Very Old Fin Tube

ChristopherBJones

I'm and Architect working on a project my company built in 1950. The drawings call out radiant baseboard. The baseboard has no manufacture's name . The fin tube is 3/4" copper pipe with aluminum fins that are circular. There are also Webster 3- way bypass valves that need replacing. There are additional convectors by Trane with similar elements in the house. Does anyone have any info that could identify the capacity of this baseboard. I also need a source for the three way valves. Thanks in advance.

Chris

Gilmorrie

Here is a source for manual 3-way valves: https://www.supplyhouse.com/sh/control/search/~SEARCH_STRING=3-way valve?searchText=3-way+valve

For estimating the Btu/hr capacity, look at commercial fin-tube units with similar dimensions - length, pipe diameter. The max rating will depend upon water temperature and flow rate.

ChristopherBJones

Thanks Gilmorrie. The baseboard has spine fin instead of fin tube.

Steamhead

Webster made that baseboard- same Webster company that made Vapor heating equipment. I've never seen a chart for it though.

But why do you need the baseboard's capacity? Do a heat loss calculation on the spaces where you have that baseboard, and you'll know how much heat those spaces need.

ChristopherBJones

Thanks steamhea,
I need (I think) the baseboard capacity so that I can size additional radiation in a couple of rooms that that are being reconfigured. I'm adding a door that interferes with with some baseboard in the Master bedroom. The house has four baseboard loops. An additional loop went to the detached Garage/ Maids quarters which is no longer being heated. The envelope is getting upgraded. I'm in an area without many residential boilers (Western KY), I lived in Canada and Vermont and have calculated heating loads in the past, but this one stumps me.

With thanks,
Chris

Grallert

Those three way bypass valves would be a great place to put a three way zone valve.

Steamhead

ChristopherBJones said:

Thanks steamhea,
I need (I think) the baseboard capacity so that I can size additional radiation in a couple of rooms that that are being reconfigured.
(snip)
With thanks,
Chris

Use the plans to do your heat loss calc on the spaces as they will be after reconfiguration. That way you will know for sure how much heat you need.

If that were my project, I'd do a heat loss on the entire house.

ChristopherBJones

Thanks everyone,
I'm working on the heat loss. I'm also looking for sugestions on control strategy. Right now the thermostat controls the circulator, the aquastat controls the burner. There was outdoor reset in the 1951 original install (I've seen another from this period with a cabinet full of vacuum tubes). I'm attaching the original near boiler piping detail--right now the near boiler piping is a mess.

The second circulator was for an outbuilding no longer heated by the boiler.

ChristopherBJones

Steamhead

So the boiler stays hot all the time? What a waste.

I'd do outdoor reset on this- vacuum tubes are no longer needed. What boiler is in there now?

Bill_Kitsch69

You are not near whatever the rated capacity of that spine-fin element laying in the floor there is. All finned elements need air circulation around, as dictated by enclosure design and mounting. Pick that stuff up off the floor, or replace it proper. You'll get better heat. Judging from the Webster fin design, I reckon you'll get at least as much performance (clean and properly mounted) as any high performance fin-tube element.