GBA Logo horizontal Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram YouTube Icon Navigation Search Icon Main Search Icon Video Play Icon Plus Icon Minus Icon Picture icon Hamburger Icon Close Icon Sorted

Community and Q&A

Like to replace existing antique 3 tube and fin radiators in my old house but I’m not sure how many BTU’s per foot they produce.

JamesRMillar | Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on

Attachment shows 2 tube, 3 tube, and 4 tube (I’m not even sure what this style is called). I have the 3 tube arrangement throughout the house and I would like to be confident that when I upgrade, I’m getting more heat for each room in this 1650, modestly insulated, house.

GBA Prime

Join the leading community of building science experts

Become a GBA Prime member and get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    James,
    If you take off the cover and examine one of these radiators, do you see any marks to give you a clue? Perhaps a manufacturer's name?

  2. Expert Member
    Dana Dorsett | | #2

    Those are the innards of cabinet type convectors. As shown in the picture they are rotated 90 degrees from how they sit in the enclosures.

    If you measure the height & widths of the fins, and count the number of fins, and measure height & width of the enclosure they were in you can probably find a spec on a similar convector product. eg:

    http://www.modinehvac.com/web/products/commercial-hydronic-equipment/convectors.htm

    http://www.modinehvac.com/web/file?uuid=7ca61f5e-5554-4379-be2c-594b981a4614&owner=b7c1a0f1-c044-4ee5-aa41-9587d4a229d0&contentid=4026&name=AIR13-111.3_Convectors%2C_Technical_Manual.pdf

    They are often specified for 215F steam and 200F entering water temperature (EWT), but the output can be inferred at other water temps:

    At 180F EWT the output is about 80% of what it is at 200F EWT...

    ...at 140F EWT it's about 40% of the 200F EWT output spec...

    ... at 125F EWT (a good condensing boiler temp) it's about 25% of what it puts out with 200F EWT

Log in or create an account to post an answer.

Community

Recent Questions and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |