Harman Hand Fired Coal Boilder

Anyone using a Harman Trident SF160 boilder. I am thinking of buying one . Does it produce good heat? or

I have a SF360. Works fine. Some learning, but it is so simple does not take long. I burn 14 ton of Bituminous (and sub bituminous) per year. Clean stove once. Nothing in chimney, but fly ash in rear chamber and horizontal chimney from boiler to vertical chimney.

I do have power backup (automatic inverter) to run pumps and draft door when power outage. Sometimes happens in wet snow.

The only problem was with the draft motor. It is not sealed. Over time ash and fine coal gummed up gears. ( it is right below door) It stopped with draft open. Not funny. Found out my overheat zone works. Took apart, cleaned well, sealed with silicon, (bought a spare) never happened again.

Harman are &^**( if you have a problem. Make sure dealer has some knowledge.

Good Luck

Robby

Derubis, I have a SF160, I have been heating my 1800 sqft. house and DHW for three years now, the boiler handles this load with no problem. I use about 4 ton of coal a year.

If you have any questions, ask away.

Jeff

Thanks Guys is the ash pit big enough??

derubis wrote:Anyone using a Harman Trident SF160 boilder. I am thinking of buying one . Does it produce good heat? or

Can you fill in your avatar general location will do, helps in determining local climate conditions for recomendations, Don't worry no one will kidnap you . Also does it produce good heat is to general of a question. it may produce enough heat for 1800sqft but not 2800sqft. A little more info on your setup radiators, radiant infloor heat, insulation levels, current boiler size amount of current fuel usage, ect. It may be large enough, but just so than you could be a slave to the boiler feeding it constantly

welcome to the forum, Eric

Heating 2300 sq ft.,well insulated, dp windows, cast iron baseboard, oil heat now uses <1000gal yr. . Live in laurel mts.in pa. near Jtown pa.
thanks

Ok that would be a little small, 160 is only rated for 2250sqft, so you would be at the upper limit. it might work but than you might constantly be feeding coal or have short burn times, do you know the BTU of your oil boiler?

Eric

Don't mean to disagree with Coalfire but, I have to disagree with Coalfire. I think you are better off sizing your coal boiler for the average low temps. for your area rather than the extreme low temps. The biger the fire box the more coal you will use on average. If I were just heating my house and not heating DHW too, I could get away with a boiler half the size of the Sf 160. When outside temps. are below 30* I recharge the boiler every 12 hours no matter how cold it gets. Once the lows reach 40* I only recharge once a day. As you mentioned your house is well insulated and is only 2300 sqft. I think you would be fine with the 160. Just my .02.

The ash pan has to be emptied about every other day. A lot of ash misses the pan but, there is a remedy for that.

oil boiler 131,000btus

derubis wrote:oil boiler 131,000btus

Same size as mine.

Harman under rates their boilers. Don't go too big...you'll just waste coal.