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Posted by HeatPro on September 02, 2007 at 09:48:46:
In Reply to: ARCO Ideal Boiler - with photo posted by Michael Kanemoto on September 02, 2007 at 09:23:37:
The gas regulator and pipes at the side of the gas conversion burner is a clue. the gas water heater nearby is another clue.
Such coal boilers were at best 50% efficient when new to enable the fly ash from burning coal or wood to pass through the open passages without having to clean the passages every few days. When converted to gas, due to much of the heat absorption occurring in the wet-base fire chamber with coal missing, the hot gases of combustion had to be absorbed in the smaller passages above, so such conversions gave about 30% efficiency. In other words, while gas was cheap, the boiler has been throwing away 2/3rd of its gas bill up the chimney, day in day out for over half a century.