How to choose a good electric boiler: what to look at before buying?

Despite the constant increase in the cost of utilities, electric heating boilers remain in demand and popular. The high cost of heating with electricity is well paid off due to its simple installation, relatively low cost of equipment, ease of use and other features of electric water heating equipment. The range of these useful and safe devices is wide enough to effectively heat both a large cottage and a modest summer cottage. We suggest that you take a deeper look at these units to understand how they work and which one is best for your home.

The principle of operation and advantages of these units

Typically, an electric boiler is a cylindrical hot-water chamber. Inside are the heating elements, with the help of which an electric current passes through the coolant, heating it. The unit is connected to a three-phase network with a voltage of 380 V. Most often, the automatic control unit of the device is placed in a separate control cabinet. There are also models of electric boilers that use induction heating. There are no fundamental differences in the installation of these two types of boilers. Induction models considered safer, and their efficiency can reach 90%.

Electric boilers operating on the principle of induction heating are considered safer and have higher efficiency than electrode or heating elements. However, their prices are the highest.

For more efficient automation, it is recommended to connect a temperature sensor to the control unit located in a heated room. In this case, you can control the equipment taking into account changes in weather conditions. In addition, the control unit is equipped with:

• circuit breaker;
• automation circuit;
• contactors;
• devices for monitoring voltage and current load level.

This design allows you to automatically turn off the equipment in case of voltage drops or short circuit. Automation maintains the set temperature of the water in the boiler, and also monitors the heating of the device casing and turns it off in case of overheating.

Modern electric boilers are equipped with an automatic control panel. The operation of the boiler can be programmed so that the energy consumption is minimal

The light indication not only informs about the switching on and operation of the device, but can also signal breakdowns, equipment switching to remote control mode, etc.If it is necessary to heat not only the coolant, but also provide the house with hot water, you should purchase a double-circuit electric boiler equipped with a water boiler. Such a unit has a fairly high efficiency and allows you to consume electricity more economically.

The advantages of electric hot water boilers include:

• ease of installation (no chimney, separate boiler room, etc.);
• low equipment costs compared to other options for autonomous heating;
• silent work;
• stylish equipment design;
• the ability to install the boiler in almost any convenient place, on the wall or on the floor;
• environmental safety of the unit;
• the ability to adjust the operation of the device automatically or remotely.

When leaving for a long time, owners of a private house will not have to turn off the heating system, since it is automatically controlled. It is possible to regulate the operation of some boiler models even at a considerable distance using a mobile phone.

How to choose a suitable boiler?

Since electric heating equipment is much safer than gas or solid fuel analogs, the requirements for its installation are less serious. There is no need to build a separate boiler house building or allocate a separate room. When choosing a water-heating electric boiler, it is necessary to consider:

• place for its placement;
• area of ​​the heated building;
• preferred model power;
• type of model, etc.

And now in more detail about each aspect.

Equipment Placement

As already noted, almost any place is suitable for installing electric water-heating boilers. Permanent power access should be provided. To do this, install a special switch, the distance between the open contacts of which at each pole should be more than 3 mm. Depending on the model, the device is installed on the floor or mounted on a wall. At the same time, care should be taken to ensure free access to equipment in case of repair or maintenance, so that in the future there is no need to dismantle the equipment.

Note! Although there are no strict requirements for the location of the electric boiler, it is still necessary to draw up a project for the installation of the device and coordinate this document with the local energy supervision authorities.

What should be the power?

Calculating the power of hot water electrical equipment is simple. The regulations provide for 1 kW of device power for every 10 square meters. m of a heated room. If you want to heat a house with an area of ​​200 square meters. m need a 20 kW boiler.

In practice, the effectiveness of the use of equipment depends on external factors, the most significant of which is the degree of thermal insulation of the room. If the house is poorly insulated, the equipment simply can not cope with heating. Therefore, before purchasing a boiler, it is recommended to evaluate the degree of home insulation and, if necessary, conduct additional thermal insulation work.

Some features of functioning

The owner of an electric boiler can expect a number of unpleasant surprises, such as:

• insufficient amount of electric power allocated for heating;
• sharply increased electricity bills;
• sudden and prolonged blackouts characteristic of the periphery.

The first problem should be solved at the very early stage, choosing a boiler that will meet the existing conditions (or try to somehow change these conditions). To solve the second problem, it is recommended to purchase boiler models with multi-stage power control. This function allows you to reduce energy consumption in the fall and spring, to reduce the temperature of the air in the rooms when the owners are absent, etc. Of course, the cost of heating and with good insulation of the building are reduced.

It is most difficult to cope with the problem of power outages, since it is almost impossible to influence this process. A solution may be the parallel use of a solid fuel or gas boiler, which will work in the absence of electricity. Some quite successfully use alternative energy sources as backup heating: solar panels, wind generators, etc.

On the floor or on the wall?

The type of model - wall or floor - largely depends on the capacity of the boiler. Models that can be mounted on the wall usually do not have too high power. They are perfect for small cottages or cottages. To install such a small boiler, you do not need to issue special permits, since it can be connected to a standard single-phase network. The compact size even allows you to disguise the boiler in the interior under a neat cabinet, for example, in the kitchen.

A small wall-mounted electric boiler fits perfectly into any interior. If desired, it can be installed even inside a spacious cabinet, if this does not block access to equipment

Owners of large houses will have to opt for more massive and powerful floor models. Modern electric boilers can efficiently heat even very spacious rooms, for example, production halls.

Floor-standing electric boilers also feature a stylish design and occupy a relatively small area. The installation diagram of the high power model should be agreed with the Energy Supervision Authority

How to choose a brand and manufacturer?

Both domestic and foreign models of electric boilers in the widest range are represented on the market. It is traditionally believed that imported equipment is of higher quality and durability. But the price of such equipment can be several times higher than the cost of domestic counterparts.

It is worth noting that the quality of locally produced electric boilers is almost not inferior to the level accepted in Europe. You should carefully study the operational characteristics of the electric boiler, take an interest in the availability and terms of warranty, quality certificates, etc. It is most reliable to purchase such expensive equipment from official suppliers. Another important point is the list of enterprises that perform warranty repairs. If there are few such organizations, if the nearest service center is located in a neighboring region or even in a neighboring country, it is worth looking for another model.

Video with useful tips from the pros

Interesting information on choosing an electric boiler for heating a private house is presented in the following video: