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This is Unusual

Mike T., Swampeast MO
Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
in THE MAIN WALL
Sorry to disagree Big Ed, but did you look at the rest of the photos? Nameplate by Burnhamm, clearly labeled "Electric Steam Radiator"--not something made up by a building super...

Can't disagree about its bomb potential however. 2,250 watts and what certainly looks like a 25" high four-tube Burnham "Slenderized" rad. That's about 7,677 btu in a radiator capable of liberating about 3,500 btu @ 1psi steam in a 70F room. If I've done my calculations right, it could hit about 280F in a 70F room at about 50psi. Definite bomb potential!

Comments

  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928


    Cast Iron Electric Steam Radiator by Burnham. Any idea when this thing was made?
  • Daniel_3
    Daniel_3 Member Posts: 543


    Maybe sometime between 1972 and 1974? In all seriousness I've seen other brands from the 1930's that were stand alone electric radiators.
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    Way older then that

    It was made before you needed UL aproval. Dam thing is a bomb. Looks like it only has a heating elament and a vent. Some super made it up for when a tenant cried "MORE STEEM". He would wheel up one of those claymores and problem solved. :)

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,020
    Way older then that

    > Maybe sometime between 1972 and 1974? In all

    > seriousness I've seen other brands from the

    > 1930's that were stand alone electric radiators.



    It was made before you needed UL aproval. Dam thing is a bomb. Looks like it only has a heating elament and a vent. Some super made it up for when a tenant cried "MORE STEEM". He would wheel up one of those claymores and problem solved. :)

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Funny thing Mike

    I was at this ladies house last week, in her basement out of the corner of my eye I saw something very similar.
    Like Ed I just figured it was "made-up" so I ignored-it.
    I have to go back this week so I`ll check-it out more closely.

    Dave
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Well I looked,

    it appears to be a made-up unit, no ID plate.
    Very small CI rad with 1K electric element screwed-in the bottom.
    No thermostat or vent anywhere, only petcock drain, definitely BOMB potential!
    I told her never to try using that, so she gave it to me.

    Dave
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928


    How many sq.ft. EDR in the radiator? 1kw isn't that much and, UL aside, it could be intrinsically safe.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Didn`t carry out

    yet Mike(alot of crap in basement & was alone), but I told her I would send the boys and take-it out in the next few days.
    Want a pic when I get it?

    Dave
  • madman
    madman Member Posts: 4


    This is truely a Burnham product I have seen one floating around the Burnham offices, the guy's in tech can supply you more info on it, I belive it was Jon, that you would want to speak to,
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,599
    This is similar...

    ... to the Clow Gasteam, which used gas as the heat source. Dan has info on it in the library, I believe. That has an air vent which prolly helped to keep it from blowing up. Asphyxiation from the unvented model was a different consideration.

    Yours, Larry
  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,321
    The Clow

    The Clows was a neat, water filled radiators with a gas burner under it. It had a few inches of water fill, a steam vent and a diaphragm regulator. When the pressure went up to about 15 psi, it would block the gas flow down to a trickle, just to keep the burner lit. There was a solder plug just for safety.

    Had one here in the shop for years. Screwed a pressure guage onto it to try it one day. It simmered for about ten minutes, then the pressure went from zero to about 90 psi in the two seconds it took to shut the gas off.

    I guess the regulator was slow reswponding.

    They had vented and unvented models. In the vented ones, 3/4 of the heatwent up the flue.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928


    Sure. Photos are always nice ;)
This discussion has been closed.

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