Canada-wide gas boiler information · On-site service in Greater Vancouver, BC
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Comparison
Verdict in brief
The EK1 Frontier 80,000 and 150,000 rows share the same EK1 energy converter — 2.5 gallons of water, 270 lb and the same 10-foot flue passage — so the choice is capacity and efficiency. The 80,000 row prints the line's highest AFUE (86% natural gas / 88% propane) with 69,000 BTU/hr gross output; the 150,000 row reaches 125,000 BTU/hr at 83% / 86%.
Published manufacturer figures. Input and output are kept separate; blanks mean the manufacturer did not publish that value.
| Specification | System 2000 EK1 Frontier 80,000 BTU/hr | System 2000 EK1 Frontier 150,000 BTU/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Input | 80,000 BTU/hr | 150,000 BTU/hr |
| Gross output (natural gas) | 69,000 BTU/hr | 125,000 BTU/hr |
| Efficiency (AFUE, natural gas) | 86 % | 83 % |
| Efficiency (AFUE, propane) | 88 % | 86 % |
| Water content | 2.5 gal | 2.5 gal |
| Energy converter weight | 270 lb | 270 lb |
| Domestic hot water | Integrated system: heat plus domestic hot water from a storage tank using the Energy Manager control | Integrated system: heat plus domestic hot water from a storage tank using the Energy Manager control |
Both rows use the EK1 energy converter, so the physical package is identical: 2.5 gallons of water content, a 270 lb converter (plus 90 lb of jacket and insulation) and the same 10-foot forced counter-flow flue passage with a 300°F net stack temperature. What changes is the input and the efficiency printed against it.
The 80,000 BTU/hr row prints 69,000 BTU/hr gross output at 86% AFUE on natural gas and 70,000 BTU/hr at 88% on propane. The 150,000 row prints 125,000 BTU/hr at 83% and 129,000 BTU/hr at 86%. That is an 81% output increase for three points of natural-gas AFUE — the trade the data sheet makes across the EK1 range.
Neither row is automatically the right answer: System 2000 sizes the converter to the home's heat loss and hot-water load, and both rows use the same Energy Manager control, chimney or power-vent options and storage-tank pairing. Pick the row whose printed output covers the calculated load, not the largest available.
Energy Kinetics
The System 2000 EK1 Frontier 80,000 BTU/hr input row is the smallest EK1 size and the highest printed AFUE row in the line: 69,000 BTU/hr gross output at 86% AFUE on natural gas (70,000 BTU/hr at 88% on propane) through the EK1 energy converter.
Energy Kinetics
The System 2000 EK1 Frontier 150,000 BTU/hr input row is the largest EK1 size at the EK1's lowest natural-gas AFUE row: 125,000 BTU/hr gross output at 83% AFUE on natural gas (129,000 BTU/hr at 86% on propane) through the EK1 energy converter.
The 80,000 BTU/hr row at 86% AFUE natural gas / 88% propane, against 83% / 86% on the 150,000 row, per the EK1/EK2 gas data sheet.
Yes — both are EK1 rows with 2.5 gallons of water content and a 270 lb converter weight; only the firing input and its printed ratings change.
Chimney venting is standard and a power-vent chimneyless option is available; the data sheet describes the 10-foot flue passage letting gases leave cool enough for ground-level sidewall venting.
A consultation includes a heat-loss review so the size is right the first time.
On-site service in Greater Vancouver, BC. ROMA lists “Open 7 days” on its site; call to confirm same-day availability.
Sources and verification
Facts checked September 9, 2026. Last updated September 9, 2026. Technical reviewer: not yet assigned.