Currently, the issue of home heating is becoming more and more relevant. Among the heating equipment, electric boilers have earned great popularity. This happened due to several reasons: permits are not needed for installation, heating can be connected even in non-gasified houses. Demand creates supply, and today the market offers a large number of different models and modifications of electric boilers. With so many to choose from, it's easy to find the right model for your home. When choosing, you will need to focus on your requirements, comfort in operation and the quadrature that needs to be heated.

Models of electric boilers

The principle of any electric boiler is the conversion of electricity into heat. Electric units are not the most cost-effective, but the efficiency of their use is 95-99%, which is good enough for such units. Such boilers are divided into three types according to the type of coolant. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Tenovy electric boiler

Electric heating boilers equipped with heating elements work on the principle of an electric kettle. Water passes through tubular heating elements - heating elements. Acting as a heat carrier, it passes through the entire heating system, circulating with a pump.

One of the advantages can be called its compactness, neat appearance and the ability to mount on the wall. The installation process will not cause any particular difficulties, and the operation is comfortable and simple, thanks to the sensors and thermostats. Automation allows you to maintain the desired heating, focusing on data from sensors that measure the ambient air temperature.

The coolant can be not only water, but also a non-freezing liquid, due to which scale will not form on the heating elements, which cannot be avoided using water.

Attention ! Scale formed on heating elements impairs heat transfer and energy-saving properties of an electric heating boiler.

This option for home heating is also good because it has a low cost. For the convenience of adjusting the consumption of electricity, it is equipped with several heating elements that can be turned on separately.

Electrode Electric Boiler

The principle of operation of an electrode electric boiler for heating a house is completely different from the previous model. The liquid is heated not by a heating element. The electrode, installed in the housing, gives the liquid an electric charge, under the influence of which the molecules are split into negatively and positively charged ions. The coolant has its own resistance, which provides intense heating. Either water or a special composition (similar to antifreeze) is poured into the system.

This type of electric unit for heating the house is completely safe, if a liquid leak occurs, it will simply turn off. Electrode models are very compact (looks like a small cylinder with nozzles), equipped with sensors for measuring ambient temperature, controlled by automation.

The maintenance of this model comes down to replacing the electrode, as they gradually dissolve as they work, which worsens the heating of the house. It is also necessary to monitor the proper operation of the circulation pump so that the liquid in the system does not boil. Correct and efficient operation of an electrode electric boiler for heating a private house is possible only with prepared water - it must have the required resistivity value. Measuring them yourself is not always convenient and simple, just like preparing water. Therefore, it will be easier and more reliable to buy a liquid specially designed for operation in electrode boilers.

Electric induction boiler

This type of electric heating unit for the home works on the basis of induction heating of a liquid with ferromagnetic alloys. The inductive coil is located in a sealed housing and does not have direct contact with the coolant that flows along the perimeter of the device. Based on this, not only water, but also antifreezes can be used as an energy carrier for heating a house. This electric home heating boiler is not equipped with a heating element or electrode, which improves its efficiency. Also, the absence of heating elements ensures complete safety during operation. This version of the boiler for heating the house is not subject to scale formation, practically does not break and does not flow.

The downside of induction models is only their higher cost and large dimensions. But over time, the size problem is eliminated - the old ones are replaced by improved models.

In addition to this classification, electric boilers for heating a private house are divided into:

  • single-circuit (designed only for heating the whole house);
  • double-circuit (provide not only heating throughout the house, but also water heating).

You also need to highlight:

  • wall boilers;
  • floor boilers (high power models are produced).

Installation and operation of an electric boiler

The scheme, according to which the electric boiler is arranged, primarily depends on the number of storeys of the house. In the event that it is necessary to heat a house of two floors or more, the unit is installed in the basement, while an expansion tank is installed in the attic.

To achieve high-quality heating of your home, seriously consider the choice of heating device, the quality and quantity of heating radiators, the location of all parts of the heating system, and consider the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe premises. It is worth consulting with professionals before installing an electric boiler yourself.

The process of heating a house with an electric boiler is not difficult, it is based on the simple laws of physics. The boiler is connected to electricity, heats the coolant passing through it. The circulation pump drives water through radiators, where the hot liquid gives off heat, heating the house. The cooled coolant returns to the heat source - the boiler.

To install a home heating system, you need to purchase the following materials:

  • radiators (calculated by the number of sections per square footage of the room);
  • pipes (the length of the walls along which it is supposed to carry out the heating system is measured);
  • fittings (if the heating system is mounted from metal-plastic);
  • boiler;
  • circulation pump;
  • expansion tank.

Important ! The main stage in the installation of the boiler is its connection to electricity, it is advisable to entrust this work to professional electricians, and power the boiler with a separate wire (it is worth choosing the wiring section based on the power of the boiler).

