Do-it-yourself electric heating: how to make electric heating in a private house, electric heating scheme, electric heating

Any heating scheme in a private house consists of components: a heat generator; a boiler; current diagram of the heating system of a private house, including fittings and equipment; control and heating devices.

Installation of main risers and connections to heating radiators. All rules for installing boilers are described in detail in the instructions for them. Heating a private house with electricity

The heat source can be: air heaters; heat guns; thermal curtains. Please comment on the post and participate in discussions.

Installation work is carried out according to the following scheme: Installation of an electric heating boiler. The most expensive wiring method: pipelines from the collector are laid separately to each radiator, the installation method is hidden, in the floor.

The connection diagram may be different.

The latter option is preferable, as it allows you to more accurately regulate the microclimate in the house. The movement of water occurs in counter directions.

Do-it-yourself heating of a private house: installation diagrams and rules It is difficult to imagine a modern home without a heating system.

Heating using an electric boiler "Protherm"

Reasons for using electricity

The cheapest option for heating a home is equipment that runs on natural gas. However, not all settlements in our country can boast of having gas pipelines. In second place in terms of efficiency after gas is solid fuel - firewood, pellets and coal. This option is about 3-5 times cheaper than electricity, which is why it may seem that electric boilers have no chance.

However, it should be taken into account that in addition to the cost of energy, when choosing the type of heating, attention is also paid to its autonomy. This term refers to the ability of equipment to function properly without constant human supervision.

According to this criterion, solid fuel lags significantly behind electrical energy:

Traditional solid fuel boilers require constant monitoring, because... Fuel loading is carried out every 3-6 hours.
The use of pyrolysis units allows you to slightly increase the interval between loads to 10-12 hours.
Pellet boilers with automated fuel supply from the bunker are considered the most unpretentious in this regard: they are capable of autonomously maintaining combustion in the firebox for almost a week.
Any electric heating of a home operates autonomously, without requiring care and maintenance for a long time.

It turns out that of all the solid fuel boilers, only the pellet boiler can, with a stretch, be called automatic. Such equipment is capable of maintaining heat in the house while the owners are away for several days. However, the variability of pellet supply in different regions should be taken into account. Also, the cost of this fuel in some cases calls into question its efficiency. It is very inconvenient to install such heating equipment, which does not allow you to leave the house even for a few days.

Advantages of electric heating

The great advantage of electric boilers is the size of the units operating on electricity. All models of electrical equipment are small in size. If you need to heat a small area, you should choose an electrical appliance for wall installation: it is ergonomic and will easily fit into the environment among other electrical units and pieces of furniture.

Connection diagram of the boiler to the heating system

Another advantage in comparison with other heat sources is the absolute wastelessness, first of all, of products formed as a result of fuel combustion, since there is no need for their disposal.

This is the cleanest type of heating device that exists. The absence of waste eliminates clogging of the natural environment. Of course, most power plants that supply electricity operate by burning fuel, and this does not at all improve the environmental situation. But harmful emissions do not enter the environment in your home.

There is no open fire in electric boilers, which increases their fire safety. But certain measures are still needed for this, since the device is a heat source. But in comparison with the measures required when installing units operating on the principle of fuel combustion, they are insignificant.

Electric boilers are easy to install. The installation principle is so simple that even a person without experience and relevant skills can cope with this task.

The easiest installation is achieved by units whose design includes an expansion tank, electrical control and safety devices protected by a housing. To install such a device, it is enough to connect the power supply, place the device itself and turn on the heating.

Electric boiler connection and wiring diagram

Boilers operating on electricity do not require fuel, which means there is no need to create fuel reserves and litter the home with coal, containers with liquid fuel, or firewood. It is enough to connect the boiler using a copper cord to the power line.

Ease of maintenance is another significant advantage. With such a boiler, there is no hassle in monitoring its operation and the amount of fuel in it. You just need to turn on the device. When using a unit that runs on solid fuel, you must add fuel to it at least twice a day and clean it from products formed during the combustion process. Here you do not need to think about heating and operating the device while electricity is supplied.

On a note! You can design such a heating unit yourself. The design of electric heaters is quite primitive, so it is not difficult to recreate it.

