Improving Oil Burner Efficiency

Hey Laughing Jag, how are you?

Glad that I was of assistance to you! Yes, the Tekmar controls are fairly easy to install. One word of warning though is that you should thoroughly read the instruction booklet prior to the installation as the digital setup is a tad time consuming even if it is easy!!! I'm glad I installed mine in light of the rising fuel oil prices.

Are you originally from Dutchess or Columbia Counties? I'm happy to report that there still are a lot of farms left in these parts, even with the influx of more down-stater's into the area.....during my teens years I lived and worked on my Great Uncle's dairy farm located out near Hamilton, NY. Great way to build those muscles....and never ate so better in my entire life. Then there's those "farm girls" you'd meet at the Saturday night dances or a chance meeting in town (if you could call it that!)!!! ;-)

Where are you located now? Just curious!

Hi Moose!

Sorry for the delay acknowledging your post. I now live in western Hunterdon County, New Jersey in the middle of the Delaware River Valley. I hope to be out of here soon though. I simply can't afford New Jersey any longer.

As for the furnace, I expect to rip out the old Bethlehem Steel boiler. Good as it is/was, the burner technology is dated and too many of the steel fasteners have snapped when enough corrosion weakened them. I'm tired of draining the system to replace busted fasteners and having to permatex plates.

A new fuel oil fired boiler is not only more fuel efficient but one quarter the size of the existing one which means more room in my shop.

I've toyed with loading a few telescopes into my 1500 Express hi top van and heading north to Lake Taconic for a weekend of star gazing; a stop at an old bar I frequented in Pine Plains and breakfast at the old West Taghkanic Diner on Route 82 off the Taconic Parkway.

Clear skies!

Art

Hey Art, how are you? thanks for the reply, and "No Wukkas" about the delay! :-)

Sorry to hear that you're going to pull up stakes and leave NJ. Yes, it's a very expensive state to live in....damn taxes (especially school taxes) are outrageous! My younger brother and his family live in Califon NJ, so I know how they're struggling too with all the taxes and fees, and not least the traffic congestion they face every day in their commutes. My brother has to drive no less than 1 1/2 hours on way to and fro to work! ACKKK!!!!!!

What type of oil-fired boiler did you end up purchasing? ?We have a Weil-McLain here and it's tiny, but it's now 25 years old and probably time to replace the burner. We've had nothing but problems with it the past month with 3 service calls. Driving me mad not having hot water on demand! Jessssshhhhh. High time that I got my rear in gear and finish the fabricating the solar collector parts and piping, etc etc......

So which tavern is it that you frequent in Pine Plains? I might know of it. My Doctor's office is located in that village, so I visit there a few times per year. Never been to that dinner that you mentioned, but have been by it many times! Good food? Ahhhhh, yummers DINNER FOOD!!!!!!! hehhehehee

Are you planning on staying at the NYS park at Lake Taconic? Nice lake! My wife and I used to take her kids there when they were younger (about 10 years ago), and always had a very good time there.....not crowded at all throughout the summer. Now why didn't I think of bringing my telescope there! Good style man! Honestly, there's too much light pollution in our village to view the stars, nebula and planets.

So, what do you own in the way of telescopes? I have an Orion 10-inch Newtonian, but unfortunately the mirror and clock drive got trashed back in February when we had severe ice damming on the roof and water intrusion which made it down into the basement where the telescope was stored in it's box. Also, several pieces of my steel working equipment and welders got toasted as well as a 1/4 of my collectible plastic airplane models (worth around $10K).....bad day in Bedrock! Now I have to pull the primary mirror and ship it off to have it cleaned and re-silvered. It's gonna cost me big for being so stupid for storing the scope down in the basement!

Have a great trip if you go, and keep a keen eye out for "Squatch" while there....apparently there have been a few sightings the past few weeks in Putnam, Dutchess and Columbia Counties, mainly along the Taconic State Parkway corridor or close by. Probably they're following the blueberries northward from northern NJ as the crops mature. Beats me how they cross the Hudson! Wouldn't surprise me if the walked the bridge girders or swam across!!! LOL

Cya,

Mark