H.B. Smith replacement

Bob_45

It's time to replace my H.B. Smith boiler but I don't have a clue what to replace it with. It is a leaky, oil fired model FD12w4 (serial # 82 534) 127 mbh (1.15 gal/hr).
Any ideas?
Thanx,
Bob
webmaster@telefone.com

J.C.A._3

Do yourself a favor....

Have, or do a real heat loss.

Short story. When I started working in the field in 1985, my parents had the same boiler installed in their new home,built in 1977-8. It was in a new area of the town with all underground utilities. They would lose power and phones anytime it rained. They lost power on New years Eve 1986 and the boiler leaked. Being a newbie, I pumped 2 cans of Hercules "Base Hit" into it.For some strange reason, it lasted till April 1994.

When I went to the supply house on the first leak, I asked if anyone knew something about the FD boilers and the immediate response was....Other than the leaks?

After calculating the heatloss, I found the boiler WAY oversized. I downsized to a 3 section W/M and the delivery driver thought I was crazy for buying such a small boiler. He was a delivery driver, what did he know? My godfather who supplied the oil was kind of P.O'D because the fuel usage went down considerably.

It has been heating the 1500 sq. ft. home and supplying hot water wonderfully now for almost 10 years now. Unfortunately, I was still not up to speed on making hot water and ended up installing a coil in the boiler and a booster tank.

If I had to do it over again now, I would be using (Just my personal opinion) a Buderus G-115/21 with a lt-52 tank as the base and either a Carlin or Beckett burner.

Oh, the things we learn in the time we spend doing our jobs. The best thing is the things we learn about doing our job BETTER and having it SAVE money in the long term. Chris

Dale

Choices

The model isn't as important as the person. Find the best oil guy in your area and buy the best boiler he sells and a domestic hot water tank he sells. What he can get from the local wholesaler in a day in stock is the parts you want.