Nothing will stop you from installing electric water heater cumulative type with your own hands, if you are “friendly” with tools. Let's look at the basic connection diagrams that will help you understand the installation details and connect the boiler to the water supply and electrical network.
An electric storage water heater is a thermally insulated storage tank with heating elements (heating elements) inside, cold inlet and outlet fittings. hot water and automatic temperature control. They can be wall-mounted or floor-mounted, horizontal or vertical. Each type of installation has its own characteristics.
Construction of a Haier wall-mounted storage water heater: 1 - hot water outlet; 2 - inlet cold water; 3 - storage tank; 4 - thermocouple; 5 - heating element; 6 — magnesium anode (corrosion protection); 7 — brackets
Features of installing a wall-mounted water heater
First of all, when installing a wall-mounted water heater, you need to make sure that the wall can withstand the additional load. Equipment manufacturers recommend using four times the weight of a boiler filled with water when making calculations. But since few people can correctly calculate the loads building structures, you should be guided by the following rules:
- A load-bearing wall can support the weight of almost any domestic water heater.
- When installing a boiler on walls, especially in “Khrushchev” buildings, or walls made of hollow bricks, small tanks can still be hung simply on anchors. It is better to install more or less capacious drives on a wall reinforced with racks or attach them to through bolts, secured with a tie for reliability.
Attaching the storage boiler to the wall
Schemes for connecting a wall-mounted storage water heater to water
The fittings for supplying cold water and discharging hot water are located at the bottom of the wall-mounted boiler, and are marked in blue and red, respectively. Connection to the main line can be done in two ways:
- without security group;
- with the security group.
Schemes without a safety group can be used when connecting a water heater designed for a pressure exceeding the pressure in the main cold water supply, if this pressure is stable. In case of unstable, strong pressure in the line, preference should be given to connecting through a safety group.
In any case, the connection and installation of the water supply system begins with inserting tees into the cold and hot water pipelines after the taps installed at the entrance of the water supply to the apartment.
Attention! If the pipes in the house have not been changed for a long time, you need to check their condition before work. Corroded ones may need to be replaced steel pipes for new ones.
Branches are made from the tees to connect the water heater. When the boiler is operating, the hot water tap must be completely closed. Cold water flows freely to heating, to faucets, and into the toilet cistern.
On the boiler, a return valve is screwed onto the cold water supply fitting. safety valve. It serves as protection against thermal expansion of water in the storage tank, periodically bleeding off its excess. A drainage tube is installed from the drain hole of the valve, which should be directed downward and descend into the container or sewer freely, without kinks that could interfere with the drainage of excess water in the tank.
Non-return safety valve
Shut-off valves cannot be installed between the valve and the water heater. But a tee, on the branch of which there is a tap for emptying the tank, can be installed, and is even recommended by the manufacturers. The pipe or hose from it must be led into the sewer, or connected with a tee to the cold water supply pipe to the safety valve.
At the outlet of the hot water boiler and at the inlet of cold water, immediately after the check valve, you need to install taps that shut off this line during the period when the water heater is not working. After the taps, the pipelines through flexible plumbing hoses or rigid steel or plastic pipes must be connected to branches from the tees on the mains.
Water supply without a safety group with a pressure reducer: 1 - water supply shut-off valves; 2 — water pressure reduction reducer; 3 - water heater shut-off valves; 4 - non-return safety valve; 5 - drainage into the sewer; 6 - valve for draining water from the tank; 7 - storage water heater
If the main water supply requires pressure adjustment, then a reducer or safety group is installed at the cold water inlet after the main taps or on branches from the tees. As a rule, for domestic water heaters in urban environments, it is sufficient to install a pressure reducer that reduces the pressure to acceptable or recommended limits by the manufacturer.
The safety group for an electric water heater consists of individual elements assembled locally. Not to be confused with the safety group for boilers! The order of their installation is shown in the figure.
Security group assembly diagram: 1 - check valve; 2 - tee; 3 - “American”; 4 - FAR safety valve at 6 bar; 5 - compression fitting for a metal-plastic pipe (draining when pressure is exceeded)
Scheme of water supply through the safety group: 1 - pressure reducer; 2 - valve for draining the tank; 3 - security group; 4 - drain into the sewer when water pressure exceeds
For horizontal water heaters, the connection is made according to similar schemes.
