Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Crown Boilers?

Hoog23
Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
My plumber is recommending Crown.  I have never heard of them but it looks like they have been around a while. 



Any comments on them?



I have a single pipe steam system.  I already have gas service and intend to convert from oil to gas. 



Thanks

Comments

  • Al Letellier_21
    Al Letellier_21 Member Posts: 402
    crown boilers

    I have installed hundreds and seen thousands of boilers in my career as a heating contractor and consultant and have never had an issue with a Crown boiler. They seem to be a pretty good product and indeed have been around for a while. Not familiar with their product line so I would assume they have a boiler rated for gas. I wouldn't hestitate to recommend one even though I have used a different  boiler line for many years.
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,318
    I will chime in

    It is seldom the boiler but the installer that makes the difference in how a system runs. Please look under Resources and the homeowner section. A low grade boiler installed well is better than a top of the line boiler installed wrong.
    Cost is what you spend , value is what you get.

    cell # 413-841-6726
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating
  • Hoog23
    Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
    No lucking finding anyone

    I had no luck when I tried to find someone local to me (Westchester County NY)  using this site.



    My current system is a old Thatcher (30's?) with a Weil-McLane burner (80s).  Besides being old I have not had any issues with it (nicknamed it the Green Monster).  So I am a bit apprehensive in replacing it.   Is there anything I can do to make it more efficient?  My basement oil tank is original and I planned to replace it this summer for safety's sake.  I can however convert to high efficiency gas with indirect HW and get $2800 in rebates and free up the space that the tank takes up.  I currently have adequate gas service to handle a boiler.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited June 2011
    On a steam system

    most boiler makers, including Crown, only offer atmospheric dry-base boilers which are not that efficient.



    The most efficient residential gas-fired steamers are wet-base, power-burner types which have more heat-transfer surface and better control over combustion. The Smith G-8 and Slant/Fin Intrepid are both factory approved for use with power gas burners. Here we see them with Carlin EZ-Gas units.



    If you stay with oil, the Burnham MegaSteam is the best. Unfortunately, Burnham hasn't seen fit to market it with a gas burner. If they did, they'd likely own most of the market.



    How about some pics of the Green Monster?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Hoog23
    Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
    Pics

    Well it looks like my burner is a Beckett not a Weil and yes the sight glass is leaking.



    The IBR tag reads: 

    Steam Square Feet = 650

    Water Sq Feet = 1040

    Model = 018a
  • Hoog23
    Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2011
    Researching Power Gas

    Well myself and my plumber have not had a lot of luck getting info on the G-8 or Intrepid gas.



    Are we basically looking at purchasing the boiler and burner separately?  I called SF and they gave me the number for Heatwise.  It didn't sound like they had any documentation.  I did manage to dig up a sheet from Smith on the G8 with the EZ gas.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited June 2011
    Not as far-fetched as it sounds

    Many boiler manufacturers offer several burners on their boilers so an installer can use his favorite (Beckett, Carlin, Riello, you get the idea) and this is really no different. Here, you'd order the boiler less the burner, and get the gas burner from Carlin or HeatWise. I know Carlin offers EZ-Gas burners with the proper air tubes and mounting flanges for both these boilers, not sure about HeatWise. But they are both good burners.



    We'll start seeing more of these as rising efficiency standards outlaw atmospheric boilers.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Hoog23
    Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
    Efficiency ratings?

    Do any of the manufacturers have the efficiency ratings for these configurations published? I will contact Carlin and Heatwise tomorrow. thanks
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited June 2011
    Depends on what rating you're looking for

    Thermal efficiency is in their rating charts- it's the DOE output rating as a percentage of the input rating. You have to do the math yourself, but the wet-base/power-burner types run 86% or so, whereas atmospherics run 80-82%.



    I've only seen gas-power-burner AFUE ratings on Solaia boilers, which are only hot-water models. On these, I believe the AFUE ratings drop by about one percent on gas as opposed to oil. That's still better than atmospherics' 80-81% AFUE ratings. I'll post some of these when I find them.



    The differences don't sound like much, but with rising fuel costs every little bit helps.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Hoog23
    Hoog23 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2011
    Tankless?

    Boy is it hard to find info on the G8 or SF EZ-Gas retrofit combo.



    The guy I spoke to at SF was useless.  At least the guy at Smith gave me the name of the local manufacturers rep who was helpful and gave me the name of a distributer.



    My green monster is currently tankless.  I see that the G8 has a tankless option.  I realize that I will never be able to look up the flow capacities for my ancient boiler.  Would I be disappointed compared to installing an indirect?  Is this solution more/less efficient?



    Thanks
  • RDSTEAM
    RDSTEAM Member Posts: 134
    crown boilers

    are pretty solid boilers and will run for a long time with the right installation and care. crown bermuda is their steam line. i'm pretty sure they have a size thats right around your demand. make sure your plumber is doing a system sizing. if you need to know how its done just ask, we shall assist.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Indirect is the way to go

    the best one for a steamer is the SuperStor Ultra, since its coil is lower than the usual boiler's waterline. Here's a shot of one we installed, with a G-8.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,318
    even in the realm of atmospheric boilers

    The ratings for crown seem pretty low. Did I read it right that they were under 81%. Frank with the G8 and the Slantfin I was thinking it would be better to go a section larger and fire at the needed rating for the load. The Trio water boiler does this when it is fired with a gas burner and the efficiency stays in the mid 80's.
    Cost is what you spend , value is what you get.

    cell # 413-841-6726
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited June 2011
    We do that a lot with the Intrepid

    because there's fairly large gap between sizes. Not so much with the Smith, since the gas version uses the lower of the two firing rates used with oil. 
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
This discussion has been closed.