This Sound Good. Add on Boiler Piping Option.

Uhhh guy did you read this link? http://comfort-calc.net/primary-secondary_piping_ ... orial.html

I really suggest you read it and heed it before you start cutting and soldering pipe. Save yourself some grief down the road and don't try to reinvent the wheel.

As Sting said....keep reading.

what I like to do personally is to tie in close to oil burners' return piping as possible [after all returns are back]. cut in two tees with a ball valve between them, then ball vale each branch off [isolation]. you close ball valve between the tees open both to and from coal boiler for winter season, set oil boilers' aqua stat low 100f or so,coal at 180f if coal has any problem the oil will keep you warm. summer time switch valves back and you have original system for hot water. the circulator will push both boilers,no messing with any zone valves, circulator. worse case the oil may fire for short period if there is no load on system.

yes = still a series installation of boilers
but with a graceful way to isolate the solid fuel appliance
but why would that be necessary - save the valves for the pumps and just cut the solid fuel boiler in at the best easiest pipe
could be on the supply or the return side
it will work

cut in on the supply side and the OB will be kept at a slightly cooler temp because it will only see return water
This is a good thing because if you use the OB for a back up it will see a need faster and pick up on the load

its all good

save the valves for what pumps? no new pumps needed,the original will do the work,

plumberman wrote:what I like to do personally is to tie in close to oil burners' return piping as possible [after all returns are back]. cut in two tees with a ball valve between them, then ball vale each branch off [isolation]. you close ball valve between the tees open both to and from coal boiler for winter season, set oil boilers' aqua stat low 100f or so,coal at 180f if coal has any problem the oil will keep you warm. summer time switch valves back and you have original system for hot water. the circulator will push both boilers,no messing with any zone valves, circulator. worse case the oil may fire for short period if there is no load on system.

If you want manual operation, this parallel setup will work if your there to catch a problem. If you put them in series with all the valves open then the OB will come on automatically in the event you lose fire in the coal boiler. If your not there to open and close valves your OB will fire with no return and will simply cycle with no flow to the system for heating. DHW will be fine but not heating until you open and close valves.

Sure you will lose some BTU's keeping the OB water heated up also but for full auto safety and operation series is the way to go.

plumberman wrote:save the valves for what pumps? no new pumps needed,the original will do the work,

the existing pumps then -- cheese and rice pal - Its all good

Thanks guys. A lot of new information. I need to take some time and digest it all. Go read my Pumping Away book again. Maybe a simple series set up would be easier. I don't mind heating the oil boiler. It's a cold start boiler to begin with and the water volume is so low I don't think it would really matter. The Energy Kinetics boiler is just a spiral of pipe with a burner and combustion chamber in the middle. Really low volume. I'll draw another idea tonight. What really confuses me is the second circulator pump that would be between the two boilers. My problem is the piping diagrams I've seen always have the main circulator on the return line where mine is on the supply. I remember my very first post back in 2013 I was trying to figure this same topic out someone mentioned might be able to get by with just my current circulator. I do have the ability to turn off the burner only and keep the rest of the controls operational on the oil boiler. I do have a couple of extra zones on the oil boiler to add a dump zone. I want to do it right, but as I said before the only help I get is from the forum. Thanks again. Off to do house work and think some more. If it helps the boiler I'm looking at is a EFM WCB24 hand fed.
Matt

One of the forum members reached out to me. I know he won't steer me wrong. I'll keep you all updated.
Matt

DePippo79 wrote:One of the forum members reached out to me. I know he won't steer me wrong. I'll keep you all updated.
Matt

it wasn't me

regarding the "What really confuses me is the second circulator pump that would be between the two boilers."

no "secondcirc" would be used like if the boilers are in series with the load. A circularor is used IF and only when the solid fuel appliance is plumbed to supply energy to the existing boiler vessel - and then the existing boiler piping heats the load

if you want clarification ask anything anytimem

same thoughts from silly plumber

After I read Stings statement a couple times now I think I get it. No need to keep water circulating between both boilers unless you had to keep the oil boiler warm, such as tankless coil or to prevent condensation. At first I thought it would be to help with overheat protection, but the high limit setting and dump zone on the coal boiler would take care of that. Seeing how I have a indirect domestic hot water tank on it's own zone it seems like a waste of electricity to keep a second circulator going. I offered the job to a fellow forum member so I'm sure he'll come up with a good plan of attack for my set up. Thanks again. Matt

That is a serious looking oil boiler in the pictures. What is the output of that thing?

Hi Rob. With a 1.5 nozzle 206,000 BTU. 1.35 190,500 btu, 1.25 170,500 btu, 1.0 147,500 btu. I have a 1.25 nozzle in mine. Carlin burner. Like I said great boiler when oil is cheap. Not going to be happy when the ECM dies though.
Matt