Ready to select a replacement coil? It may seem overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a lot of knowledge about coils! Our experts at Mainstream put together a brief checklist of suggestions to review when it comes time to replace your coil.
1. Smaller is always better than bigger.
If you’re unsure about an exact dimension, it’s always better to underestimate than overestimate. The main thing is fitting the coil into the space. If there’s still a little room, you can always “safe off” around any coil. Too big is the enemy of measuring coils!
2. Coil measurements are more than just the fin height and fin length.
While it’s good to know as many measurements as you can, it’s a common misconception that fin height and length are the determining factors in measuring a coil. In reality, the casing dimensions are the most critical measurements. Once you have this, you can work backward to determine the fin dimensions.
3. Fit > Performance
It may sound counterintuitive, but performance has little to do with accurately measuring for replacement coils. You want to measure the fit instead – does it fit in the existing space with the least labor? When you duplicate a coil, the performance will equal – if not be better than – your old one. Just remember: New > old.
4. Depth vs. Height
Coil depth is measured by its casing depth in the direction of airflow. Coil height is measured by the number of tubes high in any row. Depth is a function of rows deep, while heigh is a function of tubes in a row.
5. Properly Measure Connections
You can measure connections from the top of the casing to the centerline, or from the bottom to the centerline. Contrary to popular belief, connections are not measured from the top of the header!
6. Finding OAL (Overall Length)
People are often confused about what the overall length is. It’s not the fin length, nor is it the casing length. A unit’s OAL is the length from the return bends to the headers inside the unit. Once you know this critical measurement, you can work backward to determine the other dimensions.
Contact the Coil Experts
All of these tips are in no particular order. They are just some helpful tricks to remember as you think about replacing your coils. If you need more guidance, our experts at Mainstream will certainly guide you through the whole process and break down every measurement you need to know. Get in touch today!