Schemes for connecting a water heater to the electrical network
For safe operation, it is advisable to connect the water heater to the network in a dry place, and it is recommended to cover the cables in a moisture-proof channel. Apart from the boiler, other electrical appliances, especially powerful ones, should not be connected to this branch of the electrical network. The main elements of the circuit: electrical cable, socket, RCD and automatic circuit breaker.
Cable
The cable cross-section must be sufficient so that the wiring does not overheat and cause a fire. You will need a copper three-core cable brand NYM or its equivalent VVG. Recommended values for the minimum cross-section of a copper core at different power of a single-phase water heater are given in Table 1.
Table 1
Socket
Low-power water heaters can be connected directly to a three-wire moisture-proof outlet with a degree of protection against moisture in accordance with GOST 14254-96, for example, IP44 or another suitable for your situation (see Table 2), which is installed on a separate supply from the electrical panel.
Table 2
| IP protection degrees | IPx0 | IPx1 | IPx2 | IPx3 | IPx4 | IPx5 | IPx6 | IPx7 | IPx8 | |
| No protection | Falling vertical drops | The fall of vertical drops at an angle of 15° from the vertical | Splashes at an angle of 60° from vertical | Splashes from all sides | Jets from all sides under slight pressure | Strong currents | Temporary immersion (up to 1 m) | Full immersion | ||
| IP 0x | No protection | IP 00 | ||||||||
| IP 1x | Particles > 50 mm | IP 10 | IP 11 | IP 12 | ||||||
| IP 2x | Particles > 12.5 mm | IP 20 | IP 21 | IP 22 | IP 23 | |||||
| IP 3x | Particles > 2.5 mm | IP 30 | IP 31 | IP 32 | IP 33 | IP 34 | ||||
| IP 4x | Particles > 1 mm | IP 40 | IP 41 | IP 42 | IP 43 | IP 44 | ||||
| IP 5x | Partial dust | IP 50 | IP 54 | IP 65 | ||||||
| IP 6x | Dust completely | IP 60 | IP 65 | IP 66 | IP 67 | IP 68 | ||||
Grounded socket
Such a socket differs in appearance from a two-wire socket in the presence of metal grounding contacts (terminals).
Connection diagram for socket with grounding
Protection devices - RCDs and automatic devices
IN electrical diagram When connecting water heaters (especially with increased power), it is recommended to turn on the residual current device (RCD). It is designed to block the operation of equipment in the event of current leakage to the housing. The current strength at which blocking occurs is indicated on the device and must be 10 mA to operate the boiler. This parameter indicates the difference between the current entering and leaving the water heater.
The choice of RCD based on the power of the water heater is given in Table 3.
Table 3
The type of RCD for the alternating current network is “A” or “AC”. When choosing a device, you should give preference to a more expensive, electromechanical one - it is more reliable, responds faster and provides higher protection.
In some boilers, the RCD is included in the basic package and is located directly in the housing; in other models it must be purchased additionally.
Appearance of the RCD
Externally, the RCD and the differential switch (diffautomatic) are very similar, but they are easy to distinguish by markings. A conventional circuit breaker cuts off the current to the equipment when the voltage rises, while a differential circuit breaker simultaneously functions as both an RCD and a circuit breaker.
The choice of a two-pole circuit breaker based on the power of a single-phase water heater is given in Table 4.
Table 4
If you choose overly sensitive protection devices, the boiler will constantly turn off and the water will not heat up normally.
Connection diagrams
The connection diagram is adopted depending on the desired level and instrument design of protection of people and equipment. Below are a few common circuits, as well as a video that gives detailed explanations of these circuits.
Connection via socket only
Protection - double automatic: 1 - plug; 2 - socket; 3 - double automatic; 4 — shield; grounding
Connection via electrical panel: 1 - automatic; 2 - RCD; 3 - electrical panel
In the RCD + double circuit breaker circuit: 1 - RCD 10 mA; 2 - fork; 3 — IP44 socket; 4 - double automatic; 5 - water heater line; 6 - apartment line; 7 - electrical panel; 8 - grounding
All according to safety rules electrical installation work are performed when the power supply is turned off at the individual electrical panel. Do not plug in the water heater without filling it with water. Do not drain the water from it without turning off the electricity.
Features of connecting a floor water heater
Since such a heater is installed on the floor, all connections to it are located not on the bottom panel, but at the bottom of the side or rear vertical wall. In everyday life, such storage boilers are rarely used, since the smallest of them have a tank volume of 100-150 liters. In addition, they take up a lot of space and have high power, which places serious demands on electrical wiring and safety automation.