The cost of electric boilers

The simplest unit, wall-mounted, with a minimum number of functions and parameters, low power, will cost about 2000 rubles. This option is quite enough for heating a small house or cottage.

The cost of electric boilers is affected not only by the manufacturer, but also for the most part by their equipment. The more different functions (automatic on-off, ambient temperature measurement, fluid control sensors, pressure gauge, the ability to turn on part of the heating elements), the more expensive the electric boiler for heating the house.

Another important factor affecting the cost of the boiler will be the presence of a second circuit. Such units are very convenient for private houses, as they not only heat the house, but also provide it with hot water. But when choosing such a model, remember that heating water is a priority for them. That is, if you intend to constantly use hot water, then there is a risk of not getting proper heating.

An electric home heating boiler can be equipped with a magnesium anode designed to soften the water if it is very hard. Often, electric boilers are equipped with various electronic indicators: temperature sensors; pressure sensors and liquid level control and many others.

Modern electric boilers for heating a summer house or a house are almost completely autonomous, you just need to set the necessary parameters, and the automation will maintain the specified mode of operation.

An example of an autonomous model is the Protherm Skat 9K electric heating boiler, which has a power of 9 kW and is capable of heating a house with an area of ​​70-95 sq.m. The efficiency of this electric boiler is 99.5%, which is why many owners of private houses choose it.

In the same price segment, one more boiler can be noted - Vaillant eloBLOCK 9KVR14, a German manufacturer. It is an efficient and reliable heating device.

Domestic manufacturers offer many different models, among which the Rusnit and Evan boilers are the most popular.

Conclusion

The choice in favor of heating a private house with electricity has been made by more and more people in recent years. Due to the wide variety of equipment modifications, you can choose a boiler for any room.

Increasingly, electric boilers are also used for heating apartments, since in some regions the heating of a coal boiler does not provide the necessary heat in harsh winter conditions, and the cost of utilities is equated to the cost of electricity needed for heating. The difference is that using an electric boiler for heating, you will live in a warm apartment for the same money.

It is also very important for owners of private houses to take care of the insulation of the house. When choosing an electric boiler, consider the size of the room, heat loss, boiler power. With the right calculations, your home will always delight you with comfort and warmth!

How to install an electric heating boiler with your own hands, consider the example of the Nevsky boiler in the next video

If you are familiar with the device of an electric kettle, then you will understand why heating a house with an electric boiler is called the easiest way to heat. The principle of operation of an electric boiler is very similar to heating water in a kettle. The heat source is a heating element, which heats up when an electric current passes through it. The question arises, if this is so, why electric boilers are not used everywhere and why boilers are produced on other types of fuel. We will answer this question in this article.

About electric boilers and the availability of electricity

So, electric boiler. For heating an average house of 100 sq. meters, an electric boiler with a capacity of 10 kW is required (about the calculation of power below). A simple calculation from a physics course gives that with a supply voltage of 220 volts, the current load of the network to power one such boiler will be 45 amperes. If we add 10 kW to 10 kW, which are necessary for the operation of other electrical equipment and lighting in the house, then we get the power that needs to be requested to connect 20 kW.

Hence the first problem is to use an electric boiler for heating: not everywhere such capacities are available for connection.

Important! Before buying an electric heating boiler, you need to agree on its power and the ability to connect it to the supervisory authorities (Energonadzor) of your area. A boiler installation project may be required.

The principle of operation of an electric boiler

The undoubted advantage of the electric boiler is the simplicity of its design. Again, the comparison of the boiler with the kettle suggests itself. Heating of the liquid heat carrier takes place in the boiler tank with the help of one or more heating elements. The liquid heated in the boiler tank to a temperature of almost 100 degrees, either naturally or forcibly circulates in the heating system. The boiler tank is made of stainless steel.

Completes the convenience, the release of single-circuit and double-circuit boilers. A single-circuit boiler serves only for heating the house, and a double-circuit boiler has two heat exchangers and two independent heating circuits. One circuit provides hot water supply (DHW) in the house, and the second circuit provides heating.

Of course, modern boilers are equipped with smart controls that allow you to turn the boiler on and off as needed, adjust the heating temperature, which significantly saves energy.

Hence the first plus of the electric boiler. The absence of complex technical elements in the boiler makes it the most reliable and cheapest heating boiler to maintain. By the way, installing and starting an electric boiler is also simple and affordable with your own hands.

Electric boiler power supply

I mentioned above that Energonadzor may need a boiler installation project. This is for electrical safety. The power and currents of the boiler are large, hence the increased risk of fires from improperly made electrical wiring.

