Coal Boiler Weights?

Hi everyone. I am currently in the process of finding a coal fired boiler to put in my basement to replace the current oil boiler.

I live in an old house, and am looking to find the smallest unit that I can to get into my basement, but I am also considering how much the boiler weighs as well.

For my price range, I am looking at the Keystoker KA6 (since they don't make the KA4 anymore) and the Harman VF3000.
I was leaning towards the keystoker, but I believe I will have a hard time getting down my stairs into the basement due to its size.
The Harman unit has a small enough disassembled size that I am sure it will fit, but it weights 900lbs!
Does anyone know how much the Keystoker weighs?

Also, I am considering the AHS S130, but they only way I will do in that direction is if the Keystoker and Harman units do not meet my size and weight requirements.

At the cost of fuel oil, I have to do something soon!

Thanks for your input.

They are all going to weigh a lot.

Unless you have issues like the door isn't big enough I wouldn't be to concerned about the weigh, it is after all going downhill. It's most likely going to be in your basement for many decades so IMO the extra few hours work is trivial matter even if you have to take door frames off.

My brother put a ka6 through a pretty small door but if remember correctly he had to take the whole door frame out. When you go to take it down the steps of course you want to dissasemble as much as you can. Lay some sheets of plywood or 2x4(6)'s down on the steps to make a ramp. You'll probably want to secure these if you can such as nailing them to the steps. Get some cardboard to cover one side of the unit, make sure to secure it well. Lay it down on is side, it will take some effort but yuo'll be able to slide it around on the cardboard. Slide it down the steps.

You could also attach the 2x4's directly to the side of the unit and use them like rails... Get yourself 3 pipes for moving it around when its upright in the basement.

You will find the range to be about 750-1400# for boilers. The heavier ones will most likely break down so the most weight you'll ever move is about in the 800-900# range, smaller units would be arund 500-600#. Unless it is very light use a winch, chain fall or come-along. No sense in taking a chance on your back or the appliance. Use good equipment and judgment and you will be fine. Like the leader said, remove as much as you can, doors, grates, etc. I would remove the blower, aquastat, overtemp and any other controls as you don't want to bang, break or bend anything.

Of course we'll need pics!

Like the others said, they are all heavy enough to be difficult so the weight shouldn't be a deciding factor. I'd buy the heaviest one as it will have the most scrap value for the great-great-grandkids. If I was to do mine again I would strap a couple old mattresses to the boiler and push it down the stairs. (just kidding)

Here's the skinny on the KA4. The keystoker manual says the boiler weighs in at 975#. if you buy new the boiler comes in three pieces, the stoker, the jacket& hopper, and the large steel boiler, which you could drop down the steps without hurting it, just stay clear at the bottom.I put my KB8(it weighs 1175#)down with a little help from my brother and a 4 ton crane (he operates it at work), but a couple of planks,a tug strap, and a pickup will do just fine if you are carefull. Hope this helps and good luck.

V

Thanks for the ideas!

The only reason I know ,is because I have installed a couple. don't be afraid of the weight, it just makes them better.

V

I live in town and the Boiler will have to go up from street level into the house then down thru the basment door.
Thats the part I was most concerned about was getting it up from street level into the house. There's not a whole lot of room here on Broadway.

how far up do you have to go? is it steps, or is there a driveway?

Motorbike wrote:I live in town and the Boiler will have to go up from street level into the house then down thru the basment door.

That does not sound fun. Guess none of the above applies. I'd also think the size of the unit is going to be bigger issue that the weight. I'd get measure twice before I purchased and probably 2 or 3 times before it went through front door. Make sure if you have to tip it on its side your going to have enough clearance in the cellar to tip it back up.

Have you though of alternative ways such as taking out few joists, the flooring and dropping it right through the floor? Might be easier that trying to put it through a little doorway.

I have a bigger question, if getting the boiler up to the house is a problem, how are you going to get coal up there? I don't think they have heilcopter delivery yet, but I could be wrong.

I have measured a bunch of times and I know that these smaller boilers will fit.
The coal will come in from the street level into the basement. There will be a chute under the porch that runs about 3ft to the basement wall and into a bin.
Right now that is where the fuel oil fill is.

It will have to go up 5 steps on the front porch or get drug around the house and into the back of the house. Thats only about 3 steps and I think that will be my gameplan.

I'm not really worried about the size as I am with the weight. Just looking for ideas and seeing what others have done.
When I hear that these Boilers weigh 900lbs, I think damn thats alot of weight.

For what its worth, there is an old oil burner in the basement that is huge. When we upgraded to a new one a few years ago, we just unhooked it and left it in the basement. It's big. I would have loved to see them get that in the basement.

How about a block and tackle hooked to joist above the furnace in the stairwell going down?

As far as the bin goes you might want to post some pictures, for a high lift basically if the window is going to be say 5-6 feet off street level the coal truck is probably going to have to get within about 6 feet of the window. The buck or rice needs more pitch...

The bin is not built yet, but I would say that is slopes down about 2ft-3ft from street level into the basement.
What pitch would I need?

The block and tackle is a good idea and I am sure that I could make that work.
Thanks for the input. Just trying to go thru the scenarios before I have to do it.

You may laugh at this suggestion, but it has saved my butt a few times... When you decide on which boiler you are going to buy, Take cardboard and make a stiff box the same shape and size as the boiler will be.. Then using what ever ropes, chains, hoists, wheeled carts, or skids you plan on using, make several trial runs into the house, around the corners, down steps make turns on landings etc..

This 'play-acting' has often shown me flaws in my plans, and I was able to change plans, add reinforcements, pad corners and in general do a better job when the real object the HEAVY object was what I was moving...

You can glue brown corrugated cardboard with Elmers 'white glue' . With a few weights or clamps and some creativity, you can make a very stout box in a few minutes.

Greg L

.