Connecting to water for floor-mounted heaters is similar. wall models. Due to the relatively high power, the connection to the electrical network must be done exclusively through a separate panel.
When it is necessary to connect a water heater to a water supply system, the diagram must take into account the type of unit, installation location and other parameters. Only by carefully considering the installation method can you achieve the desired result - reliable operation and longevity of the equipment. We should not forget that there are certain rules and requirements that must be observed during installation.
According to the type of energy used, water heaters are divided into gas and electric.
The first option is more economical, but the installation of such models, as in all installation cases gas equipment should be carried out by specialists with permits. That is why the connection of electric models will be discussed in detail below; in this case, it is possible to install the boiler yourself.
According to the principle of operation, water heating units can be storage or flow-through.
Required Tools
In order for the scheme for connecting the boiler to the water supply to be implemented without problems, it is necessary to prepare everything necessary in advance.
The list of tools and materials includes:
- measuring devices (ruler or tape measure),
- impact tool for drilling and drill bits in a set (you can use a hammer drill or a drill with an impact function),
- fastening elements for mounting the unit on the wall (brackets, anchors),
- mounting keys for connecting elements (it is optimal to supplement the kit with pliers and an adjustable wrench),
- tees (fittings designed for insertion into water pipes),
- shut-off valves (they should be installed at the entrances to the boilers to ensure that the equipment can be turned off, for example, for repairs)
- materials to ensure the tightness of connections (tow, special paste, sealing tape),
- flexible hoses (with their help, liquid is introduced into and out of the heater).
When preparing materials and tools, take into account the individual characteristics of connecting the water heater to the water supply system - the scheme may involve extending pipes or creating a bypass line. In this case, it is necessary to purchase pipes, choosing them according to technical specifications(It is important to remember that not all materials are resistant to high temperatures).
Working with various types of pipelines
The diagram for connecting the water heater to the water supply in the apartment and the choice of tools and materials also depend on the type of existing pipeline.
Polypropylene pipelines
To work with polypropylene pipes, you will need a pipe cutter and a special soldering device. In this case, the tees are selected from a similar material, and MPH couplings are used to connect them to the taps.
The process itself is not difficult if the pipes are open; with hidden communications, the process is complicated by the need to open the top layer above the pipes. Only after this will it be possible to crash into the water supply.
Metal-plastic pipelines
Metal-plastic pipes are usually laid on the surface, so the likelihood of complications is eliminated. Installation is carried out using fittings, and their choice is quite large, so any water heater installation scheme can be implemented without additional problems.
The insertion is carried out using tees, to which, depending on the location of communications and the installation location of the heater, additional pipes or directly flexible hoses for input are connected.
The photo shows an option of how you can install a water heater with your own hands using metal-plastic pipes and compression fittings Steel pipelines
Do without welding work when working with a steel pipeline, the original “vampire” tee will allow it. Structurally, it is a clamp with an outlet, which is put on the pipe (of course, the water supply should be turned off before installation) and secured with clamping screws. A rubber gasket is used for a tight fit.
Using a repair clip-tee is sufficient in a simple way installation, but not the most reliable Important: Before installing the tee clip, the section of pipe under it should be cleaned of dirt, rust, and paint.
After installing the clamp with the outlet, a hole is drilled through the latter in the main pipeline. To perform such work, the use of a protective sleeve is required. It will prevent damage to the internal threads when drilling. A tap is installed on the outlet thread and then a supply hose to the boiler.
If you want to know how it is done, the whole process will be shown, and the text information in the article will help you avoid mistakes.
Storage heater installation
For those who are interested in how to install an electric storage water heater, it is important to know that when installing such equipment it is necessary. It will ensure correct operation of the unit and reduce the likelihood of emergency situations.
A safety check valve for a water heater prevents water from flowing out of the heater, and also, if the maximum pressure in the tank is exceeded, it discharges excess liquid into the sewer through a drain outlet The water inlet pipe of the water heater is marked in blue to avoid errors when connecting. During installation, a safety valve is installed on it in compliance with the tightness requirements (FUM tape, flax tow, etc. are used). To further connect the water heater to the water supply, use a flexible hose or a hose in combination with pipes (steel, polypropylene or metal-plastic structures are selected according to the type of existing pipeline. The so-called safety group (non-return safety valve) should work flawlessly, so if you use an inexpensive installation kit , it is better to purchase this element separately, choosing high quality.