To connect the power supply to the boiler, you need a separate wiring, correctly called a group, with grounding. There are single-phase boilers on sale, they are powered by a 220 Volt network, and three-phase ones are powered by a 380 Volt network. Three-phase devices have more power.

To calculate the cross section of the cores of the supply cable, we use the practical formula of an electrician: for 5 kW of power, we take 1 sq. mm section of the copper wire in the cable. That is: For boilers with a power of up to 7.5 kW, you need a copper cable with a core cross section of 2.5 mm. For boilers from 7.5 to 20 kW, a cable with 4 mm cores is required. For 20-30 kW stakes, a 6 mm cable is needed.

Note! The cross section of the conductors of electrical cables is not indicated in mm, but is indicated in square meters. millimeters. The marking of the cable VVGng 3 × 2.5 means that the cable is in double vinyl insulation with three cores, the cross section of each core is 2.5 sq. mm.

For a more accurate calculation of the cable cross-section, we use such a table from the PUE, 7 (rules for electrical installations, ed. 7).

Some boilers have stepwise power adjustment. This allows you to save energy by switching the boiler from the maximum power. The boiler output is controlled either automatically or manually. Electric boilers are equipped with thermometers, pressure gauges, thermostats.

Execution of electric boilers

Of course, a modern electric boiler is not a kettle and it is filled with various additional equipment. There are boilers in which automatic overload protection is installed. Equipped with a built-in temperature limiter. Boilers are available in floor and wall versions. All this must be read in the descriptions of the boiler and paid attention to.

Types of electric boilers

It should be mentioned that wall and floor electric boilers are produced.

Also, in addition to heating elements electric boilers, more efficient electric boilers are widely used: electrode and induction electric boilers.

How much does it cost to heat a house with an electric boiler

All this was a theory, little affecting the wallet. How much will it cost to heat a house with an electric boiler? By the way, the cost of electric boilers themselves is lower compared to other heating boilers.

Given: To calculate, let's go back to my example above. House 100 sq. meters, electric boiler 10 kW (for 10 meters we take 1 kW of the boiler).

Question: How much will it cost to heat a house with such a boiler in the winter from October to May.

Decision:

  • Calculation 1. We consider that the boiler works constantly. Power consumption 10 kW per hour, 240 kW per day, 7200 kW per month. At the prices of 2017, 1 kWh = 5.38 rubles (one tariff Moscow). We get for a month with the constant operation of the boiler, which does not happen in practice, 38736 rubles.
  • In practice, the boiler will operate at full capacity for 10-14 days during the entire winter period. During the rest of the winter time (December-February) the boiler will operate at 50% capacity. In the remaining months, the boiler will operate at 30% capacity.

We get: For the entire season, in Moscow prices, the boiler will “eat” 116,190 rubles in 8 months. Which averages 14523 rubles per month. Here's the math.

How to choose an electric heating boiler? In what cases is heating with electricity justified? What should be the cross section of the cable for connection? What is the required power of the boiler? How to reduce electricity bills?

Let's try to answer these questions.

Heating with electricity is an ambiguous solution. Let's find out more about him.

General features of electric boilers

It is clear that according to a number of criteria, electric heating devices differ. However, they probably have a number of common properties?

After all, we want to imagine what to expect from the purchase.

  • Only low-power heaters that consume no more than 3.5 kW can be connected to a regular outlet. Actually, on any outlet, the current limit is always indicated - 16 amperes. Simply multiplying 16 by 220 gives us a peak power of 3520 watts.
  • With the possibility of a single-phase connection, boilers with a capacity of up to 12 kilowatts are produced. In practice, however, it is strongly recommended to connect devices from 7 kW to 380 volts.

Attention: to connect the boiler, a separate copper cable with a cross section of at least 1 millimeter per 8 amperes of peak current is thrown from the shield.

  • Whatever the ad claims, all electrical direct heating devices have the same efficiency of 100 percent. All spent electricity is completely converted into heat.
    Another thing is that with an unsuccessful design of the boiler, this heat, instead of heating the coolant, can be dissipated on the body of the device; but when installed inside a heated room, it will also serve as heating.
    Thus, when choosing an electric boiler, you can compare the durability, convenience of different devices, their safety, but not the economy.
  • Electricity is currently the most expensive source of heat. Get ready for huge bills. At the same time, it is an excellent source of thermal energy in terms of safety and ease of use.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's try to summarize what we gain and what we lose when installing an electric heating installation.

pros

  1. compactness. Designed for heating houses of a moderate area, electric boilers are wall-mounted and take up a minimum of space in the house.
  2. No need to remove combustion products. They simply don't exist.
  3. Fire safety. Open flame is not used.
  4. Environmental friendliness. Heating with electricity does not pollute the environment.

Nuance: there is some logical stretch here. In a country where most electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels, the argument is somewhat lame.

  1. Installation is extremely simple. Especially considering that many devices have a safety group (safety valve, automatic air vent and pressure gauge) located inside the case. In fact, you only need to supply power and connect heating devices.
  2. No fuel needed. Neither a woodpile, nor a mountain of coal, nor a container with diesel fuel will take up space in your yard.
  3. is able to maintain the required temperature of the coolant or air indefinitely, without requiring fuel loading, cleaning or any maintenance. Compare with a solid fuel boiler, which requires at least two loads per day.

  1. The price of finished devices is minimal compared to modern gas or solid fuel boilers. In addition, it is easy to make a heating element boiler for heating a small room with your own hands by placing a tubular heater in a register filled with water or oil.

Minuses

They exist and are very important.

  1. It has already been mentioned that in terms of the cost of a kilowatt-hour of thermal energy, electricity as a heat source leads by a solid margin.
    Let's do a simple calculation: calculate how much it will cost to heat a house with an area of ​​about 120 m2. We take the average daily power of the boiler equal to half the required thermal power - 6 kilowatts.
    6 kWh (average hourly consumption) x 24 hours (day length) x 4 rubles/kilowatt (current cost of electricity) = 576 rubles. Every day and only with very good house insulation: the actual consumption somewhere in Siberia may well be at least twice as high.
  2. The necessary electrical power in rural areas is often difficult to provide. 380 volts is a rarity at all.
  3. Wire theft has decreased, but not completely stopped. The chances of waking up without electricity somewhere in the outback are still very real. Snowstorms and breaks in overhead power lines by falling trees and branches should not be forgotten either.

For rural areas - a very real picture.

findings

Heating with electricity is justified when:

  • There is no mains gas in your area;
  • You periodically leave the house unattended and cannot maintain the operation of a solid fuel boiler.

Please note: in case of a long power outage, it is better to use antifreeze instead of water as a coolant.

Boiler types

What are they like?

heating element

The traditional design consists of a water tank and several tubular heaters immersed in it. Each of them provides 1.5 - 2 kilowatts of thermal power; the total power is regulated by their stepped connection. Circulation is provided by a pump, which, as already mentioned, is often located in the body of the device.

Main design features:

  • In systems with running water, where part of the coolant is continuously updated (for example, due to water intake from the circuit), tubular heaters inevitably become overgrown with scale. At the same time, the thermal power drops and the temperature inside the heating element rises.
    Theoretically, this can lead to premature failure of the heating element; in practice, however, electric boilers are most often used in systems with a constant volume of heat carrier, and scale does not become a problem.
  • These boilers differ in the minimum price. Designs for many years; technologies are debugged, it is positioned on the market as a budget solution, so there is no reason for it to be expensive.
  • The safety and reliability of boilers depend entirely on the quality of the automatic temperature and pressure control system. The leakage of the coolant is fraught with overheating of the heating elements.

The photo shows the inside of a boiler of this type.

Induction

What happens if you put a ferromagnetic core inside a coil wound with a thick wire and pass a current through it?

As Michael Faraday showed in the early 19th century, a current will also occur in the core. If it is variable in the coil, and the core is a loop closed on itself, we will get a continuous reciprocating motion of charged particles. Heat.

That's how it works. Its working part is a dielectric pipe in which the core is placed. The coolant moves through the pipe. A coil is wound outside, the current in which causes the core to heat up.

These devices have two nice features:

  • compactness. Relatively powerful induction boilers may not differ much in thickness from the heating circuit with a length of no more than a meter.
  • Extreme fault tolerance. There is simply nothing to break in this device. The only weak point is the control electronics unit, which, as a rule, is placed outside the case.

A serious counterargument is the high cost of boilers. Its reason is exclusively in the market positioning of devices: the technology of their production is no more complicated than TEN solutions; besides, the pump and the safety group are usually placed outside the case.

Electrode

These boilers use a different physical principle for heating: an alternating current is passed through water with a certain electrical resistance. Remember the army boilers with two blades? This is how these heaters work.

Here is the list of key features:

  • Boilers are absolutely safe. If the coolant leaks, the heating will stop - simply because the coolant itself is the heat source. In air, no current will flow between the electrodes.
  • Only water can be used for heating. Moreover, water corresponding to GOST "Drinking Water", with a strictly defined amount of salts.
  • After a certain time of operation, the boiler needs maintenance - replacement of the electrodes. They gradually dissolve in water.

How to choose an electric boiler for heating a house according to the principle of operation? Just weigh their features and decide what is most important to you.

Power

As already mentioned, the thermal power in the case of electric heating is equal to the electric one.

