gun-barreled radiators

silverfish · June 2013

Hello,

I've been pricing oil to gas conversion in my steam-heated Queen Anne and have been getting so many opinions on steam (and boilers and hot water options) that I'm rather exhausted from lack of consensus. So, here I am to do more back study.

Ten years ago I had a steam-enamored heating contractor who gave me loads of background on my 1889ish state-of-the-art 2-pipe steam system, along with its history and some simple schematics. Some of my radiators, he said, were recycled from CivilWar-era gun barrels...

In measuring radiators to determine boiler size, do these gun-barreled types (attached) get measured the same as other column radiators? Does the 12" circumference of each barrel need special consideration? I haven't been able to find similar images online and I get discouraged to hear contractors say they have never seen the like.

This particular one is 2 columned, 7 sectioned and stands 39" from foot to cat.

Anyone have anything to say about this? Appreciated!

Suz.

Steamhead · June 2013

Check to see if there is a name on them

might be one of these. This article is located in the site's Library:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/files/articles/1275/92.pdf

Charlie from wmass · June 2013

it is all about surface area

roughly every foot of height would be one edr for each column by your numbers. Nothing wrong with having radiators no one has seen before, I find dozens each year that are not in the books. I would love to see a wide angle photo, not that the cat is not cute, I am just more interested in the iron.

moneypitfeeder · June 2013

interesting reading

If you're into history, you can read all about the "gun barrel" steam radiators here: http://books.google.com/books?id=6kNGAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR12&lpg=PR12&dq=gun+barrel+style+steam+radiator&source=bl&ots=ugICC6UaHR&sig=TYIbdeenS0xRqMnrqlm6RQ6WmPc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WKjMUYWwLNXd4AOMr4DgAQ&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=gun%20barrel%20style%20steam%20radiator&f=false

The pdf is free on google to read, just scroll over to page 331. It also talks to the edr of radiators. Love the cat, I think the kitty would be terribly disappointed if you didn't have the comfort of steam in the house!

silverfish · June 2013

thank you...

Steamhead: the radiator's a W.W. Carman's, Pat. April 28, 1885.

Charlie/wmass: photo attached.

Moneypitfeeder:

Awesome! I also located the patent for Carman's. Can't do a

screenshot, so here's the link, p.599 of the patent commissioners report:

http://books.google.com/books?id=GSDRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA599&lpg=PA599&dq=w.w.+carmans+radiators&source=bl&ots=94AgwwNvZv&sig=HTQMGW602hEo6qGf2Ij45OI0_Os&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KObMUcneHsbD0AHfuYCgAg&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=w.w.%20carmans%20radiators&f=false

I've done a bit of research on this place and have discovered photos of the original owners, archived at Monmouth College in Illinois of all places. Among them is a photo of "Rebecca" in profile in a chair next to this radiator in Auburn, Maine.

Steamhead · June 2013

That radiator has an unusual base

looks like there is, or was, a fresh-air duct that comes up into the base. The door in the base would have been a bypass for the outside air, to be used when ventilation was not needed.

You can see something similar here, on a later column-type radiator- scroll down to page 62 of this PDF, which can be found in the Library:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/files/articles/1256/205.pdf

silverfish · July 2013

air-box

There is a diagram of the air-box in the link moneypitfeeder attached, p.331:

http://books.google.com/books?id=6kNGAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR12&lpg=PR12&dq=gun+barrel+style+steam+radiator&source=bl&ots=ugICC6UaHR&sig=TYIbdeenS0xRqMnrqlm6RQ6WmPc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WKjMUYWwLNXd4AOMr4DgAQ&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=gun%20barrel%20style%20steam%20radiator&f=false

I tend to open the airbox in the winter and close it in the summer; not sure if that's the thing to do, but it seemed to make sense at the time.

I did look at some of the literature on this site, including the PDF you mention, and the closest I found to my radiators was the cast-iron top on p.68.

I have 5 of these radiators. The smallest is 1 column with 4 sections. I've yet to crank the heat in order to experience them in their full heated glory: Something to look forward to, I think.

gun-barreled radiators

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