How to choose an electric boiler for heating your home. Electric boilers for heating a private house. Advantages of induction boilers

The comfort of living, especially in your own cottage, largely depends on the heating system. It must be effective, safe and easy to use. When creating a heating system, special attention is paid to the main element -. Recently, it has become increasingly popular for heating a private home. Prices for it are becoming more affordable every year. In this article we will look at the types, models and costs of electric heating boilers.

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Electric boilers for heating private houses

An electric boiler is a heating device in which it is heated to the required temperature using special electrodes or tubular electric heating elements (TEHs). Electric heating boilers are used in autonomous private houses and industrial buildings. The coolant most often is specially prepared water. In some cases, low-freezing liquids based on propylene or ethylene glycol.

Electric boilers can be used as the main element of the system, and as an emergency one, in case of failure of the main device - or. So, for example, if the gas is turned off or if the coal runs out, the heating system can continue to function normally thanks to the electric heating boiler included in it.

An electric heating boiler, regardless of the manufacturer, consists of the following main elements:

  • a housing in which all the working components of the device are located;
  • a heat exchanger consisting of a tank with coolant and heating elements;
  • control, monitoring and safety unit.

All heating boilers work on the same principle. A heating element located in the tank converts electrical energy into heat. Next, the coolant, brought to the required temperature, is transferred through pipes to.

Electric boilers for heating can be heating elements, induction or electrode. Devices with tubular electric heating elements are more popular. Boilers are also divided according to operating voltage:

  • heating devices – 220V;
  • devices operating on a voltage of 380V and having a power of at least 12 kW;
  • mixed type.

Boilers are differentiated by installation method - wall-mounted and floor-mounted.

Email A boiler, like any device, has its advantages and disadvantages. The benefits include:

  • ease of installation;
  • no need for supply;
  • an electric boiler is more environmentally friendly than or;
  • high efficiency - 95-98%;
  • not required for installation.

Among the shortcomings are noted:

  • the need for accurate;
  • it is required to connect a separate line to the boiler from the distribution board;
  • the high cost of this type of energy carrier, unlike, for example, gas.

When choosing heating equipment, you need to take into account several factors, which we will discuss below. If, nevertheless, the choice is made in favor of an electric boiler, then you should also think about installing a multi-tariff boiler, which will save money.

Related article:

Most private houses have an impressive area and due to the fact that Russia is a non-resort country in which summer reigns all year round, this very area needs to be heated somehow in the winter. If you approach this issue correctly, it turns out that. We will talk about this in the publication.

Types of electric boilers

As mentioned above, electric boilers for heating private houses are divided into three types according to the type of heating elements - induction, electrode and heating elements. Let's consider each of these types separately.

Electric boilers with heating elements - design, advantages and disadvantages

Such electric boilers use tubular or plate-type heating elements, which are located directly in the heat exchanger. One tank can contain up to 8 heating elements with a power of 2 kW each, which are connected in stages using automation or manually. Some models of electric heating element boilers may have two circuits, which makes it possible to heat not only the coolant, but also water for household needs.


Often the decision to buy a heating element electric boiler is caused by the simplicity of the internal structure of the heating device, the ability to use different types of coolant, as well as the low cost, which ranges from $50 to $1000. The price largely depends on the power, type of equipment and manufacturer.

Design and principle of operation of electrode boilers

The operating principle of an electrode electric heating boiler differs from the functioning of a heating device with heating elements. An alternating current potential difference is created on the electrodes located in the heat exchanger connected to the boiler, which leads to rapid heating of the specially prepared coolant.


Electrode boilers are distinguished by:

  • number of circuits (1 and 2);
  • number of phases (1-220V and 3-380V);
  • power (2-50 kW);
  • method of fastening;
  • principle of coolant distribution (open and closed type).

The advantages of electrode boilers include:

  • Efficiency – up to 99%;
  • low price compared to other types of boilers;
  • small dimensions and weight;
  • fire safety and environmental friendliness;
  • Possibility of placement in almost any room;
  • automation of heating processes and resistance to;
  • rapid heating of the coolant to the required temperature;
  • ease of installation.

These are just the main advantages of electrode electric boilers for heating; in fact, there are many more of them. Now let’s list the disadvantages of this equipment, of which there are not so many:

  • the need for a stable power supply, which is solved by additional automation of the boiler;
  • requires the use of only prepared coolant;
  • required mandatory ;
  • a single-circuit circuit will not provide sufficient hot water;
  • It is necessary to change the electrodes every 2-4 years due to their wear.

