Cast iron radiators - always a classic

In the past, cast iron radiators simply had no alternative, which explains their presence in almost all houses of the USSR era. Currently, they have somewhat lost ground, giving up part of the market to aluminum and steel counterparts, but still remain popular. This can be explained by several factors.

Features of cast iron radiators

The birth of the cast iron heating batteries are obliged to Franz San Galli, and the date of manufacture of the first cast iron heating radiator can be considered 1857. Over the past years, the appearance of this device has undergone a lot of changes and already a little bit like a thick-walled tube with boards, this is exactly what the first samples looked like.

Cast iron batteries have the following features:

• minimum hydraulic resistance;
• thermal conductivity at height;

• the large thickness of the radiator walls allows them to be used in open heating systems for the home;
• cast iron is highly resistant to corrosion, and a rather large channel section ensures that scale does not clog the channel along which the coolant moves;
• The service life of cast iron radiators is at least 30-35 years, and operating practice suggests that the batteries work without problems even after half a century.

The disadvantages are not so much, you can note:

• big weight - only one section weighs about 8-10 kg;

Note! If there is no desire in the wall to arrange powerful mounting under the battery, then you can pay attention to the radiators on the legs.

• it is inconvenient to remove dust from the space between the individual sections;
• in comparison with other radiators, for example, aluminum or steel, cast iron counterparts have less working pressure. For comparison - an aluminum battery can withstand pressure in the system up to 18 atmospheres, and a cast-iron one - only 9 atm.

Previously, many put forward claims to a discreet appearance, but now the situation has changed. On sale will not be difficult to find radiators, made in retro style. Such models look great and without any problems fit into any interior.

More about cast iron rarities

Such devices are available in various sizes, the number of channels inside for the movement of the coolant may also differ. According to the number of channels within one section, one- and two-channel versions can be distinguished, but as regards the sizes, there are much more options. There is even a separate standard for cast iron heating batteries - GOST 8690-94.

Normative base

According to GOST 8690-94 for devices of domestic production such restrictions on the geometric dimensions are set:

• distance between nipple holes is normalized, the minimum distance is 300 mm, the maximum is 800 mm;
• the minimum height is 400 mm, the maximum height is 900 mm;
• depth must be between 100 and 160 mm.

The main technical characteristics of the device can be understood by its labeling. For example, the designation radiator MS-160-600-0.9-7 GOST 8690-94 decodes as follows: depth is 160 mm, height is 600 mm, working pressure is 0.9 MPa, in this case it consists of 7 sections. The device fully complies with the specified standard.

Selection of power radiators

Instead of accurate calculation, you can use a simplified version of determining the power of heating devices. In this case, they proceed from the average need for heating capacity per 10 m2 of area. Cast iron heating batteries should provide 1.0-1.2 kW / 10 m2 area.

This ratio is valid for the room:

• with one window and one door;
• in case the height of the ceiling does not exceed 270 - 300 cm;
• temperature of the heat carrier does not fall below 70?

Note! With good thermal insulation, the radiator power can be reduced by 10-15%. For example, in the case of installation in the room quality glass.

The heat output of one section of the MS-140 radiator (a Soviet-made model) is 140 W; this can be used to determine the required number of battery sections. In this case, you can perform an approximate calculation even by the area of ​​the room.

For example, the area of ​​the room is 15 m2, standard ceilings - 2.7 m, double glazing and only one interior door are installed. In this case, you can ask the need for heating power in the amount of 1.0 kW / 10 m2.

That is, the radiator must provide 1.5 kW of heat energy. Considering that 1 section emits 140 W of thermal energy, we determine the necessary number of sections by the formula 1500/140 = 10.71? 11 sections. In this example, you need a cast iron radiator with 11 sections.

Radiator installation

The installation of such a battery is practically no different from the installation of aluminum, steel and bimetallic devices. The only thing that has to be taken into account during installation is the large weight and brittleness of the metal.

A common requirement for all types of radiators is its location relative to the wall and floor. In order for the air circulation not to be disturbed, the cast-iron radiators should be located at a distance of at least 6 cm from the floor, and the minimum distance from the floor and the window sill should be maintained (if the heater is located in a niche).

Installation instructions include the following steps:

• holes for mounting are drilled in the wall;
• metal stops are mounted on which the battery itself is hung;
• the installed radiator is installed and connected to the pipeline, Mayevsky's taps are installed, if necessary, a thermostat or bypass can be installed;
• air is vented and the tightness of the system is checked.

When all the work is done by hand, special attention should be paid to fixing the “cast iron heavyweight” to the wall.

Such options are possible:

• the performance of the radiator on the legs solves all the problems with the installation - just put it against the wall. The maximum that can be done is to additionally attach it to the wall in order to protect it from tipping over if someone from the household accidentally touches it;

• in the case of hanging, it is recommended to use a scheme with 2 supporting points on the top and bottom, that is, you just need to embed 4 metal fasteners into the wall. They need to be buried in the wall by at least 15-16 cm;
• if the wall thickness is not enough, then it is drilled through and a wide metal plate is placed on the back side so that the wall does not slip under the weight of the radiator.

About modern cast iron radiators

The choice is large enough, if you wish, you can get both a classic Soviet-type battery and a refined radiator. As for Russia, you can mention the manufacturer Konner - judging by the statistics, it is one of the leaders in sales in the Russian market. Among the list there are both options in the modern style, and batteries, decorated in a classic style.

The price plays an important role in the selection, so it is worth mentioning the other competitors in the market:

• in terms of price, the domestic manufacturer Santelit is out of competition, the cost starts from 300 rubles;
• production of the Czech manufacturer Viadrus will cost almost 3 times more expensive, the minimum price of 1 section of the Termo 500 is 890 rubles;
• Turkish Demir can hardly be called a budget option (1 section of DD RETRO 500 costs 1975 rubles), but the appearance is worth it.

Summarizing

Over time, cast iron radiators went into the category of classics, and the classics are always in price. Of course, with the advent of new materials, for example, aluminum and steel, as well as bimetallic batteries, the share of cast iron counterparts on the market has slightly decreased, but they are not threatened with complete disappearance. The proposed material will allow you to navigate in a variety of cast iron radiators and choose the most suitable option.

The video shows a comparison of the effectiveness of aluminum and cast iron radiators.