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Schemes for connecting a water heater to a water supply system: how not to make mistakes when installing a boiler

Installing a water heater will provide owners of country houses with hot water, increase the comfort of apartments from the old housing stock such as Khrushchev and small-family hostels. The indefatigable unit will laboriously prepare and supply water to the taps so that the owners enjoy the benefits of civilization. This will be the case if the schemes for connecting the water heater to the water supply were followed exactly. They should be known, right?

You will find complete answers to a wide range of questions that arise before installing water heaters and in the process of including them in a communication network, you will find on our website. Reliable information will be useful as independent craftsmen who want to do the installation themselves. It is also necessary for customers of plumbing services who want to check the quality of the work ordered.

The article presented to your attention describes in detail the types of water heaters, their design differences are indicated, and the specifics of the connection are indicated. The author provides valuable tips to ensure the perfect operation of the equipment after installation. The information content of the proposed material is perfectly complemented by photographic images and video recommendations.

Features of connecting household heaters are directly related to the types of devices, their technical parameters, overall dimensions.

Traditionally, two types of heaters are used in household practice:

  1. Cumulative.
  2. Flowing.

Both types of boiler systems differ from each other in heating technology.

Accumulative type apparatus equipped with an electric heater (TEH). Such equipment is most often used in the domestic sphere. Can be mounted directly in the bathroom, if the overall dimensions allow

With the first devices, cold water is collected in a container, heated and then brought to the water intake. The second heating is carried out directly in the process of cold water flow in contact with the heater, without collecting liquid in the storage tank. Domestic consumers mainly use storage boiler systems.

Technical device of the storage boiler

A storage-type water heating system, boilers, in a simplified schematic form, is a container equipped with electric heating elements or liquid heat exchangers. The storage vessel has pipe lines for cold water supply and hot water outlet.

A more powerful and voluminous design is an indirect heating installation. It is clear that the source of heating energy in this case is the water coming from the heating system. However, if desired, it is possible to connect electric heating

The designs of indirect heating boilers are additionally equipped with a working area of ​​​​the coolant and lines for connecting to heating.

Any modern system, regardless of design features, is equipped with automation, thanks to which the water heating temperature is adjusted and the system as a whole operates.

Structural design of heating devices

There are designs of storage boilers designed for installation vertically (wall-mounted) and horizontally (floor-mounted). Of course, in each individual case of the use of certain boilers, there are installation features.

So, if wall mounting of a water heating device is planned, a preliminary calculation of the load and comparison of the results obtained with the design parameters of the wall of the room on which the device is to be mounted is necessary.

Instantaneous water heaters are rapidly gaining popularity in recent years. Users are attracted by their small dimensions, the possibility of simplified easy installation. Really convenient devices for small water consumption needs

Installation of equipment without load calculations threatens to turn into a fatal installation error, when a filled boiler can simply collapse along with the flimsy partition on which it was mounted.

According to the instructions for the equipment, it is necessary to calculate the load taking into account four times the weight of the boiler system. Therefore, if the structure of the supporting wall is frankly weak, the water heater circuit must be supplemented not only with connection lines to the water supply and coolant, but also with reinforced racks (through fasteners).

On the classic schemes for connecting wall-mounted boilers, the water inlet / outlet pipes of the heating devices are marked with the appropriate color (blue / red).

Wiring diagrams and solutions

You can connect a heating device to a centralized supply in one of two ways - through a safety group or directly.

A security group consists of a set of the following elements:

  • cut-off valve;
  • Check Valve;
  • safety valve;
  • expansion vessel.

The first option (the presence of a safety group) is traditionally used in indirect heating boiler plants, and also when the pressure of the centralized system is higher than the boundary parameter of the boiler operating pressure.

The classic scheme of indirect heating equipment. Two safety groups are used: 1 – boiler safety group; 2 - expansion vessel; 3 - boiler tank safety group; 6 - heating circulation pump; 7 - boiler circulation pump (+)

The second option is usually applicable to equipment of small capacity, with a flow principle of operation. Direct (without a safety group) connection is also allowed under conditions of lower and stable pressures of a centralized water supply. In any case, the wiring diagram implies the installation of shut-off (cut-off) valves.

In order to be able to carry out conservation and repair of water heating equipment, it is equipped with shutoff valves at the inlet and outlet of the system (+)

Criteria for error-free installation of equipment

Among the main points of installation, which should be focused on in order not to make mistakes, is the correspondence of the diameters of the pipelines in relation to the inlet fittings, as well as the cross section of the cable supplying the electric heater of the boiler.

The diameter of the supply pipes must ensure the free flow of water along the inlet/outlet lines. Therefore, a larger diameter of the sleeves with a transition to the size of the fittings is still acceptable, but the cross section of the pipelines is smaller than the boiler inlet pipes, already seen as a gross mistake.