At self-installation The sequence of installed elements in the direction from the inlet pipe of the water heater will be as follows:
- tee,
- a ball valve, which is used to drain water and is connected to the side outlet of the tee,
- safety valve with drain outlet,
- shut-off valve to shut off the system,
- pipeline.
This is a basic list of elements for installing a water heater in an apartment or private house, which can be supplemented if necessary:
- reducer (a device that reduces the inlet pressure to the nominal value for the water heating device),
- filter (if the water in the pipeline does not meet the requirements, for example, if there is large quantity insoluble impurities and salts that form deposits on the surface of the tank and on the heating element).
After completing these operations, all that remains is to connect the hot line to the boiler. To do this, a shut-off valve is mounted on the corresponding pipe of the water heater so that it can be turned off. The shut-off valve is connected to a flexible hose to drain the heated liquid.
Installation of instantaneous water heater
How to install instantaneous water heater, depends on how many water intake points the unit is supposed to be used at. Depending on this, the power and performance of the water heater are also selected.
The easiest way is to mount the model on one crane. Thus, there is often a need to find out how to install a flow-through heater in the bathroom of residents of city houses with central hot water supply with frequent hot water outages. In this case, a low-power and cheaper device may be sufficient.
In private homes, where a heater is the only heating method, more complex circuits with branches are often implemented (at least for a kitchen faucet and a bath or shower). Such schemes require more powerful and expensive equipment. Installation in this case has its own characteristics. For example, the location for installing the heater should be chosen so that it is located approximately at an equal distance from all points of water consumption.
Installation is performed in the following sequence:
- Installation of tees on hot and cold water pipelines for tapping equipment.
- Installation of ball valves on tees to be able to shut off the water supply if necessary. In particular, when using a heater as an alternative, when turning off the tap to hotline makes it possible to use hot water from a centralized line.
- The tees on the pipelines are connected to the corresponding nozzles of the water heater using flexible hoses. If the equipment is located far from the tie-in points, pipes (polypropylene, metal-plastic, steel - depending on the type of pipeline available) can also be used.
Important: Since the power of such models is high, it is recommended to use a reinforced three-core cable as wiring and lead it from the panel; an RCD and grounding are also required. This will all be relevant for powerful storage boilers.
Plus, when installing a flow-through electric heater with your own hands, it is recommended to use an ion exchange filter, and, if necessary, a mechanical one to protect the ion exchanger from rapid contamination. This is due to the intense deposition of salts on the equipment during rapid heating of water in a flow-through heater.
Video
The video will show you clearly how to install a water heater with your own hands.
IN summer period, due to the shutdown of hot water, many of us are puzzled by the purchase of an electric water heater or boiler for heating water. The choice of boilers on the market is quite large. They come in both flow-through and storage types. There are also enough manufacturers. Among the most popular are companies such as, Electrolux or.
Buying a water heater is not difficult, but it also needs to be installed correctly. The principle of installation and connection of the boiler is the same for most models and rarely depends on the manufacturer. Today we’ll talk about how to connect a boiler to a water supply in the apartment correctly, we will analyze all the details of the connection and the materials that are best used, as well as how to drain the water from a storage boiler.
Connecting a storage water heater (boiler)
In order to properly connect the water heater to the central water supply system, let's look at the tank itself. For connection, any water heater has two threaded fittings.
On some models, there is also a third fitting. It is needed to drain the remaining water from the tank when dismantling it. The connection with the blue ring is the cold water inlet, and the red one is the hot water outlet.
Before you connect the boiler with your own hands, you need to decide in advance how you will connect it. There are three most common connection types:
- for polypropylene pipes;
— for metal-plastic pipes;
- for flexible hoses.
Metal-plastic is gradually leaving the market, giving way to pipes and fittings made of polypropylene. Of course, the easiest way to connect the tank is with flexible hoses, but they have a very narrow conditional passage, and this may affect the performance of the water heater.
We recommend connecting the water heater to polypropylene. You may have to tinker a little, but the connection will be of high quality and will look much better and more pleasant from the outside. As a rule, the diameter of the fittings on most water heaters is 15 mm or half an inch 1/2.
