How to connect a heating element on a Cooper boiler How to connect a heating element on a Cooper boiler

Pros and cons of using heating elements for home heating

The main disadvantage of this heating method, as in the case of other electrical appliances, is the cost of operating costs. Electricity is still the most expensive source of heat (unless, of course, you have the opportunity to use free solar or wind energy, and you are connected to the main power grid). Another disadvantage is the impossibility of repair in case of failure of the spiral. However, there are some positive aspects that in some cases may become a priority.

Environmental friendliness of the heating system. When using electric heaters, there is no need to store and store any kind of fuel, and there are no harmful combustion products that enter the environment;
The possibility of autonomous installation of the heating system in the absence of access to other thermal resources (for example, gas);
Small dimensions and a large selection of models in terms of power and functionality;
Possibility of automating the heating process: installation of heating elements with a thermostat;
Low purchase and installation costs. There are models, the cost of which does not exceed 1000 rubles. And the installation of heating elements in heating radiators can be done independently.

And finally, a few tips for self-installation of tubular electric heaters. How to properly embed a heating element in a heating system? First of all, you need to choose the right model by measuring the diameters of the radiators where the heating element is supposed to be installed and making power calculations. Then carefully read the instructions for the device, which should indicate whether additional sealing is required or not. This is one of the most important points, since contact of the conductor with the heat transfer fluid will cause your radiators to be energized, and this is dangerous for residents. If the manufacturer indicates the need for additional sealing, then it must be done. In addition, the use of electrical heating devices without grounding is unacceptable.

Location of heating elements in a cast-iron radiator

The installation of heating elements in cast iron heating batteries has a number of features. They are associated with the diameter of the pipe and the direction of the thread. In general, the procedure for installing heating with heating elements in an existing system is as follows: disconnect the heating system from the heat source, drain the water, install the heating element, fill in the coolant, check the system's performance. When using heating elements with thermostats in the system of heating radiators, it is also necessary to check their performance after installation. It is also advisable to install water sensors and check the angles of the radiators. Since air congestion can significantly affect the operation of the entire system and disable the heating element.

Electric heaters for heating types

TENS were invented at the end of the nineteenth century in America. A patent for this was obtained in 1896. The very first products were a spiral insulated with a ceramic material and inserted into a metal tube. Such electric heaters for heating were practical products, but unsafe to operate. Mass production of these devices began 50 years after the invention. Since that time, heating elements have been widely used and have become one of the most popular heating devices powered by an electrical network. Since then, they have changed a lot, become more perfect - you can see how they look now in the photo. Modern devices are noticeably different from the very first models, but the principle of their operation has remained unchanged.

Heating elements for heating with a temperature controller features of choice

Every homeowner wants to have an economical and trouble-free heating system in their home.

The variety of existing types of heating allows you to choose an individual and optimal solution for the needs of each house.

The main thing in the heating system is the coolant heater. A variety of boilers heat the heat carrier and it, getting into the batteries, gives off the accumulated heat to the room. If the boiler breaks down, all radiators are excluded from the heating system of the house, and in case of severe frosts, the water in the system can turn into ice and simply break the batteries.

To avoid these problems, as well as to increase the stability and increase the power of the entire heating system, electric heating elements for heating with a temperature controller allow. In many cases, they can be used to create an autonomous local heater.

Varieties of electric boilers and their fundamental differences

Electric boilers differ in the type of working heating elements and are:

• Electrode type.

• Heating element of new type.

Electrode-type boilers for heating water use the property of water to conduct electric current, while releasing heat. It is very simple to describe their fundamental structure: two electrodes are immersed in water and an alternating current is passed through them.

In heating elements boilers, a completely different principle is used. In these electric boilers, special tubular electric heating elements (TEH) are used as a heating device.

Since these boilers have fundamental differences in the types of heating elements, the repair of electric boilers also has significant differences.

Calculation of the power of devices

In order not to overpay for electricity and prevent emergency situations, it is necessary to calculate the required power before installing heating elements in the heating system. And to do it "by eye" will not work. Calculations are made on the basis that for heating 10 sq.m. premises require 1 kW of thermal energy. The formula for calculating the power of the heater is as follows:

where Pm is the design power, m is the mass of the coolant, T1 is the initial temperature of the coolant before heating, T2 is the temperature of the coolant after heating, and t is the time required to heat the system to the optimum temperature T2.