Introduction to the boiler piping of a heat accumulator

A heat accumulator is added to the small circuit with forced water circulation, connecting it with an electric boiler. A heat accumulator is a tank covered with external thermal insulation with a capacity of up to 3000 liters. Thanks to a large circuit that spans the entire house, the container is connected to the heating devices. A prerequisite is the presence of coolant recirculation inside the tank: this allows you to maintain a constant temperature in the batteries, regardless of the level of heating of the water in the battery.

Scheme 1: boiler with heat accumulator

Device

A small circuit with forced water circulation connects an electric boiler with a heat accumulator - a tank with external thermal insulation with a volume of up to 3000 liters.

A heat accumulator, or buffer tank for heating, is a thermally insulated tank with pipes for connection to several circuits.

A large circuit encircles the house, connecting the tank to the heating devices. It must have recirculation of the coolant, ensuring a constant temperature of the batteries regardless of the temperature of the water in the tank.

Schematic diagram of a heating system with a heat accumulator. The hydraulic arrow ensures the connection of circuits with different coolant temperatures.

To implement this scheme, a two-rate electricity tariff and a two-tariff meter are needed.

Two-tariff meter: daytime and nighttime electricity consumption are charged at different rates.

Principle of operation

The boiler only works at night, during the night tariff (it is 3-4 times lower than the day tariff). The heat it generates is spent on heating water in the heat accumulator tank. During the day, when a kilowatt-hour costs more, the boiler is idle, and the accumulated heat is gradually used to heat the house.

Reference: heating 3000 liters of water by 40 degrees, you will store 175 kW h of heat. This is enough to heat a house with an area of 100-120 square meters for 16 hours (the entire duration of the daily tariff).

Gain : according to the current tariff schedule for our capital at the beginning of 2022, at a single-rate tariff, a kilowatt-hour of electricity costs 5.38 rubles. With two-rate pricing at night (from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.), the price drops to 1.64 rubles. The difference is 3.3 times.

Minuses:

Large dimensions of the buffer tank . Not every boiler room can accommodate a tank with a volume of several cubic meters;

The volume of the heat accumulator can reach 3 cubic meters. Such a tank will not fit in every boiler room.

Variation of regional tariffs . In Sevastopol, where I live, with electricity consumption over 600 kWh per day, the difference between single-rate and night tariffs will be only 5.4 versus 3.78 rubles.

Preved, marketing specialist

Since we have already touched on electric boilers, I should dispel one very common misconception associated with them.

Some types of boilers (specifically, electrode and induction) are positioned by manufacturers and sellers as economical. This positioning is a lie of the first order.

Any direct heating device has an efficiency of 100%. This statement follows from the law of conservation of energy: an electric boiler simply does not produce any other energy except thermal energy. It does not move in space against the gravity vector, and all losses due to radiation and even to the circulation of water in the circuit are ultimately converted into the same thermal energy.

The inscription “Eco-Energy” on the packaging of the electrode boiler should indicate its efficiency. As Bulgakov’s hero said, “I congratulate you, citizen, having lied.”

How does it work

Before installing electric heating, you need to clarify some points. The night tariff for electricity is 3-4 times less than the day tariff, so it is more profitable if the boiler is turned on only at night. All the energy it generates goes to heating the water inside the heat accumulator. In the daytime, when a more expensive tariff is in effect, the heater is stopped, and the house is heated using the heat accumulated in the tank.

For example, by heating 3000 liters of water by 40 degrees, 175 kW/h of heat can be accumulated. This energy is quite enough to maintain heating of a home with an area of up to 120 m2 for 16 hours (as long as the daily tariff is in effect). Using a two-rate night tariff, you can save a lot.

Disadvantages of the solution:

Significant dimensions of the buffer tank. Not every home has extra space for a container with a volume of several cubic meters.
Regional rates may vary greatly. Because of this, the introduction of two-rate tariffs does not always entail a significant economic effect.

When exploring the topic of the possibility of reducing the cost of operating electric boilers, one misconception associated with them should be dispelled. Certain types of this equipment (in particular, electrode and induction devices) are advertised by manufacturers and distributors as economical. To be honest, such information is a blatant exaggeration.

