In modern living conditions, a boiler is no longer considered a luxury and a waste of money, but, on the contrary, is gradually becoming a necessity. With the constant shutdown of hot water or the absence of centralized water supply in areas remote from civilization, many people have to think about buying an autonomous water heater. But, before going to the store, let's figure out how to choose the right boiler and what types of this device exist.

The choice of a boiler is based on several important points:

• Power or volume- depending on the type of water heater and water consumption per family.
• Place of installation - whichever fits in size.
• Tank lining inside- material and spraying.
• A heating element- Depends on cost and durability requirements.

What types exist

There are several types of electric water heaters with their own advantages and disadvantages:

Cumulative

These are capacious water heaters, which were originally designed for a large supply of hot water. Such a boiler is installed in the bathroom or in the toilet. They consist of a tank with thermal insulation and a heating element with a temperature sensor. After cooling, the water is periodically heated up to the programmed temperature. This type of boiler is convenient in that it is suitable for a large family and can act as a water heater for a shower.

There is also a significant drawback in this type of boiler - it is very important to guess with the right volume, because when heating an excess amount of water, the electricity consumed by the boiler will not be justified and a tank that is too large will be unprofitable. At the same time, a small storage boiler will create inconvenience due to the constant lack of hot water.

Flowing

These devices are distinguished by their compactness and quick heating, after opening the tap, hot water immediately flows, but if flows from several sources open, there may be interruptions, since the water will not have time to heat up immediately. The simplest models of such devices spend up to 5 kW, but you won’t be able to use them for swimming. The maximum for which they are suitable is for washing dishes or hands.

To provide hot water throughout the house, you need to take more powerful flow-through boilers, which is inconvenient for rooms with poor electrical wiring.

Comparison of both types

To understand which boiler is better, in each individual case it is recommended to calculate in advance the approximate volume of hot water used.

• Boiler power. The big difference is that the storage boiler is independent of the quality of the wiring. In order to be able to use hot water for all needs, a device with a power of 2-3 kW is enough, which even the “Khrushchev” wiring can withstand, while to provide the same volume, a flowing water heater must have a power of at least 10 kW, and sometimes more.
• Connection. The storage tank only needs a socket - and it is ready for use, while the flow tank, due to its high power, needs a separate cable and an automatic switch on the shield.
• How much electricity is consumed. The storage boiler is forced to constantly maintain the temperature of the water and, accordingly, the energy consumption can be approximately 1 kW per day, the second type works on a different principle. Thanks to its device, the water heater produces exactly the amount of water that is required. In addition, it needs much less space, water enters through a heated tube inside a compact device.
• Heat. This is another characteristic not in favor of the storage boiler - the larger its volume, the longer the water will heat up. For example, it will take at least an hour and a half to heat 30 liters of water to a temperature of 75 degrees, and if the capacity is 120 liters, then the heating time will be at least 4 hours. You can speed it up if you purchase a storage boiler with two heating elements.
• Price. Flowing water heaters are much cheaper, on average, the price of such a device will be from 2500 rubles. The cost of the smallest drive in terms of volume starts from 4,000 rubles.

When choosing between two types of heaters, you need to think about the fact that the main disadvantage of an instantaneous water heater is the high consumption of electricity, but if it is purchased only for certain purposes (in the kitchen or for the washbasin), then a simple inexpensive model may be fine.

For other purposes, it is better to give preference to the storage type - it is easier to connect and does not require as much energy as the first option.

What is the difference between boilers

With a flowing water heater, everything is clear - it is small in size, practically does not require attention to itself, and its choice is based on differences in models in terms of quality and power. But with the storage device, everything is not so simple. These water heaters have different variations in several parameters.

A heating element

Varieties of heating elements are divided into:

Dry - no contact with water. It has a larger heat transfer zone and protection against scale in the form of a special flask. For heating to occur, it does not need to be heated to the limit, thanks to which it has a longer service life. But at the same time, of course, it costs almost twice as much.

