I Am Wanting a Coal Boiler?

MoBe · Post by **MoBe** » Sun. Jan. 23, 2011 9:17 pm

Buddy how about a sectional cast iron boiler from the years gone by... They are easy to come buy and are relatively cheep compared to buying a new unit... Can burn wood or coal... Im most cases with TLC may last longer than a new steel construction boiler... You can add a stoker if you so incline... or maby an alternate heating systems wood or coal boiler? cant go wrong either way! By the way where in western pa are you from? im just down the road here in Ebensburg

Yanche · Post by **Yanche** » Sun. Jan. 23, 2011 9:45 pm

Here's what an H stamp looks like. It will be a metal plate that also includes the manufacturing company name and ASME registration number.

.JPG | 52KB | H_Stamp_Symbol.jpg

JB Sparks · Post by **JB Sparks** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 6:20 am

Yanche, I would say that if these Harmans had such a stamp it would be located on the boiler where it couldn't be missed so, I guess the Harmans are not ASME H stamped.

That said, the Harman is still built like a tank and it's keeping the house nice and toasty in this -5* this morning so I suppose I shouldn't worry about no stamp.

Appreciate the education.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 6:26 am

Assuming you have a basement to put a boiler, I'd run baseboard to all the rooms, maybe a toe kick heater in the kitchen & a small coal stoker, perhaps the new Leisure Line would be a good fit. If not, Keystoker makes a beauty too. I don't think your house is large enough to look at Axeman or AHS. Unless you want to double your initial expense forget about gravity feed. The cost of proper size piping would hit hard. You could by a half dozen auto start generators cheaper.

AA130FIREMAN · Post by **AA130FIREMAN** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 11:22 am

strat0 wrote:My big question is do they make a boiler, that has electric and coal heat source? That would prevent me from installing 2 separate units... right? I would fire the coal when home, but when I go away, I could just let it run on electric... turn the t-stats down to say 55 and let it go. Anyone know of such a creature?

NO, but some are using the on demand, hot water heaters. They are available ng,propane, and electric. The electric ones I seen need alot of amps, I believe 200.

Post by **Rob R.** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 11:52 am

I started with a hand-fed coal stove, moved up to a hand-fed coal boiler, then made the giant leap to a stoker boiler...an EFM 520 to be exact. After running the EFM for a day and a half I sure wish I had skipped the hand-fed equipment and gone straight for a stoker. There is no fighting to distribute the heat, no shaking, no clinkers, no fuss. I know you are trying to avoid more electrical controls, but unless you are completely living without electric...I think it is a worthy compromise.

-Rob

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 2:36 pm

How much of that day and a half did you spend in the basement just watching it do its work? When you think about how long ago that stoker was designed, and how long those units can provide good service, they're pretty amazing.

Mike

Post by **Rob R.** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 2:43 pm

Probably 5 or 6 hours. I have a chair and beer fridge close to the boiler.

-Rob

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 3:15 pm

markviii wrote:Probably 5 or 6 hours. I have a chair and beer fridge close to the boiler.

-Rob

LOL

I have exactly the same arrangement in decor...As seen in my newest magazine subscription..."Better Homes & Stokers"

Pacowy · Post by **Pacowy** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 3:19 pm

Rob -

So you're saying that girlie men get to sit and drink beer while manly men are spending all of that time tending their fires? Hmmm, you may have just persuaded a few of them to shave their legs.

Mike

MURDOC1 · Post by **MURDOC1** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 3:20 pm

strat0 wrote:My big question is do they make a boiler, that has electric and coal heat source? That would prevent me from installing 2 separate units... right? I would fire the coal when home, but when I go away, I could just let it run on electric... turn the t-stats down to say 55 and let it go. Anyone know of such a creature?

Not sure about that creature, but, perhaps a Leisure Line stoker boiler, can be had with your choice of 'secondary' fuel assuming the 'primary' fuel will be coal... Can be had with either an oil gun, natural gas gun, or propane gun... I read that you already have an oil fired furnace so safe to assume there is an oil tank there somewhere??? How about the usual duration of your stays away from home??? If oil or either of the other two fuels are an option at all to just maintain that 55* or so temp when you are away then perhaps a great fit for your future setup...

Just a thought...

Murdoc

JB Sparks · Post by **JB Sparks** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 4:04 pm

strat0 wrote:a boiler, that has electric and coal heat source? That would prevent me from installing 2 separate units... right? I would fire the coal when home, but when I go away, I could just let it run on electric... turn the t-stats down to say 55 and let it go. Anyone know of such a creature?

Harman SF160 boiler has an electric element option.

JB Sparks · Post by **JB Sparks** » Mon. Jan. 24, 2011 7:04 pm

The elements are located in the water jacket over the fire box, it's purpose is to heat the boiler water just like the coal does. If you go to there site it will show a cut away view of the boiler, you can see that the boiler water gets heated from the fire box or from the electric elements.

I have been thinking about buying the elements to heat my hot water from the coal boiler during the summer months instead of using oil boiler.

ASea · Post by **ASea** » Mon. Feb. 02, 2015 1:16 pm

If you had some kind of solar setup wouldn't it give you enough juice to run a circulator pump from the hand fed boiler?