Electricity is the most environmentally friendly type of fuel. Electric boilers are easy to operate and install, since they do not require a separate room for the boiler room, a chimney, or supply and exhaust ventilation. From the point of view of practicality and comfort, provided there is a stable power supply, this is an ideal heating equipment option.
However, despite the lower initial cost of electric boilers, heating a private home with electricity is extremely expensive. It is also worth considering that an electric boiler for heating a house with an area of 100 square meters is a powerful unit that requires connection to a three-phase network (380 V), since a single-phase (220 V) will not be able to operate at full power. If you live permanently, you need an electric boiler with a power of more than 10 kW, the installation of which requires coordination with the Energonadzor services.
Heating options
The choice of electric boiler depends on the further planned use: it can be the main heating equipment or additional (for example, to solid fuel); used to maintain stable comfortable temperatures during permanent residence or to maintain positive temperatures and fully heat the room only upon the temporary arrival of the owners.
Classic heating element electric boilers are compact in size and can be installed in any room. They already contain in their housing all the necessary elements of the heating system (circulation pump, expansion tank, safety group), which greatly simplifies installation.
The most profitable option is the temporary use of an electric boiler, for example, when the owners come only for the weekend. Then it is better to choose a cheaper model. Even high temporary electricity costs will for a long time be covered by an initial cost that is 1.5-3 times lower than that of gas, solid fuel or liquid fuel boilers.
When using this, it is desirable to have a GSM module that allows you to control the boiler remotely using a phone: even before your arrival, you can set the full power and fully warm up the house or be sure that the heating system regularly maintains a positive temperature during your absence (otherwise you you will receive a notification immediately).
It is also justified to use a low-power electric boiler as additional heating equipment, for example, in a scheme using a buffer tank in case of inoperability of the main boiler unit. For such purposes, an inexpensive electric boiler with a power of 3-6 kW, operating from a single-phase network, is sufficient. The house has an area of about 100 sq. m it will be able to maintain a temperature above +17-18°C for up to 2-2.5 days.
A simple and compact low-power model EVAN EPO.
The most unjustified from an economic point of view is the use of an electric boiler as the main heating equipment when permanently living in a house. However, if there is no possibility of connecting to a gas main, as well as the desire to make additional efforts to provide liquid and solid fuel models with fuel, constant combustion support, organization of a chimney and ventilation, you can consider the most economical models of electric boilers.
But it’s worth calculating the budget in advance, since in practice the cost of heating a house of 100 m2 with an electric boiler is about 10-13 thousand rubles per month. In addition, it is advisable to connect the boiler unit through a voltage stabilizer and purchase an additional generator in case of a temporary power outage, which is typical for domestic conditions.
Boiler heating element
The most common type. The wall-mounted device is a tank in which several heating elements are placed. The choice of this mini-boiler is optimal for an apartment or house, since it is economical due to the multi-stage control mechanism and is easy to maintain. Economy models are the cheapest compared to induction and electrode models. They are also used in conjunction with water heaters. The wall-mounted boiler has manual and automatic modes. Selecting the latter sets the desired temperature at night. A disadvantage of heating element devices is the appearance of scale, which reduces productivity if it is not dealt with.
Often, a wall-mounted mini-boiler has a circulation pump to stimulate the movement of coolant. In modern models, antifreeze can be used instead of water.
Minimum required power of an electric boiler for heating a house with an area of 100 m2
In a simplified form, the minimum required power is calculated from the rule: for an average house in the Moscow region with a masonry of 2 bricks and a ceiling height of up to 2.7 m, 1 kW of heating equipment power is required for every 10 m2 of area. It is also recommended to include 15-20% power reserve, and for heating element models, when using hard, unfiltered coolant - up to 30% power reserve.
For example, for a house with an area of 100 m2, the minimum required electric boiler power is 10 kW * 1.2 = 12 kW.
This method is sufficient for more than 95% of homes. In other cases, correction factors are taken into account, taking into account high ceilings or large glazing areas, southern or northern climate zones. Under such individual conditions, you can accurately calculate the minimum required power using the calculator below.
