| Author |
Electric baseboard heat bad?
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| We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
baseboard heat. I've heard that it's expensive and doesn't heat the
house very well. Is this true? I don't want to buy a house and then buy
a new heating system.
Skyf
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| ..p.jm@see_my_sig_for_address.com 2005-10-20, 11:21 pm |
| On 20 Oct 2005 18:39:02 -0700, "skyf" <skyfall55@yahoo.com> wrote:
>We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
alt.home.repair, not here.
And do your own fucking homework.
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Paul ( pjm @ pobox . com ) - remove spaces to email me
'Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.'
'With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine.'
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| Noon-Air 2005-10-20, 11:21 pm |
| put a contingency in the purchase contract... either discount the price of
the house to reflect the cost of a new system, or cash from the seller to
have it installed yourself(preferable), or have the seller(not a good idea
unless you want it done by the lowest bidder)
"skyf" <skyfall55@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1129858742.726985.3280@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
> baseboard heat. I've heard that it's expensive and doesn't heat the
> house very well. Is this true? I don't want to buy a house and then buy
> a new heating system.
>
> Skyf
>
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|
| skyf wrote:
> We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
> baseboard heat. I've heard that it's expensive and doesn't heat the
> house very well. Is this true? I don't want to buy a house and then buy
> a new heating system.
>
> Skyf
>
I'll answer you as a electrician... because I'm not a HVAC guy.
Electric baseboard heat is inefficient, expensive to operate and
dangerous as it usually indicates a DIY slapped-together job that
someone did because they wouldn't pay a HVAC guy to put in the correct
system.
People sometimes install them in cabins and such that are very low SF
and 80 percent unused.... but as a residence... they don't make sense.
Look for other problems here, as well. This could be the indication of
much worse....
Jake
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|
|
Jake wrote:
> skyf wrote:
>
>
> I'll answer you as a electrician... because I'm not a HVAC guy.
>
> Electric baseboard heat is inefficient, expensive to operate and
> dangerous as it usually indicates a DIY slapped-together job that
> someone did because they wouldn't pay a HVAC guy to put in the correct
> system.
>
> People sometimes install them in cabins and such that are very low SF
> and 80 percent unused.... but as a residence... they don't make sense.
>
> Look for other problems here, as well. This could be the indication of
> much worse....
He had better take his checkbook along on a 44 year old house. HVAC will
be the least of his problems. It doesn't make sense to buy a house like
that and expect everything to be fine, unless it has been renovated
already, which this one obviously hasn't been. I'm also an electrician 
hvacrmedic
hvacrmedic
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|
| > I'm also an electrician
>
> hvacrmedic
>
>
> hvacrmedic
>
I have a hard time believing that (-;.
After all, you CANNOT understand how capacitors blow up when subjected
to the mystical forces of water on them.
I'm gonna solve this problem once and for all... no BS.
I've got a 1/2 horse 240 V motor laying around. Someone send me a cap
(or I'll find one... hell, send me the ones you think will fail) for
that and I'll hook up the motor, with a condenser fan lid (with blade)
running on the bench.
I'll use standard sta-cons on the cap... use long leads and drop the cap
in a bucket of city water to see what happens. I'll photograph the whole
thing and post it somewhere.
How's that for a 'scientific' experiment?
Jake
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|
|
Jake wrote:
>
>
> I have a hard time believing that (-;.
>
> After all, you CANNOT understand how capacitors blow up when subjected
> to the mystical forces of water on them.
>
> I'm gonna solve this problem once and for all... no BS.
>
> I've got a 1/2 horse 240 V motor laying around. Someone send me a cap
> (or I'll find one... hell, send me the ones you think will fail) for
> that and I'll hook up the motor, with a condenser fan lid (with blade)
> running on the bench.
>
> I'll use standard sta-cons on the cap... use long leads and drop the cap
> in a bucket of city water to see what happens. I'll photograph the whole
> thing and post it somewhere.