The efficiency of any direct heating device reaches 100%. This is explained by the principle of energy conservation: the fact is that only thermal energy is released inside the electric boiler. No movement in space against the direction of gravity occurs, and all losses due to radiation or circulation of the coolant in the circuit are compensated by the formation of the same thermal energy.

Pros and cons of heating your home with electricity

The main advantages of using electric heating devices are:

Simplicity and ease of installation - installation of electric heating equipment can be carried out by persons who do not have special permission. The installation process itself requires minimal skills and knowledge in the field of heating systems;
Safety – electric heating devices have reliable and simple protection against short circuits, overheating, and exceeding the parameters of the established settings;
Low initial costs - thanks to self-installation and the relatively low price of the equipment;
Reliability and noiselessness - heating equipment of this type has a long service life and high quality manufacturing;
Ease of operation - adjustment and control of heating devices has a simple and intuitive interface;
High level of efficiency - the efficiency of modern electrical heating appliances ranges from 80 to 98-99%.

The disadvantages of using electrical heating appliances are the following:

High cost of paying for electricity - since heating equipment consumes from 0.4-0.5 to 10 or more kW of electricity per hour, this leads to significant electricity bills;
Energy dependence - when the electricity is turned off, the heating device, therefore, the entire heating system stops functioning.

Important! Heating a house with electricity will be cheap for people who have socially reduced tariffs for electricity (these are WWII veterans, large families, Heroes of Russia and the USSR, orphans). It is also profitable to heat a small country house using electrical appliances - not all country houses have gas supply.

Warm floor

Underfloor heating refers to a heating system where, instead of standard radiators, heat is radiated from the floor surface.

For this purpose, the following design solutions can be used:

A system of thin pipes with coolant. Placed under a screed or on a special heat distribution platform under the finishing coating.
Heating cable. It can be mounted both in the screed layer and in the thickness of the tile adhesive under the tiles.
Film heater. A dense dielectric sheet of polymer is used as a heating element. It has two copper current-carrying wires connected to each other by current-carrying elements with high electrical resistance. The place where film heated floors are laid is usually the last layer under the finishing floor covering with high thermal conductivity. Usually this is linoleum, laminate or parquet board.

The inertia of a film laid under a final coating is an order of magnitude less than that of a cable under a tile or screed. The time required for the film heater to bring the floor covering to a comfortable +25 degrees is no more than 5-10 minutes. At the same time, a cable under a tile does this in 30 minutes, and a cable in a screed does it in 3-5 hours.

Installation of the heating film is so simple that the procedure for installing this electric heating with your own hands usually does not cause difficulties:

Laying the substrate. For these purposes, a special material is used - penofol (foamed foil insulation). It needs to be laid out on a rough base with the foil facing up.
Connection with thermostat and network. It is necessary to crimp the terminals on the current-carrying conductors and on the wire. Bitumen overlays are used as insulation. A thermal sensor is installed under the surface of the film.
Finishing. Suitable options for finishing material on top of the film heater are laminate, linoleum or parquet.

It is recommended to consider the following tips on how to make electric heating with your own hands:

One thermostat can withstand a load of no more than 3.6 kW. It is advisable to equip large premises with several separate power circuits with autonomous thermostats.
It is prohibited to apply heating film to areas of the floor under furniture and other objects adjacent to the floor. Like other electrical appliances, the film does not tolerate overheating.

Design and technical characteristics of the electrode boiler

The design of an electrode boiler may seem very complicated at first glance. But in fact the design is quite simple. Externally, the ion boiler looks like a solid steel pipe coated with a polyamide electrical insulating layer. The housing must be completely sealed to avoid dangerous breaks, electric shock, and electrical leaks. It is for this reason that making an electrode boiler with your own hands is a very dangerous undertaking.

Also, the electrode boiler consists of the following parts:

an electrode made of special alloys, which is held in place by protected polyamide nuts. It is worth noting that three-phase ion boilers use three working electrodes at once;
power terminals;
ground terminals;
coolant inlet and outlet pipes;
insulating rubber gaskets.