Induction type electric boilers

Induction boilers are much more complex than other heating equipment. The design of this heating device includes an induction coil with a metal core. As current passes through the coil, electromagnetic induction occurs, creating a potential difference across the core, causing it to heat up.

This boiler design allows you to significantly increase the efficiency of the entire heating device. The system is very reliable and safe, since the induction coil is hermetically sealed in the housing, which prevents contact of its winding with the coolant.

When deciding to buy an induction electric boiler, you should know about the following advantages of this equipment:

  • high reliability (subject to constant availability of coolant in the system);
  • small dimensions of the device;
  • fairly high efficiency (efficiency depends on the proper design of the heat exchanger and the entire system as a whole);
  • low inertia of the system, which makes it possible to minimize electrical losses;
  • scale formation is excluded;
  • use of different coolant fluids;
  • autonomy of the boiler;
  • ease of installation and maintenance.

An induction-type heating boiler is a fairly reliable device, and the only thing that can fail in it is the electronic control unit.

The only drawback of an induction electric boiler for heating a private home is the price, which ranges from $450 to $3,000 and above. This price discrepancy depends on the power and complexity of the heating devices. Currently, heating equipment manufacturers offer two types of boilers - induction (SAV) and vortex (VIN).

Induction heating boiler type SAV

Boilers of this type are used for autonomous and combined heating, in hot water supply systems and as a backup heating device. This type of heating equipment provides the possibility of remote and automation of the heating process.

A current of 50 Hz is applied to the inductor (primary winding), and a closed pipe system is used as the secondary winding, which is a heat exchanger through which the coolant passes. The induction current heats the liquid very quickly, which significantly increases the performance of SAV boilers designed for voltages of 220 and 380 V.


Such induction boilers with a power of 2.5 kW are capable of producing thermal energy of 2100 kcal/h and heating small rooms up to 30 m². The price of equipment with an automatic control unit is about 30,000 rubles.

Induction boilers type VIN

In vortex-type induction boilers (VIN), the current supplied to the primary winding through a converter is transformed into high-frequency. As a result, the overall strength of the electromagnetic field increases, which significantly contributes to the increase in the strength of Foucault currents.

The body and internal elements of the boiler are made of a special ferromagnetic alloy, which becomes very hot when magnetization is reversed. Thanks to this, the heat exchanger of VIN boilers is not only the pipes of the heating system, as in devices of the SAV type, but also the housing parts themselves, which play the role of a magnetic circuit.


Induction boilers of the VIN type with a power of 3 kW are capable of producing up to 2500 kcal/h and heating a room of about 30-40 m². The cost of heating equipment together with shut-off valves and an automatic control unit is 35-38,000 rubles.

Recommendation from experts! It is advisable to choose a heating boiler with as complete a set as possible, since some components are extremely necessary. It is best to purchase a complete set, so that later you do not have to additionally buy valves, filters, an expansion tank or protective relays separately. In addition, the complete set will end up being cheaper.

The presented video will help you better understand what an induction heating boiler is:

What you need to know before choosing an electric heating boiler for a private home

The choice of heating equipment must be taken very seriously, since you can purchase a device that will not be able to fully provide your home with heat and money, considerable money at that, will simply be wasted. To choose an electric heating boiler that fully meets your needs, you need to know some mandatory characteristics of the equipment.


The criteria for choosing an electric heating boiler are presented in the following list:

  1. number of circuits;
  2. presence of built-in additional equipment;
  3. equipment power;
  4. requirements for network voltage and electrical wiring;
  5. installation method.
  • Contours. Electric heating equipment may have one or two circuits. Double-circuit boilers are mainly used in cases where it is necessary to provide the house with hot water supply in addition to heating. Therefore, before choosing a heating boiler for a private home, you need to decide whether the device is needed only for heating premises or whether you want to use it for household needs.

  • Additional equipment. Depending on the manufacturer and the goals of the heating equipment developers, boilers can be equipped with a circulation pump, an automation system, a security group, a programmer, etc. Accordingly, the more options provided in a heating boiler, the higher its cost. However, often the high price is justified by the fact that such filling will complement the heating system and protect it from various emergency situations and eliminate problems with heating the premises, as well as simplify the management and operation of the equipment.
  • Installation method. Depending on the installation method, heating boilers can be wall-mounted or floor-mounted. Floor-standing installations are usually used for heating private houses and large premises, and wall-mounted equipment is used in apartments of multi-storey buildings as autonomous heating. Since installation of an electric boiler does not require a device, installation of the equipment is quite simple and does not take much time.

