E.F.M.-DF 520 Coal -Oil problem

nick z.

The house heats fine, all the rads get warm when operating on coal. Now the people just want to use the oil gun, and all the rads won't warm.System is steam,Arco Vacuum type. burner is fired at max.(1.50) I'm wondering if its even designed to make steam with the oil? Thinking the oil is just for hot dom. during the summer. Idid put a bigger main vent on (hoffman #75) Helped a little but not enough.I even broke the rads loose on the return side and nothing came out. Thanks

Alan R. Mercurio_3

Nick, I'm not familiar with the EFM 520 But I think you're on to something there? I can tell you that with 1.50 GPH you'll only get a maximum of 210,000 BTU Input.

Hope that helps a little.


Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio

Oil Tech Talk

Steve Ebels

To check the oil burner

In order to see if it is sufficient to heat all the rads, simply add up the EDR of all of them and see what you get for a total. Then take the output of the oil burner, multiply times .75 to be conservative and see if you come up with the same btu output as the rads are capable of. I'll bet your theory is correct and the oil is just there to provide domestic in the off season.

Have fun and happy steaming!!!!

nick z.

We were all right

just got off the phone with EFM, They informed me that oil gun is only for dom. hot water and emergencies.That boiler is only capable of 118,000BTU of Steam on oil.
Looks like I'll be installing a new one.