Calculator for accurate calculations
The boiler power must provide the total power of all radiators, the power of which is calculated for each room separately (based on heat loss). Therefore, to obtain accurate data, use a calculator to calculate the minimum required power for each heated room separately and sum up all the obtained values, obtaining the result for the entire house.
Installation Features
A wall-mounted electric boiler for low-power heating (for example, the “Mini” or “Economy” series) has a single-phase voltage of 220 V. For devices with a voltage of 380 V, a three-phase voltage is required.
For a regular household outlet, you can choose a low-power wall-mounted heater of the Economy or Mini class, which consumes no more than 3.5 kW. The power limit is calculated as follows: 16 A – current strength in home sockets. With an average voltage of 220 V, we obtain the maximum power - 3520 W (220x16).
Despite the fact that the technical characteristics of mini or economy boilers up to 12 kW allow connection to a single-phase power line, experts recommend connecting models from 6 kW to a 380 W power line.
Before installing a wall-mounted electric boiler, a cable with a recommended cross-section of 1 mm and a design load of 8 A is drawn from the switchboard. Floor-standing boilers are more productive; owners of houses with a large area should choose this type of boiler.
Deciding on the type of electric boiler
heating elements new
The most common type of electric boilers with a wide price range: from 1,500 rubles for simple compact models to 60 thousand rubles. for highly efficient models with economical and multifunctional automation, a circulation pump and an expansion tank, and a high level of safety.
Construction of a standard heating element electric boiler.
A heating element (tubular electric heater) or a combination of them is used as a heating element if more power is required. Heating element boilers of the mid-price segment and above have in their compact body all the necessary elements of the heating system: circulation pump, safety valve, air vent, pressure gauge and pressure sensor, automation and an informative control panel. The automation of good electric heating elements can provide the most economical heating mode while maintaining the same comfort.
It is especially worth paying attention to the possibility of controlling the boiler using a room thermostat, which regulates power depending on the temperature in the room, and not the temperature of the coolant, which is more correct and economical (the cost of simple room thermostats is about 1000 rubles). Also an excellent feature is the ability to program the automation for the next day or week.
How to choose an external thermostat for an electric boiler and save up to 30% on heating every month
A layer of scale due to the use of hard coolant.
A well-known disadvantage of heating element electric boilers is the formation of scale on the heating element itself, which over time reduces the efficiency to 90, 80 or even 70% of the original 99%. Accordingly, heating the coolant to the previous temperature through a thick layer of scale will require more energy and time. However, the problem can be solved by using soft filtered water, which does not change every season: it will only react once with the heating element and form a slight layer of scale, which has virtually no effect on the heating efficiency.
In extreme cases, the cost of heating elements is low, and you can replace them yourself. In practice, the remaining components of electric heating elements rarely fail during the first 10 years of operation.
The best heating element models of electric boilers (all with a power of 12 kW):
| Photo | Manufacturer and model | Peculiarities | Cost, rub. |
| EVAN EPO-12 | One of the simplest and most reliable heating element electric boilers. It has extremely compact dimensions and is controlled using a separate control unit (included in the kit). It is ideal in terms of price-quality ratio, but is still inferior in functionality to more expensive models (stepped rather than smooth power adjustment, simple operating modes). | 12 600-17 900 | |
| EVAN Warmos-IV-12 | Unlike the previous model, the block of heating elements is housed in a standard all-in-one housing (circulation pump, expansion tank, set of necessary sensors and valves). There is also auto-diagnosis, overheating protection, and a freeze prevention mode. Known disadvantages are stepwise power adjustment, mediocre build quality and slightly overpriced. | 23 000-29 000 | |
| Protherm Skat 12 KR 13 | Reliable Polish electric boiler, known for its excellent build quality and durability. It has a layer of thermal insulation and the ability to connect external control (outdoor sensors, room thermostat). It also features quiet operation, smooth power control and economical automatic operation mode. | 34 000-40 000 | |
| Vaillant eloBLOCK VE 12 | A model from a reference German manufacturer, one of the best electric boilers for heating a private house with an area of 100 m2. It is distinguished by highly efficient automation, high reliability and durability, build quality and modern design. It has an additional layer of thermal insulation and operates almost silently. However, it is advisable to connect through a stabilizer, since the automation is vulnerable to voltage surges. | 40 900-43 800 |
Electrode (ionic)
A visual principle of operation of an electrode heating boiler.