  • Power supply. If the power of an electric boiler does not exceed 9 kW, then it can be powered from a network with a voltage of 220 V. However, an electric boiler for heating must be more powerful (we will consider the reason below), which means it will require a connection to a network with a voltage of 380 V.

In accordance with the power of the equipment and voltage, the required cable cross-section and type of machine are selected, which are usually indicated in the technical data sheet of the heating device.

Selecting the power of an electric boiler in accordance with the area of ​​a private house

Although the power of the equipment is mentioned here last, this is perhaps one of the most important criteria that should be followed when choosing a boiler. The fact is that insufficient power will not allow you to effectively heat the house, and its excess will lead to unnecessary energy costs. There is a fairly simple way to calculate the power of equipment, for example, an electric boiler for heating houses of 50-60 square meters. To do this, you need to divide the area of ​​the room that is supposed to be heated by 100. To the result obtained, you need to add about 15-20% (depending on the climate zone).


Wk = (S × Wbeat) / 10, Where:

  • – power of the electric boiler;
  • S – area of ​​the heated room;
  • W beat – specific power of equipment per 10 m².

The specific power value may differ depending on the climate zone:

  • temperate climate– 1.2-1.5 kW;
  • northern zone– 1.5-2.0 kW;
  • south– 0.7-0.9 kW.

In accordance with this formula, we will try to calculate the power of an electric boiler for heating houses of 200 square meters located in the temperate zone: Wк = (200 × 1.5)/10 = 30 kW.

To make more accurate calculations, you will have to use special tables and formulas that take into account heat loss, volume of premises, as well as seasonal or regional coefficients. All this data can be found on the Internet on specialized websites.

A short video will help you decide on the choice of electric boiler.

Many people may have some questions about electric heating boilers. Most often, people are interested in how to choose an electric boiler for heating a house, in which cases it is advisable to install it, what cable cross-section to choose to connect the boiler, what power it should have, and also how to save money correctly. We will try to answer all these questions in this article.

What features do electric boilers have?

Naturally, electric boilers for heating a private home differ according to some criteria. At the same time, they also have some common properties.

The following features of electric boilers can be distinguished:

  • Only low-power heaters with a power of up to 3.5 kW are allowed to be connected to a regular outlet. A simple calculation will show that by multiplying the 16 amperes indicated on any outlet by 220 volts, we get the maximum permissible power of 3520 watts.
  • Single-phase boilers have a maximum power of 12 kW. However, in reality, it is advisable to connect devices over 7 kW to 380 volts.


It is worth noting that in order to connect the boiler, you need to run a separate copper cable from the panel, with a cross-section of more than 1 millimeter for every 8 amperes of peak current.

  • All expended electricity is fully transformed into heat, so such electric boilers have 100% efficiency.

However, there are designs of electric boilers for heating a private house, in which, during the heating process, part of the energy is lost on the body, but even this will be used to heat the interior space of the room.

That is, when choosing a boiler, you should pay attention to durability, functionality and safety, but not to efficiency.

  • Most often nowadays they try to save on electricity, since it is the most expensive source of heat. So get ready for big energy bills. Be that as it may, it is the safest and most convenient source of thermal energy.

Pros and cons of electric boilers for home heating

The advantages include:

  1. Compactness. The boilers have a wall-mounted installation method, which means that when installing them in small houses, a minimum of space is required.
  2. They do not emit combustion products.
  3. Due to the absence of an open flame, such boilers are absolutely fireproof.
  4. Environmental friendliness. Recycling electricity does not affect the external environment in any way.


However, this argument is not considered particularly convincing, since fossil fuels are also burned to produce the same electricity.

  1. Installing electric water heating boilers is quite simple. Especially when you consider that most devices have an expansion heating tank, a safety valve, an automatic air vent and a pressure gauge located in the housing (read: “a”).
  2. There is no need to constantly have a supply of fuel.
  3. Electric water heating boilers are able to maintain the desired temperature in the room as long as desired, without the need to add fuel, perform cleaning or other type of maintenance. This cannot be said, for example, about a solid fuel boiler, into which you need to add fuel at least twice a day.
  4. The cost of such devices is minimal, which cannot be said about the currently existing gas and solid fuel boilers. For example, you can easily build a heating element boiler for heating a small room yourself by immersing the tubular heater in a register with oil or water.


