New VF3000 Install Q/S

"new" vf 3000 in basement waiting for install,

I bought this in may(got my rebate) and finally went to pick it up aug 7, reason? unsure of install, money a little tight, had to buy before end of may for rebate.Made payments until I picked it up.

Anyway I'll be having lots of q/s for you people here at nepa, I've been reading everything here in preperation for install by myself and a friend. Still reading a book by Don Holohan, hydronic radiant heating. I will admit I'm in over my head. I like simplicity and things that work very simple. I did get the answer correct in dons book, how'd the pickle get in the bottle.

This is what I have, A burnham oil fired hot water boiler, 2 zones, 1 circulator pump. About 1300 sq" ft to heat.

This is what I want, turn a couple of valves, change the stack from 1 appliance to the other and throw a switch if need be to fire the other furnace.My dhw will still come from my oil boiler so it must be up to temp.

I understand 1 appliance into one chimney as of 09 I think code says, I will not be powerventing the oil. Have each stack on the ready in the event I need to do a swap. The chimney is tile lined. All draft will be checked and a permanent manometer will be installed.

Heres my hang up. Parallel? If I make a loop between the oil to coal and either run that loop contiuous or just have it run when the oil wants to fire is an option, why or why not? What ever way is chosen above I want the circulator to kick on when a zone calls for heat or the oil wants to fire, it would turn on the circulator.

I would be using all the controls from the oil boiler less the firing of the oil boiler. Am I thinking correctly. I've been thinking about this for sometime and have had many headaches cotradicting my self.

Next hang up, if the loop is circulating and a zone calls for heat why will the hot water now go to the zone instead of the loop it was allready traveling or will it be like a half and half thing. 2 paths of water traveling at the same time? Thanks for any input..

Do a search on Dual Boiler Hook up, VF3000, etc....many different discussions and options/hook-ups on here.

Here;s one, but probably many others...

How to Plumb a Harman VF3000 Boiler

Anybody in the clearfield, jefferson county Pa. area that has done a similar dual boiler hookup that wouldn't mind if I took a look at your set up please pm me, I would be intrested in talking with you and observing your set up. Specifically a Harman stoker boiler or a keystoker tied into an existing oil boiler. Thanks...

Draw your system out on a napkin while you having lunch today

Don't forget to order a martini with that

add in any valves and near boiler fittings -- make it as clear as you can for your own use

now

someplace between the one zone pump you list and the oil boiler -- add a tee and a valve on the boiler side and the branch side -- do the same on the opposite --(might be supply might be return depends) be sure all fill and expansion contraptions are on the house side of these tees

Extend each branch to the supply and return of the coal boiler - use the same size piping - don't reduce.

Here you have a system that will isolate one or the other boiler - wire the coal boiler to run autonomously from the load and the load to function as it did. That may require you to take the zone pump off the oil boiler triple aquastat and use a fan relay to bring in on and off line by demand -- but we can go into that later

Pictures will help --can you post?

pic of front of oil boiler. In this pic oil boiler will be moved to the left 1 foot, there is an electric panel on the left wall. Electrician friend says there must be 36" between the boiler and panel,now there is 4 foot between the two.To the right is where the coal boiler will sit, right where the small grey cabinet is with books on top of it. Coal boiler will sit between the oil boiler and the doorway for the other part of the basement.

burnham boiler

more pics

I have a few questions on my new vf3000 install:

1. Is there any problem with letting the coal hopper run out? (will it burn back into the remaining coal in the bin and put CO into my house, etc.)

2. I can only get around .02 inches of draft right now (temps still in the 80's during the day), my vf3000 is installed in the flue that my old oil burner used to reside. I have a double flue chimney, one for a fireplace and the other comes out of the side of the fireplace at head level for the old oil boiler. Up on the roof when I look down inside, it's a approx. 9 x13 tile liner that goes down about 2 feet and then narrows to what looks like a 7" maybe 8" square tile liner. Could this change in size be affecting my low draft? Would placing a piece of round SS pipe into that lower liner and extending it up a foot or two above my existing chimney help with draft at all? The top of my chimney is already about 6 inches above the peak of my roof and about 6 feet away from the peak. It's on a single story ranch house.

thanks for all the help.

Terry

Check the pressure in the firebox (not sure on the VF but most units have a bolt or plug you can remove to do this, if not just drill a small hole and tape over it). You should have around -.01 to -.02" WC inside the firebox, if it is higher you need to reduce the amount of air being pushed by the combustion fan. Some use a rheostat to do this others use an adjustable cover over the inlet.

With regards to the chimney, did you inspect inside from the thimble up and make sure there is no blockage or soot buildup? I'm no chimney expert but from what you described the location and size of the existing chimney should work just fine in the summer months. I have a 30' chimney with 6" square tera cota flue tiles and I average -.03" to -.04" WC in the summer.

Best of luck with your new baby!