The heating element in ion-type electric boilers are electrodes located at a certain distance from each other. An alternating current is supplied to them, changing their polarity at a high frequency, as a result of which water ions move first to one of them, then to the other, their temperature rises. In simple low-power models, the electrode is located in the center, and the role of the second is played by the boiler body itself. More complex ones use 2-3 or more electrodes located in the center.
Electrode boilers are the most economical (although not by much), since this method does not involve the formation of scale, and the efficiency remains at the same level after several heating seasons. A special difference is their size, since some models are only slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe. For almost all ion electric boilers, you need to purchase all the necessary elements of the heating system (circulation pump, safety group, expansion tank, etc.).
Is it worth using electrode boilers for heating a private house?
The best electrode models of electric boilers:
| Photo | Manufacturer and model | Peculiarities | Cost, rub. |
| Galan Geyser 15 | Inexpensive, but simple and reliable electrode boiler with a power of 15 kW. It is equipped with low-functionality, but quite advanced and economical automation. To increase efficiency, it is advisable to use the coolant recommended by the manufacturer. | 8 200-9 000 | |
| Beryl-12 Ion | A little-known, underrated 12 kW model from a Latvian manufacturer that has been in production since 2007. The electrodes have low inertia; the automation quickly and accurately assesses changes in coolant temperature and adjusts the operating mode, which allows saving up to 20% of electricity. | 8 000-8 700 | |
| Galan Galax-15 | Monoblock electrode boiler with a power of 15 kW with a circulation pump, expansion tank, safety valve and air vent. It is distinguished by good build quality and reliability, but has only 3-stage power adjustment, mediocre automation and an extremely inflated price at the level of heating elements models in the highest price category. | 32 000-35 000 |
Induction
Operating principle of induction electric boilers.
The heating element in induction electric boilers is an induction coil. When voltage is applied, it creates a magnetic field that acts on the ferromagnetic core (metal pipe) located inside through Foucault eddy currents. The core heats up giving off heat to the coolant flowing through it.
Induction electric boilers have insignificant advantages for domestic needs and are 1.5-2 times more expensive than other types of electric boilers. The induction method of heating the coolant allows you to raise the temperature to the required values 1.5-2 times faster and use not only water as a coolant, but also antifreeze, oil, glycerin, which is often a critical advantage in narrow industrial areas, but is rarely justified in household .
Therefore, induction boilers can be used to heat a private residential building, but in extremely rare cases requiring, for example, the use of antifreeze as a coolant, which does not freeze even at subzero temperatures and allows the heating to be completely turned off in the absence of the owners.
Are induction electric boilers justified in the heating system of a private home?
The most successful and effective today is only one induction model:
| Photo | Manufacturer and model | Peculiarities | Cost, rub. |
| Alternative energy VIN 10 | Reliable vortex induction boiler, controlled using a cabinet-style control panel. It has a 3-stage power adjustment; according to installation practice and owner reviews, there has not been a single case of breakdown for more than 7 years. | 39 000-54 000 |
Electrode boiler
The so-called “direct action” unit, since there is no heating element. It heats due to the flow of alternating electric current through the coolant with a frequency of 50 vibrations/second. Heating is carried out due to the rapid movement of water ions. Such an electric boiler is safe, since if the system leaks, it will automatically turn off.
The disadvantages include the increased requirement for water, which must have the required resistance. Periodic replacement of the electrodes is also necessary; they dissolve over time. To avoid the risk of electric shock, heating with an electrode unit is only possible if there is good grounding.
