Upgrading Residential Heating System with Beckett^® Tank-to-Flame^™ B100 Biofuel Solutions

Upgrading to Beckett^® Tank-to-Flame^™ B100 Biodiesel System

Upgrading a homeowner’s existing heating system to one that can run on 100% Biodiesel (B100) — is simply a matter of upgrading specific pieces of equipment. Depending on the homeowner’s existing heating system, there are a few options you can explore for a full B100 Biofuel compatible upgrade. Here’s the breakdown:

The Burner:

If the homeowner has a Beckett AF or AFG burner and it’s 15 years old or newer, upgrading to the Beckett CleanCut^™ Fuel Pump (Model PF20323U) and Beckett GeniSys^® 7565 120V Advanced Oil Burner Primary Safety Control (Model 7565U) will upgrade the existing burner to B100 compatibility. The CleanCut^™ Fuel Pump was developed to combine the benefits of solenoid valve control of fuel to the nozzle and the superior lift capabilities of traditional American pumps. Now UL Listed for fuels up to 100% biodiesel (B100) the CleanCut pump continues to set the standard of the industry. The GeniSys^® 7565 120V Advanced Oil Burner Primary Safety Control was designed for use with residential and light commercial oil burners used in boiler, furnace, and water heater applications having firing rates less than 20 gph.

It’s used with the Beckett 7006-series CAD cell or equivalent flame sensor to control the oil burner motor, igniter, and optional solenoid valve and has 24 VAC thermostat terminals compatible with both mechanical and many power stealing thermostats. It can also provide interrupted or intermittent duty ignition. Best yet, the GeniSys^® 7565 is compatible with the myTechnician^™ Ecosystem and works with the myTechnician™ app to monitor the current status, control timing, burner cycle history, and program the control variables directly from your phone. The approximate trade price for both of these components combined is $250.

If the homeowner does NOT have an existing Beckett AF or AFG burner or if the burner is older than 15 years, we recommend upgrading to the new BR100 burner which includes the AFG Burner Chassis which has a capacity of 0.40 – 3.00 USGPH and comes complete with the aforementioned Beckett^® CleanCut^™ Fuel Pump (Model PF20323U) and Beckett GeniSys^® 7565 120V Advanced Oil Burner Primary Safety Control (Model 7565U). The AFG Burner utilizes the most technologically advanced components available today and is UL Listed up to 100% biodiesel (B100) and compliant with 100% renewable diesel (R100). The approximate trade price for this upgrade is $800 (please note: Air Tube Combination if deemed necessary would need to be ordered separately). If preferred, complete “Burner-in-a-Box” packages are available with Air Tool Combination as shown below.

• BR1002: AFG Chassis with 7″ tube,  L2 Head (0.5 to 1.65 GPH)
• BR1004: AFG Chassis with 7″ tube,  V1 Head (0.75 to 2.75 GPH)

Oil Deaerator and Hoses:

An oil deaerator may be required under either of the following conditions:

1. If the existing system has an existing non-B100 deaerator or non-B100 combination deaerator / filter
2. If the existing system is a two-pipe system. Fuel exposure to copper in the return line accelerates fuel degradation in the tank, therefore it is necessary to convert to a one pipe system with a B100 deaerator.

Our recommendation is to upgrade with a Tigerloop^® Ultra-B Combination Deaerator / Filter (Model S220-9).  The reason we recommend this model over the other Tigerloop^® B100 models is that it’s one package that is easy to install and takes up less room in the system — the filter screws directly into the bottom of the deaerator which results in one less connection point and one less potential leak point. The approximately trade price for this Tigerloop^® Deaerator is $215. You will also need  the Tigerloop^® 24” Flexible Oil Lines w/ Braided Steel Cover which run for approximately $25.

Additional Fuel Filter Options:

Regardless of the configuration of the heating system, it will need two (2) B100 filters — one at the outlet of the fuel tank and one at the burner. If you’ve installed a Tigerloop^® Ultra-B Combination Deaerator / Filter in the previous step, you’ve accounted for the filter at the burner and now need to upgrade the one at the tank. If the existing system does NOT have B100 filters, you’ll need to upgrade both. We recommend installing either Complete Standard Spin-On Filter with the Filter Element (Model F100-2B for the filter and F100-10B for the Replacement Spin-On Element) or the Complete Low-Profile Spin-On Filter with the Filter Element (Model F99-2B for the filter and F99-10B for the Replacement Spin-On Element ). These are essentially the same filter — both with the necessary B100 rating, 3/8″ NPT connections, and both come with a Mounting Bracket — the difference is the profile to give you some flexibility of intallation for the outlet underneath the tank or the amount of room you have at the burner. The approximate trade price for these is $45 for each filter and $10-$15 for the replacement spin on filter element (so $110 – $120 per installation).

Fire Safety Valves:

Once again, regardless of the configuration of the installation, it will need two (2) fire safety valves — one at the fuel tank outlet and one at the burner inlet. Beckett^® Firomatic^™ brand Fire Safety Valves are approved for renewable fuels to B100 / R100 and are designed to automatically close and shut off fuel flow in the event of a fire or other high temperature condition. Required in residential installations covered by codes NFPA 31 in the US and CSA. B139 Series: 19 in Canada, other states, municipalities, and AHJ’s also require these valves for protection of the fuel supply system. These valves are designed for inline installation with heavy-duty, high-quality brass construction and are available with threaded NPT and flare ODF connections. The UL-Listed valves are defined as “Fusible Link Valves” and have cUlus 842 Certification for both the US and Canada. All valves are embossed with an arrow indicating direction of fuel flow and the stem seal features a “double-seal” washer / O-ring design with a high temperature composite seat seal material. Rated for 10 PSI maximum inlet pressure, all models come with a 3-year limited warranty. There are three (3) products to choose from with various models within each with an approximate trade price ranging from $30 – $50 per valve ($60 – $100 per installation).

• Firomatic^™ Fire Safety Fusible Burner (Angle) Valves
• Firomatic^™ Fire Safety Fusible Tank Valves
• Firomatic^™ Fire Safety Fusible Inline Valves

Tank Gauge:

If the float-type tank gauge is older than 8 years, you should consider changing out the tank gauge. We recommend the King^® Leakproof Horizontal Tank Gauge (Model 14503) or the King^® Leakproof Horizontal Tank Combination Fill Alarm and Gauge (Model 14533). Available in custom lengths to fit vertical, horizontal, and custom tank applications with diameers up to 72″, these valves are B100-rated and feature a one-piece Nitrophyl^® float that is impervious to petroleum products and a tangle-free “solid link” hinge that can withstand the roughest handling. Depending on your choice of gauge, the approximate trade price will range from $35 – $55.

Summary:

As shown, the cost to upgrade an existing oil-fired heating system to a Beckett^® Tank-to-Flame^™ B100 Biofuel System can range from $400 – $1,300 before installation. Installation costs will vary as they will depend on the existing system, the number of components that will need to be upgraded, and the physical layout of the system.

As homeowners increasingly value reducing their carbon footprint, upgrading their existing system to one compatible with B100 Biofuel with Beckett^® Tank-to-Flame^™ B100 Biofuel Solutions is the easiest, fastest, and most cost-effective carbon-reduction solution for providing safe, reliable and affordable heat.