How to choose an indirect heating boiler?

Since some time, storage water heaters have gained great popularity, especially among owners of cottages and large cottages equipped with boiler rooms. Many prefer indirectly heated boilers to other units - for example, storage or continuous heaters. How to choose an indirect heating boiler? Read about this in our article.

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Advantages of the

boiler Indirect heating boiler - which is better? The answer to this question depends on many reasons. But first you need to understand the advantages of this type of device.

The reasons for the growing popularity are many:

• efficiency;
• convenient operating principle;
• compactness;
• high heating rate.

Important! To heat water intended for domestic needs, the thermal energy of the heating system is used. Electricity is not needed, accordingly - it will not be necessary to pay for it additionally. Water is heated as quickly and to the same temperature as with a powerful TEN.Thermal losses are minimized - if the tank has good thermal insulation, the water cools only a couple of degrees per day.

Operating principle

The indirect heating boiler operates approximately as follows:

1. The heating water flows through the inlet pipe to the tank.
2. In the tank there is a coil.
3. Hot water from the heating system passes through the coil.
4. Part of the heat through the walls of the coil is transferred to the water in the tank.
5. The water in the tank heats up.
6. The heated water is raised by convection and enters the outlet pipe.

Important! Some models do not have a coil, instead of it a "tank in the tank" system is used.

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What to look for?

The rating of indirect heating boilers will not help much if you do not take into account the characteristics of your home. First, you need to understand the volume. For this, consider:

• for what purpose water is used;
• how many there will be consumers;
• how many people will use this water. Why do you need heated water?

.Are you going to just wash the dishes and wash yourself or intend to take baths, and you do not even have a washing machine at your dacha?

• For small dishes, a small boiler, a volume of 30 liters is enough for the eyes.
• If you are going to heat the water for a bath - you will have to buy an aggregate in which not less than 100 liters of water is placed.

Users of

These are the devices that will be connected to the boiler:

• kitchen faucet and sink;
• bath;
• shower cabin.

For each of them there is an average indicator of the consumer volume of hot water. It can be approximately calculated by first measuring the amount of water consumed during rush hours( for example, in the morning):

• kitchen sink - 8-16 l;
• bath - 90-108 l;
• shower - 27-30 liters;
• washbasin - 5-8 liters;
• hand washbasin - 1-3 liters.

Important! To the estimated amount, you need to add another 10-20%.

Users

It is very important to calculate how many people are going to use hot water from the boiler. For example, the average consumer shower volume is 30 liters. If you use the cabin two people - you need a boiler with a capacity of 60 liters.

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Technical data

Indirect boiler must be reliable, efficient, durable and convenient. Therefore, it is worth evaluating such characteristics:

• material;
• temperature;
• power;
• pressure,
• corrosion protection;
• placement method;
• additional functions.

Material

Having decided to choose an indirect boiler, pay attention to what the tank is made of. The best options:

• stainless steel;
• enameled;
• with titanium coating.

On sale there can be found also tanks from other materials, but it is better to choose these ones, since they possess the necessary qualities:

• with low thermal conductivity;
• strength;
• longevity.

Important! Do not forget to see what the coil is made of. The best option - brass. In most boilers from good manufacturers, the coil is cast from this material, but in cheap models you can find a fake.

See also how this part is attached. There must be a flange connection so that the element can be removed. Discard the purchase if the coil is attached firmly.

Temperature

An important parameter is the water temperature that the boiler can provide. According to technical standards, the water in the heating system heats up to 60-70 ºС.It is this liquid that will flow into the coil. In this case, it is important that you can connect the unit directly to the boiler.

Power and pressure

On sale you can find units with an output power of 2 to 60 kW.Your choice of an indirect boiler depends on the volume of the tank and the temperature you want to get at the outlet.

Important! The larger the capacity, the more powerful the device should be.

Do not forget that the water comes under pressure. The certificate indicates the maximum pressure that your unit can withstand. It is usually from 6 to 10 bar.

Descaling

The boiler must be protected against scale and corrosion. The best option is the magnesium anode. It looks like the most common rod. Is inside the tank.

Form

In the equipment shops you can find boilers of very different shapes:

• cylindrical;
• cubic;
• are rectangular.

You can choose the one you like best - there is no effect on the quality of heating. A lot of space in the tank is occupied by the coil, which heats the water evenly throughout the volume.

Method of placement

For this parameter, boilers are divided into two types:

• wall;
• outdoor.

Important! Walls have a smaller volume. In this tank is placed no more than 200 liters of water. If there is more liquid, the unit simply will not stay on the wall. Floor - more, besides, it can be placed directly under the boiler, and this reduces heat loss.

Do I need a heater?

Despite the fact that the water in the boiler is heated by the thermal energy of the heating system, in some models they put the heating elements. Other things being equal, this is a kind of bonus, because if necessary your indirect boiler will easily turn into an electric storage heater.

Important! On sale there are boilers with two coils. One - the usual, takes water from the heat supply systems. The second is connected to an alternative heat source - for example, a heat pump.

Optional devices

When deciding how to choose an indirect heating boiler for your home, pay attention to the additional functions:

• the presence of a thermal relay;
• additional branch pipe.

