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Biasi B-3

Solid_Fuel_Man
Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
Looking into installing a small 3-pass oil boiler in my home. I currently have a Toyotomi oil miser 180, and it drives me nuts short cycling so much. It is also a single pass, just a water heater listed as a boiler as far as I'm concerned. My heatloss is 44,000 btu/hr so anything oil is oversized. I currently have double oil filters, with the latter being a spin-on. The boiler will be equipped with a Reillo F3 and would be direct vented with a short run (less than 6 feet).

Also considering proPAIN as my entire system is designed to run at 130F water. My meager fuel usage makes the price of LP very high, so oil seems to be the less expensive option. I can sell the Toyo for what I paid for it, and am looking for something efficient and reliable for my wife and family if anything ever happened to me and wood gasification were not the primary heating source.

Opinions, experiences, suggestions welcome!

SFM
Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!

Comments

  • lchmb
    lchmb Member Posts: 2,997
    edited July 2016
    why not use a storage tank..set the tank to 160 or even higher, mix it coming out and stay with an oil boiler...should help to resolve short cycling. I installed the Biasi at my inlaws...he loves the boiler..
    SWEI
  • SWEI
    SWEI Member Posts: 7,356
    Agreed. You have in effect an oil-fired tankless, and a pretty efficient one at that. Low mass, so generally not happy with a lot of cycling. The least expensive option by far is to create an environment where it can live a long, happy life.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    The Biasi is a nice boiler, you can't go wrong with it. If you want to switch to propain later, you can install a Carlin EZ-Gas burner in it and it'll run great.

    There are several boilers out there that use the Biasi block- Solaia, Excelsior, Tri-Fire etc. Any one of these should work well.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Solid_Fuel_Man
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540


    No problems at all with Biasi
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
    lchmbkcoppSolid_Fuel_Man
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    I honestly can't see how the Toyotomi can be that efficient with the fire tube single pass HX baffles and all. The excess air is high and stack Temps are in the 450 gross range when I'm in steady state. It's a great water heater but seems to be lacking as a boiler.

    Experimenting around I used my wood boiler (60 gallons) as a buffer tank and had nice long run times, but the high stack temp is daunting.

    I think another long talk with the local fuel suppliers is in order as I designed everything low temperature so I wouldn't get locked out of any efficient heating options in the future. Maybe a mod-con is in the future. The added space from having the oil tank gone would be a bonus as well.

    Oil or gas....oh where did my magic 8ball go?

    SFM
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540

    How about a Firebird condensing oil boiler?
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
    Solid_Fuel_Man
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    3 years next month,no problems.
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    Clean isn't the problem, whether the incremental savings are worth the cost is a very valid question. In the absence of a chimney, these are vastly superior to power venting and direct venting boilers that were designed to chimney vent.They were designed from the ground up to DV
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    I wasn't aware condensing oil was available in the US yet. I know of one supplier locally that claims to be all low sulfur oil, thought that was required. Was watching some videos from the UK on Grant condensing oil technology. Looked like a familiar Reillo burner and a lot of extra ss heat exchange surface for condensation to take place.

    Have heard of all the horror stories of the 80s and condensing furnaces, can't remember the name off the top of my head. Black sludge comes to mind....

    SFM
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • Robert O'Brien
    Robert O'Brien Member Posts: 3,540
    Almost every state is the northeast is ULS only already or will be by 2018.
    To learn more about this professional, click here to visit their ad in Find A Contractor.