Connecting the boiler with flexible hoses
Necessary material for connecting the boiler to the water supply
— two polypropylene couplings with American ones;
— ball valve made of polypropylene;
- tee made of brass;
- brass;
— non-return safety valve;
- a meter of polypropylene pipe and a pair of couplings for soldering;
- apparatus for soldering pipes.
American couplings are needed to transition from metal half-inch threads to polypropylene. In addition, American women can always unscrew and dismantle the boiler. A polypropylene tap must be placed at the outlet of the water heater to shut off the flow of water from the tank.
Connecting a boiler to polypropylene
Why is a non-return safety valve needed?
This valve usually comes with the boiler; without it, the water heater will not work correctly. It has two ends with male and female threads. The thread diameter is standard 15 mm. We screw one end of it onto the inlet fitting of the boiler, and then screw a coupling with an American connection or a flexible line onto the other end.
The valve performs three functions:
— prevents the flow of water in the opposite direction;
— prevents a surge in excess pressure in the tank itself.
— discharge of water into the sewer through a special drain
Connection diagram of the boiler to the water supply
How to drain water from a boiler
If the tank body does not have a special outlet for draining water, then you can install a threaded tee made of brass or polypropylene at the inlet in front of the check valve, or at the hot water outlet. And we put a brass ball valve on the side of it, preferably with a “butterfly”. It will take up less space than a long lever faucet.
This tap can be pre-pulled, for example, a regular one for draining water, into a container prepared in advance for this purpose. In the event that it is necessary to completely drain the water from the boiler, simply open the tap and wait until all the water flows out of it.
After you have hung the boiler and connected everything, you need to check all connections for leaks. As you can see, connect the boiler to the water supply Living in an apartment is not as difficult as it seems at first. If you do everything correctly and slowly, you can save some money on the services of installation companies. Watch the video.
Installing a boiler in an apartment or house is a solution to the problem of lack of hot water. You can easily install it yourself. To do everything correctly, you need to familiarize yourself with the connection diagrams for communications (including water supply), as well as the video of the master class.
Types of boilers
Modern boilers come in two types, which differ significantly in the principle of heating water:
- Flow-through - heats water as it is used. The volume of hot water produced by such a water heater is unlimited. At the same time, its power consumption is very high.
- Storage - they have a reservoir in which the water is heated by heating elements. The temperature of the water in the tank is maintained at a fixed level constantly.
Flow-through boiler (right), storage (left)
The choice of a boiler with different storage tank volumes is based on several rules:
- 10-15 l - such a boiler will provide hot water for small household needs (for example, a washbasin);
- 50 l - this volume will be quite enough to supply hot water to the shower;
- 80-100 l - this volume of hot water can satisfy all needs (bath, shower, kitchen sink).
Storage boilers are more in demand in everyday life. And this is quite justified, because they will provide hot water to several points at once. In addition, there will always be a supply of water in the house.
When the boiler has been selected and purchased, you can begin its installation. First you need to mount it on the wall. When choosing a wall, you must take into account the dimensions and weight of the device when filled.
- The boiler should only be mounted on a load-bearing wall, since its weight when filled can exceed 100 kg.
- The boiler should be located as close as possible to the hot water dispensing point.
- Consider the dimensions of the product and its design features(vertical or horizontal arrangement, upper or lower connection of communications).
The boiler is mounted on a load-bearing wall
- The boiler can be mounted at any height. At the same time, you need to remember that in houses where the water pressure is “not very good”, raising the boiler to the ceiling is risky, the water may simply not reach it.
Advice. If the pressure in the water supply is weak, then for uninterrupted operation it is advisable to install the boiler as low as possible.
- After installation, the boiler must remain freely accessible for preventive maintenance and repair.
Preparatory work
Connecting a boiler to the water supply with your own hands is not a very difficult task, which any self-respecting owner can cope with.
Preparatory work for connecting the boiler includes:
Advice. When choosing related fittings, keep in mind that cheap, low-quality materials will not last long.
General diagram of connection to the water supply
Connecting a boiler to a water supply from any type of pipe is carried out according to one general scheme.
Attention! All work on connecting the boiler to the water supply begins with shutting off the water supply to the apartment.
Cold water supply (from top to bottom):
- Installing an “American” connection to the water supply pipe of a boiler is one of the simplest and most reliable options for connecting a boiler. If it is necessary to dismantle the water heater, you can disconnect it from the water supply in a few minutes.
- Installation of a brass tee with a tap for draining water. This part is not a prerequisite when connecting the boiler. But for the convenience of draining water from the boiler, this is an excellent and durable option.
