighbors.

I agree somethings not adding up.

Steamhead

For the record, the NX still appears on Beckett's site, so it's probably still being made:

https://www.beckettcorp.com/product/nx-oil-burner-0-40-to-1-75-gph-ac-power/