radiation-proper size?

chris22

OK, I'm trying to be proactive aware about replacing my very old steam boiler, No one can find a rating on it and I understand that its not the way to size a new one anyway as it may have been oversized anyway and it is a oil driven one and I want to go with gas. (not sure that makes any difference)



 So I understand that you should measure your radiators and use that as the criteria for measuring size. What I am confused about, it seems like some of you say that insulation (this building had little.none and had single windows in upstate ny, but now is well insulated with double panes all around. ) really doesn't come into play when sizing a boiler, is that right?

Well one tech says he thinks a 108,000 burnham independence would be about right and another says that would be too small for this building. I measured the radiators and gave them both the mesurements. Not sure how to figure out if we are in the ballpark or not.



here are the measurements there.Any idea if the proposed boiler is right or too small?  Carol







Length "

Height "

Depth "

Tube size "









#1Kitchen

38

20

4

1.25













Bathroom

16

19

4.5

1.5













Bedroom

24

19

6

1.25













Living Room

54

19

6

1.5









#2

Living Room

53

20

6

1.25













Bedroom

48

19

6

1.25













Bathroom

16

19

4

1.25









Hall





36

35

8

1.5









#3

Living Room

32

26

6

1.5













Bedroom

24

18

6

1.25













Kitchen

41

20

4

1.25









#4

Bathroom

10

36

4

1.25













Bedroom

36

23

6

1.25













Living Room

45

23

8

1.25













Bed #2

38

23

4.5

1.25









#5

Living Room

28

22

8

2













Kitchen

21

22

8

2













Bathroom

16

20

4

1.25













Bedroom

34

15

4

1.75









#6

Kitchen

39

20

4

1.25













Living Room

29

19

4

1.25













Bathroom

39

19

4

1.25













Bedroom

29

20

4

1.25

crash2009

Carol and Chris

There are 2 kinds of radiators that are easily confused.  One is called tube style.  The other is column style.  I don't have a good picture of a tube style. 



The first photo is a 3 column-you can see the 1,2,3.  The height of this one is 15.5 inches.  The thickness is 9 inches.  Then you can count 18 sections.  There is a chart for each manufacturer that tells us "how many EDR in each section"  As you can see this red one is 40.5 



The second photo is a photocopy from a book sold here on the website.  The book is titled EDR.  Dan Holohan wrote the book.  The radiator pictured here is a tube style.  Not all tube styles are 5 tube.  If yours really are tube style we need to know "how many tubes"  This 5 tube is 10 sections, and depending on the height, it could be 50, 43.5, 35, 30, or 26 and 2/3 EDR.



It sure would be helpful if you could post a few photo's of your radiators, and maybe we could identify the manufacturer, then dig up the chart for it.

chris22

they are Columnar

They are 2 column as far as I tell, in looking up more pics of radiators I see that  I should have counted sections.Not sure if my measurements here help. I haven't figured out how to send a pic but I can try next time I go out there.



I'm wondering now if with 23 radiators if the boiler will be big enough,



                                               Carol

crash2009

Column radiators

Your length, height, and depth is good to have.  What you need to do next is count how many sections, and how many columns.  Also if possible note any identifying letters or numbers on the radiator.

23 radiators, yea that's gonna take some time to measure.  Once you know the total EDR, then you will know exactly what size boiler you will need.  You won't have to guess or worry about it ever again.  Getting the correct size boiler to begin with saves you a lot of problems in the future. 

For sending or (posting pics). Use File Attachment/ Browse.  To post more than one, Use the Add Another File.  Just send one the first time, so you can get the hang of it.  



By the way, you won't have to re-type your original post.  Make sure you are logged in, and click on the edit button.  Then you can add  a line ot two to each of your radiators.



  

TomM

EDR

if those guys that quoted you on a new boiler didn't come measure your radiators and give you an EDR value, then they probably won't be installing it correctly anyway, so i'd run away fast.  

Otherwise, all the information for calculating a proper boiler size is in 'the lost art of steam heating' book.  There is some info under 'resources' on the heatinghelp website.