Free Harman Boiler...should I take it?

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Mar 9, 2011
8
SE PA
So here's the deal. We've been thinking about getting a wood burning boiler within a few years and we just had someone offer us an old Harman for free. It's about 3 hours round trip and it looks like a really old unit. Is it worth my time to pick it up? Here's a picture I was sent.
 

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That boiler around here at this time of the year would probably bring at least $700 with a coat of paint. It's only drawback is that it's not a gasser, Randy
 
Sounds like a good deal to me then. I'm heading up tomorrow morning to pick it up.

Do you know if the forced air piece on the top is some sort of DIY add-on? From the picture it looks like it's made of plate. If it's not original I'll cut it off and paint it before installing.

Thanks

Mark
 
I'm not sure about the top piece. When you get it would you post more pics, this is an interesting find, Randy
 
Thanks for your help Randy, I really appreciate it. I'll post some better pics this afternoon.

Mark
 
I just got home with the boiler and can't find my phone or camera. Pics to come soon.

After looking the boiler over, I don't think it was originally sold as a boiler. Here are a few initial observations.

- The box on top for forced air is bent tin. It just slides on & off. There's a squirel fan on the back that forces air out of 4 tubes into this box.
- The data plate says Harman Stove & Welding Inc, Model SF-150, Solid Fuel Room Heater, August 1981.
- The water line runs in the side, runs across the back and one side, and loops back out. Appears to be black iron pipe, but I'll need to clean it up to see for sure.

Apparently it was working before, so I'm going to clean it up and will try to run it for a few years until we can swing a new boiler. After that, it might just become a garage heater for the garage I haven't built yet. Either way, it was the right price.
 
A quality stove like that is still worth something. You might want to fix this up & sell it & put the money into a used Craigslist boiler, Randy
 
I found a copy of the manual online and it's indeed a stove. There were factory options for both the hot water coil and duct work, so it doesn't appear to be a hack job. Looking through the manual it looks like the hot water coil was intended as a domestic hot water pre-heater. At this point I'm planning to blast/paint it, replace the firebrick and door gaskets, but don't know if I'm going to keep it or not.
 
I just got a 2 year old SF-260 and i am just about ready for the first burn. I know it is not as good as a gasifier but i had no room for hot water storage and we can not have outdoor boilers in the city so old school boiler it is for me.
 
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