And the cons:

  1. As mentioned earlier, the cost of electricity per 1 kilowatt-hour exceeds other sources of heat.

Let's do a little calculation of the costs of heating a house with an area of ​​approximately 120 m2. The average daily boiler power will be half the required thermal power, equal to 6 kW.

In the middle climate zone and provided that the residential building is well insulated, the average electricity consumption will be 4000 kW per month. And in regions with a more severe climate, for example in Siberia, electricity consumption will be at least double.

  1. Such equipment requires a high-power power line, which cannot be provided in every region. In particular, in the suburbs and rural areas, the power rarely reaches the required levels, and 380 volts practically never happens there.
  2. The supply of electricity to consumers may be suddenly interrupted as a result of wire theft, tree falls or natural disasters. In cold winters, such changes can leave you without heat.

As a result, we can conclude that installing an electric heating boiler for a home is advisable in the following cases:

  • if there is no gas mains in your place of residence;
  • you are often outside the house, as a result of which you are not able to maintain the operation of the solid fuel boiler in a timely manner.

It is worth noting that if your electricity is cut off quite often, then it is best to use antifreeze rather than water as a coolant.

New heating boilers for private houses

The design of a conventional boiler includes a water tank and several 1.5-2 kW heaters located in it. To circulate the liquid inside the housing, a pump is installed.

The main design features include:

  • In those systems where running water is poured, tubular heaters are necessarily covered with scale. This leads to losses in thermal power and an increase in temperature in the heating element itself. In theory, this could cause early damage to the heating element. Although in practice, electric boilers are often installed in systems with a constant volume of coolant, so scale does not cause problems.
  • Such boilers are considered the cheapest. Thanks to the design that has been fine-tuned over many years, you can find high-quality budget models on sale, and this should not cause concern.
  • The durability and safety of electric heating boilers for a private home directly depend on the quality of the autonomous temperature and pressure control system. A coolant leak irreversibly leads to overheating of the heating elements.

Electric induction boilers

The working part of an induction heating electric boiler for a private house consists of a dielectric pipe, inside of which there is a core. The coolant moves through the pipe. A coil is wound from the outer part. Passing through it, the current heats up the core.

Such devices have two positive qualities:

  • Small dimensions. High-power models can only slightly differ in thickness from the heating circuit, with a length of up to 1 meter.
  • Unrivaled reliability. In such a boiler there are practically no elements that could break, with the exception of the electronic control unit, which is most often installed outside the housing.


The only significant drawback of induction electric heating boilers for a private home is their very high cost. To be fair, it is worth saying that the manufacturing technology of such devices is no more complicated than with conventional heating elements. And the pump and safety systems are located outside the boiler body. So the reason for the high cost is rather marketing than due to the peculiarities of production.

Electrical electrode boilers

This electric heating boiler for a private home warms up due to the passage of alternating current through water with a given electrical resistance.

The features of such equipment are:

  • Absolute safety. A coolant leak will cause the boiler to stop operating, since no current will be transmitted through the air.
  • Only water that meets the requirements of GOST “Drinking Water” and contains a certain amount of impurities can be used as a coolant. Read also: “How an electric electrode boiler works, principle of operation, installation and connection rules.”
  • Over time, the electrodes dissolve in the liquid, so they need to be replaced periodically.


Thus, the choice of an electric boiler for heating a house can be made based on the operating characteristics of each type of equipment, based on your financial capabilities and the size of your home.

Power standards

Before choosing an electric boiler for heating a private home, it is worth deciding what thermal power of the equipment is required in a particular case.

The calculation of electrical power, which is equal to thermal power, is carried out based on the following standards:

  • The basic indicator is 40 W per 1 m 3 of room volume.
  • Additionally, 100 W should be added to each window, and 200 W to doorways.
  • The power factor used for regions with warm climates is 0.7 - 0.9. In the European part of the Russian Federation it is 1.2 – 1.3; in the Far East and northern regions – 1.5-2.0.
  • It is worth considering that the electric boiler of the heating system in a private house should work 1.5 times more intensely than in an apartment, since heat loss through the floor and roof is higher.


As an example, we give a calculation for a private house with an area of ​​80 m2, which has 5 windows, 1 door, and a ceiling height of 3 m. The house is located in the Krasnodar region.

