How to choose a storage electric water heater

To ensure comfort, not only in private houses, but also in summer cottages and even in apartments, electric storage water heaters are increasingly being used, which, without exaggeration, can be attributed to the most popular. At the same time, when choosing, it is advisable to consider the design features and the principle of operation of all options in order to find a truly optimal equipment that meets the requirements.

All models on the market can be classified according to the method of obtaining thermal energy on and electrical. The advantage of the former is the cost-effectiveness of operation (the cost of gas is lower than the cost of paying for electricity with an equal volume of heated water and other operating parameters).

Electrical products, in turn, are easier to install and, importantly, do not require a placement project and obtaining permission to use, like gas units.

According to the principle of operation, they are distinguished storage and flow water heaters. The difference in this case is quite explained by the names of the categories. Combined models began to appear on the market, combining elements of storage and flow products in their device.

The principle of operation of the storage water heater

For those who decide how to choose an electric storage water heater, it will not be difficult to understand the principle of operation of such a unit, even without any experience and special education. When explaining, such equipment is often compared with a thermos equipped inside with a heating element, and this has its own logic. Such models, after heating the water, maintain its temperature, therefore, by adjusting the shower or the flow from the tap at your discretion, you will not get unpleasant surprises when the pressure changes.

The main elements of the storage water heater are:

frame,
thermal insulation (most often, multi-layered for maximum efficiency),
internal anti-corrosion coating,
flanges for connecting pipelines (cold water supply and hot water discharge),
valves.

Efficiency and comfort of use can be increased by using additional equipment:

control devices,
automatic control systems that provide the ability to select the optimal water heating mode and prevent emergency situations (overheating in excess of the norm, operation of the heating element in the absence of water, etc.).

Classification of storage electric heaters

Storage water heaters connected to the mains can be pressure or non-pressure.

Simply put, the operation of a pressureless water heater is similar to boiling an electric kettle. Water is pumped into the tank (by automatic or manual activation of the pump), heated, consumed. Pros - easy installation and low price. Cons - the need to monitor the level and lack of pressure, water is consumed by gravity.

Pressure models are connected to the pipeline, cold water enters them as it decreases, and heated water comes out under pressure.

The first option is preferable for summer cottages, since it can only work for one point of consumption, for example, a shower cabin.

Non-pressure electric storage water heater is well suited for use in the country as a washstand

Pros and cons of designs

In order to understand how to choose a storage water heater for a home (dacha), it is important to take into account the features of the equipment in this category, its pros and cons.

The advantages of electric storage water heaters include:

The disadvantages of this type of equipment are:

the need to wait a certain period for heating (depending on the volume and power of the heater - from 10 minutes to several hours),
significant overall dimensions, limiting the possibility of placement in confined spaces,
susceptibility to salts present in the water (scale on surfaces, destruction of heating elements) in economy class models and the high cost of products with effective anti-salt protection (use of expensive resistant metals, coatings, original technical solutions).

Equipment selection criteria

Electric storage water heaters differ from each other in their performance. The latter are the criteria for choosing models, however, when searching for the optimal model, it is important not only to compare the performance of various products, but also to compare the values of the characteristics with the needs.

Heater volume

This indicator varies from 10 to 200 liters, and it is far from always advisable to purchase the most volumetric heater. For example, a storage water heater for summer cottages with temporary periodic visits may well have a volume of 10 liters or a little more, just like for an apartment, where such equipment is often installed as a fallback in order not to experience inconvenience during hot water outages.

To make it easier to answer the question of what volume of water heater to choose, we will give approximate daily consumption of hot water, taking into account the cost of washing, washing hands, taking a shower.

for one person - from 10 to 50 liters,
for two - from 50 to 80 liters,
for three, including one child - from 80 to 100 liters,
for a family of four children - from 100 to 120 liters.

Form and execution of models

Storage water heaters, the prices and characteristics of which differ, may have different designs. In most cases, the shape and method of placing products are selected according to the availability of free space and the layout of the room.

According to the method of arrangement, the products can be horizontal and vertical.
According to the installation method - floor, wall, built-in.
The shape of the section - rectangular (flat), round, square.

From the point of view of functionality, only the location of the structure matters. Vertical models give faster uniform heating, so it is advisable to choose them in all cases where the configuration of the room allows it. In other cases, the execution does not affect the effectiveness of the technique.

Heater power

The power of each model is the greater, the larger its volume. Obviously, heating 10 liters of water requires significantly less energy than 200 liters to raise the temperature by the same number of degrees. At the same time, models with the same volume may have different power, but in this case, the time it takes to heat up will differ. Roughly, we can say that a heater with a power of 2.5-3 kW heats 150 liters of water from 15 ° C to 65 ° C in about 3-4 hours.

Internal coating

Before choosing electric storage water heaters for summer cottages (apartments), please note that the quality of the internal coating determines the durability of the heater and its ability to work for a long time without repair and labor-intensive maintenance.

The most functional is titanium coating, capable of withstanding high temperatures and resistant to the effects of salts dissolved in water. In this case, salts not only do not destroy the titanium layer, but also settle in the form of scale on such a surface in a much smaller amount.
Enamel, ceramic and glass-porous coatings the inner surface of the heater prevent the formation of scale. A significant disadvantage of such models is the vulnerability of coatings to high temperatures. Even if the external surface remains the same as on the day of purchase, microcracks appear in it, which can cause the destruction of coatings. As a measure to extend the service life of products with ceramic or glass coatings, it is recommended to set the maximum heating temperature to no more than 60 ° C.
Stainless steel is recognized by experts as the best option in terms of the ratio of cost and operational capabilities.

Installation of equipment

Installation of an electric storage water heater consists of three stages:

Actually fixation on the surface(As a rule, only wall-mounted options require certain labor costs, for which it is necessary to drill holes in the wall, install dowels or brackets, depending on the design, dimensions and weight).
. At this stage, it is important to observe the tightness of the connections. The rest of the installation is intuitively simple - the heater pipe for cold water inlet is marked in blue, for hot water outlet - in red. The safety valve must point to the tank with an arrow in the installation field. It is possible to complicate the task somewhat, while at the same time providing gentle operating conditions for the equipment. To do this, a filter is mounted on the cold water pipeline before it is connected to the heater. This measure will help reduce the amount of scale.
Electrical connection perform strictly according to the instructions, using the markings on the terminals of the equipment. It is important to observe two basic rules - installation work is carried out only when the switch is turned off, and start-up (even test) is carried out only when the tank is full. It is also important during installation to ensure the protection of the heater as a powerful consumer. To do this, use a paired electrical switch, and best of all, a residual current device (RCD).

Reliable brands

Which company to choose an electric storage water heater is another very important issue when buying equipment. Many brands have characteristic features, prefer to use this or that technology, so it is not very easy to navigate. The most popular and well-established brands include Termex, Ariston, Electrolux.

If the question of how to choose a storage water heater and which one is better for a summer residence or an apartment is still open for you, then we suggest you watch a video that provides an overview of the equipment of the brand Ariston with owner comments.