Coal/Gas Duel Fuel Boiler?

mudnut · Post by **mudnut** » Sat. Dec. 01, 2012 11:20 am

This is my first year heating with coal (up until 2 weeks ago it was my first year heating with wood and then I saw the light and switched to Anthracite).

I currently have a Brunco 150, worked well with wood, works good with coal but I seem to be using a lot of coal, granted I've only been burning it for a couple of weeks now but at 12 bucks a day (2 bags) I'm starting to see that this Brunco isn't the most efficient unit out there.

I also have an old oil fired boiler that was the primary heating unit until the previous owner installed the Brunco furnace. There was no way I was paying 3.60 a gallon for heating oil so the boiler is awaiting it's fate. We don't have natural gas up here yet but that may change by next winter.

I was considering upgrading to a more efficient coal fired furnace for the forced air and also buying a gas fired boiler as a back up as not ever room in this house has a forced air vent (ours is the only bedroom out of the 5 that does). It occurred to me this morning that what I may want to look into is a coal/gas fired duel fuel boiler, that would allow us to use the hot water heat (radiators in every room and in the garage) and we would still have the gas as a backup. Even if it takes a couple of years to get gas installed I would be ready for it when it came.

Being new to coal heating I don't know what my options are... does anybody have any experience with these units, any recommendations what to and what NOT to look for. Also wondering what these units go for.

Thanks in advance

Kevin

lsayre · Post by **lsayre** » Sat. Dec. 01, 2012 11:29 am

There are nice coal fired boilers and nice coal forced air furnaces. If you already have an oil boiler, replacing it with a coal boiler would seem to be the most straight forward solution. A single coal boiler can even do double duty, and be used to heat both the forced air and the hot water heated portions of your house.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » Sat. Dec. 01, 2012 11:43 am

I have a AHS-WOC55(wood/oil/coal boiler,225k btu) and very pleased with it,can also burn bit coal. I was told that you can switch the burners from oil to propane/nat. gas/or not quite sure waste oil. http://www.alternateheatingsystems.com/MultiBoilers.aspx
It's very easy to shake down and load,takes 5 mins. and simple to use. I never burned wood in and only turn the oil gun on the first day of the month just to make sure everthing is working fine,althou it's not completly effecent in oil but that's for emergency only. I can get 12 hr. burns and can streach that to 18hr. without too much problems if need be.
They make different size BTU output.
any specfic questions just ask
http://www.alternateheatingsystems.com/MultiBoilers.aspx
AHS Multi-Fuel Boiler.
http://www.harmanstoves.com/Products/SF-2600-SS-W ... rnace.aspx
I think Tarm has a duel fuel also
**Broken Link(s) Removed** I guess not

You didn't say if you wanted a hand feed or stoker boiler. There are many stoker units with duel fuel also

Northern Maine · Post by **Northern Maine** » Mon. Dec. 03, 2012 4:40 pm

Maybe and LL110 might fit...that's what I am looking at.