Consider the calculation of power using the example of an aluminum radiator in 6 sections. The volume of the coolant of such a radiator is about 3 liters (exactly indicated in the model passport). Let's say we need to heat the radiator by connecting the heating element to the heating battery, in 10 minutes from 20 degrees to 80. We substitute the values \u200b\u200binto the formula:

Pm \u003d 0.0066 * 3 (80-20) / 10 \u003d 1.118. that is, the power of the heating element should be about 1-1.2 kW.

The heating element is installed in the lower section of the radiators

However, this is only valid if water is used as the heat carrier. If it is necessary to make calculations for oil or antifreeze. then a correction factor is applied, which is about 1.5. Simply put, the power of heating elements for heating oil heaters should be increased by about one and a half times. Otherwise, the estimated time to reach the optimum temperature will increase.

TEN and its varieties

Structurally, a tubular electric heater (TEN) is a tube made of carbon or stainless steel with a heat-conducting spiral made of nichrome, a material with high resistance, placed inside. The tube is filled with a special coolant, periclase, which is a good insulator and, moreover, has a high thermal conductivity, and is hermetically sealed. The periclase, being under high pressure, fixes the spiral centered along the axis, so it does not move when the heating element is bent and, depending on the model, is given the necessary shape. Outside, the ends of the spiral protrude, which serve to connect to the mains.

Heating elements can be divided into groups according to several parameters:

According to the type of heating surface, they are tubular, ribbed, rod, flat and tape:
- tubular electric heaters are used in all electric heaters in which the heat carrier is heated as a result of the conversion of electrical energy and heat. They are made of carbon and stainless steel, copper, titanium, usually from 20 to 600 mm long from a tube with a diameter of 6 to 18.5 mm of any configuration and power;
- tubular finned electric heaters are used in thermal curtains and convectors for heating gas or air, which heats the room. Ribs made of metal tape are attached to a steel heating tube with special fasteners perpendicular to its axis. The branched outer surface allows, at a lower temperature, weight and overall dimensions of the heating element, to increase its heat transfer;
- band heaters made of sheet aluminum or stainless steel are used to heat a flat surface, such as underfloor heating, but most often in industrial production;
- flat heaters are produced with a spiral in a ceramic heater for heating flat surfaces also in industry;
- rod heaters are designed to work in the holes of metal parts.
According to the type of working medium, they can be used for heating water, air, gas, metal, oil, various aggressive media in production.
By scope, household heating elements are produced for boilers, heating boilers, radiators, ovens and electric stoves, washing machines and electric kettles, etc.

In addition, heating elements varying in power from 15 to 15,000 W per unit surface may have additional options: thermostats and automatic shutdown sensors in case of overheating.

Advantages of heating elements

Heating elements (heating elements) have many positive characteristics:

economy and efficiency - when converting electricity into heat, there is practically no energy loss;
simple installation - a heating element for a heating battery can even be installed independently and for this it is not required to issue a special permit in various instances. Each device is accompanied by detailed manufacturer's instructions explaining the connection procedure and operating rules;
durability - it is achieved through chrome and nickel plating;
compactness;
safety;
electric heater with a thermostat for capillary heating allows you to adjust the temperature with a high degree of accuracy;
save electricity consumption allow the device to work with impulses;
affordable cost;
availability of additional functions.

In addition to the positive qualities, such a device as a heating element for heating batteries has several disadvantages:

high cost of electric heating of residential premises due to electricity prices;
not in all settlements on the territory of the country, the electric power from the substation allows the use of these devices.

Solid fuel heating boilers with heating elements

Currently, solid fuel boilers are rarely used. Instead of them, the domestic market has a wide selection of combined and universal heat units that operate not only on solid fuel, but additionally on other types of energy carriers. In a large assortment, consumers are offered electric solid fuel heating boilers for heating.

This type of units are intended for heating residential, household, agricultural and other premises. A number of models can be used as both the main and backup source of heat supply. They are also installed for operation with other types of heating systems.

The solid fuel boiler has the following advantages:

Some models have additional elements:

TEN for a heating boiler with a power of 2 kW, equipped with a thermostat and a temperature limiter;
draft regulator, which allows you to automatically regulate the flow of air into the combustion chamber of the device.

