Replace old convector with Myson or equal Wall radiant?

catmandoo

Hi, im in long island, i enjoyed that the site articles discussed these old convector style cabinet elements i have attached pics hope it works. I bought a couple replacements for some last winter for some that were leaking.
I have one thats been very low heat output for a long time...on a bedroom zone/loop, i've been reading about the myson wall panel units. "seems like" its twice the amount of BTU compared to these old style convectors.
For example the convector I wanna replace now is 53 inches x6" x2" In the best of my simple web reasearch besides it seems maybe long island is the only place in the country that has these and OCS in queens is the only one that sells them (am i right?), its basically a glorified baseboard...so im guessing the BTU output is max 600 per foot...
I spoke to a friendly dealer in Vermont, which is a cold climate he never heard of these things is why im thinking its a long island thing?
Anybody agree on this? I can't imagine that in the 1950's long island was the only place, but if not, how come the only dealer who sells them is in queens:))

When i look up the myson's it appears to be that 48 or 54 inches of myson gives off like 6500ish btus...which is more than double this old fashioned convector....

Am i understanding the BTU ratings and analysis correctly? I am oil fired hot water hyrdonic heating, i have 4 zones.
Also will putting one myson on a chain interfere with other old ones on the same zone that are working?

Tnx

mattmia2

No. The output of a convector is a lot more than fin tube baseboard for a given water temp. it both has far more surface area and the convector cabinet acts as a stack to pull far more air through it than the cover of a baseboard would. Convectors are very common in commercial installations.

bburd

Those convectors are all over the northeastern United States at least, mostly in homes built in the 1940s and 50s before baseboard became widespread. In commercial buildings their popularity lasted into the 60s.

catmandoo

thank you matt and bburd. Really appreciate that. I spoke to OCS, i bought a couple convectors there last winter, their site doesnt give BTU's exactly but I asked him by phone. He said the replacement part that im considering now which is 52"x6"2" is 8000 BTUS, which would be more than the myson panel of equivelent size and i guess triple traditional baseboard.
I see what you mean, I guess it is not glorified baseboard because its bigger, I dont know the spec size of common baseboard, im guessing its 3"x3" or something, so it makes sense what OCS said.
Appreciate that they are common not sure why it seems OCS is the only place in north america that sells them maybe they import them, i dont know.
One thing one friend pointed out is since these are inset into the wall, that spot actually would have less insulation than the rest of the wall. so if the convector is not working right, its going to be colder...

1- Do you concur that 52x6x2 inches could be indeed 8000 btus? my residential oil fired heating im thiking is 180 degrees though im not sure.

2- I was reading Mr. H's (the sites founder), article on these things, did he say that technically you should not have/need a bleeder on these convectors? If i read it right he says all bleeding should be done at the boiler to the specific zone ? Did i read it right? If thats what i read correct than I might try this myself, i know how to bleed the zone...i've had idiotic local plumbers sitting here bleeding and bleeding blindly, to no avail... i think this convector is just old and needs to be replaced. Last yr we replaced a couple that were leaking but functioning, but these OTHER ROOM weak output convectors never got better in spite of circle-jerk blind bleeding and bleeding. .

Tnx

mattmia2

Beacon Morris makes tons of concertos of various sizes and styles. The fins on a convector are much more dense than on fin tube baseboard so there is a lot more surface area. There are books with various convectors and their EDR(effective direct radiation) for calculating their steam capacity, you can use the EDR to calculate their capacity at a given supply water temp.

Did you get air when you bled it or water? If you're not getting air then it isn't air, at least at that point. There are plenty of things that could be causing it to not heat.

Some pictures of the piping underneath it an from the boiler heading toward it and of the boiler itself could help.

catmandoo

hi matt,
i found this site by searching on closed loop, monoflow, then found Mr.H's articles...i've lived here all my life, these convector elements are 1950's era...5 on the bedroom zone. The water travels to the 1st 2 bedrooms which this is one, with bad output lately, then goes to another bedrrom which is strong and then 2 little bathroom convectors.
1st stop bedroom room= not so bad, next bedroom two =bad, bedroom 3= good+larger convector element , bathroom =good, bathroom 2= good.
Bedroom 3's convector was leaking at its connections last winter so we replaced that.....but we never solved bedroom two. the guy who did the replacment, "alleged" plumber,,,hours and hours bleeding vavles and at the boiler... bedroom 2 never really got better. they do have the valves, the we dont need anymore...but the fact that bedroom 3 is good and strong, i think best plan to replace bedroom 2 convector which comes before 3 and see if 2 improves.
Also bedroom convector 2 is "way" high, i dont know maybe my father had it repaired yrs ago, but its around 16 inches off the floor , doesnt make sense , the others are maybe 6 inches..approx

I can take and post some pics of underneath and the boiler a little later. just thinking if im gonna try this myself, at least start with a fresh convector, before paying some alleged expert to fiddle and dabble for hours and blame the equipment.

mattmia2

Are the convectors all in a loop or are there separate supply and return mains(or a loop per room off the mains)? Or is it a monoflow system with one pipe in a loo with diverter tees and pipes to each convector?

catmandoo

hi matt the convectors are on a loop each loop is a zone , what im understanding is its a closed loop monoflow, i dont know specifically about divertee tees, but water comes in one convector then out to the loop then pops up for the next room.

catmandoo

Hi again all, some had previously asked for more pics underneath here's more pics.
What i wanna do is 1- Replace the element and 2- Eliminate the valve.
I've been told the valve is not really necessary....can this be eliminated with sharkbites and pex or is some copper work required?
Also i think this element is way too high, others in my house are not this high, seems like must have been replaced years ago and just put too high...
Primary problem no heat on this element, rest of the zone is working. Incoming pipe is hot and outgoing pipe is hot.