HVAC Brands of the Past. Where are they now?

[a440]

Davey7

Thanks for posting the brochure of the "Iron Fireman Selectemp"! 

So interesting.  I wonder if any homes are still running this system?

No electricity needed.  Every room had it's own unit with thermostat and built in fan that was run from a steam turbine!  I would love to see this type of system!

Brent

 

[circlew]

SelecTemp

I always wondered what kind of heaters they had at the doctor's office I went to when I was a kid. Now I know! It was one of these systems by Iron Fireman. The doctor was in a building that had been an old house that was remodeled in the early to mid 50's. I always thought the building had been built at that time, but found out when it was torn down a few years ago that it was originally constructed around 1900.

 

[a440]

So cool Tom that you got to see one of these in operation. (?)

Sounds like such a neat system. 

I wish the brochure would have actually shown the boiler. 

Brent

 

[circlew]

Hey Brent, I would have liked to see what the boiler was like, too. I would guess the one at the doctor's office was in the basement, and I was never down there. The brochure mentions the tubing was very small with 1/4" supply lines, and that the boiler is compact, so imagine it was much smaller than one for a regular steam system.

 

[kimball455]

Here more about the Iron Fireman system

See the link below ...

http://www.gwgillplumbingandheating.com/webapp/GetFile?fid={5570C304-234E-479A-AB1D-FF25D570DBFA}

 

[a440]

Thanks Harry!

Was not able to read it all just yet. I will tonight!
It looks as though the boiler was just a large water heater.
I have heard that this practice is being done again with just regular water heaters.
Thanks again!
Brent

 

[jamiel]

Boy that Iron Fireman system looks slick...wonder if the main point of obsolescence is the fact that it didn't support central air?

 

[standingpilot]

PERFECTION: Became Perfection Division,
Hupp Industries in 1964. In 1965, Perfection
name dropped. Later known as Typhoon Div,
Hupp Industries. Hupp in bankruptcy in 1991.

This was the Hupp of Huppmobile. Perfection got it's start selling oil burning appliances for Standard oil in Cleveland. Primarily known for oil heating, they also started making NG furnace once the post war modernization boom killed off oil burner sales...The Perfection Regulaire gas furnaces are rare and well made units, They have (mechanical) infinitely variable flow "regulaire" which is basically a heat sensing tube that operates a bimetal coil on a flapper door that regulates fan output according to need. They are built with cast iron burners and hi/lo dual circuit valving. 80% rating in the mid 60's and they had constant pilots. I'm still running TWO of these furnaces that rolled off the line from the Cleveland factory in 1965....50 winters of reliable heating and no sign of slowing down.

Here's a file photo of some 50's units:

 

[appliancedude16]

A440

Did that Williamson furnace in that video have a blower that sounded like the blower motor in the furnace in the video below when it started up?

Link for video below:



Skip to around the 7:14 point in the video
Is that williamson furnace a highboy unit or lowboy unit?

 

[superocd]

My boss ran across an ancient CHRYSLER AC unit on a rooftop

It's amazing to learn the bizarre business ventures some companies get into. Kind of like the Colt Firearms Company, they built Autosan dishwashers way back when my grandparents were kids. Singer, the sewing machine company as many people have known it, was involved in HVAC way back in the day. I ran across a Singer compressor once while out on a job a couple of years ago.

I've seen pictures of Chrysler/Airtemp furnaces and window ACs. Pretty odd that the company that built my 2013 RAM truck was building HVAC equipment (well, before the company evolved into what it is now, FCA).

 

[superocd]

I've gotta funny story...

Back in middle school I went on a first date, out for pizza and then across the street to a really old skating rink. It was so old it smelled old and really musty. Anyways, this place was HUGE and had several unit heaters, which were ancient. So, while skating, something I couldn't do well to begin with, I was spending more time looking way up at the ceiling at the different exhaust fans, unit heaters and steam-heated fan coils than I was focusing on skating and having a good time like a normal preteen.

I was so engrossed in identifying everything up there that I ran into a brick divider that separated the rink from the snack area. I was okay but my girlfriend wondered why I was "spacing off". I was sort of ashamed to admit being interested in prehistoric HVAC units so I just said I was tired. Needless to say, I wasn't invited to tag along again.

 

[norgeway]

I would love

To see a Wall Flame Rotary oil burner in action, A GE oil furnace was the darndest thing you ever saw!

 

[tolivac]

At one time Singer made a line of broadcast transmitters-Sintronics-AM,FM.Have a brochure for them around somewhere.Was during the 70's.And Singer owned Gertsch-a company that made early frequency counters and meters.