My oil Fired Weil Mc Super Cell Finally Bit The Dust.

[drizler]

Ok after 16 years my 30 gallon super cell finally is leaking time for something new. So what's my best option here? I can replace it with another cell similarly and do it myself or should I have a plumber put in a coil? The boiler is a Peerless 4 section with the usual side by side setup in the basement.
Is there really any benefit to having one versus the other efficiency wise or is that all talk?

[tk03]

I hate to sound stupid but what are you asking? Avoid boiler hot water coils at all cost due to the most expensive way to heat water. An indirect is the cheapest way to make hot water if you have a boiler which you do.

[drizler]

Yea, I guess I could have phrased that all better but I was thinking out loud I guess. I guess I learned something from your statement concerning the coil being the most expensive way. Why is that anyways? It would seem just the opposite from my unprofessional thought process. It is siting in a cold basement and there is the storage water and contents of the boiler both losing heat in the cold basement.

[Tom Sawyer]

A tankless coil means that you have to maintain boiler temperature of about 160 all year around. Tankless coils typically will produce between 2 and 4 gpm which is pretty marginal for a shower and any other fixture at the same time. By 2012 tankless coils will no longer be available for boilers sold in this country due to energy laws. Change out your indirect. Super-Stor or the Amtrol boiler mate are fine choices. While you are at it have a boiler re-set control installed at the same time and save even more money.

[drizler]

Ok I see so please enlighten me further on the 160 degree thing. I always thought boilers had to be kept continuously hotter than that for longevity's sake? Has something changed here or am I just confused? The saga took on another wrinkle too. I mentioned this to a coworker who had his identical supercell die a few years back. They replaced his due to to corrosion defect many of them had around the upper fittings. Mine looks like the leak started at the top as well so I guess I will see how it goes with that lifetime residential installation guarantee. Could you give me a run down on the boiler reset control as to exactly what it does? Sorry about all the questions but it bugs me not knowing how something works.

[jadnashua]

The newest (really, not that new, have been in use elsewhere for ages) modulating-condensing boilers are designed for cold starts. A typical boiler doesn't like return water to be below about 130-degrees or you get condensation and longevity problems from corrosion. The newer boilers use corrosion resistant parts (SS or Al), and are designed to condense the moisture out of the exhaust, and thus are essentially immune to those corrosion problems. They thrive on cooler (just-right) temperatures and cooler return temps. The newest ones can be nearly 98% efficient under perfect conditions (hard to achieve, but mid-90's are possible fairly easily). A good indirect WH and concentrated hot water use say in the morning, may not need to fire the boiler again until you do large use again the next day. And, with a mod-con boiler, that means it may only fire once a day or so, rather than maintaining a constant temperature. This can save huge amounts of money during operations, but you do have the purchase and install costs to consider. Most utilities have rebates or incentives, but unless congress adds it in again (unlikely), there's no longer a tax credit for it. Last year, it was up to $1500, or 30% of the equipment costs, whichever was less.

An outside reset controller utilizes sensors outside and in the boiler to determine the optimum supply temperature. Running longer at lower temps (within the limits of the boiler design) mean more comfortable house and lower fuel use. Depending on the system, this may be able to be retrofitted.