We’ve all heard the expression ‘Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.’
The Detroit Radiant/Re-Verber-Ray gang lives up to it.
THE CHEAP WAY
Consider…every infrared company lists the length of their heater and the BTU capacity of the heater.
So, if you are specifying or purchasing (4) 40’ long 50MBH heaters to solve your 200,000 BTU load, it appears that doesn’t really matter how well the heater is built. Every manufacturer lists their data the same way.
If the heater is built with lighter gauge materials, or the reflector isn’t reflective, do you think that might impact the performance? I would.
The conventional wisdom for an infrared company would be to build the cheapest heater. More on this in a moment.
THE THEORY
Please inspect the formula below for the calculation the radiant output of a heater. (Engineering flashback, Greek letters!!) You may notice that the construction of the heater is paramount. The tube needs to get as hot as possible and hold its emissive value to be effective.
W isn’t listed in the catalog table above. Why is that?
Simply put, there is no enforced standard for testing! However, there is AHRI 1330, which is an optional radiant efficiency performance standard.
THE DETROIT RADIANT WAY
Detroit Radiant puts great emphasis on maximizing the radiant efficiency of their heater. They do this even though there isn’t an upheld testing standard.
Their focus is to:
- Maximize the emissive value of the tubes. (Truthfully, all their radiant products.)
- Build the reflector, burner, and tubing to maximize the surface temperature of the tube throughout its length.
- Manufacture a heater that is easy to assemble, reducing the labor challenge of infrared vs. unit heater.
- Test within their lab for preparation for an accepted 1330 standard.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN CLASS
Detroit Radiant has their own ISO lab, and you’ll see how it works. You might even decide to start using more infrared!
Someday soon when all the infrared folks play on a level playing field, Detroit Radiant’s lab will serve as the gold standard. For the purposes of our class, you’ll be able to see how a gas fired radiant heater gets tested based on its output and what that means for your customer, their gas bill, and their comfort.
See you in class!
You are invited to "Industry Testing Standards of HVAC Equipment (AMCA, AHRI, AMCA Sound)"
This is a webinar class with remote attendance.
When: June 18, 2024 10:00 AM CT
Topic: Industry Testing Standards of HVAC Equipment (AMCA, AHRI, AMCA Sound)
Please register with the link, using the button below
Manufacturers Represented: Price Industries, Ruskin, Detroit Radiant Products
PDH credits available: 2
