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Posted By: sparkync Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 02:03 AM
I just noticed something I never thought about in a while. Seems like baseboard heaters don't have reflectors anymore. I guess they have been like this for a long time, but I just noticed it on my sister in law's house. I know the "old ones" use to have them. She has a 2500 watt heater in her living room and the top get pretty hot and the wall also. Never noticed them getting this hot before.
Anyone else noticed this??
Posted By: georgestolz Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 06:30 AM
Originally Posted by sparkync
Anyone else noticed this??

They had reflectors? smile
Posted By: sparkync Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 03:08 PM
Yes, I've taken off old baseboard heaters that had reflectors on them. I don't know why they took them off. Seems like a good idea to me. They were aluminum reflectors. Seems like they would deflect some of the heat from the frame of the heater and deflect it out over the "fins" out into the room better. I guess through their test etc.... they found out different??
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 04:05 PM
I haven't seen the reflectors in BB htrs for a long, long time. Back in the early '70s or '60's on units that were 'upscale, if memory is correct.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 06:45 PM
The baseboard heaters I remember were convection heaters. There was a vent at the bottom and top. Air was drawn in the bottom and out the top.

In this house I also have two of those in wall heaters with a fan (2.5KW).
They are not hooked up but I haven't been willing to do the drywall repairs to remove them.
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 07:06 PM
Greg:
I don't remember the brands, but these were regular type BB. (8') in office bldgs, with a chrome or maybe stainless reflector behind the element & fins, curved out at the top end. They were not you average unit.

I personally like the fan force (Architectural) units. My daughter has a 4KW in the family room.

Posted By: PAteenlectrician Re: Baseboard heaters - 01/18/11 07:07 PM
Originally Posted by gfretwell
The baseboard heaters I remember were convection heaters. There was a vent at the bottom and top. Air was drawn in the bottom and out the top.


Same here.


My hotwater baseboards work the same way, but the idiots bent all of the fins putting them in and put the return on the top.
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