[pianotech] hot box dimensions

Ron Nossaman rnossaman at cox.net
Sun Dec 13 08:49:16 MST 2009


jiimialeggio wrote:
> David Love wrote:
>>   I'm a bit too paranoid to have something
>> generating that much heat.    
> 
> I'm with you here.   Enclosing the oil filled radiator and all its 
> controls in the box give me the willys...but I'm just going to go for it 
> anyway...seems like Ron hasn't burned down yet.
> My previous box was so underpowered, it probably took much more energy 
> to use because of its ineffectiveness, and didn't work so good.
> 
> What I really would like to find though is some flat concrete pavers 
> with encased resistance wires. Put em under the false floor.
> Jim I

The oil filled radiators were invented, I think, to produce 
lots of heated air *without* the fire hazard of open 
resistance coils. I have mine set at the high end of the low 
heat range, so it's not putting out maximum heat at any time. 
At this setting, it takes me two or three days to get a panel 
down to 6% when it's 100°+ outside with over 80%RH, and I wish 
I'd set the heat higher. I also have a circulating fan that is 
quite aggressive, rather than relying on convection or a 
muffin fan. Air is forced directly through the radiator first, 
then under the panels and into the box. This keeps the vanes 
cooler than they would otherwise be. Finding a fan that 
wouldn't burn up under these conditions proved harder than I 
had thought going in.

If the proximity of the radiator to the wood worries you, make 
your box a foot wide and get more clearance you can fill with 
a high temperature insulation.

Ron N


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