>
> How's that for a 'scientific' experiment?
That would be a cool video. It might get passed around via email under
the heading "Here's your sign!".
I suspect that what you'd see is bubbles issuing from the cap terminals
for approximately 5 seconds, after which the magic smoke would escape
from the start winding.
You will then need to run the test in reverse, immersing the motor in
water with the cap on the bench. Might have to connect to a 50A circuit,
but some real units are also on 50A circuits so this would be a
realistic setup.
hvacrmedic
hvacrmedic
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| PrecisionMachinisT 2005-10-21, 12:21 am |
|
"RP" <no_mail_no_spam@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:RNWdnfw9DbtK0cXeRVn-vQ@centurytel.net...
Jake, baseboards are still quite common in this area--always remember we
used to have VERY cheap hydropower in abundance here in the Pacific
Northwest ....
Granted, only an utter fool would install them here today, except perhaps in
situations as you mention above...though personally, I would still probly go
with a mini-split unless it was a VERY low usage application.
[color=darkred]
>
> He had better take his checkbook along on a 44 year old house. HVAC will
> be the least of his problems. It doesn't make sense to buy a house like
> that and expect everything to be fine, unless it has been renovated
> already, which this one obviously hasn't been. I'm also an electrician
>
Heat pump--and wherever installation of ductwork becomes problemmatic, then
simply leave the baseboards in place......
Hell, I'd probly just leave most ( or even all ) the baseboards in as backup
anyways--( provided the service is large enough to handle both them and any
newly installed heat strips )
And to the OP, the correct place for these kind of questions is in
alt.home.repair....
So, I will just add that you REALLY don't want to be heating with straight
electric--generally speaking, I would estimate it will cost you~ 2-3 times
as much in electricity usage per year than it would if you was using a heat
pump instead; this assuming Western Oregon--not sure about the Central and
Eastern regions, and suggest best to contact your local utility in any case,
likely much advice and perhaps even incentives in the form of rebates are
available through them.
--
SVL
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| Carolina Breeze HVAC 2005-10-21, 12:21 am |
|
"Jake" <jkelleyus@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:FtY5f.451231$_o.27515@attbi_s71...
>
> I have a hard time believing that (-;.
>
> After all, you CANNOT understand how capacitors blow up when subjected to
> the mystical forces of water on them.
>
> I'm gonna solve this problem once and for all... no BS.
>
> I've got a 1/2 horse 240 V motor laying around. Someone send me a cap (or
> I'll find one... hell, send me the ones you think will fail) for that and
> I'll hook up the motor, with a condenser fan lid (with blade) running on
> the bench.
>
> I'll use standard sta-cons on the cap... use long leads and drop the cap
> in a bucket of city water to see what happens. I'll photograph the whole
> thing and post it somewhere.
>
> How's that for a 'scientific' experiment?
>
> Jake
>
Beat ya to it....already got the caps together, and a hard to start old
motor too...LOL
Wonder what the breaker box is gonna think when it goes BOOM?
Just curious..you gonna measure the PH of the water too? LOL
>
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| PrecisionMachinisT 2005-10-21, 12:21 am |
|
"Jake" <jkelleyus@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:FtY5f.451231$_o.27515@attbi_s71...
>
> I have a hard time believing that (-;.
>
> After all, you CANNOT understand how capacitors blow up when subjected
> to the mystical forces of water on them.
>
> I'm gonna solve this problem once and for all... no BS.
>
> I've got a 1/2 horse 240 V motor laying around. Someone send me a cap
> (or I'll find one... hell, send me the ones you think will fail) for
> that and I'll hook up the motor, with a condenser fan lid (with blade)
> running on the bench.
>
> I'll use standard sta-cons on the cap... use long leads and drop the cap
> in a bucket of city water to see what happens. I'll photograph the whole
> thing and post it somewhere.
>
> How's that for a 'scientific' experiment?
>
> Jake
>
Jake,
Whats your address ???--I'll send you the one that's sitting here on my desk
that has rust all over the terminals...
