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SIZING BOILER TO STEAM CONVECTOR SYSTEM

cd72
cd72 Member Posts: 7
edited October 2018 in Strictly Steam
Hi All

New to steam heat and this forum. We recently bought a 1941 house with a gas fired steam boiler with I believe Arco convectors. Boiler has died, and I'm trying to calculate the EDR of my system, and would love some help if possible.

I've measured all of the cabinets and convectors and found an Arco convector chart. I'm using the 5 5/8" chart and using the length of the convector to find the EDR. But I am not sure if I should use the column for enclosure height or stack height to find the EDR. My enclosures all 22 or 24 inches tall, but my convectors are all 13 or 14 inches from the floor, so not sure which column to use, and if I am doing this correctly.

I have attached pics of one of my convectors and the chart I am using.

And info is appreciated.

Thanks!

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,255
    If I am looking at this correctly the top of the "standard elements" is 7" off the floor. Then the distance from the top of the heating element to the top of the enclosure is the "stack Height"

    As a general rule putting the elements inside the enclosure at a higher level or having multiple elements reduces the stack height and thus reduces the output. So if for example 1 element puts out 500 btus adding a second element on top you wouldnt get 500btus out of the second element so the total output may be 900 total.

    This all has nothing to do with your question. In the picture it looks like 3 elements stacked or is it one element?? Can you determine that from the information in the Arco book?



  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    @EBEBRATT-Ed , looking at the way the sections are bolted together, I would say it is one element since there is nothing fastening the center section together.
  • cd72
    cd72 Member Posts: 7
    It is all one element.

    And thanks for the info about stack height. Makes sense now. It is 7 inches from floor to bottom of the convector, and then another 15 inches to the top of the cabinet in a 24 inch cabinet. So the columns in the chart make sense.

    I attached a catalog I found that gives you a better idea of what the unit looks like if you are interested. There is a pic on page 4.

    Thanks again.

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