Designing and making a radiator, and knowing its BTU rating.
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DaveSmiler
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Designing and making a radiator, and knowing its BTU rating.

by DaveSmiler » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:32 am

I plan to build my own "designer" radiator using 15mm copper pipe. Therefore, I need to know how much pipe is required to provide sufficient BTUs to heat the room.

With radiators for sale, we find information on BTUs. Of course, larger radiators have a greater BTU rating because larger radiators have:
* Greater capacity to hold hot water (the source of the heat); and/or
* Greater surface are to dispel heat from.

However, although radiators for sale come with information about their overall dimensions (HxWxD), they don't come with information about their water capacity or surface area.

Thus, I am missing data with which to calculate BTUs from a given radiator’s most relevant features: water capacity, and (especially) surface area.

I need to know how much pipe to include in my design in order to create a radiator that can keep the room warm.

Therefore, I need to know how many BTUs I can expect per foot (or metre) of 15mm copper pipe. If someone only has data on BTUs per unit of surface area – that’s fine – from that I can work out the length.

Thanks in advance!