  • The base value is 40 watts per cubic meter of heated volume.
  • Each window adds 100 watts, the door adds 200.
  • For southern regions with a warm climate, a coefficient of 0.7-0.9 is taken. For the European part of the country - 1.2 - 1.3. For the Far East and the Far North - 1.5 - 2.0.
  • In a private house, the need for heat power additionally increases by 1.5 times due to the large losses through the floor and roof compared to an apartment.

So, for a house in the Krasnodar Territory with an area of ​​​​80 m2, with five windows, one door and three-meter ceilings, you will need (40W x 80m2 x 3m + 500 W (windows) + 200 W (door)) x 0.7 (regional coefficient) x 1 .5 (coefficient for a private house) = 10815 watts.

Options

What else should you pay attention to when choosing a boiler?

  • Security. Not only temperature sensors, but also pressure sensors that turn off heating when it rises or falls are highly desirable.
  • Use as instantaneous water heater. The function is useful, but keep in mind that with a large drawdown, the need for electrical power will be huge. If it is limited, it is better to use an indirect storage heater or a separate boiler in general.

Saving

Is it possible to reduce electricity costs?

  1. Include a heat accumulator in the boiler piping. The instruction is relevant for those cases when cheap nightly electricity tariffs operate in your area. During the period of lower prices, the boiler will heat water in a heat accumulator - a heat-insulated tank with a volume of 300 - 2000 liters; during the day, heat will be given to heating devices.
  2. In the off-season, until the temperature drops significantly below zero, it is much more profitable to heat with air conditioners in heating mode. For every kilowatt of electrical power spent, they pump up to 5 kW of heat from the street into the house.

Useful: in the above example with a house in Krasnodar, air conditioners can be heated all year round. Two - three inverter split systems with a thermal power of 3 - 3.5 kilowatts for each is quite enough in practice; while the actual consumption of electricity will not exceed 2 - 2.5 kW.

The number of people wishing to move from apartment buildings to private cottages is growing every year. However, many of them forget that providing their own home with heating most often falls on the shoulders of the owner - not all cottage villages immediately have a connection to gas supply, and sometimes this has to wait several years. So what to do in this case? An option may be an electric boiler, which we will talk about.

Features of electric boilers

The principle of operation of an electric boiler is extremely simple: a coolant is supplied to a special tank in which heating elements are installed. When connected, the energy of the electric current is transferred to the coolant molecules, and the temperature of the latter increases. From the expansion tank, it spreads through radiators and pipes throughout the room, heating it. In addition to the tank and heater, the boiler can be equipped with a monitoring and control mechanism, a circulation pump. To save energy, some boilers have the option of automatic power control; in simpler models, the power is controlled using a thermostat that sets the water temperature.

The electric boiler can be installed wherever there is a connection to the power supply. The main advantages of this type of boiler are, first of all, compact dimensions and ergonomics. It can be installed even in a small house, for example, in a country house, while it does not need an additional room for fuel storage. Such a boiler is very easy to install and operate, and, importantly, installation does not require special permits from technical supervision authorities. Another advantage is environmental friendliness. The boiler does not produce harmful emissions, so it is quite possible to place it in residential areas, for example, in the kitchen. It works silently, without open fire, and, therefore, there is no need for a chimney device, which increases the safety of operation.

On a note
When installing an electric boiler, it is necessary to take care of high-quality insulation of the house, otherwise all the heat will escape to the outside, and the amount of payment for electricity will grow to incredible sizes. Requirements for the consumption of thermal energy for heating and ventilation of buildings, as well as examples of calculations and many reference indicators are contained in the set of rules “SP 50.13330.2012. Thermal protection of buildings. Updated edition of SNiP 23-02-2003.

What type of electric boiler is better

To choose an electric heating boiler that is ideal for a particular home, you need to understand at least a little the features of each of the three main types.

Heating elements boilers

This is a classic type of electric boiler. In it, the coolant is heated by heating elements, consisting of a durable shell (steel, aluminum or titanium), and a nichrome spiral inside it. Between the shell and the spiral is a dielectric filler, most often quartz sand. The boiler heat exchanger may have one or more heating elements. The principle of operation of such a device resembles the principle of operation of a conventional electric kettle (boiler). It reaches its rated power in leaps and bounds, and the water is heated only 10-15 minutes after the boiler is turned on. TENovye coppers work in the flow mode, with its help water circulation in all system of heating of the room is created.

Advantage The heating element of the boiler is that there is no direct contact of the coolant with the heating element, they are separated from each other by a dielectric, which minimizes the possibility of a short circuit. The boiler is protected from overheating by a thermal regulator.

Serious flaw TENovyh coppers - formation of a scum which can lead to breakage of the equipment. To avoid this, it is recommended to use distilled water or special liquids as a coolant. In the event of a coolant leak, the boiler can overheat and completely fail.