Prices: summary table
| Model | Type | Cost, rub. |
| EVAN EPO-12 | heating elementnew | 12 600-17 900 |
| EVAN Warmos-IV-12 | heating elementnew | 23 000-29 000 |
| Protherm Skat 12 KR 13 | heating elementnew | 34 000-40 000 |
| Vaillant eloBLOCK VE 12 | heating elementnew | 40 900-43 800 |
| Galan Geyser 15 | electrode | 8 200-9 000 |
| Beryl-12 Ion | electrode | 8 000-8 700 |
| Galan Galax-15 | electrode | 32 000-35 000 |
| Alternative energy VIN 3 | induction | 39 000-54 000 |
What to choose: comparison of consumption, cost, ease of use
If we focus on ease of installation, ease of operation, and average price, then the first place in the ranking is occupied by boilers with heating elements. As a standard, they are carried out in a monoblock case that is completely ready for operation after installation - it already has a safety group, an expansion tank, a circulation pump and other elements. You just need to connect it to the input and output of the heating system. But they are in last place in terms of economy and cannot be called energy-saving.
If we consider the question of which electric boiler is the most economical and with the best energy saving, then we should consider induction and ion units.
Vortex heaters are in first place in terms of economy, but they have a number of disadvantages that slightly offset this advantage: price, difficulty in repair, large dimensions. These are the most expensive and inconvenient electric boilers considered: the cost of such a 25 kW product is 86 thousand rubles. (A new heating element for 24 kW can be bought for 46 thousand).
Below is a table comparing different types of electric boilers. But the data in it should not be unconditionally trusted - manufacturers are trying to show their products in a favorable light. For example, in other sources, ion boilers are shown to be much more economical and efficient than heating element boilers.
| heating elementnew | Electrode | Induction | |
| Efficiency | 98 % | 94 % | 99 % |
| Loss of power after 12 months of use | 20 % | 15 % | 0 % |
| Maximum pressure | 3 atm | 3 atm | 6 atm |
| Heating temperature | Up to 90 degrees | Up to 85 degrees | Up to 115 degrees |
| Life time | 3–7 years | 10–12 years | 30–60 years |
| Probability of failure within 12 months | 15–20 % | 15–35 % | 0 % |
Another disadvantage of SAV and VIN is the large dimensions of the housing itself and the individual elements that include the control cabinet. A product with a tubular electric heater contains everything you need in a compact case, and an ion boiler generally resembles a thick water pipe. The weight of a 25 kW induction boiler is 80 kg, a heating element of the same power is 40 kg.
Vortex boilers are increasingly being chosen for private homes. Although such devices are the most energy-saving, they are more often used in places where induction heating is indispensable - in industrial, production environments, and chemical plants.
Economics of VIN use
| The name of a room | Heated area/volume | VIN model | power, kWt | Cost kW/h, rub. | Monthly payment, rub./month. | Payment for the heating period, rub. |
| 1 room apartment | 50 m² | VIN-3 | 3 | 2.0 | 1227.6 | 9147.6 |
| House | 100 m² | VIN-7 | 7 | 2.2 | 2864.4 | 21334.4 |
| Garage box | 450 m³ | VIN-10 | 10 | 3.2 | 5952 | 45888 |
| Hangar | 1000 m³ | VIN-20 | 20 | 3.2 | 11904 | 91776 |
Ion (electrode) boilers are the best choice in the economy class in all respects, especially in terms of cost, if you need an energy-saving heater for heating a private home. Their economy and efficiency may be somewhat lower than that of induction and heating elements products, but this is compensated by ease of maintenance and small size. An important fact in favor of ion boilers is the price - these are the cheapest energy-saving heaters for heating (4-5 thousand rubles).
Ion boilers are a good option as an additional heating source. If you use them as main devices, you can embed several of these cylinders for greater efficiency.
Calculation of electricity consumption
The efficiency of all modern electric boilers is 99%. This means that, for example, at maximum load, a boiler producing 12 kW of thermal energy will consume 12.1 kW/hour of electricity. An additional 60-150 W is consumed by the circulation pump, if available.
