Electric instantaneous water heaters on the shower: a review of species

If you do not have a constant hot water supply, or there are often interruptions in the supply of water, you can use a instantaneous water heater to solve the problem. The unit is easily connected to the network and water system. But before purchasing and connecting it, it is necessary to become more familiar with the features of this device.

Modern water heaters can be flowing and accumulative.

They may differ:

• power;
• dimensions;
• performance level;
• the cost

When operating cumulative models, energy is spent for a long time. Then it is necessary to maintain the temperature in a certain range. When using flow units, energy is consumed quickly, because the water is heated instantly. It must be understood that the same amount of electricity is required to heat water by degrees Celsius.

Each type of electric heater has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is worth noting that energy is consumed in approximately the same amount. Only the time interval during which the same volume of water is heated by the device differs. When running flow technology, the heating element turns on automatically.

The advantages of flow-through equipment include the fact that the models allow to save free space in the bathroom. They have compact dimensions, which is an important difference from storage equipment.

In addition, time is saved.You can quickly heat the water to wash. For example, to get ten liters of hot water requires the use of a storage heater for half an hour. Accordingly, it will take about five hours to get one hundred liters. In this case, using the flow system, you will receive the same volume of water instantly, since it is enough just to turn on the faucet. This is the most important advantage of this technique.

Among other things, flow-through units rarely require repair. The fact is that they are not subject to corrosion, as scale does not accumulate inside. Maintenance of such equipment is practically not necessary. Despite the fact that during operation the electric flow system will consume the maximum amount of electricity, the total costs will be less than the accumulation equipment, which takes a long time to heat the water and maintain the temperature at a stable level.

If we talk about the shortcomings inherent in the flow heaters, it is impossible not to note the fact that when using it, several water points cannot be provided. Water is heated to no more than 40 degrees.The operation of this equipment requires high, steady pressure in the water supply system. An important requirement for the operation of the system is the presence of a stable voltage in the network, at least 220 volts.

Each device that uses flow technology of heating water, uses the same principle. A cold stream of water flows through the body, in which a special part is located. It provides hot water. After turning on the tap, the pressure switch trips. For a short time, the water is heated to a level that you set yourself using the regulator.

In addition, there is an interrupter in the device, which ensures the shutdown of electric current when the temperature reaches a critical value. With the help of a pressure stabilizer, which is also equipped with the device, the system is protected from changes in pressure.

There are differences between the models of flow heaters, they are due to:

• device control device;
• type of heating element;
• features of the work.

A control system can be used to turn heating on and off and maintain a predetermined level.which can be mechanical and electronic. In the case of a mechanical system, the heater is equipped with a hydraulic unit. It has a membrane that moves after the flow of water, moving a special lever. At the same time, if the water is supplied with a small pressure, the membrane does not react, and the device does not work.

The advantage of the electronic system is that it works at any pressure. Water necessarily heats up to the established temperature. Electronics allows you to save energy.

The heating element is the main component of all equipment. It can be open and closed. The first option is a helix, the second is TEN. Open parts are made in the form of a plastic case with plastic tubes, and the wire helix is ​​located inside these tubes. Electricity, passing in a spiral, heats the thinnest layer of water that washes it.

The advantage of closed elements lies in their increased fire safety. They are located inside brass or copper cones. At the same time there is no direct contact of the element with water.

Work devices can pressure and free-flow technology.In the case of pressure equipment, water is constantly under pressure from the water supply network.

Non-pressure models are weaker in power, they are designed to work with one tap. The device has an internal pressure comparable to atmospheric pressure. Where water entry occurs, the device is equipped with a tap that regulates the strong pressure. Then the water flows through the outlet. These models surely work with a shower nozzle, the special mixer.

In this mixer there are tubes through which water:

• enters the mixer;
• served in the direction of the heater.

In addition, there is a tube connecting the device with a mixer drain.

A very popular model of pressure equipment - the device Thermex System 800. You can buy it for 3330 p. The device is equipped with mechanical control, power indicator - eight kilowatts, model dimensions - 27 * 170 * 95 millimeters. The main advantage is the low cost of the unit. The disadvantages include not the highest build quality.

In that case, if you are interested in purchasing a more powerful device, then consider the equipment from the manufacturer Siebel. For example, a model might be a good choice. Eltron DHC-E 12. It costs from 25 to 26 thousand. The device performance indicator is 5 l / min.

The device is equipped with mechanical control, it consumes ten kilowatts at work, has dimensions of 200 * 360 * 104 millimeters. An important advantage of this model is the presence of built-in overheating protection. The disadvantage is the high price.

Non-pressure devices work on the same principle as pressure devices, but they are equipped with a special mixer. It is necessary to overlap the water at the entrance. In the process, the mixer discharges excess water. There are many models from various companies on the market. It is necessary to take into account all the pros and cons that they possess.