In the event of a breakdown, heating elements for heating boilers can be replaced with new products.

At the stage of designing a heating system for a house or apartment, you should carefully consider the options for its creation, which will save the family budget and provide coziness and comfort.

Radiator electric home heating

Scheme of installing a heating element in a radiator

Before inserting a heating element into the heating system, the parameters of the radiator are needed. The main one is the diameter of the connecting pipe. Currently, manufacturers produce products with two standard sizes - 1/2 and 3/4 inches. Then a comparative analysis of the heating parameters is carried out before and after the installation of the heating element.

Connecting the heating element to the existing heating

If it will be used as an additional method of heating water, it is necessary to take into account the change in hydraulic pressure when passing through the radiator. Since the passage diameter of the system will be smaller this month, it is recommended to install a larger pump.

When a radiator is connected to the system, installation of a heating element for heating a house will not be possible. To do this, you must either change the connection scheme to the top, or install a heating element on the top of the battery, which is not recommended by experts.

Often they make installation in old cast-iron batteries. Before performing work, you must first check the thread direction of the pipe (right or left) and also measure its diameter. Then you should follow this scheme:

Coolant drain. It is forbidden to install a heating element in a heating radiator if there is water in it;
Checking the battery level. Even with a slight angle of inclination, the likelihood of air pockets is significantly increased;
Installing the heating element in the pipe. To seal the holes, you must use the gaskets supplied with the heating element or make them yourself;
Installation of a unit with a thermostat, if one is included in the kit.

An example of installing a heating element in a cast iron radiator

After that, it is necessary to fill the system with water. With the help of the installed Mayevsky crane, possible air plugs are removed. Before switching on, to ensure safety, a tester checks a possibly occurring heating coil-battery circuit. If it is, you need to dismantle the heating element and install it again, improving the sealing.

Radiator electric heating

When organizing heating on heating elements made by oneself, the installation of a pipeline is not necessary. A heating element must be installed on each radiator. At the same time, it is possible to mount models of different power depending on the thermal regime in a particular room of the house. The advantages of such a system are as follows:

Savings on the purchase of materials and reducing the complexity of installation work;
If a heating element with a thermostat is used for heating and a temperature sensor connected to it, the degree of heating of the room will be adjusted automatically;
Minimum heating inertia of the system.

But all these positive qualities can be covered by the total cost of maintenance. Therefore, before heating with electric heaters, it is necessary to calculate not only the cost of purchasing materials and components, but also the subsequent costs of electricity. Only after that to introduce a heating system of this type.

It is recommended to purchase factory radiators with installed heating elements. The efficiency of their work is higher than that of home-made ones, since special oil is used as a coolant. Even with the heating element turned off, it will give off heat to the room for some time.

Two ways to connect the heating element to three phases.

"Three-phase" used to be something not very necessary and understandable for a simple layman, but in our time it has become a necessity for a private house. It is needed primarily for heating with electricity. Since the electric boiler has a large power (in most cases more than 6 kW), when using one phase, you will need to lay the wiring with a cable with a large conductor cross section. And it will be expensive, especially if the cable cores are made of copper. In a three-phase network, the conductor cross-sections will be noticeably smaller, for this reason, most modern electric boilers are connected to a "three-phase". Now let's talk about the main schemes for connecting heating elements to such a network.

Star.

This method is used if the heating element is designed for 220 V. In addition, the "star" requires that a neutral wire be connected from the shield. For clarification, consider the following figure:

In this case, instead of two jumpers there will be one. And it will connect to zero, and the three remaining free ends will be connected to the corresponding phases. If you look at the block nut from above, then it will all look like this:

Triangle.

This method is used to connect heating elements rated for 380 V. If suddenly you decide to put heating elements rated for 220 V in a “triangle”, they will simply burn out. Don't miss this important moment. The main difference between a "triangle" and a "star" is the absence of a neutral conductor. There are only 3 phases and nothing more. To better understand what is at stake, see below:

In the picture, everything looks simple and clear, but if you start connecting the contacts on the block nut, you get the following:

It looks complicated, but in fact it does not differ in any way from the top picture. The colored lines and numbers here indicate the phases, and the heating elements of the block are marked with letters.

