The choice and further operation of an electric boiler in a heating system is carried out on the basis of a detailed analysis. In addition to the technical qualities, the features of the operation of this equipment should be provided. To do this, you need to know all the nuances inherent in electric boilers for heating a private house: choice, do-it-yourself connection, the possibility of self-production.
Features of heating with an electric boiler
One of the features of this type of equipment is its high cost level. Therefore, an electric boiler for heating a private house should be not only powerful enough, but also economical.
Due to the principle of operation, all electrical heating devices are small in size. The heating element acts on the coolant (air, water, antifreeze), increasing its temperature.
Therefore, a standard electric boiler for hot water heating will be much smaller than its gas counterpart. Solid fuel models have the largest dimensions.
Before embedding an electric boiler into the heating system, you should find out its positive qualities:
- Autonomy of work. Modern models are equipped with electronic control and safety units;
- Quiet operation... The process of heating water takes place without the occurrence of extraneous noise. An exception is an electric boiler for heating batteries with a circulation pump;
- Choice of installation site. Since carbon monoxide emissions do not occur during operation, the connection of the electric boiler for heating is carried out without arranging a ventilation or chimney;
- No need to issue a permit to install... It is important to correctly calculate the power, since a double-circuit electric boiler for heating a house can only operate on a network with a voltage of 380 V. This applies to models with a rated power of more than 18 kW.
For the arrangement of electrical heating, the wiring must be adapted to withstand the maximum output of the boiler. To minimize costs, it is recommended to install two tariff meters and a heat accumulator. The electric boiler for heating and hot water will operate at night, heating the water in the heat accumulator. During the day, the accumulated thermal energy will be transferred from the heat carrier.
To ensure smooth operation, mini electric boilers for heating must be equipped with voltage stabilizers. This will significantly increase the maintenance-free service life of the equipment.
Electric boiler selection parameters
At the first stage, it is necessary to solve the question of how to choose the right electric boiler for heating. Currently, manufacturers offer a number of models that differ not only in design features, but also in functionality. Therefore, the consumer needs to know the basic parameters of the choice.
Before choosing an electric boiler for heating a house, you should correctly calculate its power. The work of any heat supply system is aimed at compensating for the heat losses of the building. Therefore, it is first necessary to calculate this most important parameter. To do this, you can use specialized programs.
After that, the question arises - to buy a factory model or to make a homemade electric boiler for heating. To solve it, experts recommend analyzing the following factors:
- The intensity of the device... If you plan to continuously operate the equipment, it is best to purchase a reliable factory electric boiler for water heating. When organizing the heating of a utility room (garage) or a country cottage with a small area, you can make a homemade boiler;
- Hot water supply. To provide hot water supply, it is necessary to install a double-circuit electric boiler for heating the house. Making it on your own is problematic, since the structure will not have the required degree of reliability. Installation and calculation of the parameters of the second circuit at home is almost impossible;
- Dimensions. They directly depend on the equipment configuration and its capacity. Heat supply to a small house can be done using electrode or induction models. Since it is difficult to make an electric boiler for heating a house of this type, they choose schemes with heating elements;
- Mains voltage... Depends on the power of the equipment. Almost all electric boilers for heating with their own hands have a power of no more than 9 kW. This makes it possible to connect to a 220 V network.
But for the consumer, the determining parameter is still the cost of an electric boiler for heating batteries. That is why in recent years there have been many options for the independent manufacture of this type of heating equipment. However, to compare do-it-yourself electric boilers for heating, you should find out the design and operation features of factory models.
Often, the installation of an electric boiler for heating and hot water in the house is done together with solid fuel equipment. The electric boiler has low inertia and can be used to provide hot water supply in the summer.
Boilers with heating elements
The classic design of an electric boiler is considered to be the use of heating elements in its configuration - tubular-type heating elements. They are installed in a container through which the coolant flows.
To optimize the consumption of an electric boiler for heating a private house, manufacturers mount several heating elements with a capacity of 1.5 to 2 kW. The control unit provides the ability to automatically or manually turn on individual heating elements to optimize energy consumption. In modern models, this function is performed by an electronic control unit. For the best result, it is recommended to choose the right electric boiler for heating with the ability to connect external temperature sensors. This will allow you to adjust the operation of the equipment depending on external factors - the air temperature outside and indoors.
Since the main heating element is the heating element, when choosing an electric boiler for heating a house, you should familiarize yourself with their classification:
- Tubular... They convert electrical energy into thermal energy due to the passage of current through a conductor with a high resistance index. For protection, it is installed in a sealed flask;
- Tubular with heat exchanger plates... To increase the area of heat transfer in mini electric boilers for heating, plates are installed on the flask;
- Electric heaters with thermostat... In factory models, they are not used, but are considered as a heating element in the manufacture of a homemade electric boiler for heating.
An important advantage of factory electric boilers is the ability to choose a model with a complete set, which includes an expansion tank, a circulation pump, and a second circuit for hot water supply. Thus, the labor intensity of the installation of heat supply and the place for it are reduced, which is very important for apartments.
