Victorian radiator plate warmer - photo

**Jon** · Sep 13, 2019, 06:47 PM

Victorian radiator plate warmer. AKA where the cat hangs out.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...r_fullsize.jpg

Previously:

Plate painting machine - GIF
manufacturing dinner plates GIF
Pizza box that converts into serving plates and storage container - GIF

**jdurand** · Sep 14, 2019, 04:13 PM

They had circulated hot water heat back then? Obviously the copper pipes are new.

**Daturat100r** · Sep 14, 2019, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by jdurand

They had circulated hot water heat back then? Obviously the copper pipes are new.

No point making radiators if they didnt have hot water (or steam) so of course they did

**jdurand** · Sep 14, 2019, 05:48 PM

Best I can find is Victorian Era used steam radiators, maybe the pictured one was converted to hot water at a later date when reliable electric pumps existed. I see companies still make "Victorian" radiators that are compatible with modern hot water systems.

**Daturat100r** · Sep 14, 2019, 06:02 PM

Wet steam and hot water is the same thing really ,dry steam is a different story and not used in domestic area as way too dangerous.
You dont need a pump if the system is designed around a thermosyphon principle which they mainly are cause if u rely on pumping it the system will be prone to vapour locking and inefficiencies

**Frank S** · Sep 14, 2019, 08:42 PM

I've stayed in older hotels and boarding houses where these were being used they would keep stones or bricks wrapped and sewn in wool coverings stored in these radiators to take out and place between the mattresses and heavy blankets of the beds. When you crawled in and snuggled between those flannel sheets you just knew you were going to be toasty warm throughout the night. Just don't forget to return the stones to the radiators in the morning or the next night was going to be cold.

**Okapi** · Sep 15, 2019, 12:50 AM

Very interesting, it was one, not old as Victorian but before 1930 I think in our family farm eating room.
Originally in my opinion made for the wood heated thermosiphon technology as it's in my own 1935 home, the space was used for (farm) workers to kept hot the meat when you work outside, in woods for example, and when you come back home it was not necessary to stop for cooking.

**ncollar** · Sep 15, 2019, 02:55 PM

When I went to my grandparents home they had radiator through the house. All three stories had them and in the closet in one of the bedrooms on the third floor had a storage tank that held water and a furnace in the basement to heat the water. Very good working system as long as the right person firing the furnace.
Nelson