Electric storage water heaters mean savings and comfort
Electric storage water heaters are devices for cyclic heating of liquid in a private water supply system. Such boilers equipped with a capacity of a certain displacement and tubular electric heaters (heating elements).
Externally, electrical appliances for heating water are protected by insulation and a casing made of quality materials. For convenience, electronic control menus or thermostats are mounted to each boiler of this type.
Thanks to this, electric water heaters operate in automatic mode using a temperature sensor. It sets the minimum degree of the processed liquid.
For clarity, storage electric water heaters are compared with a thermos. The designs are very similar, because thermal insulation is placed between the outer and inner parts. As with a thermos, insulation minimizes heat loss for a specified amount of time.
It is interesting that for the correct supply of the treated (heated) liquid in the storage system water heater cold water from the riser is supplied from the bottom up, displacing hot water. A volume of liquid heated to a certain temperature is taken from the top of the container. This circulation maintains the required degree of heating.
For storage heaters, volumes from 10 to 150 liters are characteristic. Any device of this type will keep the heated water in the internal tank in working order.
After the first heating of the storage water heater tank in 2-3 hours, there is no need to waste time waiting, the heater will maintain the heat level.
The better the storage electric water heater
An electric heater with a storage system has the following advantages:
- Various volumes. Electric storage water heaters vary from 10 to 150 liters. Models over 100 liters are convenient for daily use by families of more than 4 people.
- Simplicity and ease of construction. The main elements are heating elements and an internal tank. Everything is simple for the user, there are no unnecessary and incomprehensible levers.
- Leading manufacturers have taken care of the quality of the models. An individual approach for any budget, different living spaces.
- Heated water is supplied to several points at once. For example, you can draw water in the bathroom and in the kitchen.
- Models with small and medium volume are easy to install and connect to the network. Moreover, the power level is almost the same with classic household appliances.
Of course, any technique has its drawbacks and causes distrust at the first tests. When choosing an electric storage water heater more than 50 liters, the volume of the device will seem impressive. Moreover, it is more often broadcast over the bathroom, and this causes discomfort.
Even for the first use in the season, you need to wait for time for heating, but further operation of the device will not spend even minutes of free time.
You just need to get used to the storage device, and for the summer season the whole family will only enjoy using it.
Design feature of the electric storage water heater
This household appliance is equipped with:
- external protective casing made of stainless steel, high quality plastic or enamel;
- thermal insulation between the tank and the protective casing;
- a water heating tank (high-quality models are equipped with stainless steel tanks);
- connector for supplying cold water to the system;
- a magnesium anode, which is necessary to prevent the formation of scale;
- a heating element (heating element) of a certain type: open or closed;
- the outlet of the processed hot liquid;
- thermostat to ensure correct heating control.
Each of the listed elements allows the heater system to function correctly. If, for example, a heating element breaks down, it is not difficult to replace it with your own hands.
The time of heating the liquid in the tank depends on the volume. A storage water heater for 10 or 15 liters will prepare water in half an hour, a device with a tank of 150-200 liters will heat up up to 6 hours.
A larger volume, respectively, is enough for everyone. Therefore, the overall efficiency is independent of the specific tank volume.
Types and methods of connecting storage water heaters
The storage electric water heater is classified according to the method of mounting into vertical and horizontal.
This difference (classification) is insignificant, it only helps in choosing a particular model. It is worth noting that horizontal lines of models are more expensive, but work in the same way with vertical ones. A storage water heater with a vertical body of 80 liters is the optimal model for installation in an apartment.
There are also 2 ways to connect storage water heaters:
- Pressurized. Applicable in constant water pressure system. The specific type for water supply is not important. It is essential that water is supplied to the line at a stable pressure. Much better than gravity, because there will always be hot water in the tanks of the heater, and as it is used, the required amount of cold water will come into operation from the water supply. Stable head. The pressure of the water treated by the boiler depends on the pressure in the riser. Standard connection of the device to the water supply system.
- Free-flow. It is considered an outdated way of connecting a heater. But electric water heaters for summer cottages, most often, are mounted and put into operation in a non-pressure way. This method is convenient for small summer cottages without permanent residence. This is how the models of storage electric water heaters up to 30 liters in volume are usually installed.
Moreover, the free-flow approach to installation has an advantage in power consumption, because already heated water is mixed with cold water less actively due to the lack of the required pressure. But during operation, you have to monitor the water level, otherwise the heating element will fail. Plus, low power will increase the waiting time for hot water.
How to choose an electric storage water heater
Before purchasing a specific model, it is better to find out the power consumption. The fact is that for a classic horizontal water heater no more than 50 liters, a power of one and a half kilowatts is enough. Such a device is easy to install where there is a high-quality outlet. During the operation of the device, there will be no network overloads.
More powerful models need to be improved on the electrical network and an individual automatic fuse. More work needs to be done and instructions strictly followed. The power criterion is essential for the daily use of such a device. The maximum power is 6 kilowatts.
Devices over 2 kilowatts require an individual connection to the network.
Important details when choosing a boiler
The most important detail in this case is the displacement. You can roughly calculate the consumption for each person in the room. The average consumption of hot water in the bathroom is from 100 to 180 liters, and up to 90 liters of hot water is spent in the shower, the washbasin above the sink in the bathroom spends up to 20 liters, while the kitchen sink spends 25 to 40 liters.Comparing such volumes, it is easy to imagine how much each family member will spend hot water per day.
A classic urban family of 3 people, as a rule, chooses a 100-liter storage water heater. A larger volume is an order of magnitude more expensive, and the power consumption is higher.
Leading manufacturers sell the most horizontal models. Exception for the company Electrolux, which was the first to start producing boilers for universal use. The models of this company can be installed horizontally and vertically, used as compactly as the area allows.
On the Russian market, a good place is occupied by Italian companies for the production of boilers, boilers and heaters. First place for the company Ariston.
The sequence in the selection of parameters must be started with:
- Volume.
- Heating element power.
- Thermal insulation material.
- The type of material for the inner tank.
- Locations. Horizontal or vertical.
- Built-in coil.
Often, consumers choose a water heater of a smaller volume due to the impossibility of installing the required model. In this case, family members have to wait until a new volume of water is heated.