If you want to make an electric boiler for heating a house with heating elements, you need to take into account that the lack of water with an active heating element will lead to its overheating and breakdown. Therefore, it is recommended to install a coolant level sensor in the temperature rise block.
Induction heating boilers
The principle of magnetic induction for heating materials has been used for a long time in the metallurgical and chemical industries. Induction electric boilers for water heating have appeared on the heating equipment market relatively recently.
There is a winding in the construction of the boiler, due to which an electromagnetic field is created. A coolant passes through the core and, due to electromagnetic induction, its temperature rises. This principle allows you to make induction electric boilers for heating a private house of various capacities. In most cases, the models are designed for power supply from a 220 V, 50 Hz mains supply. To reduce the dimensions of the structure, it is possible to install frequency converters, which will increase the specific power of the boiler without a significant increase in dimensions.
The advantages of induction boilers include the following:
- Easy connection induction electric boiler for heating. To do this, it is enough to install the structure and connect the pipes to the supply and return lines;
- Reliability of work... Due to the absence of moving parts, the maintenance-free service life can be from 20 to 30 years;
- The ability to use several types of coolant... You can choose an electric induction boiler for heating for a system with distilled water or antifreeze. This will not affect the performance of the equipment;
- Lack of limescale... This is due to the peculiarity of the boiler operation.
Is it possible to make an induction electric boiler for home heating on your own? In most cases, this will be difficult, since it is necessary to select the correct material for the winding, casing and ensure sufficient insulation of the boiler. But the main problem is the tightness of the structure.
Induction electric boilers are widely used for organizing heat supply in large industrial and office buildings. In this case, their dimensions are not a determining factor in the choice.
Electrode heating boilers
Electrode type devices are currently the most popular alternative to heating boilers. They heat the coolant due to its own electrical resistance.
A design feature is the presence of an electrode (housing) and a cathode. The latter is located in a container through which the coolant flows. When electricity is supplied, water splits into positive and negative ions, which tend to the electrodes of the corresponding polarity. Due to the fact that an alternating current with a frequency of 50 Hz is supplied, the polarity of the electrode changes. It is this phenomenon that provokes the heating of the water.
An electrode electric boiler for heating a house is selected only for water. Before that, she must undergo training to increase the resistivity. It is best to purchase a ready-made coolant. If this is not possible, you can add salt to distilled water.
You should also take into account the following features of mini electric boilers for electrode-type heat supply:
- Gradual output to rated power... The best option is to invite specialists for the initial setup of the equipment;
- Gradual dissolution of electrodes... After 10-15 years of operation, a decrease in their diameter will reach a critical value. After this, a planned replacement of the electrodes is required;
- Lack of limescale... This is due to the vibration of the electrodes at a frequency of 50 Hz. In this case, there is no extraneous noise.
Another advantage is the ability to choose an electrode electric boiler for heating and hot water. In this case, the structure will have two separate chambers, in each of which water is heated for heating and hot water supply.
If there is no coolant in the heating chamber, the surface will not overheat in the electrode boiler. This is one of the advantages of this type of heating equipment.
Rules for connecting an electric boiler to heating
In order to embed an electric boiler into the heating system, you should familiarize yourself with the safety rules. The complete set of factory heating equipment should include detailed instructions for performing this measure. It is she who is the main guide for connecting the boiler to heating.
First of all, you need to prepare the electrical wiring. After connecting the electric boiler to the heating system, there should be no overloads in the network. For devices up to 9 kW, a 220 V network can be used. If the power is higher, the power supply should be connected to 380 V. Experts recommend laying a separate power line from the switchboard to the boiler.
The choice of the location of the equipment is important. Before embedding an electric boiler into the heat supply system, it is necessary to think over its location in advance. The minimum distance from the wall should be 5 cm, from the floor - 50 cm (for suspended models), from the ceiling - 80 cm.
The procedure for connecting an electric boiler.
- Preparing the wiring, if necessary, it is replaced with a new one with a large cross section.
- Pre-installation of the boiler, connection to the pipes of the heating system, check of the tightness.
- Electrical connection. The RCD is pre-installed.
- Filling the system with a coolant. After that, pressure testing and removal of air plugs are performed.
- Test start-up of the boiler, check it in several operating modes, if such are provided for by the design.
It is imperative to provide for the installation of all necessary heat supply elements - safety groups, shut-off valves, temperature and pressure sensors.
Electric boilers up to 3 kW can be connected to an electrical outlet. But even in this case, the permissible load on the wiring should not be lower than the maximum power of the equipment.
Making homemade electric boilers for heating is not recommended. Even a small mistake can result in electric shock. One of the alternative options is the installation of heating elements with thermostats in the heating batteries. Thus, it is possible to make an electric convector from a conventional aluminum or bimetallic radiator.
The video clearly shows how to choose the right electric boiler for heating:
