Converting Burnham V8 to propane?

joea99 · May 22

Back again with an oil to propane question. With the unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East, my main concern is the availability (and price) of the base fuel.

I'm now aware there are propane conversion "kits" available, to convert various existing units from oil to propane. Beckett CG4001 and Beckett CG4MUF3 are what I found.

In my case the entire "burner" assembly and "air tube" get replaced. Cost of the units seem reasonable, but no idea how much it will cost to calibrate things. Or if the town building inspector will peek in.

Given that the existing boiler is some 20 years old, is it sensible to consider conversion, or rather replace the unit? In terms of efficiency, the latter seems wise, but in terms of cost, labor AND the ability to go back to oil if conditions change, make the former attractive.

Thanks for your kind advice.

pecmsg · May 22

LP is generally much higher in operating cost then OIL.

What unrest, if oil goes up so does NG and LP.

ChrisJ · May 22

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897099#Comment_1897099

What unrest?

Seriously @pecmsg ?

You're correct about all fuels going up, but how could you not know what unrest?

Steamhead · May 22

@joea99 , you really need to compare the cost per BTU for each fuel in your area.

#2 oil= ~140,000 BTU per gallon

Propane/LP gas= ~91,000 BTU per gallon

Natural gas= 100,000 BTU per therm

Then you can make an informed decision.

EBEBRATT-Ed · May 22

@joea99

If you not having any issue with the boiler or the oil tank keep running what you have. Since you old boiler is 20 years old I would budget for a replacement and start saving.

Although it can vary by location propane is usually more expensive than oil. With a 20 yearold boiler it could last 10-20 more years or it could fail next month.

patrykrebisz · May 22

In the area i live in (Peekskil NY), at today's prices and average winter consumption. My gas bill would be $700 vs $1500 for oil. This with accounting for oil's higher efficiency.

Jamie Hall · May 22

With LP — even more than oil — you have to deal with the prices YOU can get in YOUR immediate area for the size storage tank YOU have or can get. Don't let us mislead you with out local conditions…

For example — I'm not that far (2 hour drive) from @patrykrebisz — and my oil is half as expensive per BTU as my LP, — just the opposite from his experience.

joea99 · May 22

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897125#Comment_1897125

Is that per MONTH or for the season?

I am over the river and though the woods from you. Maybe 40 miles by crow, More like 75 by wheels.

joea99 · May 22

Gents, the merits of either fuel is certainly to be considered, but not really what I am after.

I got a quote for a new propane unit, from a Big Supplier in the area and have an idea what those costs would be. Roughly 9 or 10 times the cost of the conversion parts alone. So, from my understanding that would be essentially "Plug and Play", with only minor gas piping and electrical work. The exhaust is still a question as to needing a liner or other mods.

patrykrebisz · May 22

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897130#Comment_1897130

My house consumes 300 gallons/month during cold season.
Before the "unrest" when the oil was like $2.5/gallon (so around 750/month) gas didn't appear that much cheaper but the past 2 months the oil skyrocketted.

Jamie Hall · May 23

I'll try again. Use YOUR numbers from YOUR supplier for both fuels. Keep in mind when you are doing it that oil contains half again as much energy per gallon as LP, so you will only use two thirds as much of it.

Example. If you burned, as I do, 2,500 gallons of oil per year, I would need just under 4,000 gallons of LP to create the same amount of heat.

And as I noted in my earlier post, it would cost me almost twice as much if I used LP instead of oil. But that's me, where I live. As they say, your mileage may vary!

hot_rod · May 23

use this spreadsheet to get some answers based in costs and efficiency

https://coalpail.com/fuel-comparison-calculator-home-heating

HVACNUT · May 23

@joea99 , is the Beckett gas burner set up specifically for the V8? If the 20 year old boiler starts to leak (which the V8 has been known to do), will that burner retrofit into a different boiler? There is one boiler manufacturer I know of that a burner swap is all that's needed to switch between gas and oil without changing draft regulator location. Because there is no draft regulator on their boiler. I'm not advocating the conversion, but if your going to do it, I like the power burner route over a mod con for durability and readily available parts. I'll sacrifice a little efficiency, which you're doing anyway by converting.

Forget about the price of the burner. You'll be getting a quote for the whole shebang. Burner, gas piping, pressure test, chimney liner if applicable, new flue with spill switch, combustion test, etc.

pecmsg · May 23

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897100#Comment_1897100

And as quickly it will settle down!

What was it 5 + years ago we had $5 gal gas?

Steamhead · May 23

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897171#Comment_1897171

Not in Baltimore……………..

Steamhead · May 23

@joea99 , also look at the Carlin EZ-Gas. That's one of our two go-to gas burners.

joea99 · May 23

Will do. What's the other one?

Steamhead · May 23

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1897179#Comment_1897179

Midco EC. But I think the Carlin is a bit better match for that boiler, since it can produce a bit higher static air pressure.

Converting Burnham V8 to propane?

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