One of the variants of the budget equipment is the model Timberk WHE 3.5 XTR H1, the cost of which does not exceed 2.5 thousand rubles. The heater is equipped with a mechanical control system, it consumes when working 3.5 kilowatts, has dimensions of 124 * 210 * 82 millimeters. The performance indicator is 2.45 liters per minute, and the weight of the device is only 0.8 kilo.The advantages, in addition to low prices, include the presence of a system of protection against overheating. The disadvantage is not the highest performance of the device.

A good non-pressure heater that can be found on the market is a model from Electrolux NP4 Aquatronic. This technique costs a little more than five thousand rubles. Power consumption is four kilowatts, the device has dimensions of 191 * 141 * 85 millimeters.

A device that weighs 1.42 kilograms heats two liters of water per minute. Compact size, low price with good quality can be considered indisputable advantages of this model. The disadvantages include not the highest power of the unit.

For low-cost equipment that can be used in apartments, is a model Atmor Basic 5. The unit is cheaper than two thousand rubles, it works with mechanical control. Power consumption is five kilowatts, the model heats up three liters of water per minute.

The device is completed with a shower nozzle, a hose, the plug for the socket. The advantages include low price of equipment, its compact dimensions. The downside is the insufficient length of the hose.

You can also select the water boilers with a display Electrolux and Alvin. Such bulk option differs in high quality.

On the modern market there are a huge number of models of heaters working on flow technology. When choosing, you need to focus on your requests. For example, if you need a device for the summer season, during which the initial temperature of the water is very high, there will be no sense in powerful equipment for 25 kilowatts. If you want to constantly use the heater to wash in the shower and wash the dishes in the kitchen, then buying a device with a power of 4-5 kilowatts will be meaningless.

There is the simplest recommendation for calculating personal water consumption. You can set the bucket in the shower, turn on the water, determine the time during which it will become filled.If a ten-liter bucket fills in a minute, then the flow rate will be ten liters per minute. If this requires half the time, then the flow rate is twenty liters per minute. If you plan to use multiple cranes, then calculate the cumulative figure.

To calculate the required power of the device, you can use the formula. P = Q × (t1 - t2) × 0.073. Q is the flow (liters per minute), which is multiplied by the difference between the temperatures of the outgoing and incoming water. For example, if the water comes with a pressure of eight liters per minute, then you can get the final temperature of forty degrees (initial - seven degrees), using a device with a power of 19.3 kilowatts.

Note that to achieve complete comfort with low-power single-phase equipment (power not exceeding 12 kilowatts) is extremely difficult. In this case, energy-intensive models (power from 12 to 27 kilowatts) do not handle all the wiring. It is known that powerful equipment does not specifically have a plug and power cord, so as not to accidentally plug it into a regular outlet.

Choosing the power of the device, you must understand that it can be operated in certain conditions. For example, if you live in the old “Khrushchev”, then some problems are quite possible.The fact is that in such houses the restriction of consumption of one apartment is three kilowatts per hour.

If you live in a modern high-rise building that is equipped with electric stoves, then the situation is simpler. Here, the rate of electric current consumption per apartment is at least ten kilowatts. However, you will not be able to turn on multiple home appliances in parallel. In this case, will not knock out traffic jams on the shield. You protect yourself from such a problem as a short circuit.

There are several useful recommendations for the operation of water heaters that everyone should know.

• It is very important to properly install a flow device for heating water. It is no secret that this equipment is very powerful, so a large amount of electrical energy is spent during its operation. The network will not overheat if you use separate wiring. Of course, for its creation it is better to turn to specialists.High-quality installation and proper connection of equipment is the key to normal, safe operation of the heater.
• The device will work optimally if used correctly. You should know how to reduce the costs associated with paying for electrical energy. The smaller the distance between the heater and the tap, the less will be the loss of water temperature.

• The heater will not fail if you do not leave it in a room where the temperature drops to negative values.
• User feedback suggests that when you turn on the flow device, you must perform a water pressure check. If the pressure is weak, then it is worth refusing to set a high heating temperature. The fact is that in this case the heater may not work.

If you want to use a flow heater on your summer cottage, pay attention to some customer reviews and expert recommendations.

• First of all, it is important to correctly determine the place where the device will be located.It is necessary to hang the device near the shower cabin so that it is far from splashes.
• If a model can function in different modes of operation, it should be placed at a meter distance. You can switch modes, turn on the device, it is convenient to turn it off. The heating unit must be positioned in such a way that the connection to the electrical network and the water supply system is easy. To extend the operating time of the unit, install cleaning filters in the entrance area.
• Having determined the place where the device will be installed, remove the cover from it. After that, attach the unit to the wall of the shower to mark future holes and align. For leveling use level. Using a drill, drill a wall, install dowels.

Please note that you may need additional fasteners that have a large length. Then the flow equipment is fixed on the wall. The procedure ends with connecting the device to the plumbing system and the electrical network.

How to choose a water heater, see the following video.