Keep or Sell the Fuel Oil?

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 7:29 pm

So once my KA6 in installed and running what's the chances I will ever use the fuel oil again? If I go somewhere I could have a friend add coal and empty the ash pans if I'm gone for more then 3 days.

Who has no backup?


 
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McGiever
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Post by McGiever » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 7:45 pm

Back ups can come in many shaped packages. For example, sell that oil burner, the tank and the oil within and replace it w/ a small wall hung electric boiler.
If something unmentionable should happen in your day to day life, at least the heat can be switched from coal to electric and everyone gets by till things get back in order.
These wall hung boilers are 14" square and the bottom is 20" above the floor and are ~36" tall...not in the way or taken up much space. :)

If you are lucky, you won't ever need to turn the electric on...but you have that safety net, should it be needed. ;)

:idea: If you like this idea I can give you more info about it. :idea:

 
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Post by StokerDon » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:01 pm

I like McGiever's idea, it's better than my current back-up, Harman hand fired furnace. The electric boiler should be a compatritively easy install. I guess you would run it in parallel right? I don't think you would want the electric heating up the stoker boiler right?

For me, almost 10 years of coal burning and I have never needed a back-up, 2 of the three houses over the 10 years, there was (and is) no back-up, just more coal and if I feel like realy abusing myself, wood.

If I were you I would have some kind of convetional heating system, mainly for re-sale value of your house, just in case you ever want, or need to sell it.

-Don

 
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Rob R.
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:02 pm

If you break your ankle or otherwise get ill, you will be glad there is a hands-off backup system in place.

Don't you have a separate Weil McLain oil boiler?

 
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Berlin
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Post by Berlin » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:11 pm

Keep the oil and the oil boiler. You never know when you decide to go on vacation and a day later your buddy breaks his arm thus leaving him unable to tend the boiler and you in a pickle. If you've got oil and an oil boiler already in place, why on earth would you replace it with electric? keep what you've got.

 
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Post by waldo lemieux » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:11 pm

keep the oil back up it wont cost ya a thing if you don't run it and with the cost of oil you arent gonna be able to sell the thing anyway. leave it be.....

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:48 pm

Rob R. wrote:Don't you have a separate Weil McLain oil boiler?
I do. But I have the coal boiler to close to the tank. And if something happens like the house catches on fire insurance might not pay. Can the Weil McLain be converted to propane?


 
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Berlin
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Post by Berlin » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 8:59 pm

that's not a concern. They'll pay unless the loss was due to fraud.

Why would you want to run it on propane? just move the tank if your not happy where it's at.

 
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ShawnTRD
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Post by ShawnTRD » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 9:03 pm

Because I'm using propane for cooking and hot water.

 
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Post by Rob R. » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 9:04 pm

ShawnTRD wrote:Can the Weil McLain be converted to propane?
Yes. My uncle put a Carlin gas burner (EZ-GAS) on his 68 Series Weil McLain when his oil tanks rotted out.

Propane is not as economical as oil, but if it is only for a backup system the economy isn't a big deal.

 
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Post by Lightning » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 9:17 pm

ShawnTRD wrote:Who has no backup?

I only have a wood pellet insert and some electric space heaters for backup. Keeping the fuel oil burner might help with value of the house right? Should you decide to sell and move...

 
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Post by top top » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 9:30 pm

Berlin wrote:that's not a concern. They'll pay unless the loss was due to fraud.

Why would you want to run it on propane? just move the tank if your not happy where it's at.
I mostly agree. If you do not have the required clearances you should address that immediately. Move the tank or get a smaller tank, whatever, just do it. Put a biocide in your fuel to kill bacteria, mold, fungus, keep water out of it, and the fuel will last for decades. Exercise the boiler every few months to keep it limbered up and working, then enjoy the peace of mind.

 
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Post by titleist1 » Mon. Aug. 18, 2014 10:58 pm

ShawnTRD wrote:Because I'm using propane for cooking and hot water.
I have same situation here with the cooktop, water heater and dryer being propane so when we put in central AC a few years ago I also got a propane furnace as a backup. I run it about once per month to make sure it still works and maybe to take the chill off before the stoker gets fired up or after it has been shut down for the season. The 1000 gal tank is buried in the back yard and was last filled in 2012...or was it 2011.... i'd have to look for the receipt.

 
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Post by blrman07 » Tue. Aug. 19, 2014 7:10 am

Berlin wrote:Keep the oil and the oil boiler. You never know when you decide to go on vacation and a day later your buddy breaks his arm thus leaving him unable to tend the boiler and you in a pickle. If you've got oil and an oil boiler already in place, why on earth would you replace it with electric? keep what you've got.
I almost pulled out our oil boiler but decided to leave it in just in case. That just in case happened when I got a full blown case of the flu. Yep I got a flu shot that didn't work I guess. My wife is 4'11" and can't haul the coal for the stove and with asthma there is no way I let her get anywhere near the ash. I let the stove go out and turned up the oil boiler tstat and went to bed. It was three days before I stopped seeing double and almost a full week before I lit a fire again. I am glad I kept that oil boiler as an installed spare. I use it for DHW and emergency use. REALLY glad I had a backup.

Rev. Larry
New Beginning Church
Ashland Pa.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Tue. Aug. 19, 2014 9:13 am

We sold the tanks and the boiler that came with the house. Think I got $200 for the tank and $100 for the boiler.

There is two fireplaces in the house and an endless amount of woods behind my house..... I want to put in a small coal stove with cooktop eventually.


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