Sizing Pipe Radiators

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

When sizing a replacement boiler in a house that has some pipe radiators, should I just add up the linear feet of pipe and use Dan's chart for direct pipe coils? For instance I have one radiator that has 96' of one inch pipe, at .55 sq. ft. EDR per foot it comes out to 52 sq ft of steam, is that correct?



Thanks, Bob Gagnon                                                        

Hap_Hazzard

This might help

I have to admit I had no idea what you were talking about--does he mean fin-tube convectors???--but it turns out I'm the dummy, as usual. I found a discussion here about pipe radiators: http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/139436/Build-your-own-rad

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

Not fin tube

These radiators look like regular cast iron radiators, but the vertical heating surface is made from only 1" black pipe, so I'm guessing that I use sizing from Dan's book for pipe coils @ .55 sq ft of steam per foot, I was just wondering what I should figure for the bottom and top of the pipe radiators.



Thanks, Bob Gagnon

gerry gill

Bob, i'm not sure if this will help you or not,

But the old timers used a higher btu per foot for wall coils. Attached is some info you may find useful.

Maine Vent

Pipe Radiators

Hi Bob,

Do your pipe radiators look like these?

Tim_64

Pipe radiators

When I went to grade school in the mid 60's the elementary school I attended had these huge pipe radiators at the rear of the classroom.... below the windows..



It was just loops of 2" (I think) pipe going up the wall to the bottom of the window...Almost the width of the room looping back and forth about 3' tall.



We used to put crayons on the pipes....so when the heat came up the crayons would melt..



Imagine the liability lawyers frothing at the teeth if something like that was in place now..



We also had Monkey-bars....no sand no mulch.... nothing except compacted earth to land on...



Sorry cant tell you  the output of your radiators........... just remembered some things from my past...

Steamhead

If so

the ratings are here:



http://www.heatinghelp.com/article/158/Radiators/1275/Ratings-for-Gold-Nason-Bundy-and-Reed-Radiators