Electrical power = (40 W × 80 m 2 × 3 m + 5 × 100 W (windows) + 200 W (doorway)) × 0.7 (regional coefficient) × 1.5 (consumption for a private house) = 10815 W .

Extra options

Since choosing electric heating boilers is not such an easy task, it is worth paying attention to a number of parameters:

  • The presence of devices that ensure safety - pressure and temperature sensors that stop heating or resume it when the equipment reaches the specified parameters.
  • Possibility of using hot water for domestic purposes. If a large amount of hot water is required in everyday life, a sufficiently large power of the electric boiler is needed. It would be more appropriate to use a separate heating device, such as a boiler.

Financial question - how to choose the best option

When deciding which electric boiler to choose for heating your home, you should not forget about the material costs of electricity.

There are several ways to reduce your electricity consumption:

  1. A heat accumulator can be installed in the boiler piping. This method is appropriate provided that there are day and night electricity tariffs. Then, at night, in a boiler room with an electric boiler, water will be heated in a heat accumulator (300-2000 liter tank), and during the day, the coolant will circulate through the heating system.
  2. Alternatively, if the temperature outside does not drop below zero, it is beneficial to heat the room with an air conditioner with a heating function.

Results

So, we told you how to choose an electric boiler for heating based on the characteristics of the equipment, as well as the principles of its operation. We hope that each consumer will be able to decide on the most suitable option for him, based on the knowledge gained, preferences and financial capabilities.


In order to choose the right electric boiler for heating your home, you need to know its characteristics and make sure that they meet the network requirements. Any electric heating boiler for a home includes the following elements:

  1. Frame. The outer shell, inside which all the boiler parts are assembled;
  2. Heat exchanger. Heater and container with coolant;
  3. Control block. Process control, monitoring and regulation system.

How to calculate the power of an electric boiler

Before buying a boiler, you need to calculate the required power. The boiler power must take into account electricity limits. Due to the limitation of electricity supplied by local electrical networks, if consumption exceeds the circuit breaker, the circuit breaker is triggered, and the heating system of the house may be de-energized. Thus, when choosing a boiler power, you should be guided by calculations and not exceed it.

A limitation may be the cross-sectional area of ​​the supply electrical cable. When choosing a single-phase or three-phase boiler, it is necessary to check that the power of the equipment matches the cross-section of the installed cable. In addition, boilers with constant and variable (modulated) power are offered on the market. The former are more preferable because they cannot allow excess electricity consumption.

An approximate calculation of power takes into account the area of ​​​​all heated rooms in the house and is done according to the formula: M = P x Where. / 10m2

where M is the power of the electric boiler (kW);

P – area of ​​heated premises;

Where. – specific boiler power, depending on the region:

  • for cold climates Kud. 1.2 – 2.0
  • for moderate 1.0 - 1.3
  • for southern regions 0.7 – 0.9

As practice shows, to heat a house with an area of ​​100 m2 in the middle zone, you need an electric boiler with a capacity of at least 100 x 1/10 = 10 kW. In addition to power, heating equipment can be selected according to the area and volume of the house.

How to calculate the power of an electric boiler based on the area of ​​the house

The simplest method for selecting equipment based on the area of ​​the house is based on determining the standard heat loss per meter of heated area. But the standards for small buildings up to 200 sq.m. of heat loss per 1 m2 of area are 0.1 kW. With a house area of ​​100 m2, the estimated amount of losses will be 0.1 x 100 = 10 kW. Adding 20% ​​to the resulting heat losses (adjustment for abnormal cold), we get 12 kW.

Thus, for a house of 100 m2 you will need an electric boiler with a capacity of 12 kW. Accordingly, for a house with an area of ​​150 m2, the required boiler power will be: 0.1 x 150 x 1.2 = 18 kW. For a house with an area of ​​200 m2: 0.1 x 200 x 1.2 = 24 kW

How to calculate the power of an electric boiler by room volume

Calculation of the power of an electric boiler for heating a house by cubic capacity is based on a norm of 4 - 8 Wh of electricity per unit volume. The result of the final calculation depends on the heat losses of the entire house and the specific value of these losses during the season. The additional coefficient in the calculations depends on heat loss through the walls of the house, windows, pipelines laid in cold rooms, etc. The estimated duration of the heating season is 7 months.

Which electric boiler is the most economical?

