Hand Fired Coal Boiler With Convection Hot Water (Gravity)

I wanted to share with everyone the boiler system I've been working on for several months now. When searching online there's not much information on this type of boiler system. I had a lot of people telling me it would never work without a circulation pump. (guys at work) There were several guys on here that assured me it "should" work. Here's some pictures of everything I've done.
As its going right now. I've been firing the boiler all weekend and trying some different coal. There was some left over coal in the coal bin that's probably been here for 20 years. Its almost dust and not burning well. Might just work it in to burn it up. The soft coal I tried didn't work bad but I think I going to continue burning hard nut coal. It seem to be burning great and hold a good steady temperature.
Last of the pictures I posted are my current temperatures. The house is around 70.

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Nice, is it too early for a report on how good this is circulating?

Here's the pictures of my current temperatures. I'm around 70 degrees throughout the house.

Love the radiators. Nice job!!!!!!!! Matt

I can't ask for anything better. The water is circulating great. All the registers are staying about the same temps. Between 105 to 115 degrees. I'm controlling the temperature of the house by the temperature of the water. With the current temps the house is staying around 70 degrees with ease.
I'm also leaving the oil boiler on. The only time the oil boiler kicks on is to maintain the water temperature in it. Its not calling for heat so the circulation pump never kicks on.

DePippo79 wrote:Love the radiators. Nice job!!!!!!!! Matt

Thanks Matt! Appreciate it.

That looks like a logwood/marathon heater. Made in Richford ,Ny. Tom Parker owner. A two pipe gravity system with cast iron radiation will work just fine. Unless of course your boiler is in the attic.

waldo lemieux wrote:That looks like a logwood/marathon heater. Made in Richford ,Ny. Tom Parker owner. A two pipe gravity system with cast iron radiation will work just fine. Unless of course your boiler is in the attic.

Here's the link to my first thread when I started the process of getting this boiler installed. There were lots of guesses on the manufacturer of the boiler but I have no idea for sure because the one tag on the top of the boiler was rusted from a prior leak and isn't legible.
I'm glad the boiler isn't in the attic, probably wouldn't work very well lol
NEW... Looking for Informaiton on This Hand Fired Boiler

Gravity hot water works very well not a thing wrong with it and have opened many a flow check valve and turned down the aquastat in many boiler if a circulator pump failed in the middle of the night and no spare available everyone was quite warm. Even with 3/4 inch piping that many said does not work and does quite well.

Gravity systems were great, and it sound like you have a great one now. The key to making them work well was having a constant source of heat, ie a coal fire. The burner going on and off as the stat called for it never seemed to do well. We had that in my great grand parents house with the early oil conversion. It was horrible.

I have a Harman MKII that I put a water coil in the top of. because I have a three foot riser right off of the stove, it circulates the water to the one radiator great.