How to choose heating elements

Heating element for heating with plates

How to choose the right heater for the heating system? Currently, there are many manufacturers that offer similar products. However, both the quality and technical parameters do not always correspond to the required

Therefore, before purchasing, you need to pay attention to the following performance characteristics of the heater:

Rated and maximum power. If a heating element is needed in the heating boiler, its power should be enough to operate the system. The simplest calculation method is for 10 sq.m. houses need 1 kW of thermal energy;
Mains type. For models with a power of up to 3 kW, you can use a 220 V home network. If it is planned to install a heater for a heating system of greater power, a three-phase 380 V network should be installed. This may be due to difficulties in paperwork;
The presence of a thermostat. For an electric radiator heating system, this is the main selection factor. If you purchase a ten without the ability to adjust the power, it will constantly work at maximum mode. Thus, electricity costs will rise sharply;
Price. The average price of a 2 kW model starts at 900 rubles. The cost of more powerful ones can be up to 6,000 rubles. Often they are made to order.

The appearance of the heating element can also affect its performance and efficiency. The best option would be to purchase a finned heating element in a heating boiler. It differs from the usual ones in that additional heat exchange plates are located on the protective shell.

Thanks to them, the heating area increases. This design is typical for heating elements in heating radiators of larger diameter. Reviews about them speak of increased heat transfer even with a minimum operating mode. But not always their overall dimensions make it possible to install them in a battery. Therefore, most often they purchase simple tubular-type heaters.To increase the efficiency, you can buy a block of heating elements with a thermostat. It differs from traditional ones by the presence of several heating elements on the same basis.

How to use correctly

In addition to the banal non-compliance with operating instructions and safety regulations, heating elements can break down due to:

shell corrosion;
its rupture as a result of overheating;
constant drops in mains voltage;
and just a general depressurization of the tube.

In order for the device to heat your home for as long as possible, you must follow simple rules:

When connecting the wires, one should not be too zealous and overtighten the nuts of the contacts of the output ends of the heater - they can burst.
The device must be connected to the network only when it is in the water. Otherwise, by lowering the heated spiral into water, you can get a fairly strong explosion.
The surface of the heating tube must be regularly descaled. It all depends on the quality of the water, but with constant operation, it is best to clean it once a quarter, preventing scale build-up of more than 2 mm.
If there are problems with the quality of the power supply, you should connect an uninterruptible power supply or a stabilizer.
For the coolant, it is best to pour distilled water into the system, in which the percentage of impurities is minimal. They are the reason for the appearance of scale on the shell of the heating element.
Use protective power off devices (RCDs) - if the heating element breaks down, it will be immediately disconnected from the network.
Be sure to make grounding.

It's important to understand. By no means any heating element can be mounted in a heating radiator

You need to select specialized models in strict accordance with the desired diameter.

Summing up

Be guided by all these simple rules and instructions. They will help you to carry out safe and efficient space heating with an electric heater, which can be used to form local heat sources or supplement them with a centralized heating system.

Heating elements with thermostat

A heating element for heating with thermostats is installed on all household heating appliances without exception, where liquid is used as a heat carrier. The maximum heating temperature of the coolant is 80°C.

The heating element with a built-in temperature controller consists of a heating element and a temperature sensor with a temperature controller.

Criterias of choice

When choosing a tubular electric heater with a thermostat, you need to pay attention to several important points:

Tube material. The body of the heating element can be made of acid-resistant stainless steel or more durable copper. Typically, the outer tube has a diameter of 13 mm, but there are also less powerful budget options with diameters of 10 or 8 mm;
Work in water and weak alkaline solutions. In the marking of the device, this is indicated by the letter P before the designation of the operating voltage;
Power. In order not to overload household wiring, it is better to purchase a heating element with a power of no more than 2.5 kW, otherwise it will have to be laid from the shield a separate cable of a larger cross section;
Thermal sensor device. So that the failed temperature sensor can be easily separated and replaced with a new one, it must be located together with the thermostat in a separate tube and can be easily removed from it. A failed thermal sensor causes the heating element to turn off at low temperatures.

Scope of application

in radiators for organizing temporary heating;
in a shower tank where temporary water heating is needed.

That is, for temporary use, a heating element with a thermostat is the cheapest device before the start of operation. A budget model with accessories is unlikely to cost more than $ 5-6, and mounting it yourself will not be a problem, because any device comes with installation instructions.

