When hot water is turned off, residents of city apartments have to solve the issue of preparing hot water for household and hygienic needs.
Of course, you can heat buckets of water on a gas stove or pour cold water over it. But, you must admit, such a prospect will please very few people. Therefore, to solve this problem, it is better to install an electric water heater that can provide you with a supply of hot water.
In a previous publication, we talked about which water heater to choose - instantaneous or storage?
If you do not have a desire to pull the cable from the electrical panel on the site in order to connect the flow heater, then it is better to buy a capacitive type water heater.
Let's talk today about the choice of a capacitive heater - what they are in design and volume, what to look for when buying a heater in a store.
Let's see how a storage water heater works in order to understand the principle of its operation.
The diagram of the water heater is shown in the figure below:
In the figure, numbers indicate:
1 - electric cable to the electric heating element; 2 - pipe for supplying cold water to the heater; 3 - hot water outlet pipe; 4 - heating element (TEN); 5 - thermostat; 6 - magnesium anode; 7 - water heating temperature regulator; 8 - tank; 9 - thermal insulation; 10 - outer cover of the water heater.
A video about storage water heaters is presented below:
Characteristics of storage water heaters
Before choosing a water heater in a store, you should decide on the main characteristics that meet your needs.
Let's look at the main characteristics of tank type water heaters.
Tank capacity
One of the most important characteristics of a storage heater is its tank volume.
On sale you can find heaters of various sizes from 30 to 500 liters.
For use in an apartment, water heaters with a capacity of 50 to 100 liters are usually purchased. Read about the choice of the required volume below.
Electric power
An equally important characteristic is the electrical power of the heater. It will depend on its value whether you can plug it into a regular outlet or you will have to lay a special electrical cable from the shield on the landing to connect the water heater to the mains.
The sockets in the apartment are designed to connect a load not exceeding 2 kW. Therefore, be sure to check the power of the heating element before purchasing a water heater.
It should be remembered that the lower the electric power of the heater, the longer you will have to wait for the next portion of water to heat up.
Heating time of water to a certain temperature
This characteristic directly depends on the previous indicator. The more powerful the heating element installed in the heater tank, the less time you will have to wait until the water warms up.
The lower its power, the longer it will have to wait until you can use hot water.
Geometric parameters
Today in stores you can find storage water heaters of various shapes, which allows you to choose a device of the required volume for any design and for various placement options.
Water heaters are available in both cylindrical shape and flattened configuration, the so-called "slimy", which can be easier to fit into the interior of the bathroom.
The water heater can be placed above a toilet in a mixed bathroom or above a washing machine. This arrangement will allow the most economical use of the available free space in the bathroom.
Often, when the free space in the bathroom is very limited, water heaters are taken out to the kitchen. In this case, a small-volume water heater can be easily mounted under the kitchen sink so that it does not disturb the overall interior of the room.
Most often, vertical water heaters are purchased, allowing them to fit into the interior most organically.
A vertical water heater can be placed above a bathtub, washing machine, washbasin or above the toilet - that is, where something has already been installed on the floor.
Horizontal water heater
But sometimes it will be advisable to take a closer look at the purchase of an electric water heater with a horizontal orientation.
The horizontal water heater can be mounted above the shower stall.
Flat storage water heaters
For a small city bathroom, slim type water heaters are best suited.
Due to their low thickness, it is much easier to place them organically in the bathroom than round barrels.
How much water heater to choose?
The volume of the water heater should be selected based on the number of family members and their needs.
If the heater will be used for washing hands before meals and for hygiene procedures in the morning and in the evening, then a minimum volume water heater (10-15 liters) will be enough.
If, in addition to this, it is supposed to take a shower or a small wash, of course, the volume should be larger.
It is generally accepted that it is enough for one person to purchase a water heater with a volume of 30-50 liters. Such a water heater will allow you not only to wash the dishes or rinse your hands before eating, but also to take a shower or arrange a short wash.
For a family of two, a water heater with a tank volume of 50-80 liters will be enough. This is enough to take turns shower or take a bath.
For a family of 3 (with a child), you should focus on the capacity of the water heater 80-120 liters. The optimal volume is 100 liters. This is enough for parents to take a shower, as well as collect a bath for washing the baby.
If there are more than three people in the family, the electric storage water heater must be at least 100 liters (from 100 to 200 liters).
In general, to select the capacity of a water heater, you can refer to the table below:
Storage tank volume selection table
Which storage water heater is better?
When choosing, you should first of all give preference to water heaters of well-known brands that have long been presented on the market and have proven themselves well.
Water heaters Ariston, Electrolux, AEG, Bosh, Thermex, Stiebel, Gorenje they are very reliable in operation, have high-quality assembly and a long service life.
Prices for DHW cylinders
Prices for water heaters of capacitive type fluctuate depending on the brand of the manufacturer and on the volume of the tank.
Small volume water heaters have the lowest price. So, water heaters Haier, Elsotherm, Atmor, Thermex a volume of 8-10 liters can be purchased for 2500-2900 rubles.
Water heaters with a tank from 15 to 30 liters will cost 3000-3500 rubles. for inexpensive models. Ariston the same capacity will cost around 4,300 rubles.
From 3800 rubles, you can purchase water heaters with a capacity of 50 liters, and 80-liter models will cost from 4090 rubles ( De Luxe W80V), 4290 p. ( Haier ES75-A1).
More expensive models can cost from 15-20 thousand rubles. up to 40 thousand rubles (Stiebel).
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Now you know what to look for when choosing an electric storage water heater.
In the next article, we will talk about how to connect a storage water heater to the water supply system, and also consider connecting the heater to the mains.