Wet - immersed in water. This is a copper heater similar to a boiler. Due to the lack of protection, scale collects on it, as a result of which thermal conductivity decreases and the water begins to heat up longer, which leads to device failure.

Inner lining material

• Stainless steel. Undoubtedly, a good option, because it guarantees the absence of rust formation inside the tank, but we must not forget about the seams in which, during welding, chromium is depleted and the edges are thinned under the action of abrasive material, as a result, corrosion from them can spread. If you choose a boiler from a good brand, then there is a possibility of additional protection. On average, such boilers can last from 10 to 12 years.
• Enamel. In tanks with such a coating, enamel is responsible for the absence of corrosion, but the thickness of the steel of the tank itself and the layer of enamel applied to it are of great importance. It should be durable, but at the same time expand with the tank when it is heated and narrow when it cools - then it will not crack. Enamel should be applied evenly and supplemented with a special spray:
• silver ions. With excellent antibacterial and anticorrosive properties, they are also able to prevent the formation of microcracks during expansion.
• Nitrogen-titanium compound. To obtain this coating, titanium is nitrided at 1200 C. The main properties of this type of protection are high resistance to high temperatures and uniform heating. It is also used to improve the wear resistance of heat-resistant coatings.

Form

• Cylindrical. This is the easiest type of water heater to manufacture, so their price is lower than the rest. They may have different functionality, depending on the model, but in general, these are standard boilers that are very popular with the average consumer.
• Slim. They also have a cylindrical shape, but the body diameter is 10 cm smaller, so they save space. Another advantage is faster heating due to the reduced contact area between hot and cold water.
• Rectangular. These are high-tech devices with a thicker layer of thermal insulation, due to which heat is retained better and electricity is consumed less. Well suited for installation in niches.

Dimensions

The standard diameter of the water heater tank is 45 cm. As a rule, only the length differs due to the capacity. Eg:

• A 50 l boiler has a length of up to 60 cm;
• 80 l - up to 85 cm;
• 100 l - up to 115 cm;
• 150 l - about 160 cm.

Control

Mechanics. These are the simplest boilers to operate, which are controlled by a rotary knob. They are cheaper and suitable for houses with unstable mains voltage.

Electronics. These modern models, as a rule, have very wide functionality and additional features. They can be self-programmed, there are self-learning options for automatically setting the temperature to the preference of the owner, an economy mode and hypothermia protection are provided. Such boilers belong to the premium class of climatic equipment and have a corresponding cost.

How boilers work

The accumulative water heater according to the principle of operation can be correlated with a thermos, which has heating. The heating element receives electricity and heats up, water enters the lower part of the boiler and heating occurs evenly due to the fact that the already heated water rises. The jet divider is responsible for the temperature distribution.

Also, the boiler has a protective thermostat, which is triggered when the required temperature degree is reached, and then the heating element is turned off until the water cools down by a few degrees.

The heating elements are activated automatically, and the desired temperature is set by the user.

Boiler selection

• The purchased device must necessarily have a warranty - the shorter its validity period, the less quality the device may turn out to be.
• For a small family living in an ordinary apartment, an 80-100 liter boiler will be enough, it is better to buy larger devices if more than 3-4 people live.
• You should not rejoice at the low price - the device probably has a flaw, and it will not work for a long time.
• The device must contain a magnesium anode, which can be electronic or titanium. Its absence is fraught with corrosion on the inside of the tank.
• The more massive the boiler, the thicker the steel from which it is made, which means the stronger the welds.

When buying a boiler, it is important to remember that not only the choice affects the quality of the device, but also its care during operation. We must not forget about the annual check of the safety valve, additional cleaning and desalination for hard water. We also recommend sterilization once a month (to destroy harmful bacteria), which tend to multiply in warm water. To do this, it is enough to turn on the water heater at the maximum heating temperature.