How do you heat a 500 year old stone church in 1850?

Jeremy Dunitz

Thought you might enjoy reading this.

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/items_of_interest/heating/churches_&_chapels/bampton_church/bampton_church.htm

steve b_25

Thanks for the link. After reading about the church's boiler I explored the site a little further and found a treasure of heating information about other historic buildings in the UK that others might enjoy as well: Heating Systems

Mad Dog_2

ALOT......................................................

Of Praying!!!!!! Mad Dog

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Mad Dog_2

What a treat that was.....

They were soooo ahead of their time. Can't underestimate the collosal contribution of The British Empire. Mad Dog

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Steve Ebels_3

I wonder

How did they do the 180* bends on the "radiators" and what method was used to join the lengths of pipe?

If there was any way of regulating the heat other than the size of the fire?

What was the flow velocity in the system?

It is WAAAAYYYY cool that the old system is still working!!!

Unknown

Check this out!

Here is a link to a description of the Perkins heating system.

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/victorian_engineers/perkins/perkins.htm


Circulating 300 PSI superheated water by gravity in a closed system! Doesn't look like they used any safety pressure relief either!

Daniel_3

I second that . .What a treat that was! And seeing the Ideal wall rad was the highlight of the visual journey.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

A special "history of heating" edition of The [HVAC] News mentioned the Perkins system.

According to the article it fell out of favor quite rapidly after a series of catastrophic "accidents". I'm pretty sure it mentioned that the accidents were mainly the result of a loss of system integrity caused by the extreme pressure.

Jimmy Gillies

Jacob Perkin

Oh no!!!! Hold on a minute, Jacob Perkin was a dam Yank!!??!!!.......LOL

Thanks very much for a great link, what a great read eh!

I have worked on these cast iron heating pipes back in the 70's, the joints were made up with tar rope and pure cement and called Greenhouse systems, as they were found heating greenhouses.

Kind regards.
Jimmy Gillies Scotland.

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/victorian_engineers/perkins/perkins.htm

Kevin O. Pulver

I've read Steve

about guys doing tight bending of copper lines in motorcycle restoration etc... that they would pack the tube with fine sand or something to keep it from kinking and then blow it out. I don't know it that would be possible or feasible with those rads. Old technology is amazing to me as well. How nice those guys appreciate it and post it for us too. Kevin

DanHolohan

Paul Yunnie

who is on the committee of this wonderful organization has been a friend of mine for many years. He has sent me so much historical stuff over the years, and continues to do so now, even though he's retired and living in Australia. Paul has also served as one of ASHRAE's historians. He's a great guy to share a beer with.