john2129
New Member
This my heating system:
Boiler:
1991 Burnham Series V1
Model V-14A-T
DOE Htg cap mbh: 124
Net I=B=R Water mbh: 107.8
Firing Rate: Lt. oil gph: 1.05
Standard damper installed
Tankless DHW is not used
Power vent:
Field Controls SWG-4 Power Vent replaced in 2010, stainess steel blower wheel.
Flue pipe is galvanized steel, run: 4 feet vertical, 45 degree bends to 3 feet horizontal.
WMO-1 blocked vent switch, replaced in 2010.
PPC-4 post purge switch, installed in 1991.
CK-62 vacuum switch , installed in 1991.
Heating zones
Two zones, with individual circulator pumps, no zone valves.
Burner:
1990 Beckett AFG
Flue gas temperature: 550 degrees, no smoke
Air shutter setting: 4
Nozzle: .75 gph, 80 degree hollow
Oil Pressure: 100 lbs
Aquastat
Hi limit: 160
Low limit: 140
Diff : Off (tankless DHW is not used)
Domestic Hot Water (DHW)
1999 Amtrol Boiler Mate WH7P - 41 gallon indirect water heater
with it's own circulator pump. DHW setting : 130 degrees.
Maintenance:
Burner, boiler, flue, power vent etc are all maintained in "new" condition.
This is my home:
Located 30 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, 300 feet altitude, 2000 sq ft, two story, cathedral ceiling, moderately well insulated, new windows, fiberglass exterior doors, with new storm doors, two adults and two teenagers, two Miniture Pinchers.
Fuel oil consumption:
1200 gallons per year
I want to lower my costs for heating, perhaps by improving the efficiency of my existing heating system.
Questions:
1. How can I lower the 550 degree flue temperature, or, as I have been told, is this acceptable? I am concerned that a lot of money is going out the power vent. Would a lower gph nozzle with, perhaps, higher oil pressure increase the efficiency and lower the flue gas temperature? The air shutter is on 4 ; lower settings produce smoke, higher settings increase flue temps.
1a. Would a new burner pay for itself over ten years?
2. Would an Automatic Flue Damper (AFD) increase efficiency? After my burner stops, the power vent continues to run for about 3 minutes until the flue temperature is about 200 degrees. This setting can be changed. This is a post purge process to vent latent combustion products. This process, though necessary, sends a lot of heat out the vent. Many new boilers come equipped with AFD's and I'm not sure how they deal with the post purge issue.
3. My system has a conventional flue damper, do I need it? My system has a power vent and the damper never made sense to me.
4. Would a Beckett Heat Manager ( or similar) or a Boiler Outside Ambient Temperature Reset Control increase the efficiency of my 20 year old system? Would it pay for itself?
5. Thoughts on increasing the insulation on the Amtrol DHW heater? Does anyone safely add insulation to the outside of the boiler - I would never do it, just curious.
6. My boiler has a tankless water heater that is not used. Would it increase the efficiency if I plumbed this into my heating system? At the moment it seems like a lost opportunity to heat up some more water for heating. I'd test it for leaks first.
Thanks in advance for your help and any other suggestions you may have.
John2129
Boiler:
1991 Burnham Series V1
Model V-14A-T
DOE Htg cap mbh: 124
Net I=B=R Water mbh: 107.8
Firing Rate: Lt. oil gph: 1.05
Standard damper installed
Tankless DHW is not used
Power vent:
Field Controls SWG-4 Power Vent replaced in 2010, stainess steel blower wheel.
Flue pipe is galvanized steel, run: 4 feet vertical, 45 degree bends to 3 feet horizontal.
WMO-1 blocked vent switch, replaced in 2010.
PPC-4 post purge switch, installed in 1991.
CK-62 vacuum switch , installed in 1991.
Heating zones
Two zones, with individual circulator pumps, no zone valves.
Burner:
1990 Beckett AFG
Flue gas temperature: 550 degrees, no smoke
Air shutter setting: 4
Nozzle: .75 gph, 80 degree hollow
Oil Pressure: 100 lbs
Aquastat
Hi limit: 160
Low limit: 140
Diff : Off (tankless DHW is not used)
Domestic Hot Water (DHW)
1999 Amtrol Boiler Mate WH7P - 41 gallon indirect water heater
with it's own circulator pump. DHW setting : 130 degrees.
Maintenance:
Burner, boiler, flue, power vent etc are all maintained in "new" condition.
This is my home:
Located 30 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, 300 feet altitude, 2000 sq ft, two story, cathedral ceiling, moderately well insulated, new windows, fiberglass exterior doors, with new storm doors, two adults and two teenagers, two Miniture Pinchers.
Fuel oil consumption:
1200 gallons per year
I want to lower my costs for heating, perhaps by improving the efficiency of my existing heating system.
Questions:
1. How can I lower the 550 degree flue temperature, or, as I have been told, is this acceptable? I am concerned that a lot of money is going out the power vent. Would a lower gph nozzle with, perhaps, higher oil pressure increase the efficiency and lower the flue gas temperature? The air shutter is on 4 ; lower settings produce smoke, higher settings increase flue temps.
1a. Would a new burner pay for itself over ten years?
2. Would an Automatic Flue Damper (AFD) increase efficiency? After my burner stops, the power vent continues to run for about 3 minutes until the flue temperature is about 200 degrees. This setting can be changed. This is a post purge process to vent latent combustion products. This process, though necessary, sends a lot of heat out the vent. Many new boilers come equipped with AFD's and I'm not sure how they deal with the post purge issue.
3. My system has a conventional flue damper, do I need it? My system has a power vent and the damper never made sense to me.
4. Would a Beckett Heat Manager ( or similar) or a Boiler Outside Ambient Temperature Reset Control increase the efficiency of my 20 year old system? Would it pay for itself?
5. Thoughts on increasing the insulation on the Amtrol DHW heater? Does anyone safely add insulation to the outside of the boiler - I would never do it, just curious.
6. My boiler has a tankless water heater that is not used. Would it increase the efficiency if I plumbed this into my heating system? At the moment it seems like a lost opportunity to heat up some more water for heating. I'd test it for leaks first.
Thanks in advance for your help and any other suggestions you may have.
John2129