Getting the Boiler into the Basement

[timberr]

Hello all,

I am new to all this; next weekend I take delivery of a new Eko 25. I will be putting into my basement which has a bulkhead. I have access to construction type fork lift which will tilt down. So my plan is build a ramp down the stairs with plywood top and control the decent into the basement with come-along's (I am planning on leaving the eko on it's steel pallet and will have a piece of ply-wood with pipe's at the bottom to help ease the transition from slope to horizontal). Once in the basement I have a pallet jack to get it into place.

My question is there going to be too much friction causing the boiler to just sit there and requiring a push all the way down?

I am interested to hear about similar experiences.

Shaun
Hill, NH

Soon to have Eko 25 w/ 500 gals. of Storage.

 

[BrownianHeatingTech]

I am new to all this; next weekend I take delivery of a new Eko 25. I will be putting into my basement which has a bulkhead. I have access to construction type fork lift which will tilt down. So my plan is build a ramp down the stairs with plywood top and control the decent into the basement with come-along's (I am planning on leaving the eko on it's steel pallet and will have a piece of ply-wood with pipe's at the bottom to help ease the transition from slope to horizontal). Once in the basement I have a pallet jack to get it into place.

My question is there going to be too much friction causing the boiler to just sit there and requiring a push all the way down?

Sometimes you need to give it a hand going down.

Believe me, that's better than fighting it.

I'd recommend a couple of 2x12's instead of a plywood ramp, though. Less likely to flex and crack.

Joe

 

[leaddog]

I have acouple of skate roller convevors and they work really well moveing things around. You can put a 2x10 on then and things slide easy. Going down an incline you just have to hold things back and let them down SLOWLY.
leaddog

 

[Dave T]

Check out this post,search(boiler install and removal pics) it was my adventure getting the EKO 60 down my basement stairs,in my case the stairs were steep enough to let the EKO slide down but at the bottom the stairs planed out and I used regular play sand on the plywood to aid the final descent..My big issue was top of the door clearence,I used a 4'x4' pice of plywood and measured to be sure it was not going to have to come back out of there..If you get a chance post some pics it may help others...Dave

 

[free75degrees]

I did that with my Tarm 40. It did get stuck occasionally but I used a pry bar to pry it up of the boards just a tiny bit. The come along on the other side prevented it from sliding down too fast once it got going.

 

[VtRv]

I just did the same thing with a Tarm. I put down a couple of 2x8's on the stairs and eased it down. I used a pry bar to help it along as by brother used a rope and belayed it down the stairs. I then used steel pipes under the pallet to roll it into possition and a floor jack to get it up so that I could but blocks under it. It actually went much better then I expected.

Good luck and just remember not to have anyone on the down slope side of the boiler in case it gets away from you.

 

[Vtgent49]

Bulkhead stairs can be disassembled and removed if they are made of wood. Then you can use the fork lift to just lower the boiler.

 

[timberr]

Thanks All for the reply's, I see I am headed in the right direction. I am looking forward to getting the boiler and 500 gal. propane tank in the basement then it is just finish the plumbing.

Shaun
Hill, NH

Soon enjoying
Eko 25
500 gals. Storage

 

[Piker]

I don't know what your boiler is like... but the Econoburn we put down our basement weighs 1900lbs and acts like a "weeble." You know... weebles wobble but they don't fall down? Most of the mass is near the bottom of the boiler, and they have to be tipped way past 45 degrees to get them to lay down.

We took the doors off our econoburn and made 2 pallet rails out of some oak 5x5 timbers I had laying around. We notched the oak to fit over the flanges that stick out in front of the boiler where the doors seal. They are 1/4" plate so 4 of them were definitely beefy enough. We then put some 4x4 braces between the two oak rail and pinned them through the oak with 1/2" rebar. We then nailed some regular 2x8's across the face of the rails, strapped everything together, laid the boiler down and shoved it down into the basement atop 5 10' 4x6's. Worked like a charm. Had to hold the boiler back with the tractor while we slid it down the ramp, and once it was at the bottom, it was so bottom heavy, that i was able to pick the top of the boiler upright by hand to get it back on it's feet. From there we used a pair of "roll-a-lift" hand trucks to jack the boiler off the cement an inch and move it into place. Took two of us about 8 hours...but most of that time was spent standing in front of the boiler thinking to ourselves "how in the world..." but it all worked out.

Good luck

 

[Former Farmer]

You mentioned that the boiler comes on a metal pallet. If this is the case, you may want to put some steel (either flat bar, sheet metal, etc.) on top of the plywood or 2*10's that you would be putting over the stairs. Steel on steel slides very easily. Will have to hold the boiler back on its decent, being careful that it doesn't get away from you.

 

[garysec]

I lowered my Tarm Solo 30 into my bulkhead yesterday. I took the stairs out and used a vault truck boom and lowered it with a chain fall. In the top of the boiler is a hook you can hang a chain. Lowered onto some pipe on top of some 2X12's and rolled it into the basement and made a ramp and pipe rolled it right on top of my 8 inch concrete blocks. Had to wrestle with it a little but 3 of us managed.

 

[slowzuki]

I'm so glad my boiler in on a ground floor! I set it in there with the tractor and I move it around myself with the pallet jack. The pallet jack might be worth renting to get it across a basement if your floor is half smooth.

 

[rich@ctgreenheat]

Here is a delivery of an EKO 25 into the basement, down a set of non-removeable stairs.
The boiler was tipped on its back.
Set down on 2x8s for guidance.
Step 1 build a framework.

 

[rich@ctgreenheat]

Step 2.
Lower boiler into stair opening.

 

[rich@ctgreenheat]

So much for resizing pics.
Resized the resize. :red:

 

[Hansson]

This is how I did it :coolsmile:
(broken link removed to http://picasaweb.google.se/725hansson/Panrumsbilder#5020655568114107858)

 

[rich@ctgreenheat]

Step 3.
Tip up and roll into place.
Remove framework.
Doors and ceramics were removed to lighten it up a bit, but other than that it went down the stairs whole.
Do not for any reason get below the boiler!
Use straps that are rated for lifting.
And just be careful.
Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[stee6043]

Holy smokes - and I thought having to completely disassemble my slider was a pain in the butt. That is quite a tight fit right there, Rich. Nicely done. Nice to have the right equipment for the job too....

 

[Willman]

Hansson, Is the firewood processor your own ? Is it common over there for people to have one for their own use ?
Nice set of pics of your install. Quite impressive. What species of wood do you burn mostly ?
Will

 

[Eric Johnson]

Step 3.
Tip up and roll into place.
Remove framework.
Doors and ceramics were removed to lighten it up a bit, but other than that it went down the stairs whole.
Do not for any reason get below the boiler!
Use straps that are rated for lifting.
And just be careful.
Good luck, hope this helps.

I like the narrow pallet jack. When we moved my 60, I had to jack it up onto blocks in order to get under it with a conventional 'jack. Tight squeeze, too!