<G>
--
SVL
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|
|
> Beat ya to it....already got the caps together, and a hard to start old
> motor too...LOL
> Wonder what the breaker box is gonna think when it goes BOOM?
>
> Just curious..you gonna measure the PH of the water too? LOL
>
Put it on a 40 breaker or so and all you'll get is a nice 'click', if
anything. Use 10 wire.
I hadn't thought about PH but I could do that. Our city water mineral
content is so high here it would be a 'worse case' scenario, I think.
BTW, I hadn't thought about multiple tests either, but RP is right. This
will likely fry the motor long before I lose a cap. If anyone has a
motor/cap combination to try (I can't guarantee fan blade attached),
email me for a addy.
I ain't 'skeered'... the boys in the shop will get a kick out of this!
I may even insert a ground rod into the bucket and bond it to ground
just to see what happens there...
Jake
| |
|
| PrecisionMachinisT wrote:
> "Jake" <jkelleyus@insightbb.com> wrote in message
> news:FtY5f.451231$_o.27515@attbi_s71...
>
>
>
> Jake,
>
> Whats your address ???--I'll send you the one that's sitting here on my desk
> that has rust all over the terminals...
>
> <G>
>
> --
>
> SVL
>
>
The address is coming right now. Anyone else interested please let me
know...
Jake
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| geoman jr 2005-10-21, 9:21 am |
|
"Jake" <jkelleyus@insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:8ZX5f.451190$_o.197893@attbi_s71...
> skyf wrote:
>
> I'll answer you as a electrician... because I'm not a HVAC guy.
>
> Electric baseboard heat is inefficient, expensive to operate and dangerous
> as it usually indicates a DIY slapped-together job that someone did
> because they wouldn't pay a HVAC guy to put in the correct system.
>
Inefficient?? Actually they are one hundred percent efficient- exspensive
to operate, I'll agree with that in most cases depending on how high natural
gas goes and what kind of rate you can get from your utility.
> People sometimes install them in cabins and such that are very low SF and
> 80 percent unused.... but as a residence... they don't make sense.
>
> Look for other problems here, as well. This could be the indication of
> much worse....
>
> Jake
| |
| B-Hate-Me 2005-10-21, 3:21 pm |
|
"skyf" <skyfall55@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1129858742.726985.3280@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
> baseboard heat. I've heard that it's expensive and doesn't heat the
> house very well. Is this true? I don't want to buy a house and then buy
> a new heating system.
Electric heat is 100% efficient.
| |
|
| geoman jr wrote:
> "Jake" <jkelleyus@insightbb.com> wrote in message
> news:8ZX5f.451190$_o.197893@attbi_s71...
>
>
>
> Inefficient?? Actually they are one hundred percent efficient- exspensive
> to operate, I'll agree with that in most cases depending on how high natural
> gas goes and what kind of rate you can get from your utility.
>
I agree that electric heating is 100% energy efficient... but
'efficiently' does it perform the task asked of it.
Different heating requirements require different solutions, IMO. Passive
resistance electric (no forced fan) works well for very small spaces...
but a home is not usually a very small space. Passive infrared works
well too for spot heating with the right construction.
Sorry... that was my point in context...
Jake
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| R. Pierce Butler 2005-10-23, 9:21 am |
| "skyf" <skyfall55@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1129858742.726985.3280
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
> We're looking at buying a 1961 home in Oregon. It has electric
> baseboard heat. I've heard that it's expensive and doesn't heat the
> house very well. Is this true? I don't want to buy a house and then buy
> a new heating system.
>
> Skyf
>
i had electric baseboard heat in Chicago as there was no nat. gas available.
The house stayed warm even when below zero. As soon as gas came in, I put in
a gas furnace and ducts. I paid for the furnace and duct job in 5 years
from the money I saved on my electric bill. I saved about $30-50 per month
by replacing my electric water heater. YMMV
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