I called my building inspector the other day to ask him some questions about the gasification with heat storage that I am planning on installing and he asked if the boiler was UL approved. I am looking into either an EKO or Tarm and it appears that neither one is UL approved! Has anybody ever heard of a problem like this? I can't find anywhere in the Massachusetts building code where it says a boiler has to be UL approved. Can my inspector legally insist that the boiler be UL approved?
UL approved?
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EForest
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I live in CT and have the same situation. Even my insurance company wanted to see the UL listing.
Fortunately for me the boiler I've chosen has been tested and approved. If you doubt the need for UL listing call the Massachusetts State Board of Building Regulations & Standards 617-727-3200 they should have the answer.
Fortunately for me the boiler I've chosen has been tested and approved. If you doubt the need for UL listing call the Massachusetts State Board of Building Regulations & Standards 617-727-3200 they should have the answer.
Hmmmm, I was thinking I may be able to get around the inspector issue, but I will probably have the same insurance issue, which is a definite show-stopper. I noticed that the Greenwood is approved though. Is that what you are getting? Do you know of any other UL approved gasifiers?
webbie
Seasoned Moderator
Most boilers have some kind of approval, although I rarely (if ever) heard of a UL approval on wood boilers. Way back when, the labs doing most of the testing were ETL of Maine and perhaps PFS of the midwest.
Canadian standards are also accepted.
Most reasonable inspectors look for some sort of label or independent test data - such would be fixed on the unit or noted on the literature or manual.
ASME approval is yet another issue, and that is for the pressure vessel only...does not relate to actual operation, etc.
Canadian standards are also accepted.
Most reasonable inspectors look for some sort of label or independent test data - such would be fixed on the unit or noted on the literature or manual.
ASME approval is yet another issue, and that is for the pressure vessel only...does not relate to actual operation, etc.
EForest
Member
gimmeWood said:
I'm purchasing a Switzer (Garn like) pressurized boiler w/ 3050 gal total storage.
It is not UL listed but was independently tested a while back and that was good enough for my insurance company and town inspector.
I guess the Tarm Solo Plus models ARE UL approved. They were tested by Omni Test Labs to UL standard 391, which is the standard that applies to "Solid-Fuel and Combination-Fuel Central and Supplementary Furnaces"
webbie
Seasoned Moderator
Remember UL only lists, they don't approve.
I know, it's just semantics, but since I work for FM Approvals I thought I'd note that they only refer to a successfully tested product as "UL Listed."
Back to your regularly scheduled thread.
I know, it's just semantics, but since I work for FM Approvals I thought I'd note that they only refer to a successfully tested product as "UL Listed."
Back to your regularly scheduled thread.
I ran into a similar situation with my install. I also live in Massachusetts. The plumber initially refused to install it because it wasn't "MASSACHUSETTS" approved. It needs to have a tag with a picture of a shamrock on it. I was able to get approval after contacting the building inspector, the stste inspector, and having the local Fire Chief inspect the system prior to installation.
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