How to choose electric heating boilers: an overview of 3

The most versatile among all existing models of climatic equipment are fairly considered heaters that run on electricity. They do not require a gas pipeline and permits, they do not need to buy firewood and equip a tank with diesel fuel, unlike heat pumps and solar collectors, the device can be easily installed with your own hands. The main difficulty lies only in how to choose an electric boiler for heating, so that it is as efficient and economical as possible.

Principle of operation

Using electricity to heat a home is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to heat a home. Indeed, during the operation of an electric boiler, harmful combustion products are not released into the environment. And if you choose a two-circuit model, then in addition to the warmth and comfort in the house, you will be provided with an unlimited supply of hot water.

Another way to use such a device is to create a backup (auxiliary) heat source. When designing a climate system, it is possible to connect both electric and more economical fuel oil boiler to pipelines, because the price for diesel fuel is lower than for electricity.

In this case, the heating network will work as follows:

• at first, all the rooms are heated using a diesel boiler, the capacity of which is greater and the cost of fuel is lower;
• after reaching a certain temperature, an electric heater is taken into account, maintaining the desired air temperature in the rooms.

Depending on the design features, electric boilers are divided into two main types:

• wall - different compact size, can have a power of 5-60 kW;
• because of their large size and power, they are installed only on the floor (as a rule, such units produce more than 60 kW).

The equipment can be connected to a conventional 220-volt household electrical network or require the presence of three phases and a voltage of 380 volts.

Note! Installation instructions for electric heating equipment states that if the boiler power exceeds 12 kW, it is only connected to the three-phase network. Normal household wiring will not sustain and melt, causing a short circuit.

As for the coolant, the pipes can use either ordinary purified water or antifreeze specially approved for use (liquid that does not freeze at negative air temperatures).

However, back to how to choose an electric boiler for heating a house or apartment.

The following types of equipment are presented in building supermarkets and specialized stores:

• induction;
• Tenovye;
• electrode.

Consider each of the species in more detail.

Types of heating devices

Heating boilers

These devices operate on the principle of an ordinary electric kettle. The coolant in them is heated to the desired temperature by tubular electric heating elements, abbreviated as heating elements.

But unlike the aforementioned thermal device, not a certain volume of liquid is heated in the tank, but running water, which circulates in pipes and radiators.

The considered climatic equipment has the following advantages:

• excellent appearance and compact dimensions - the boiler is easy to hang on the wall in the kitchen or pantry, it does not take up much space and does not require a separate room as a boiler room;
• ease of installation - installation is performed using special brackets that come in the kit;
• ease of control - the unit is already equipped with sensors that reduce the temperature of the air in the room and the coolant in the pipes, which allows you to more accurately control the modes of operation and save energy.

Depending on the power of the boiler, its design may include one or more heating elements. They can be included alternately or all at once.

As for the shortcomings, it is possible to distinguish the main one: the sedimentation of mineral deposits on heaters (ordinary scale). As the thickening of the raid, the capacity of the equipment will fall and the cost of electricity will increase.

Electrode boilers

Unlike previous varieties, these heaters work on a completely different principle. The coolant temperature here rises due to the transfer of electrical energy to the water flowing in the system. Heating occurs due to fluid resistance.

That is, the electric current, passing through the molecules, splits them into ions, which are then directed towards the electrode with a corresponding charge.

This process does not cause the formation of scale on the heating elements, as their charge is constantly adjusted.

The advantages of electrode boilers include:

• small dimensions;
• low cost;
• safety of use;
• the ability to smoothly adjust power.

However, the process of their operation has its own characteristics:

• water used as a heat carrier must be specially prepared;
• antifreeze must not be poured into pipes;
• you need to organize a continuous forced flow of fluid at a certain speed (otherwise, the water will either boil or the process of its heating will not start);
• The electrodes must be constantly replaced, as they gradually dissolve during the operation of the equipment.

Induction boilers

In the electrical equipment of this variety, heat is generated due to the heating of special materials having a special chemical composition. Structurally, such a boiler is a transformer placed in a metal flask. The electric coil is completely isolated from the coolant flowing through the device.