The criteria by which heating boilers for a private house using electricity are selected are as follows:

  1. heating area, on which the boiler power will depend;
  2. characteristics of the premises;
  3. equipment prices;
  4. size and weight of the heating boiler;
  5. life time;
  6. boiler efficiency.

We will choose from the following types of electric boilers for heating:

  • Induction. The main working unit of such boiler boilers is the inductor. These boilers have great power, but are large in size and high in cost.
  • Heating elements. The coolants in such boilers are heated by thermoelectric heaters (TEHs), working with power controllers and temperature sensors. The heating element heats the water, which transfers heat to the room. The disadvantage of such boilers is the deposit of scale, which interferes with normal operation and disables the heating elements.
  • Electrode. The most economical boilers are approximately 40% more economical than heating elements. The advantages also include small size, fast heating of water and the absence of scale during operation.

Electric boilers, in addition to the listed types, can also be:

  • Wall or floor. Wall-mounted boilers, as a rule, are low-power, and are used for heating country houses;
  • Single- and three-phase;
  • Single and double circuit.

The final decision on which most economical electric boiler to choose for your home depends on your living conditions. In my opinion, this is an electrode boiler, which is connected to a standard electrical network and uses water or non-freezing liquid as a coolant.


Which electric boiler is best for heating a private home?

The popularity of electric boilers is determined by:

  • security;
  • low cost;
  • reliability;
  • small in size;
  • ease of installation and operation;
  • silent operation;
  • environmental cleanliness.

To choose and buy the best electric boiler, you need:

  1. make calculations and determine the required power;
  2. decide on the type of boiler;
  3. compare options of the selected type and select the best one.

Let me remind you that before purchasing, you must definitely check the operating mode of the local electrical networks - perhaps the networks will not cope with the required load, and the purchase will be in vain.

When deciding which electric boiler to choose for heating a private home, most consumers choose heating element boilers. They are much cheaper than electrode and induction boilers and are easy to maintain. Judging by customer reviews, the best electric boilers on the Russian market for heating a private home are:

  • Polish units “KOSPEL EKCO” with an efficiency of more than 99%. Boilers from this manufacturer are used for radiator heating and can work together with water heaters for hot water supply. The company offers manual models for small rooms, and automatic three-phase models of boilers with a power of more than 50 kW for large rooms. The disadvantage of boilers is typical for heating equipment - scale formation on the heating elements. According to customer reviews, boilers from this manufacturer are very economical and reliable.
  • Electric boilers from the Russian company Galan are also popular in the domestic market. Boilers of three power levels from this manufacturer operate from a conventional and three-phase network, and, according to customer reviews, are quite reliable.
  • Electrode boilers have also proven themselves well. They are more economical than heating elements and allow you to do without thermal elements. The most popular boiler of this group is considered to be the Geyser model from the Galan company, whose power ranges from 9 to 15 kW. Low-power “Ochag” models and large “Vulcan” boilers with a power of up to 50 kW are also known on the market. The disadvantages of such boilers are the risk of electric shock and the mandatory involvement of a specialist to replace the electrodes.
  • Induction boilers are represented by Russian models “SAV” from INERA. The price for such equipment is high - from 30 to 160 thousand rubles, which depends on the power (for induction boilers it is 2.5 - 100 kW).



The photo shows a Polish electric boiler “KOSPEL EKCO.R1-6”

How to properly connect an electric boiler to the heating system

Briefly about how to properly install an electric heating boiler in a private house. To begin installation work, we list the basic safety rules that must be observed:

  1. When connecting the equipment, the power must be turned off.
  2. The following distances must be maintained between the boiler and the nearest structural elements of the house: to the wall - at least 5 cm, to the ceiling - at least 80 cm, to the floor at least 50 cm, to the nearest pipe - at least 50 cm.
  3. The front panel must be freely accessible for maintenance.
  4. The connection network must be three-phase (380 V) to avoid spontaneous combustion and short-circuiting of the wiring.
  5. Wire connections must be protected from water and sealed. It is better to protect the cable with corrugation or a cable duct made of self-extinguishing material.

Step 1 - installation of an electric boiler

The floor-standing boiler is installed on a special stand, which is sold complete with the unit. The wall-mounted one is attached to the wall with anchors and dowels. The vertical and horizontal position of the boiler must be accurate - distortions can lead to failure or premature wear of the equipment.