Most heating elements are wall-mounted, but there are also floor-standing designs.

Electrode boilers

In such a boiler, a potential difference is created on the electrodes placed in the heat exchanger under the action of an electric current. Due to the salt impurities contained in the coolant, it itself acts as a conductor of electric current - an electrolyte with good resistance, and the current passing through this medium causes it to heat up. The process of heating water in the boiler goes without the participation of an intermediary in a small ionization chamber. Ethylene glycol-based liquid or specially treated water is usually used as the basis of the heat transfer medium. The given level of thermal conductivity of the liquid makes it possible to quickly bring the boiler to its rated power. The electrode boiler heats up very quickly - literally in one minute.

electrode, or ionic, boilers are quite economical. With the same power, they consume almost two times less electricity than heating elements. With the help of automation, you can not only set the desired air temperature, but also change it as needed, turning the boiler on and off.

big advantage electrode boilers - reliability, since there is practically nothing to fail in them. For example, if the coolant leaks, the boiler will turn off as the currents drop to zero. Such boilers are especially convenient to use in rooms with unstable voltage. Even when it drops to 180 V, the electrode boiler does not turn off.

Flaw electrode boiler - the need to maintain continuous circulation of the liquid and the high cost of the coolant, since ordinary water cannot be used in them.

Induction boilers

The first induction boilers appeared in the 80s of the twentieth century and were used for industrial needs. The production of household units began around the end of the 90s. The induction boiler works on the principle of a transformer and consists of primary and secondary windings: an induction coil, which is also a generator, and a core - a system of steel pipes with a coolant inside. After starting, the primary winding converts electricity into a magnetic field and directs it to the secondary. The core heats up and transfers heat to the coolant.

plus induction boilers is their high efficiency, scale protection, economy, high degree of fire safety. There are no elements subject to mechanical wear in the boiler, so its service life can exceed 30 years. Compared to heating elements, induction boilers have a much larger heat transfer area, and almost any liquid, including refined petroleum products, can be used as a heat carrier. The operation of the equipment does not depend on the ambient temperature, so the probability of failure is reduced to almost zero.

Among shortcomings you can note the high price and high weight with small dimensions, even the weakest boiler weighs more than 20 kg.

What else to look for when choosing an electric boiler

But choosing the type of boiler is not everything. There are several important factors that determine how the boiler will meet the tasks assigned to it.

Number of circuits

A single-circuit boiler is only responsible for heating the coolant in the heating system. If there is a need for hot water for domestic needs, then either a double-circuit boiler should be installed initially, or the system should be supplemented with a water heater.

Double-circuit boilers have two independently operating circuits, one of which provides heating, the other - hot water supply. Electric double-circuit boilers are not popular because they consume too much electricity. The cost of water and heating in this case is too high.

efficiency

Electric boilers of each of the three mentioned types are characterized by approximately the same efficiency - 95–98%. Such a high figure is explained by the fact that the electric boiler does not generate, but converts electricity into heat. Therefore, no matter what type of boiler the buyer chooses, his efficiency will be almost the same as that of his fellows.

Power

One of the main parameters when choosing a boiler. It depends on him whether the boiler will cope with the heating of the room. An insufficiently powerful unit will not be able to provide the required temperature, and an excessively powerful one will lead to unjustified energy costs.

Electric boilers are produced with power from 2.5 to 60 kW (depending on the type of boiler). The power for each room should be calculated individually, it depends on the heated area, wall and ceiling materials, the quality of thermal insulation, and the area of ​​windows. In order to approximately calculate the power of the boiler, you can use the formula:

W= (S x Wsp): 10,

where:

W - boiler power in kW,

S - room area,

W beat - specific power of the device (set for each region individually, for example, for Moscow and the region, it ranges from 1.2 to 1.5 kW).

If it is necessary to heat a house near Moscow with an area of ​​​​100 m 2, then according to the formula, the boiler power should be W \u003d (100 × 1.2): 10 \u003d 12 kW. This calculation is valid only for single-circuit boilers. For double-circuit power is calculated adjusted for hot water supply - about 20%.

Type of power adjustment

This indicator depends on the design of the boiler and can be stepped or smooth. Step adjustment is used in boilers with independent heating elements. To adjust the energy consumption and room temperature, you can simply turn off some of them.

On a note
Most often, three heating elements are installed in boilers, one of them provides 50% of the total power, and the remaining two provide 25% each. In this regard, you can get only four boiler power levels - 25, 50, 75 or all 100%. For more precise adjustment, it is necessary to install a separate valve or thermostat in each room.

Smooth adjustment is possible only in those boilers in the design of which there is a rheostat. And in cheap units of low power, there is no possibility of adjustment at all.