However, it is important to understand that the electric boiler does not operate at full capacity all the time, since the operating mode depends on the set parameters and the heat loss of the house, which are especially high during the coldest decades of the heating season. These parameters are individual and cannot be planned in advance. However, on average during the heating season, an electric boiler consumes about 40-70% of its maximum power.
For example, for a dacha in the Moscow region with an area of 100 m2, electricity consumption is 12 kW * 0.5 * 24 = 144 kW/day or 4,320 kW per month, which at the current tariff is 5.38 rubles. for 1 kWh = 23,241.6 rubles/month.
To significantly reduce costs, it is necessary to install a meter that differentiates consumption by 3 zones of the day: peak (RUB 7.00), half-peak (RUB 5.38) and night (RUB 2.29). So, in practice, it is possible to reduce costs to 10-14 thousand rubles per month.
What are they?
Water heating boilers are currently used for heating residential premises.
The main task of these boilers is to convert the energy of the boiler power source into thermal energy, which is transferred to the heat carrier.
Water is most often used as a heat carrier, which circulates through the heating system pipelines laid throughout the house.
But there are several heat sources that will release energy. The most common are gas boilers, in which thermal energy is released through the combustion of gas.
Another type of boiler is solid fuel. To release thermal energy, they also use combustion, but only wood, coal, etc.
Types of devices based on the heating principle and their description
Below are the main types of boilers operating on the principle of energy conservation:
- Heating elements. They are equipped with a tubular-type heating element that heats the moving liquid.
- Induction. The principle of their operation is based on magnetic induction. In this case, the ferromagnetic alloy is heated inside the coolant.
- Electrode (ionic). Units of this type combine advanced developments with a high degree of efficiency. They heat water by passing an electric current through an electrolyte solution. Its molecules are converted into cations and anions. The result of this process is the release of a significant amount of thermal energy.
Single-circuit and double-circuit
An electric heating boiler can be one of two main types:
- Single-circuit. Designed for heating rooms by circulating liquid inside radiators and in a closed circuit.
- Dual-circuit. They can not only heat your home. but also provide it with hot water supply. They are compact and some can be placed on the wall.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of different types of energy-saving boilers are approximately the same and are as follows:
- Very high efficiency - up to 99 percent.
- During operation of such a device, soot and ash are not released, and oxygen is not burned out of the air.
- The equipment operates completely autonomously.
- Easy installation, management and maintenance.
- Minimum noise level during operation.
- High level of safety due to automatic power supply shutdown when there is no liquid in the heat exchanger.
- Relatively low price level in comparison with gas heating equipment.
- There is no need to install a chimney or arrange a place to store coal or firewood.
The list of main disadvantages looks like this:
- Electric shock hazard.
- Special requirements for the quality of water used for heat exchange. In case of non-compliance, the equipment will not last long.
Features of operation of electrode boilers
Advantages:
- high efficiency indicators - at least 95% efficiency;
- good environmental friendliness;
- combination of high power with small overall dimensions;
- is not afraid of electrical voltage surges.
Flaws:
- the need to use alternating power supply;
- periodic monitoring of electrolyte conductivity;
- arrangement of reliable grounding;
- you need to install a pump to circulate water in the heating system;
- Electrodes need to be replaced every 2-4 years.
Features of electrode heating boilers Numerous reviews will help you choose the best models of electrode boilers for heating a private home.
The efficiency of such units is due to the excellent shock-absorbing system and the use of economical fuel. No maintenance required. Electrode equipment has a longer service life.
How does an electric boiler work?
In order to choose the right electric boiler for heating your home, you need to know its characteristics and make sure that they meet the network requirements. Any electric heating boiler for a home includes the following elements:
- Frame. The outer shell, inside which all the boiler parts are assembled;
- Heat exchanger. Heater and container with coolant;
- Control block. Process control, monitoring and regulation system.
Diagram of an electric boiler with a heating element