- Installation of a security system is a prerequisite for connecting the boiler to the water supply. The system includes:
Water supply diagram to the boiler
- non-return valve - will prevent the outflow of hot water from the boiler in the event of a drop in the pressure of the cold water supply or its complete absence;
- safety valve - if the pressure inside the boiler tank increases, excess water is automatically released through this valve to reduce the internal pressure.
Attention! The security system included with the water heater is not always reliable. To protect yourself from trouble, purchase a reliable check valve and “stall” valve.
The importance of a security system cannot be overestimated. So, the absence of a check valve in the event of a water supply shutdown (for example, main line repair) will lead to emptying of the tank. In this case, the heating elements will still heat up, which will lead to their failure.
The safety valve is no less important in the system. Let's say the thermostat in the boiler has failed. In this case, the heating elements will not automatically turn off and the temperature of the water in the tank can reach 100º. The pressure in the tank will rapidly increase, which will ultimately lead to an explosion of the boiler.
Safety valve in the system
- If low-quality, hard water is supplied to the water supply after the stop tap, it is necessary to install a cleaning filter. Its presence will protect the boiler capacity from scale and water scale deposits, which will significantly extend its service life.
- Installation of shut-off valve. Its purpose is to shut off the water supply to the boiler during its maintenance or repair, while water will be supplied to other points.
- If the pressure in the water supply “jumps,” experienced craftsmen recommend installing a pressure reducer. If it is already installed at the water inlet into a house or apartment, there is no need to duplicate the installation.
- Inserting a tee into an existing cold water supply pipe.
Hot water outlet (top to bottom):
- Installation of an “American” coupling on the hot water pipe of a boiler.
- Installation of a ball valve to allow water to drain from the boiler (if such a valve is already installed in another location, there is no need to duplicate it).
- Connection to hot water distribution in an apartment or house.
Attention! All connections of parts must be made using flax tow with fum tape or a special sealant paste.
Insertion into a metal-plastic pipe. The easiest way to insert. In the right place, the pipe is cut with a cutter and, using suitable fittings, a tee is mounted on it, from which cold water will be supplied to the boiler. are already losing their popularity. Outwardly, they do not look very aesthetically pleasing, and their service life is not very long.
Insertion into a polypropylene pipe. This type of insertion is more labor-intensive and costly, but at the same time the most reliable. A tee with an “American” coupling for connection is mounted using a special soldering iron. Having cut a piece of pipe in the right place with special scissors, it is necessary to maintain the alignment of its two parts. Otherwise, it will not be possible to solder the tee.
Connection diagram of the boiler to the water supply
Box in metal pipe . Such an insertion will require certain skills in working with bends and couplings. If it is possible to cut a thread on a cut pipe, the tee is installed using a regular plumbing fitting or coupling. If they are located in such a way that it is not possible to use a flatware for cutting threads, they resort to using a special clamp with a threaded outlet, popularly known as a “vampire”. The procedure for working with a “vampire”:
- The metal pipe must be thoroughly cleaned of old paint.
- Drill a hole in the pipe at the insertion point. The diameter of the hole in the pipe must match the hole in the coupling.
- The vampire coupling is mounted on a metal pipe through a rubber gasket and secured with coupling bolts. The holes in the pipe and coupling must match.
Attention! A large hole drilled in a pipe will compromise the strength characteristics of the pipe; small - in a short time it will become clogged with dirt.
Starting water and testing
When the connection of the boiler to the water supply is completed, you need to fill it with water, while simultaneously checking the tightness of all connections.
- Open the hot water tap to remove air from the boiler tank.
- Open the shut-off valve on the cold branch.
- When the supply of cold water begins, you need to carefully inspect all joints for leaks. If leaks are found, they are repaired before the boiler is filled with water.
- If water flows from the “hot” tap, it means the boiler is full and the hot water tap can be closed.
Boiler operation diagram
After filling the boiler with water, you can connect it to the power supply and enjoy the availability of hot water.
Installing a boiler with your own hands is not difficult at all. The main thing is to follow all safety rules when connecting it to communications, so that its further operation will be without unpleasant “surprises”.
Do-it-yourself boiler installation: video
How to install a boiler: photo
Reading time: 6 min
Connecting a boiler to a water supply to obtain hot water is widely used and not only where there is no centralized supply of hot water.
