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Calculate GPM in a convector

Jonn2018
Jonn2018 Member Posts: 29
edited February 2019 in THE MAIN WALL
Hi all I was curious if I installed a tee on each side of a convector and then installed pressure gauges, could I translate that into GPM for that particular conventor?? I attached a pic of the convector.

Comments

  • Jonn2018
    Jonn2018 Member Posts: 29

  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited February 2019
    It would tell you the pressure drop of the convector. You would probably need pretty low scale psi gauges to get a decent reading, and using two involves some degree of error from gauge to gauge.

    You could get lucky if you know what the manufacturer of that convector is, and if they have a gpm at a given pressure drop. I’d research that first. Before installing the gauges.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,170
    Not directly, nor all that easily. You'd have to know the head loss characteristics of the convector with relation to flow -- which since a convector is by no means a simple pipe or somesuch, you either have to get from the manufacturer's literature which might have it, or by experiment.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • RPK
    RPK Member Posts: 98
    edited February 2019
    If you really want an accurate estimate of flow, the ideal way would be to install a circuit setter (didn’t really matter if it’s on suppy or return). Then measure the pressure difference across the circuit setter. The circuit setter mfg provides a chart by which you can convert pressure drop to flow in GPM.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,024
    If you just need a one time reading see if you can find someone locally with an ultrasonic flowmeter. the clamp on or around the pipe and are very accurate.

    Some of the meter manufacturers have rental or demo units you might be able to use. We had a Badger Meter loaner for a test drive before we purchased.

    You have unions, what about isolation valves? If so adding a Quicksetter gives you instant reading and flow adjustment without needing to connect a differential meter.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
    RPK
  • Jonn2018
    Jonn2018 Member Posts: 29
    Thank's everyone for the replies...yeah the caleffi doesn't give me the room to spin it on to the pipe. I'll take a look at circuit setter dimensions and see If one of those could be spun on.

    I looked for ultrasonic flow meter boy...those are price to rent for the day, and the whole shipping...makes it not to economical. I do have an old ultrasonic meter...I'm going to put that on and see what it might read.
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,139
    The Caleffi QuickSetter balancing valve and flowmeter was my first thought. Even if you cannot get it right at the emitter, at the piping supply to or from it should give you a reliable way to read flow, and adjust it.
  • Jonn2018
    Jonn2018 Member Posts: 29
    Yeah...I might make a couple quick temporary pipe offsets and that should allow me to get it in there for a test
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,776
    Maybe get lucky matching it up to something close
    http://www.heinleinsupply.com/pdf/modine/13-111-3.pdf