Connection method

Boilers with a power of up to 6 kW can be connected to a conventional single-phase 220 V network, but if a more powerful device is to be installed, then a three-phase 380 V line is required.

Frame

The body of the electric boiler can be made of any durable material - steel, plastic, cast iron, copper. The main requirement is reliable protection against fire and electric shock. As a rule, wall-mounted models have lighter cases.

Automation type

Automation maintains the required temperature in the room and makes it possible to rationally use electricity without constant human control. There are two types of thermostats for electric boilers - mechanical and electronic.

The mechanical thermostat operates either on bimetallic plates or on liquid or gas filled bellows. When the temperature reaches a certain level, such a thermostat either shuts off the coolant current or opens the electrical circuit. When the temperature drops, the boiler starts working again. With ease of control, low cost and resistance to power surges, mechanical automation still has insufficient sensitivity and is able to deviate from the specified temperature range by 2–3°C.

Electronic thermostats consist of a control unit and a remote sensor. The sensor is connected to the heating element remotely or using wires and transmits information to the control unit, which, if necessary, turns off the boiler. The electronic temperature controller is able to control all boiler systems, ensure high temperature accuracy and can work without human intervention for up to 8 hours. At the same time, it has a rather high cost and expensive service.

Dimensions

The most compact electric boilers are electrode. They can be mounted directly on the pipe, since such a boiler is a cylinder only about 40 cm long. Induction boilers are also not too large, but, as already mentioned, they have significant weight. Nevertheless, almost all electric boilers are very compact and do not require a separate installation room, unlike gas or solid fuel counterparts.

Equipment

All types of electric boilers, except for the basic configuration, have additional options. These include automatic draining of water when the temperature is turned off and the temperature drops to zero, protection against pressure changes in the system, a centrifugal pump, an external temperature sensor, an expansion tank, a fine filter. Before giving up additional options in order to save money, you should carefully calculate everything. Often a cheap model with the subsequent purchase of additional blocks and their additional installation ends up being more expensive than purchasing a boiler in a complete set.

Price

The cost of the boiler is affected, first of all, by its type - a heating element will cost many times cheaper than an induction one, as well as the number of circuits, power, and the availability of additional options. The manufacturer's brand also plays an important role in pricing - unknown Chinese brands will cost less than well-established European brands on the market. But in this case, we are also talking about quality, so savings are not always appropriate.

So, the complete dependence of the unit on power supply, high requirements for the power supply line and water quality, and, finally, the high cost of electricity do not allow the full use of electric boilers as the main source of heat.

However, in some cases, for example, for heating rooms rarely visited in winter, an electric boiler is an ideal option. In addition, it is useful as a backup when gas is turned off or to increase the efficiency of a solid fuel heating system.

When furnishing a home, the property owner must think through every detail, from the features of the layout to the choice of interior paint. At the same time, the owner should not forget about such priority areas of home improvement as the design of a heating system. A properly selected heating electric boiler, operating in a circuit with powerful radiators and reliable pipelines, will allow you to achieve the most comfortable and healthy microclimate in the room.

Heat is an integral part of comfort, and an electric boiler for heating a private house is a sure tool for creating heat in cold weather, so the comfort of living in a particular building will depend on its correct operation. In some cases, people prefer to buy 3 kW electric boilers as an alternative to gas counterparts. Until now, not all regions of the country are gasified, so the owners decide to meet the needs for heating the home by installing an electric boiler.

A powerful electric boiler for heating a house of 200 square meters can be used for two-story private estates, and a small boiler with a capacity of 10 kW is suitable for efficient heating of a house of about 100 square meters. Owners of country houses and small estates can use a 3 kW electric boiler as a basic heating device, the power of which is enough to heat a room up to 35 square meters.

The disadvantages of electric heating are as follows:

The advantages of using electric boilers are presented by the following list:

Boiler selection criteria

There are many criteria that indicate the specifics of the boiler. The owner must understand that when purchasing an electric heating boiler, the price of which directly depends on the power and functionality, he makes a long-term investment.

The return on investment in the long term depends on how high-quality, reliable and durable the boiler installed in the house will be.

To understand how to choose an electric boiler for heating a private house and not make a mistake in your choice, it is important to analyze various models of heaters according to the following criteria.

Rated power

Before you find out how much an electric boiler costs for heating a private house, you need to look into the documents of the heated room and find out the exact area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house. This information is necessary to select a boiler of the appropriate capacity. Approximately, for every ten square meters of heated area, one kilowatt of boiler power is included in the calculations.

For example, a 6 kW electric boiler can become the basis of a heating circuit in a private house up to 60 square meters. At the same time, a less powerful and affordable analogue - a 3 kW electric boiler whose price is in the range of $ 200-300, is suitable for heating small rooms.

