When choosing a water heater for the house, it is important to correctly calculate its power, so that there is no shortage or a large excess. But in order not to make a mistake in the choice, you need to know what the power of the equipment depends on. It is not necessary to be a pro in plumbing, but it is useful to know what you are buying and how it works.
What determines the power of the instantaneous water heater
At their core, water heaters are very similar to conventional electric kettles or old boilers. A tank filled with water is heated using a heating element. It is he who determines the power consumption of the device. The more powerful the heater, the faster the water temperature rises.
Also, the power depends on the type of water heater. There are two of them:
- Flowing. The water in them is heated instantly, passing through a tank with a heating element. Their power is on average higher than that of others.
- Cumulative. In these water heaters, water accumulates in a large tank and is heated gradually. This technique has less power, but takes up more space.
The average power of the instantaneous water heater
The power of flowing heaters depends on their throughput and productivity. Most often, it fluctuates between two and fifteen liters of heated water per minute. Also, the temperature to which the water will be heated will affect the energy consumption.
On average, the power of a flow heater is from 3 to 28 kilowatts. There are very simple models for the kitchen, heating no more than 3 liters per minute with an energy consumption of 3-4 kilowatts, and real monsters for 19 kilowatts, supplying several places in the house with water at the same time.
However, it is important to understand that such a technique consumes a lot of electricity, and therefore less economical than storage models. But it provides more convenience, because you do not have to wait for water heating and you can not be afraid to spend it all at once. But everywhere there are pitfalls. In some situations, the flow device will be more profitable than the storage one.
How to calculate the power of a water heater for your home
To calculate the required heater performance, first you need to find out everything about the wiring and the mains of the house. This will help determine the upper limits of the load, which in no case should not go. Otherwise, protection will work - it will knock out traffic jams, as is customary to say in everyday life.
IMPORTANT! Do not forget that other equipment in the house will also work with the heater! This must be taken into account when calculating power. It is unlikely that you will become de-energized the whole house, only to heat the water and swim.
Next, you will need to determine:
- Desired water temperature.
- Fluid flow rate in liters per minute.
- The average temperature of cold water in the pipes.
Knowing these numbers, it is not difficult to determine the required power by a simple formula: flow rate multiplied by the difference in the desired temperature and the average temperature of cold water. Then all this needs only to be divided by 14.3 and the desired number is found!
Types and average power of instantaneous water heaters
There are two types of flow heaters - pressure and non-pressure. They differ both in energy consumption and in the type and mechanics of work.
Pressure water heaters cut into the pipe and carry hot water immediately to the entire living space. This is a convenient option for homes where there are many taps - water will be available immediately from anywhere. The power of such models starts with 4.5 kilowatts and can reach any reasonable limits. This is a multifunctional, convenient, but demanding on the mains option.
Non-pressure ones provide water for only one point - for the one in which they are installed. They are almost always equipped with showers and take up very little space. However, their energy consumption is always small and ranges from 3.5 to 8 kilowatts. Such devices are most often used in cottages or in apartments with a weak network.
Efficiency of instantaneous water heaters
High power pressure heaters, of course, lose cumulative in savings, but does this mean that all flow-through devices are so bad in terms of savings? So I want to say yes, especially considering the smart temperature control in other models. But actually it is not.
The liquid in flowing models is heated only when used, which means that energy is not wasted. Also, practice shows that instantaneous water heaters last longer than storage water heaters. In addition, they themselves are much more compact and cheaper.
Flowing heaters will help to save if they are installed:
- In an apartment building.
- In the country outside the city.
- In a house where hot water is needed infrequently and to a lesser extent.
For such situations, instantaneous water heaters will be the best choice in terms of convenience and economy.
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