When electric current is applied, the core (pipe) is heated and, accordingly, increases the temperature of the water flowing through the boiler.

The heating element in its classical form is missing. But thanks to this, the efficiency of the induction boiler only increases. This is evidenced by the many positive reviews of people who have already purchased and installed such equipment.

Note! Induction boilers operate at high frequency, so when connecting to a household electrical network, you must use special converters.

The advantages of the described type of electric heating equipment are obvious:

• the absence of classical heating elements eliminates breakdowns associated with them (such troubles are often encountered by the owners of heating and electrode boilers);
• the absence of joints and joints makes it impossible for leakage to occur during the operation of the equipment;
• scum, which is a real disaster for heating boilers, is practically not formed here;
• The devices are completely safe from the electrical point of view, since the heater does not come into contact with the heat-transfer fluid;
• with induction equipment, you can use any liquid, including antifreeze.

One of the main disadvantages of heaters is the high cost. But it is fully consistent with the quality and ease of use of the boiler.

Tips for choosing

Before you buy a boiler that runs on electricity, pay attention to these details:

1. Power. This parameter is calculated as follows: 1 kW of energy is required per 10 m2 of heated space. That is, the apartment area .. 100 m2, can be heated equipment, the power of which is 10 kW. If the boiler is also needed as a water heater, the amount of required power should be increased by a quarter.

Tip! Always purchase more powerful equipment than necessary. The fact is that our electrical networks supply unstable voltage and as a result of its fall, the heating capacity of the heating elements or electrodes will greatly decrease. It needs to be compensated.

1. The ability to adjust the modes of operation in automatic mode. Often, manufacturers install several heaters in boilers. And electronics based on data from external temperature sensors, can connect one, two or more of them. The amount of electricity consumed depends on it. It is advisable to buy boilers equipped with microprocessors. Although their cost is somewhat higher, the possibility of a smooth increase and decrease in power saves a significant amount of cash during operation.
2. Availability of additional devices. Many manufacturers, seeking to distinguish their equipment among similar models of competitors, complement the delivery set with details that are needed to construct a climate network: a water pump, an expansion tank for a heating system, temperature sensors, and so on. This allows you to design a boiler room at no additional cost, without worrying about the compatibility of parts with each other.

Well, a few more tips, taking into account that you will not be disappointed in your choice:

1. Buying a boiler, no need to chase the dimensions. In the struggle to minimize the manufacturers use too powerful heating elements, which leads to their frequent failure.
2. To make the equipment as user-friendly and economical as possible, it is advisable to choose heaters that are electronically controlled. They can change the level of heating based on air temperature and time of day.

1. Buy boilers that are powered in the so-called pulsed mode. These models are not afraid of voltage drops in the mains, which affects the power of the heaters.

Independent installation of the boiler

The beauty of electrical equipment also lies in the fact that the installation process does not require special knowledge or experience from the installer. In addition, electric boilers for home heating do not need to obtain special permits for installation and commissioning. They do not need a boiler room, ventilation ducts, fuel tanks, and so on.

However, there is one, but very important requirement - the availability of high-quality wiring. In addition, it is necessary to clarify whether your electricity meter can withstand the appropriate power. If this is not the case, the accounting equipment will have to be replaced by contacting the appropriate organization.

When installing, consider the following features:

1. Powerful boilers (more than 10-12 kW) can be connected only to a three-phase network. If you do not have such an opportunity, you should either buy less powerful equipment, or equip a three-phase power supply.
2. The counter and the boiler must be connected by a separate line of the desired section. It is advisable to use stranded wires, as they are less heated. For the same reason, three phases are used for powerful boilers.

The main thing to do before installing the boiler is to study the instruction manual. There are all the features of this process.

Tip! In some cases, when installing the boiler yourself, it automatically loses the manufacturer’s warranty. In this case, it is better not to save money, but to entrust the installation to a certified specialist, who will confirm the quality of the work carried out with an appropriate document.

Conclusion

Electrical equipment is a very eco-friendly, but not the most economical way to heat a house. In order to use boilers for electric power as efficiently as possible, it is advisable to design combined climate networks using various types of equipment. You can learn more about this from the video below.