The classic shape of electrode boilers is cylindrical. The average dimensions of a household ion boiler usually range within the following limits:

product diameter – up to 30-35 cm;
length – about 60 cm;
weight – 10-12 kg;
power from 2 to 50 kW.

Typically for heating small houses up to 100 m². single-phase models with a power of about 6 kW are used. For large industrial premises, 3-phase electrode boilers are usually used. The 50 kW option can provide heat for a room of up to 1600 m². These figures are approximate, since when choosing a boiler power, you should rely on the required room temperature, the degree of heat loss, as well as the preferred type of radiators and other heating elements.

To increase the efficiency of an ion-type heating system, it is necessary to use control automation, which includes the following elements:

starter block;
control controller;
protection against power surges.

If desired, GSM modules can be installed in the room to remotely turn on or off the boiler.

An integral element of ion-type heating systems is the coolant - a special liquid used for heat exchange. It must necessarily comply with the requirements specified in the technical documentation of the electric boiler. Salt water or a special brand of antifreeze is used as a coolant. The use of distilled water will not give any effect - it does not contain any salts and therefore there will be no medium between the electrodes to create an electrical circuit.

Special antifreeze is a non-freezing liquid, which contains: water, propylene - or ethylene glycol, special additives, has the following features:

not dangerous to humans;
such a coolant reduces the possibility of leaks, since it does not have a negative effect on plastic, rubber, metal-plastic and other materials;
prevents the appearance of scale in electric boilers and radiators.

Features of use

When using convection heating (conventional wall-mounted radiators), a heating effect is observed, first of all, in the space under the ceiling. In this case, less dense heated air flows move upward. It turns out that the air temperature of +20 degrees at floor level can be achieved in cases where the area above the head is heated to +26-30 degrees. Warm floors work differently: in this case, the area above the floor heats up the most. As warm air rises, its temperature decreases.

Advantages of electric heating in a private house using heated floors:

Indoor comfort. Having warmth at foot level is always much more pleasant.
There are no drafts above the floor. This allows you not to worry about the health of small children who like to play on the floor in the room.
The average temperature level in the home decreases. Thanks to this, a noticeable economic effect is achieved, because heat losses in a heated room are directly related to the temperature difference outside.

The disadvantages of film floors usually include their high cost. Even if you carry out the installation yourself, choosing the most inexpensive option for a system with a mechanical thermostat, the financial costs will still be significant. In cases where installation work is carried out by hired workers, costs will increase by approximately 1.5-2 times.

Models of electric boilers

The principle of any electric boiler is the conversion of electricity into heat. Electric units are not the most cost-effective, but the efficiency of their use is 95-99%, which is quite good for such units. Such boilers are divided into three types according to the type of coolant. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Electric heating element boiler

Electric heating boilers equipped with heating elements operate on the principle of an electric kettle. Water passes through tubular heating elements - heating elements. Acting as a coolant, it passes through the entire heating system, circulating using a pump.

One of the advantages is its compactness, neat appearance and the ability to be mounted on a wall. The installation process will not cause any particular difficulties, and operation is comfortable and simple, thanks to thermostat sensors. Automation allows you to maintain the required heating, focusing on data from sensors that measure the ambient air temperature.

The coolant can be not only water, but also a non-freezing liquid, thanks to which scale will not form on the heating elements, which cannot be avoided by using water.

Attention. Scale formed on heating elements impairs the heat transfer and energy-saving properties of an electric heating boiler. This option for heating a house is also good because it has a low cost.

For the convenience of regulating electricity consumption, it is equipped with several heating elements that can be turned on separately

This option for heating a house is also good because it has a low cost. For the convenience of regulating electricity consumption, it is equipped with several heating elements that can be turned on separately.

Electrode electric boiler

The operating principle of an electrode electric boiler for heating a house is completely different from the previous model. The liquid is not heated by a heating element. An electrode installed in the housing gives the liquid an electrical charge, under the influence of which the molecules are split into negatively and positively charged ions. The coolant has its own resistance, which provides intense heating. Either water or a special compound (similar to antifreeze) is poured into the system.

This type of electric unit for heating a house is completely safe; if a liquid leak occurs, it will simply turn off. Electrode models are very compact (looks like a small cylinder with pipes), equipped with sensors for measuring ambient air temperature, and controlled automatically.