Step 2 - connecting the boiler to the electrical network

  1. An electric boiler usually has more power, so it needs to be connected not from an outlet, but from the mains. From the distribution box in the room you need to lay a separate line to the boiler installation site. It is better to hide the cable to protect it from accidental damage.
  2. The cable cross-section must be selected so that it can reliably withstand high loads. Electric boilers up to 7 kW can be connected to a single-phase network, which, as a rule, was preserved in old Soviet apartments. For small boilers up to 3.5 kW, a separate line is not needed; they can be connected directly to the outlet.

Step 3 - install protection

  1. A residual current circuit breaker (RCD) and a circuit breaker must be installed on the main panel after connecting the wires to the electric boiler. The purpose of RCDs and circuit breakers is to protect against short circuits and wiring overloads.
  2. A voltage stabilizer will be needed to prevent the boiler from failing in the event of voltage fluctuations. It is strictly forbidden to use the equipment without grounding. The grounding wire must go from the bus to the boiler body.

Step 4 - starting the boiler

After the wiring is connected, you need to make sure that there are no exposed contacts. All taps, couplings, joints, etc. must be inspected and verified. First, the valves and valves are opened, and then the power supply to the boiler is turned on. Temperature and pressure sensors must operate according to the instructions. In case of obvious deviations from the norm, turn off the boiler and call a licensed specialist.

How to make an electric boiler with your own hands

Electric boilers for heating a private house at 220 volts are often made independently - it is not difficult if you have the necessary materials and skills. The simplest boiler is a metal container in which heating elements are installed. Usually they make their own boilers with a power of 6 kW - such equipment is enough to heat a small apartment or country house. A DIY boiler will cost at least half as much as a purchased one. You can make a heating or electrode boiler yourself.

Materials for making a boiler using heating elements

For such a boiler you will need a tank of any shape in which the water will be heated by heating elements. The tank can be made from a 150 mm pipe. For a small boiler, 2-3 heating elements are enough, each costing about $10. Materials:

  1. steel pipe 150 mm;
  2. round plates l. 150 mm, 2 pcs.;
  3. nozzles no less than the contour - 3 pcs.;
  4. heating elements;
  5. nuts;
  6. automatic air vent;
  7. ball valve

Materials for making an electrode boiler

To make an electrode boiler with your own hands you will need:

  1. pipe 50 mm;
  2. steel bar 20 mm;
  3. flange and coupling with internal thread (2 pcs.);
  4. any dielectric;
  5. sealing rubber;
  6. bolts, nuts.

Detailed manufacturing instructions are presented on many websites on the Internet, so we will not repeat ourselves. There you can also see descriptions and connection diagrams for a simple control unit with a temperature sensor.

conclusions

  1. We recommend choosing an electric boiler from the heating element or electrode type.
  2. To make the final decision, calculate the required boiler power, taking into account a small margin (+ 10-20%). If you purchase a double-circuit boiler, the calculated power should be at least a quarter greater.
  3. Imported equipment is much more expensive, but has no fundamental advantages. Inexpensive domestic boilers, cheap to repair and maintain, are not inferior in efficiency to imported models.

When arranging a home, the property owner must think through every detail, starting with the layout features and ending with the choice of interior paint. At the same time, the owner should not forget about such priority areas of home improvement as designing a heating system. A properly selected electric heating 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 component of comfort, and an electric boiler for heating a private house is the right 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 have been gasified, so owners decide to satisfy their home heating needs by installing an electric boiler.

A powerful electric boiler for heating a house of 200 square meters can be used for two-story private properties, and a small boiler with a power of 10 kW is suitable for efficiently heating 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 sufficient to heat a room of up to 35 square meters.

The disadvantages of electric heating are the following:

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

Boiler selection criteria

There are many criteria indicating the specifics of the boiler’s operation. The owner must understand that when purchasing an electric heating boiler, the price of which directly depends on power and functionality, he is making 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 is.

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

Rated power

Before you find out how much an electric boiler costs for heating a private home, you need to look at the documents of the heated room and find out the exact area of ​​the house. This information is necessary to select a boiler of appropriate power. 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 with an area of ​​up to 60 square meters. At the same time, a less powerful and affordable analogue - a 3 kW electric boiler, the price of which is in the range of 200-300 dollars, is suitable for heating small rooms.

Such calculations are approximate and provide an opportunity for a general assessment of the heating needs of the house. Only a competent specialist can make an accurate calculation of the heating needs of a building, 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 home, 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 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 would 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 its single-circuit counterpart, but the owner should think about the fact that by installing a double-circuit boiler in the house, he may not have to spend money on purchasing a boiler for heating water.

