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Radiant Heater Buyer Guide

Quick Check List Before Ordering Tube Heaters

Model numbers are based on BTU per hour input, Tube Length and Control Suffix.

  1. Gas Types & Pressures – SunStar heaters either operate on Natural Gas or Propane (LP) Gas. Make sure you are ordering the correct gas type for heater operation. The required gas supply pressures to the heaters are:
    Natural Gas: Between 5” – 14” WC and for Propane Gas: Between 11” – 14” WC
    You might need a second stage regulator before the heater if your supply pressure is higher than the listed supply pressure.

  2. Mounting Height- Make sure to comply with SunStar’s recommended minimum mounting heights to protect the comfort of those working below and to insure optimal heat coverage. Install straight tubes as high as possible for more uniform energy distribution. SunStar heaters series can be installed 6 inches below the ceiling. Please review the I & O instructions prior to purchase.

  3. Clearance to Combustibles- Make sure to comply with the required minimum clearances to combustibles above and below the heaters. Do not locate heaters above stored materials. The clearances specified must be maintained to combustibles and other materials that may be damaged by temperatures 90F above ambient temperature.

  4. Straight vs U-Tube Heaters:When a single heater is utilized for building space heating (e.g. spot heating) always use a U-tube for more uniform energy distribution.

Tips on Sizing & Installing Straight Tube Heaters

Since straight tubes are always hotter at the burner end than the exhaust end, installers should always observe the minimum recommended heights shown on the specification sheets as well as the I&O Instructions. Install straight tubes as high as possible for more uniform energy distribution. The temperature drop along the emitter tube of a 125 MBTU 40’ long straight tube heater could be on average as much as 15-20°F per foot of the emitter tube. Also 86% of energy is radiated within the first 20 ft. of the straight heater and very little energy is available at the end of the tube.

Some people think that “longer is better” but the straight tube heaters do not perform like florescent light fixtures. If the exhaust end temperature is the same as the burner end temperature, then your flue temperature will be 1000°F and it will not be an efficient radiant heater and it will not comply with ANSI Z83.20 Standard for Infrared Tube Heaters (where the flue temperature must be a maximum 400°F plus ambient temperature).

When a single heater is utilized for building space heating (e.g. spot heating) always use a u-tube for more uniform energy distribution.

 

Pull Through vs. Push Through Quick Reference Chart

 Pull Through SystemPush Through System
Operating PrincipleNegative Pressure (vacuum) – products of combustion are pulled through the emitter tube via a draft inducer, which elongates the flame down the tube. Provides higher radiant efficiency, safety and venting flexibility.Positive Pressure –products of combustion are pushed through the emitter tube via a blower in the burner box, which pushes the flame down the tube.
SafetyEmitter tubes are under negative pressure at all time, therefore preventing leakage through the emitter tube connections.Emitter tubes under positive pressure, therefore there’s leakage potential through the emitter tube connections.
Venting FlexibilityMax of 100ft. using 4” flue pipe vertically. Horizontal (Sidewall) 25ft. max with 4” and 75ft. max with 6” pipe25 to 60ft. with 4” flue pipe
Outside Combustion Air FlexibilityUp to 50 ft.Up to 20 to 50ft.
Total Vent & Combustion Air Duct LengthsUp to 150 ft.45 to 75ft. Depending on Btu and Tube Length
MaintenanceAll controls are easily accessible within the control boxOne will need a multimeter before starting electrical troubleshooting. The controls are located in three divided compartments within the burner box.
Noise LevelExposed Draft Inducer with fractional 1/20 HP Motor. Less than a standard furnace noise of 58dBThe blower motor is inside the burner box. Extremely quiet (less than 49dB). Ideal for Hot Yoga Studios, Auditoriums, and other areas where quite operation is desired
Recommended UsagePull Through Systems are recommended for their ease of installation, higher radiant efficiency, venting flexibility and additional safety. Numerous Installations vary from maintenance shops, warehouse to aircraft hangars.Push Through Systems are ideal for high humidity applications such as car washes, waste treatment plants, swimming pools or environments with corrosive contaminates or environments where extreme quietness is desired.


 Why Choose Tough Guy?

SunStar, a leading manufacturer of unitized infrared tube heaters, has manufactured infrared heaters with Tough Guy Option emitter tubes since 1987. The Gough Guy option comes with heat treated emitter tubes and the benefits of the Tough Guy option are as follows:

Higher Surface Emissivity & Radiant Output

The major benefit of the heat-treating process is greatly enhanced external surface emissivity as well as improved internal surface absorptivity. During the heat-treating
process, the surface morphology changes into a very rough and irregular surface, on a microscopic scale. The measured emissivity’s vary from 0.80 to 0.86 depending on the emitter tube surface temperature. The standard construction emitter tubes have emissivity of 0.66 and Tough Guy Option enhances the Radiant Output approximately by 25%.

Unsurpassed Corrosion Resistance:

The heat treating process provides unsurpassed corrosion resistance to ferrous metal by providing a self-forming, self-healing coating of practically infusible alumina which is impervious to oxygen, carbon, sulphur and the products of combustion of natural and liquified propane gas. The aluminized steel tubing is heat treated up to 1400°F where the aluminum coating (supplied by aluminized steel) is fused into the tubing. The heat treating process forms a homogenous layer of iron-aluminum (Fe-Al), which is extremely oxidization resistant. Ideal for corrosive applications such as waste water treatment plants, car washes, dairy barns, swimming pools, and other high humidity applications

Higher Operating Temperatures:

This protective coating of the homogeneous alloy (Fe-Al) can withstand higher operating temperatures than other conventional tube materials. The maximum operating emitter tube temperature is 1250°F.

Life Expectancy:

The Tough Guy Option emitter tubes life expectancy is approximately 20 years.