Maintenance of this model comes down to replacing the electrode, since they gradually dissolve as they work, which worsens the heating of the house. It is also necessary to ensure that the circulation pump is working properly so that the liquid in the system does not boil. Correct and efficient operation of an electrode electric boiler for heating a private house is only possible with prepared water - it must have the required resistivity value. Measuring them yourself is not always convenient and easy, just like preparing water. Therefore, it will be easier and more reliable to buy a liquid specially designed for use in electrode boilers.

Electric induction boiler

This type of electric heating unit for the home operates on the basis of induction heating of liquid with ferromagnetic alloys. The inductive coil is located in a sealed housing and does not have direct contact with the coolant, which flows around the perimeter of the device. Based on this, not only water, but also antifreeze can be used as an energy carrier for heating a house. This electric boiler for home heating is not equipped with a heating element or electrode, which improves its efficiency. Also, the absence of heating elements ensures complete safety during operation. This version of the boiler for heating a home is not subject to scale formation, practically does not break and does not leak.

The only disadvantage of induction models is their higher cost and larger dimensions. But over time, the size problem is eliminated - the old ones are replaced by improved models.

In addition to this classification, electric boilers for heating a private home are divided into:

single-circuit (intended only for heating the entire house);
double-circuit (provide not only heating throughout the house, but also water heating).

You also need to highlight:

wall-mounted boilers;
floor-standing boilers (high-power models are produced).

Infrared heating

There are two types of heat transfer to the surrounding space:

Convection. Direct contact with air, followed by transport of thermal energy by air currents.
Radiation. This process is familiar to anyone who has experience of being near a burning fire: despite the cool air, warmth is felt on the exposed parts of the body.

To make one of the above methods of heat transfer predominant, it is enough to change the temperature and surface area of the heater. The device, which has a small area and a fairly high temperature, will mainly use infrared rays to heat the room. A not very hot radiator, equipped with well-finned sections, heats the room due to convection.

There are several household infrared heaters that can be used to heat a private home:

Quartz tube. Inside it there is a heating coil, the temperature of which, after supplying electricity, rises to +600-800 degrees.
Heating panel made of glass or ceramics. It only heats up to + 80-90 degrees.
Metal panel made of aluminum or steel. A special decorative screen covers a low-temperature heating coil placed in a ceramic housing.
Film. The heat source in this case is the already familiar heating film for underfloor heating, or a polymer panel of small thickness, into the surface of which a carbon thread is fused.

Organizing infrared heating of a home on your own usually does not cause any difficulties.

The main thing is to adhere to the following recommendations:

The optimal location for placing an electric heating circuit is the ceiling surface. In this case, thermal radiation should be directed downward.
To switch the system, special blocks are used, powered by a regular socket or cable with a voltage of 220 V.
It is important to remember that the load on one outlet should not exceed 3.5 kW, with a cross-section of copper wiring of at least 1 mm2 / 10 amperes peak current.

Electric convectors

The most optimal and least expensive option for arranging electric heating at home is the use of convectors. Almost all of them are equipped with thermostats, have several operating modes and are placed on the walls.

The only inconvenience is that they cannot be covered, so when placing them under the windows you will have to change the curtains to short curtains or get curtain tiebacks.

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Electric convectors, capable of heating large volumes of air, have absolutely no effect on the floor, which can also cause discomfort.

But they do not dry the air - whether this is a plus or a minus depends on the microclimate in the room.

The warranty period for such devices is about three years, and during this time you can already acquire a more serious heating system.

Features and principle of operation

The location of IR radiation sources under the ceiling allows you to achieve the same effect in the distribution of temperatures in the room as if a warm floor were used. That is, the lower layers of air become more heated. In addition, due to thermal radiation, not only the floor and furniture are heated, but also the skin and clothing of people in the room.

As a result, the comfortable temperature zone decreases from +22-24 to +14-16 degrees. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of organizing a heating system. As a result, a 1 kW device can heat an area of up to 20 m2. To achieve a similar level of heating using an inexpensive film heater of the same area, you will need to spend an order of magnitude more money.