The picture is similar for the cross section of the supply cable. It is not forbidden to use a cable with a larger cross section, and it is strictly forbidden to use a cable of a smaller cross section. True, a cable with a cross-section increased against the norm creates difficulties when laying in channels, it takes up more free space. Here, it seems logical to select the exact cross section of the wire depending on the load current.

The power outlet is usually mounted directly at the device. The mounting height of the socket from the floor level is not less than 1.5 m. Household boilers are designed to be powered by single-phase alternating current 220-250 volts. Load current, as a rule, not less than 10A.

Connecting the boiler system according to the electrical diagram. Such a variant of connections can be considered made unmistakably. The cross section of the wire corresponds to that specified in the documentation, the ground circuit is present

The exact value is determined by the performance of the heater and is indicated in the technical documentation. It is for the specified current value that it is necessary to select a circuit breaker.

For example, for flow heaters, the following current cutoff standards for automatic machines are relevant (table):

As a rule, all the required connection parameters are specified in the instructions for the boiler. The user manual explains exactly all the points of installation. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully study the documents included in the package of the device before installation.

Some features of the water supply scheme

The supply of cold water to the boiler system is carried out through a pipeline, which is connected directly to the centralized supply riser. At the same time, a number of components necessary for the normal functioning of the equipment are mounted on the cold water line:

  1. Stopcock.
  2. Filter (not always).
  3. Safety valve.
  4. Drain tap.

The specified elements of the circuit are installed in the area between the cold water supply pipe and the boiler in the marked sequence.

The line for the outlet of the heated liquid is also equipped with a shut-off valve by default. However, this requirement is not mandatory, and if a tap is not installed at the DHW outlet, there is no serious mistake in this.

All water heater connection schemes have common features. The cold water supply point is located at the bottom, filters and a reducer must be installed in front of it to reduce the flow pressure (+)

Simplified, in comparison with storage boilers, the flow heater connection diagram is considered. Here it is enough to install only one shut-off valve in front of the cold water inlet fitting.

But the installation of a shut-off valve at the DHW outlet of the flow heater is regarded by many manufacturers as a gross installation error.

It should also be taken into account: if a well, a well, a water tower, etc. acts as a source of cold water supply for an instantaneous water heater, it is recommended to turn on a coarse filter in series with the tap (after the tap). Often, an installation error with the filter connection (refusal to install) leads to the loss of the manufacturer's warranty.

Common mistakes in installing water heaters

The installation rules for such equipment provide for the use of insulation on cold water / hot water pipelines. At the same time, the technical requirements for installation determine the minimum possible size of the insulation thickness - 20 mm. The level of thermal conductivity of the insulating material must be at least - 0.035 W / m 2.

An example of the insulation of the heater system, where obvious errors are noted. It is necessary to insulate not only the pipes, but also the working components installed on the pipeline section. With modern insulating materials, this is done easily.

When installing water heaters, they often violate the scheme for connecting a home unit to a water supply system, using insulating material of small thickness, or not using insulation at all.

As a result, when the full operation of the device begins, significant losses of thermal energy are noted. These losses are reflected in the heating time, which increases significantly.

Incorrect or missing insulation is the main cause of condensation on the cold water line. This state of the system reduces the level of user comfort, contributes to the formation of an unsanitary environment inside the premises where the equipment is located.

A common mistake is to install a boiler without an expansion vessel. The scheme, which provides for the introduction of an expansion vessel, is relevant specifically for storage-type water heaters. Thanks to the expansion vessel, it is possible to compensate for the increase in pressure caused by the increase in the volume of water in the boiler storage.

Installed expansion tank in an indirect heating system. In fact, the installation of the expansion vessel is made with an error. This element of the system must be located above the line of the top cover of the boiler. In addition, there is no pipe insulation

As a rule, the installation of storage-type heaters is limited to turning on the safety valve in the section of the cold water main. Such a peculiar replacement of the expansion tank with a safety valve is permissible, but, from the point of view of correct installation, this is a technical error.

In fact, on storage boilers, an expansion vessel must always be installed along with a check valve.

List of other installation errors:

  • the electrical cable is laid on sharp metal edges or on high temperature surfaces;
  • the order of connecting trunk lines does not correspond to the order indicated in the diagram;
  • the installation level of the water heater relative to the horizontal and vertical is violated;
  • there is no grounding circuit of the water heater;
  • the parameters of the electrical network where the equipment is connected do not meet the passport requirements;
  • installation is carried out in a room where there is no water supply and sanitation system.

Any, even an insignificant mistake in the installation of water heating equipment can play a fatal role after the start of operation of the device.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The operation of the hot water supply and heating system depends on the correct installation of water heating devices, so it is important to take into account all the installation nuances. Some practical tips are presented in the videos.

Professional Tips:

It is always recommended to carefully control the progress of installation work, guided in parallel by the attached installation documentation. Often, users mount the system without bothering to look at the attached diagram. Connecting two water pipes and inserting the plug into the socket - such actions seem to be commonplace for them. But technology does not forgive mistakes.