Tubular electric heaters are included in any electrical equipment associated with heating. With the development of science and technology, they are being improved, becoming more economical, safer and acquiring additional useful functions. And less and less home-made devices are used, which are cheap to install, but in terms of performance and, most importantly, safety, are far from factory-assembled devices.

The use of TENs

Recently, more and more people are thinking about the possibility of autonomous heating of their homes. Every year the cost of traditional heating increases, so quite often with the help of an autonomous system there is a chance to save.

Also, sometimes it is simply not possible to connect to the central heating system - this is especially true for holiday villages. The only option to heat the house in this case is to install a heating boiler. Solid fuel and gas boilers continue to be the most popular, but their use is also not always possible - access to the main gas pipeline is not always available.

The best way out of such situations is to install electric heating equipment, since there are power grids almost everywhere. The main element of any such heating device is TEN. The efficiency of the heating system largely depends on its type. Typically, domestic heating equipment uses tubular heating elements, as well as elements with a thermostat. The latter make it possible to regulate the operation of the heating system.

Electric heating systems are very convenient in operation: they do not emit harmful substances, as they do not form combustion products, do not require installation in a separate room, are safe to use, easy to install and adjust. But still, when installing electric heating equipment, you should first check whether the electrical network can withstand a high load. You also need to prepare in advance for the fact that you will have to pay a lot of money for electricity.

How to assemble an electric boiler yourself

To assemble the boiler yourself, where you can use the heating element, you need to familiarize yourself with its design. It consists of the following parts:

block and a heating element installed in it;
security and dispatch systems.

Homemade boilers are smaller in size. than the factory ones, they can be rearranged from one place to another if necessary. To work on the manufacture of the boiler, you will need the following:

block of heaters;
thermostat and temperature sensor;
steel case with one zone for the heating element, and the second for the control unit.

Since the heater must be kept in the water all the time in the heating system, install a liquid level sensor. The permissible power of a homemade boiler is 9 kW.

TEN and single-phase network. What to fasten

This case is typical for dachas and village houses of old construction. First you need to generally understand what is at stake and the easiest way to do this is by looking at the following figure:

So, a single-phase electrical network has two conductors - zero and phase. The picture itself shows two ways to turn on the load - parallel and serial. These methods differ in how the initial voltage is divided between the elements. In most cases, heating elements are connected in parallel so as not to lose useful power, a serial circuit is only suitable for various specific cases. A block prepared for connection to one phase will look like this:

It is also worth paying attention to the choice of cable, but we will touch on this point a little later, and now let's move on to three phases

The results of the article.

Hello! If the sound is annoying, then you need to deal with it.Do everything that is written below only if your qualifications allow you: - Turn off the power supply (de-energize the boiler) - Remove the boiler casing - Inspect the contact groups for blackening and burning - poor contact is a source of extraneous sounds - Check the tightness of the contacts on the terminal block on both sides (incoming and outgoing lines), pull them up. - Pull the connections on the contacts of the heating element (bottom of the boiler, nuts on the studs). Use reasonable force when pulling. On the inner surface of the casing there is an instruction in which the points of pulling the contacts during routine maintenance are indicated. - Turn on the boiler, visually determine the source of the crackling, with the casing removed, it will not be difficult to find the source. - Bring the boiler to its original state by first turning off the breaker.

If, after pulling the contacts, the crack disappears, then it was a weak contact, on one of the connections. If not, then a potentially faulty part can be changed so that the crackling does not strain, all connections are made on pin connectors. Carry out work in compliance with safety regulations.

If the qualification does not allow you to interfere in the operation of electrical devices, then it is better to invite a specialist. Heal the call (at the top of the page, the “order a call” button) and our specialists will contact you and help you resolve the issue with warranty service

In EVP-6 of March 2015 release, 3 NT-90 relays are installed, one for each heating element. In the event that one of them exits, you will “temporarily” receive a boiler with a power of 2 kW less than the nominal one, that is, it will not freeze, all circuits are parallel.

NT-90 is the most common electro-mechanical relay used by most manufacturers in heating technology. To date, the Alvin company has abandoned the use of power electromechanical interrupters (relays, contactors, starters, etc.) on heating boilers in favor of solid state relays (triac switches). Despite this, we will maintain a stock of NT-90 relays in stock to ensure warranty and post-warranty service.