As a result, with an outside temperature of 0 degrees and a decrease in the average temperature in the home from +25 to +15 degrees, energy savings of 40% are achieved. It is important to remember that the entire living area should be within the range of IR heaters. Outside it, the temperature will be very uncomfortable.

What type of electric heating is the best?

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The choice of the most economical electric heating depends on the purpose and area of the heated room:

A water electric heating system is used as electric heating for a house or cottage with an area of 100 square meters;
To heat apartments in high-rise buildings, more convenient and economical air heating devices are used;
To heat small living spaces with an area of up to 10-15 square meters, a heated floor system is used.

The specific feasibility of using a particular heating equipment is calculated for each particular case separately.

Heat pumps

The main purpose of a heat pump is to pump thermal energy. The most famous type of it is the ordinary refrigerator. Inside it, thermal energy is taken from the refrigeration chamber, with its subsequent release into the surrounding space.

The complete operating cycle of a heat pump includes the following stages:

Compression of freon gas by a compressor. Due to the increase in pressure, it turns into a liquid aggregate state. This is accompanied by an increase in temperature by several tens of degrees.
Passing hot refrigerant through the pump's internal heat exchanger. In this case, excess heat is transferred to the coolant or air in the room.
The return of cooled freon to a gaseous state after it passes through the expansion valve. We are talking about a section of the contour with a sharply increasing diameter. After turning into gas, a sharp decrease in the temperature of freon is observed.
Circulation of refrigerant through an external heat exchanger with its subsequent heating. This is achieved by taking heat from the external environment: its temperature is an order of magnitude lower than the air in the heated room, but higher than that of the refrigerant.
Compression inside the compressor and exit to the next cycle.

This achieves the following advantages:

The temperature outside, which acts as a heat donor, is often an order of magnitude lower than the air temperature in the home.
In this scheme, only the compressor consumes electricity. At the same time, the level of its electrical power is often an order of magnitude lower than the thermal power of the pump. This refers to the volume of thermal energy that is pumped by the pump into the home per unit of time.

With the help of the most efficient heat pumps, it is possible to obtain up to 7 kW/hour of heat energy for every kilowatt/hour of electricity consumed. To install such pumping equipment, it is recommended to invite a dealer representative: this will allow you to get a good warranty on the equipment. Water heating operating in combination with such a device must be low-temperature (operating temperature - no more than + 55 degrees).

This will make it possible to achieve the highest possible efficiency of the heat pump. In this case, the temperature difference between its heat exchangers will be the smallest. Heat pumps with an internal water circuit are usually combined with water heated floors or conventional batteries with an increased number of sections.

Do-it-yourself heating of a private house: installation diagrams and rules

In order to accurately understand which type of heating to prefer, you should take into account the cost of each type of fuel and its consumption per unit of time. That is why many sought to move to comfortable multi-storey buildings, where heating and hot water supply were centralized. The benefit of making your own heating circuit is a significant reduction in financial costs.

The water heated in the boiler actually first enters this storage tank. Double-circuit heating system DHW hot water supply is created by a double-circuit heating system of a private house; its wiring diagram is drawn before installation begins, and then installed to the selected hot water supply point. In this case, the air will not dry out, since the designs do not involve burning air, since such a home heating scheme is the most efficient.

Before connecting the boiler, you need to make sure that the meter you have allows the transfer of this amount of energy. As a rule, a circulation pump is used for these purposes, but an ordinary centrifugal pump, only of low power, is quite suitable. Here we can save a lot on pipes and achieve heat delivery to every room. In order to ensure the operation of the boiler in the absence of electricity, you can purchase a 12-volt circulation pump powered by a battery. Electric boiler and double tariff One of the significant reasons for using an electric boiler for heating is the possibility of using double tariffs for the use of electricity. In this case, there is no need to make reinforced wiring throughout the house, but it is enough just to ensure a reliable connection to the electric boiler itself. That is, in the latter case it is the entire first floor. Simple heating of a cottage using electricity

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Device

The donor environment of the system is usually:

The soil is below the freezing level. Away from the upper layers, the temperature of the earth is mostly stable (within +10-14 degrees).
Non-freezing reservoir or groundwater. They are pumped out from the well with a good supply. After heat transfer, the water is directed to the drainage.
Air outside. The minimum air temperature is limited by the characteristics of the refrigerants used. The optimal temperature level for the operation of air heat pumps is no less than -25 degrees. As this value decreases, the efficiency of the pump will also decrease.