Today, more and more users living in multi-storey buildings, install individual installations as a solution to the problem of poor quality or lack of hot water supply. Modern water treatment equipment is reliable and has a simple design, which makes it easy to carry out installation work yourself.
Types of water heaters
You can choose a heater to suit every taste
Currently, two types of heaters are used, differing in the principle of heating water:
- Flow-through - high-speed, heating the environment upon turning on the tap. The unit has no limitation on the volume of water supplied, but consumes a large amount of power required for instant heating environment.
- Storage tanks are the most popular in the housing sector - they have a tank for storing and preparing hot water. It heats up gradually from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the selected mode. The source is electricity, gas or a secondary heat source in combi boilers. After reaching the operating temperature, it is maintained constant, according to the principle of operation of a storage tank.
Based on the type of energy, boilers are classified into gas and electric. The first ones are the most economical, but you cannot install them yourself, since they belong to high-risk objects and can only be connected and configured by specialists from the gas supply organization.
Electric water heaters are structurally designed in such a way that they can be installed independently by customers, subject to following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Algorithm for executing the installation diagram for heating hot water:
- Selection of equipment by power and volume.
- Selecting an installation location.
- Purchase of materials and installation tools.
- Selecting an installation scheme.
- Connecting a storage water heater with in-house engineering networks: water and electricity.
- Pressure testing of the hot water circuit and commissioning.
Schematic principle of operation of the boiler
Electric boilers can be simplistically represented as the operation of an electric kettle; the more powerful its heating element, the faster it will boil. In order to select water heating equipment, use a simple ratio of quantities: 15 l drinking water is heated by a 1.5 kW heating element to 60 C in 1 hour, and 100 l by a 3 kW element in 4 hours.
Before connecting the boiler to the water supply, select the power and take into account the technical data of the electrical network at the input in a private house or apartment; usually the subscriber is allocated no more than 5–10 kW per single-phase network. Installing a powerful heating element will limit the operation of other electrical appliances and knock out the circuit breaker. The power/volume ratios are taken as follows: 20 l - 1 kW, 50 l - 1.5 kW, 100 l -2 kW, 200 l up to 6 kW.
For a more accurate selection, take into account the hot water consumption per minute, for example, for washing dishes up to 4 l/min, and for a shower up to 8 l/min and the number of users of the hot water supply service.
After selecting the heater model, proceed to wiring the circuit:
- The housing is fixed to the wall, taking into account the size and weight of a full water boiler, which can exceed 200 kg. Therefore, the wall must only be load-bearing.
- The water heater is installed closer to the water collection points, taking into account the type of communications connection.
- When positioning the boiler, leave free space in front of it for maintenance and repair.
Materials and components for installation
Before you start installation work you need to complete a set of preparatory procedures, which include:
- Studying the passport, manufacturer’s instructions and the diagram for connecting the boiler to the water supply.
- Connecting pipes and electrical cables to the device installation point.
- Purchase of materials and components. The boiler kit usually includes brackets or brackets intended for fastening; the remaining parts and fittings will need to be purchased independently.
List of materials for standard scheme:
- shut-off valves ball valves, diameter 15 mm, 3 units;
- American, diameter 15 mm, 2 units;
- tee, diameter 15 mm, 1 unit;
- safety check valve, diameter 15 mm, 1 unit;
- pipes with fittings, length according to the diagram;
- 3-core cable VVG, copper, 2.5 mm2, length according to the diagram;
- circuit breaker, two-pole, 20 A.
Installation of water pipes
To perform installation using polypropylene pipes A pipe cutter and a soldering device will be needed. Tees are purchased from the same material, together with couplings with metal threads.
Pipe cutter
For open water supply systems, connecting the boiler to the water supply is not difficult; if the system is closed, then a certain amount of excavation work will be required to make room for inserting the pipeline being installed into the existing network.
Metal-plastic pipes are laid according to external patterns, so connecting them will not be difficult. Installation is carried out using fittings.
The retail network has a sufficient number of different designs for any connection scheme. The insertion is carried out using a tee connection, to which pipes or hoses are connected in accordance with the located networks and the installation location of the water heater.
For an underground water supply network, you cannot do without steel pipelines; you can avoid welding work if you use the original tee-“ vampire", which is made in the form of a clamp with a branch.
Tee type "Vampire"
It is pre-installed on a pipe that has been cleaned to metal and secured with screws. Density is ensured by rubber gaskets.