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

Features of work

Most models on the market, such as the Vailant electric boiler, which costs about $600, are characterized by quiet operation and excellent performance. But some cheap models may not work so smoothly and cause discomfort to the residents of the house with a loud sound when switching the relay and starting the circulation pump.

If you want to equip your home with quiet and reliable equipment, the owner must also pay attention to the noise level emitted during operation. Typically, this indicator is indicated by manufacturers along with other characteristics in the accompanying documents to the boiler or pump.

Manufacturer selection

High-quality heating in a private house with an electric boiler, reviews of which can be found on thematic websites, is only possible 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 their compatriots. Thus, the German electric boiler, reviews of which can be found on the official portal of the Vaillant brand, is 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 the market with Proterm electric boilers, the price of which is in the range from 500 to 700 USD.


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

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

Availability of additional options

If you are satisfied with 220V heating for an electric boiler, the price and reviews about it can be found on the Internet. In this case, the home owner can pay attention to the additional equipment built into the boiler. This can be an integrated circulation pump, various 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 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 money and labor, so initially you should give preference to more advanced and functional boiler models with maximum configuration.

Installation features

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

Principle of operation

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

Currently, the following models of electric boilers are classified according to their operating principle:


Induction boiler

By design, an induction boiler is a transformer coil that receives electrical power through a 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. These 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 they need a specially prepared coolant.

New heating element

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

Having selected the optimal electric boiler for heating a 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 design and buy the heating devices provided for the circuit.

If you are familiar with the design of an electric kettle, then you will understand why heating a house with an electric boiler is called the simplest heating method. The operating principle 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 using other types of fuel. We will answer this question in this article.

About electric boilers and the availability of electricity

So, an electric boiler. To heat an average house of 100 square meters. meters, an electric boiler with a capacity of 10 kW is required (more on power calculation below). A simple calculation from a physics course shows 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 to 10 kW the 10 kW needed to operate other electrical equipment and lighting in the house, we get the power that needs to be requested to connect 20 kW.

Hence the first problem with using an electric boiler for heating: such power is not available for connection everywhere.

Important! Before purchasing an electric heating boiler, you need to agree on its power and connectivity with the supervisory authorities (Energonadzor) in your area. A boiler installation project may be required.

Operating principle of an electric boiler

The undoubted advantage of an electric boiler is the simplicity of its design. Again the comparison of a boiler with a kettle suggests itself. Heating of the coolant liquid occurs in the boiler tank using 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.

Completing the convenience is the production of single-circuit and double-circuit boilers. A single-circuit boiler serves only to heat the house, while 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 and regulate the heating temperature, which significantly saves energy.

Hence the first advantage of an 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 can be done with your own hands.

Electric boiler power supply

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

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

To calculate the cross-section of the supply cable cores, we will use a practical electrician’s formula: for 5 kW of power, take 1 sq. mm cross-section of copper wire in the cable. That is: For boilers with a power of up to 7.5 kW, you need a copper cable with core cross-sections 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 you need a 6 mm cable.

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

To more accurately calculate the cable cross-section, we use the following table from PUE 7 (electrical installation rules ed. 7).

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

Design of electric boilers

Of course, a modern electric boiler is not a kettle and is filled with various additional equipment. There are boilers that have automatic overload protection installed. It is equipped with a built-in temperature limiter. Boilers are available in floor-mounted and wall-mounted versions. All this needs to be read in the boiler descriptions and paid attention to.

Types of electric boilers

It should be mentioned that wall-mounted and floor-mounted electric boilers are available.

Also, in addition to heating element electric boilers, more efficient electric boilers have found widespread use: electrode and induction electric boilers.

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

This was all theory, with little impact on 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: For the calculation, let's go back to my example above. House 100 sq. meters, electric boiler 10 kW (for 10 meters we take 1 kW boiler).

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

Solution:

  • Calculation 1. We assume that the boiler operates constantly. Power consumption is 10 kW per hour, per day 240 kW, per month 7200 kW. At 2017 prices, 1 kW/hour = 5.38 rubles (one Moscow tariff). We get 38,736 rubles per month with constant operation of the boiler, which does not happen in practice.
  • In practice, the boiler will operate at full capacity for 10-14 days during the entire winter period. During the rest of the winter (December-February) the boiler will operate at 50% power. In other 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 is an average of 14,523 rubles per month. That's the math.