As a result, to obtain 1 kilowatt of heat, 2.5-7 less energy is required than to obtain a kilowatt of electricity. To some extent, this is influenced by the characteristics of the device and the temperature of the heated home. The disadvantages of this heating method include the high cost of equipment.

How to make electric water heating economical

In order to make electric heating economical, experts advise:

Install boilers with a design power that compensates for heat loss from all parts of the structure;
If there is no circulation pump in the boiler, it is mandatory to install it in front of the heating unit in the return line;
Use pipes with an internal diameter of no more than 32 mm for intra-house heating distribution;
Use cast iron radiator models;
Insulate external walls.

Air conditioners

An air conditioner is often perceived as a device for cooling air. It is important to understand that any such device is a type of heat pump operating on an air-to-air cycle. If you start it for heating, it demonstrates no less efficiency than similar direct heating equipment. The ratio of thermal power to consumed energy for modern inverter air conditioners is in the range of 3.6 - 5.

Heating functions can be effectively performed at a lower operating temperature of -25 degrees. In regions located in central Russia, air conditioners often serve as an auxiliary heat source, regardless of the time of year. Installation of equipment can be carried out either independently or by numerous companies. The most convenient in this regard are considered to be window models, the installation location of which is often an open sash.

About electric boilers and the availability of electricity

So, an electric boiler. To heat an average house of 100 square meters. meters, an electric boiler with a capacity of 10 kW is required (more on power calculation below). A simple calculation from a physics course shows that with a supply voltage of 220 Volts, the current load of the network to power one such boiler will be 45 Amperes. If we add to 10 kW the 10 kW needed to operate other electrical equipment and lighting in the house, we get the power that needs to be requested to connect 20 kW.

Hence the first problem with using an electric boiler for heating: such power is not available for connection everywhere.

Important! Before purchasing an electric heating boiler, you need to agree on its power and connectivity with the supervisory authorities (Energonadzor) in your area. A boiler installation project may be required.

Features of operation

The main difference between an air conditioner and a heat pump is that the air conditioner directly heats the air in the room. If several rooms need heating at once, it is recommended to install a series of inverters or a multi-split system (when several indoor units are served by a common outdoor unit).

Recommendations on how to make heating with electricity in your home using an air conditioner more efficient:

It is advisable that the indoor unit releases heat straight down. When installing the blinds in a horizontal position, only the air under the ceiling will be heated.
The speed of the internal fan should be set to maximum. This will allow heated air flows to reach the floor surface and heat it. This is especially true in buildings with concrete floors: due to the high thermal conductivity of concrete, the floor in the room will gradually become warm.

If everything is done correctly, the economic effect of using air conditioners for heating rooms can exceed systems with conventional electric boilers by almost 5 times.

How to choose strapping elements

When choosing a pump, you need to pay attention to the thermal load on the circuit

Here it is important to calculate the difference between the supply and return water temperatures. The formula is as follows:. The formula is as follows:

The formula is as follows:

Q=0.86xR/Dt,
where Q is the pump performance indicator (cubic meters per hour),
R - boiler power,
Dt is the temperature difference.

For example, with a boiler power of 20 kW and a heating system temperature of 80/60oC, a pump is needed with the following performance characteristics:

0.86x20(80-60)=0.86 m3/h.

A pump with stepwise power adjustment performs well. It will be able to provide such a level of performance that the radiators throughout the circuit are evenly heated.

A parameter such as coolant pressure, which is measured in meters of water column, can be ignored. In a heating system, the number of floors in the building or the floor on which the circulation pump is located does not matter. The minimum pump value is 2 meters. Devices with this parameter cope well with the movement of coolant in the water circuit of an apartment building with high hydraulic resistance. When piping a heating boiler, these points need to be remembered.