Next, a hole is made through the outlet in the supply pipeline by drilling, using a protective sleeve so as not to damage the internal threaded connection. A tap and a hose for supplying the medium to the heater are attached to the thread of the outlet pipe.
Electric boiler wiring diagram
Connecting the device to the water supply in the apartment begins with turning off the water at the subscriber input.
Connection algorithm:
- We connect the “American” to the pipe at the entrance to the boiler. This method is the most reliable, since it can dismantle the equipment in a couple of minutes.
- Mount a tee made of brass and a drain valve. The last element is not required for the storage boiler connection diagram, but many experts recommend it for the convenience of emptying the boiler during repair work or emergency situations.
- Assembling a security system.
Boiler and boiler wiring diagram
Set of security group elements:
- shut-off valve;
- water movement check valve;
- safety valve against overpressure;
- expansion tank to collect water that increases when heated.
Criteria correct installation:
- Carrying out installation shut-off valves according to the “input-output” scheme, so that you can completely turn off the heater during repairs or conservation.
- Check the compliance of the diameters of all elements of the circuit, as well as the acceptability of the power cable. Experts clarify that the diameters must create a standard speed for the movement of coolant through the pipes, larger size with adapters for fittings is possible, but vice versa - not.
- The same rule exists for cable line, a cable of a smaller cross-section cannot be used, otherwise you can get the effect of a “heating cable”, but a larger cross-section is not used either, due to the fact that it creates difficulties during installation. Here best option– full compliance with the load current, data can be taken from the passport for the unit.
- An electrical outlet is installed directly next to the tank; electric boilers are designed to be powered from a single-phase alternating current network of 220 V, 10 A.
System protection
Unfortunately, the quality of tap water in most homes is far from standard, which cannot but affect the operation of the electric boiler, so knowledgeable people It is rightly advised to install filters to remove suspended solids and hardness from water at the entrance to the house, which will have a beneficial effect not only on the operation of the equipment, but also on the health of the residents.
Water must be prepared
The same applies to the pressure reducer, which protects the system from surges in the system; it is also recommended to install it at the entrance to the house.
A safety valve is installed in the system to protect equipment from high pressure which occurs when water is heated. It is known that at 80 C the volume increases by 3%, for 100 liters of volume, there are 3 extra liters that need to be dumped somewhere, otherwise the boiler will burst.
This is what the safety valve does; installing it according to the diagram is mandatory. It consists of two functional parts - a check valve and a blast valve. The first prevents water from escaping into the internal water supply system; the second part, made in the form of a spring-loaded plug, works for it, which begins to discharge excess water at a pressure of more than 6 kg.
After the boiler is installed and the circuit is connected, it is filled with water and the leaks are checked, this process is called pressure testing, in this case it is performed by the working pressure of the water supply networks, but this is enough to make sure that all the connecting elements are assembled firmly and there are no leaks.
The procedure for filling the system with water:
- Open a hot tap, for example in a kitchen, to remove air from the container and the installed piping system.
- Open the tap for tap water supply.
- While filling the container, carefully inspect all connections for leaks or even the appearance of small drops of water. All of them are eliminated before the tank is filled with water.
- The process of removing air from the system will be completed when water starts coming out of the hot tap, the boiler is full, so the water is turned off.
- After the pressure testing is completed and all leaks have been eliminated, the device is connected to the electrical network and operation begins.
Common installation mistakes
The manufacturer, referring to SNIP standards, requires during installation to insulate cold water/hot water supply pipes with a layer of 20 mm and a thermal conductivity of 0.030 W/m2. At the same time, both the pipe and all components are insulated.
Sometimes this requirement is neglected, as a result of which, when the boiler reaches full capacity, heat losses appear, so such a device will heat water slowly.
They suffer without insulation and a cold water network, being a place where condensation accumulates en masse, creating unsanitary conditions. Another common mistake is installation without an expansion tank, especially for tanks with a volume of 200 liters or more.
List of other violations:
- Electric cable carried out in a high temperature area or on sharp metal surfaces.
- The procedure for connecting to the water supply system specified in the diagram by the manufacturer has been violated.
- The vertical/horizontal level of the installation is broken.
- There is no ground loop for the heater.
- The power supply parameters do not meet the requirements of the manufacturer specified in the passport data.
Before starting the device, you must carefully inspect the circuit; any, even the smallest mistake in the installation can become fatal during its operation, so every self-respecting owner should know how to connect the boiler correctly.