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Age of this Crane Boiler

drfronkonstein
drfronkonstein Member Posts: 10
edited March 2017 in THE MAIN WALL
Looking to buy, for my wife and I, our first home! The house was built in 1920 and has steam heat. The boiler seems to be in very well working order and in overall good shape (thankfully). The boiler it has is a Crane Co., Boiler No. 14-6, Series X-A, and it is oil fired. Can anyone tell me about this boiler? Age, rarity, availability of parts? Anything about Crane? I'm open to all information, just trying to learn about it.

Picture of the information plate here.

Thank you,

Vincent

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Can you post some pictures of the whole boiler?
    steve
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    edited March 2017
    Crane cast iron boilers were made by Warden King. I do not find any 14-6 but there were 18-6. Series 18 with 6 sections or the most popular: Sunnyday
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    The Crane 14 boiler ratings are here:

    https://heatinghelp.com/assets/documents/186.pdf
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
    For this old Crane, I see on the label that when originally fired with coal by hand, the IBR rating is 75% of the oil fired rating.
    This would explain the oversizing of many replacement boilers, people read the old plate, when selecting the replacement.

    http://i.imgur.com/wF1N4lE.jpg

    So the original boiler may have been correctly sized in the days of coal, then when converted to oil or gas, it becomes a third oversized, and finally when finally replaced with a new boiler, further capacity is selected, "for the coldest days of winter".--NBC
    Jim_R
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,164
    Sort of getting back to your original question, it is likely that parts and so on for that old girl are not easily available. However, if it is running well, not leaking, and the system is quiet and heating the house, then I'd not worry much about it. At some point in the way of the world, one or more of those things isn't going to apply anymore, and you would be thinking about a new boiler which would be significantly more efficient. But if it ain't broke...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Keep her as long as she works but it might make sense to start putting a little aside so when that day comes you have something to work with.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • drfronkonstein
    drfronkonstein Member Posts: 10
    Thanks for all the info, everyone!! Really appreciate it!
  • sixshooter
    sixshooter Member Posts: 1
    We purchased our home in 1968 and it had a Crane #16 oil fired in the basement from when the house was built in 1947. Put in a Beckett burner about 30 years ago, and it was a great boiler till it started leaking in 2014. Replaced it with a Buderus. Cut our fuel usage significantly. The Buderus is 1/3 the size, very quiet and a "cold start" design". Heats up to temp in 2-3 minutes. Amazing boiler.
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    The old girl puts put 99600 BTU net for steam. The oil guy who always wants to sell oil would probably put a 1.25 nozzle if not 1.5! 1.5 galloon = 210,000 BTU input. The old girl works at 50% efficiency. It is probably less if they took out the cast iron baffle over the firebox and the plates in the upper chamber. I got my Warden King same model on gas with electronic ignition in my old house from 1980 to when I sold it, working at 82%. Go to natural gas ASAP. BTW all parts and sections are available in Montreal from Stoker.
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    > @Henry said:
    > The old girl puts put 99600 BTU net for steam. The oil guy who always wants to sell oil would probably put a 1.25 nozzle if not 1.5! 1.5 galloon = 210,000 BTU input. The old girl works at 50% efficiency. It is probably less if they took out the cast iron baffle over the firebox and the plates in the upper chamber. I got my Warden King same model on gas with electronic ignition in my old house from 1980 to when I sold it, working at 82%. Go to natural gas ASAP. BTW all parts and sections are available in Montreal from Stoker.

    Why go to nat gas ASAP?
    @sixshooter has a Buderus which is not steam. And you'll get better efficiency on an atmospheric with oil over gas. If the oil company is only trying to sell oil, then you should have found a better company.
    ethicalpaul
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    I have not seen an atmospheric oil furnace never mind boiler in over 30 years!
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    > @Henry said:
    > I have not seen an atmospheric oil furnace never mind boiler in over 30 years!

    You need to get out more. A very sheltered life indeed.
    luketheplumberbucksnort
  • Canucker
    Canucker Member Posts: 722
    @Henry Is that a Quebec thing? I've seen them alot in Ontario.
    You can have it good, fast or cheap. Pick two
  • catastrophy
    catastrophy Member Posts: 8
    edited July 2020
    Cool. I have an old Crane boiler just like that(guage and all!) but its a 14-5,X-A. Its been converted to circulated hot water(monoflow) and has a natural gas burner rated at 100k btu. Still chugging along. Best heat ever.
  • LargeBajaBlast
    LargeBajaBlast Member Posts: 0
    I have a crane series 14-x i believe, there aren't any badges anywhere like what you posted just one embossed in the steel that says crane series 14, and one on top that says steam -15 water -30, so I'm not really sure which series 14, and it was already converted to gas when I got it. I had to replace the gas valve, thermopile, and the pump, all parts were found online easily