XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: kludge@panix.com   
      
   Paul S Person   wrote:   
   >The /real/ question is: how is the thermal efficiency claimed for a   
   >given oil furnace computed? Does someone just pull it out of his *ss   
   >or is it something Marketing comes up with? Particularly measure   
   >claiming to take into account the existing ducts.   
      
   There is a specific procedure from the DoE that you are supposed to use in   
   order to create numbers that are legal to advertise.  If you are measuring   
   for any other reason and not putting it into an ad, all bets are off.   
      
   Same thing as happens with consumer audio power ratings.  If it is a   
   home audio product, it has to be measured with the FTC procedure.  If   
   it's a car stereo product or a professional audio product you can just put   
   any random number on the datasheet.   
      
   >Note that the thermal efficiency of a radiant electric heater is,   
   >IIRC, 100%. I once explored this a little bit to try and figure out   
   >the relative economics, but got lost in the details.   
      
   This is true, although some of the heat is created in transmission lines   
   and transformers rather than in your home.  So if you do the math you   
   need to consider the losses as not contributing to your benefit even though   
   all the losses in the entire system eventually become heat somewhere.   
      
   > Also note that   
   >the current push against oil furnaces, at least up here, is based on   
   >air pollution, not inefficiency or inadequacy.   
      
   Makes good sense.  When I converted from oil to moderate-efficiency gas   
   there was a slight cost saving in fuel.  But there was a huge saving in   
   my time scraping goo out of the oil filter and chipping debris out the   
   firebox every year, and a lot less need to clean my windows.  Haven't had   
   to wake up cold in the middle of the night to go clean the filter since.   
   --scott   
      
      
   --   
   "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)