What to pay attention to when installing a membrane tank:

First of all, it is important to choose the volume of the tank. It should be 1/10 of the volume of coolant in the water circuit. There is an easy way to calculate this

If the heating system has aluminum or bimetallic radiators, then 1 kilowatt of boiler power requires 15 liters of coolant. The tank can withstand temperatures up to +120 C. The operating pressure of the device often does not exceed 1.5 bar. Sometimes there is a need to increase it. To do this, pump air into the tank using a bicycle pump.

There is an easy way to calculate this. If the heating system has aluminum or bimetallic radiators, then 1 kilowatt of boiler power requires 15 liters of coolant. The tank can withstand temperatures up to +120 C. The operating pressure of the device often does not exceed 1.5 bar. Sometimes there is a need to increase it. To do this, pump air into the tank using a bicycle pump.

How to select security group elements:

The valve has an upper limit of permissible pressure of 2.5 bar.
A pressure gauge must be selected with a pressure of 4 atmospheres.

How to arrange the strapping elements:

The circulation pump is placed in front of the combustion chamber (in front of the heat exchanger), where the temperature is lower.
The valve and pressure gauge are mounted at the outlet of the heat exchanger, in the place where the pressure begins to increase.
The expansion tank is mounted in any part of the circuit, but not next to the pump (pressure fluctuations will lead to wear of the tank).

Classification of heating devices

There are a huge number of homemade heaters. You can make them from scrap materials. Many craftsmen are trying their best. Because of this, structures often appear that become the causes of great troubles. Before starting work, a wise owner will think about safety.

Despite their diversity, all devices are divided into certain groups according to their main technical characteristics.

Here is a list of their differences:

Oil and water. The battery filled with heated liquid is still the most common type of heater due to its relative safety and reliability.
Electric fireplaces. Appliances with an open element for heating air. One of the most dangerous types of such devices. Fires, burns, and electric shock are the main problems that arise from an improperly made or operated device of this type.
Fan heaters. The principle of the heater is the same as in the previous version, only here the air is supplied to the room by a special fan built into the device. Very convenient for quickly heating a specific area.
Thermal panels. The safest and most reliable type of homemade heaters. It’s very easy to make from ready-made infrared panels. Some people dare to independently make such panels from scrap materials.
Fiery. Heaters that use open fire. They are very rarely used at home, but are popular for fishing, camping, and for heating sheds and garages. It goes without saying that with this type of heating, increased attention is paid to compliance with fire safety rules.

How to organize a connection to an open-type gravity heating network

An electric boiler works best with coolant circulation. But installing a pump is not considered mandatory; the equipment can work properly with a gravity heating system.

Owners of private houses often deliberately choose a double scheme - with a pump and gravity. The reason is quite simple - the built-in pump hums a lot, so when resting at night, the heating is switched to gravity.

The system is based on a bypass assembly with a valve and an electric pump. The boiler can operate due to the presence of waste slopes. Without them and without installing an open-type expansion tank at a height of at least 250 cm above the level of the lowest return point, water movement would be impossible.

Homemade heaters - pros and cons

As a rule, heat generators made by hand are copies of devices produced industrially. These copies, with rare exceptions, are inferior to the originals in many respects, but due to certain circumstances, the consumer often chooses a home-made unit.

“Pros” of using homemade devices:

relatively low cost (when made with your own hands and using improvised means);
the ability to assemble a unit of the required dimensions and manufacture a housing with the desired strength characteristics, up to vandal-proof design.

The main argument against it is the uncertain degree of safety of homemade heating devices during operation, which is fraught with unpredictable negative consequences not only for the owner of the unit, but also for others.

This argument is due to many factors, and its validity is confirmed annually by numerous fires caused by homemade air heaters used in violation of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. “On the fire safety regime” No. 390 of April 25, 2012 (as amended on November 18, 2017)

Excerpt from the Resolution on the fire safety regime in R.F. banning the use of homemade heaters

As for the secondary arguments “against”, they are as follows:

lack of legitimate manufacturer guarantees;
uncertainty of some characteristics of homemade devices;
low aesthetics and degree of automation of handicraft units.

If familiarization with these arguments still does not prompt you to purchase a factory-made heater in a store, let’s consider how to make a heater yourself so that the likelihood of an accident when using it is as small as possible.