Such calculations are approximate and provide an overall assessment of the heat demand of the house. An accurate calculation of the building's heat demand can only be made by a competent specialist who will assess the external conditions and select the boiler as correctly as possible according to the power criterion.

Number of circuits

Having studied the rating of electric boilers for heating a private house, the consumer can understand that single-circuit and double-circuit models are popular on the market. You can read more about choosing a contour in our article.

The first version of the boilers has a primitive design and is used exclusively for heating the coolant and its uniform distribution over the radiators. The advantage of such a boiler is its affordable cost, ease of use and compact body.

It will be better to buy a double-circuit electric boiler, since it is more functional and can be used not only for heating, but also for domestic water supply.

The cost of such a boiler is slightly higher than a single-circuit analogue, but the owner should think about the fact that by installing a double-circuit boiler in the house, he may not spend money on purchasing a boiler for heating water.

A functional double-circuit electric boiler for heating a private house, the price of which is in the range of $ 500 to $ 800, can be an excellent investment and fully justify all the costs of the owner with its long-term flawless work in the heating and hot water system.

Features of work

Most of the models on the market, such as the Vaillant electric boiler, whose price is about $ 600, are distinguished by silent operation and excellent performance. But some cheap models may not work as smoothly and cause discomfort to the residents of the house with a loud sound while switching the relay and starting the circulation pump.

Wanting to equip the house with quiet and reliable equipment, the owner must also pay attention to the criterion of the noise level emitted during operation. Usually this indicator is indicated by manufacturers along with other characteristics in the accompanying documents for the boiler or pump.

Manufacturer's choice

High-quality heating in a private house with an electric boiler, reviews of which can be found on thematic sites, is possible only if the owner has chosen a heating device from a reliable and trusted manufacturer. The most popular among domestic consumers are Italian electric boilers from Ferroli Zews, Biasi Saetta and other brands. Such boilers are adapted to the loads and are resistant to power surges in the network.

German brands are no less popular among compatriots. So, the German electric boiler reviews, which can be found on the official website of the Vaillant brand, are distinguished by a long service life, high efficiency and simple safe operation. Among European brands, it is worth highlighting a company from Slovakia, which supplies Proterm electric boilers to the market, the price of which is in the range from 500 to 700 USD.


Russian-made boilers compete with the brands listed above. So, the Russian Galan electric boiler, the price of which is much more affordable than the cost of its European counterpart, is not inferior to expensive models of boilers in terms of functionality, performance and performance. Domestic electric boilers Evan have a good reputation in the market, reviews about which users post online.

The choice of a particular brand depends on the financial capabilities of the buyer and the requirements that he imposes on electric heating equipment.

Availability of additional options

If it suits heating 220v for an electric boiler, the price can be found on the Internet. In this case, the owner of the house can pay attention to additional equipment built into the boiler. This can be an integrated circulation pump, all kinds of automatic systems for protecting the boiler from accidents, an expansion membrane and other equipment that increases the functionality of the boiler. You can read more about the electric heating of a private house.

If the model is not equipped with auxiliary options, the owner will have to separately buy all kinds of pumps, membranes and sensors, and then connect them to the heating circuit. This involves certain costs of funds and labor, so initially it is worth giving preference to more advanced and functional models of boilers in the maximum configuration.

Mounting Features

Like gas counterparts, electric boilers can be installed on the floor or on the wall. They are characterized by a compact lightweight body, so the installation process does not involve drilling powerful brackets or preparing a concrete pad for installing the boiler. Having chosen a certain place in the house for mounting the device, the owner can install the boiler in a few hours and connect it to the heating circuit.

Principle of operation

Despite similar cases and market positioning in the same price segment, electric boilers from different manufacturers may differ in the principle of operation. From what principle of heat generation is used in a particular model of the boiler, its internal structure, as well as performance, safety and efficiency depend.

At the moment, according to the principle of operation, the following models of electric boilers are classified:


induction boiler

By design, the induction boiler is a transformer coil that receives electrical power through the primary winding connected to the network. In this case, the secondary winding generates an alternating magnetic field and provokes the appearance of eddy currents on the metal tubes located inside, heating the coolant passing through the circuit.

Electrode boiler

Electrode boilers are classified as flow type devices. Such boilers use current to ionize water molecules and heat it. Electrode devices should not be used in circuits with ordinary water, because for their effective operation a specially prepared coolant is needed.

Heating element boiler

Models with heating elements have a heating coil in their design, which is placed in a heat-conducting tube. Such boilers are in the greatest demand from consumers and are distinguished by their simple design, affordable price and safety.

Having chosen the optimal electric boiler for heating the house, the owner should not forget about other conditions for high-quality heating of the house. He will also have to select the optimal heating project and buy the heating devices provided for by him for the circuit.