Important! Pay attention also to thermal insulation. The best option is polyurethane foam, the worst is foam rubber.

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Popular brands of boilers up to 100 liters

Many famous companies are engaged in the production of boilers, they have long been established in the market. In this case, the aggregates are divided into groups by volume, The best indirect heating boilers with a capacity of up to 100 liters:

• Baxi Combi 80;
• Gorenje GBK80ORRNB6;
• ACV COMFORT 100.

Baxi Combi 80

A small boiler made in Italy. How to choose a boiler for indirect heating to the boiler, if the boiler is weak? Pay attention to the products of this company.

In this case, the ideal boiler is LUNA-3 Comfort. The unit is placed on the floor under it. Made of stainless steel, there is protection against scale and reliable thermal protection. For its class, this is a fairly powerful unit that produces 31 kW.

Gorenje GBK80ORRNB6

A relatively small but effective unit from a Slovenian company. Very compact. Equipped with an electronic unit, two tubular heat exchangers, It has protection from corrosion, from freezing, it can be connected directly to the boiler.

ACV COMFORT 100

A well-known Belgian company offers its customers a boiler with the principle of "tank in the tank" - there is no coil, but there are two stainless steel tanks, one is inserted into the other. The inner tank has a corrugated surface. The volume is 100 liters, the power is 23 kW.Different mounting options are provided.

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Boilers up to 200 liters

In this category, we also highlight some of the most popular models as a rating for boilers of indirect heating.

Baxi Premier plus 150

And here one of the leaders is Baxi, which offers consumers a Baxi Premier plus 150 unit. As its name implies, it is designed for a volume of 150 liters. An interesting design is the "coil in the coil".The drive is quite light, the mount is wall-mounted. Like all boilers of this company, it is made of high-quality stainless steel. Most importantly, it can be used with different types of boilers, so selecting an indirect heating boiler according to the boiler's capacity becomes a matter of no small difficulty.

In addition to "Baxi", the leaders in this "weight category" are:

• BOSCH WSTB 160;
• Protherm FE 200 BM.

BOSCH WSTB 160

Bosch is a traditional German quality. The model is designed for a gas boiler. There is a recycling system.

Important! It is very interesting that this model works superbly on hard water. This is achieved using a special glass ceramic coating.

Protherm FE 200 BM

High-quality stainless steel, titanium anode, antibacterial additives in the coating. High productivity - per minute you can heat up to 25 ° C as much as 30 liters of water.

Important! There is, however, a drawback: like some other models, it works only with "its" boilers.

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Boilers up to 300 liters

To choose an indirect heating boiler with a capacity of up to 300 liters is optimal for a private house or a small enterprise.

ACV COMFORT 240

In this category, according to consumer estimates, ACV is the leader. Her model ACV COMFORT 240 is a reasonable combination of price and quality:

• The "tank in the tank" system is used.
• It is designed for three points of water extraction.
• Corrugated inner tank - this prevents corrosion.

Important! No recirculation loop.

Gorenje KGV 300-2 / BG

Despite the large volume, the unit looks rather elegant and compact. The tank is enameled, magnesium anode, thermometer, protection against overheating. In addition, the boiler has two heat exchangers.

Important! You can put the heater and connect the heat pump.

Protherm FS B300S

Like other boilers of this company, it is designed to work with its own boilers. Positive qualities include:

• Large tank, in which there are two flanges to connect the heater.
• Reliable protection against scale - enamel surface and magnesium anode.
• The coating contains an antiseptic.

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Boilers up to 400 liters

The rating of indirect heating boilers would not be complete without a review of high capacity models. Let's get started.

Drazice OKC 400 NTRR / 1 МРа

The Czech model Drazice OKC 400 NTRR / 1 МРa is in the lead in the heaviest weight category:

• Two tubular heat exchangers. One of them can be connected to a solar collector. The second - traditionally joins the boiler.
• You can also put two heaters.

In short, a versatile and economical device made of high-quality steel and with a magnesium anode.

Bosch SK 400-3 ZB

The German company offers a rather expensive, but very reliable unit. Very simple and practical model of a good stainless steel, with all relying in such cases, protection against scale and corrosion. You can connect the recirculation line.

Important! Thermal protection foam plastic, and this somewhat reduces the quality of the unit.

BAXI UBVT 400 SC

This model, unlike the vast majority of the Italian company's boilers, is connected to a solar collector. This is a purely dacha option, of course, if you are not going to put the unit where the sun shines bright all year round. The tank is made of stainless steel, but it is covered with titanium enamel. You can connect a thermometer and different sensors. A recirculation scheme is provided.

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How to install a boiler?

You do not need to invite plumbing for this. In principle, you can handle this task yourself, if you have:

• actually a boiler;
• pipe;
• ball valves - 5 pcs.;
• blasting filter;
• reverse filters - 2 pieces;
• pump;
• air vent;
• expansion tank;
• three-way valve;
• anchor bolts;
• perforator;
• level;
• pencil;
• wrenches;
• sealant.

Selecting the place

This is the most important point. The best option is a floor boiler, which is put on the boiler. Ensure access to the heater. Secure the wall unit to the main wall with anchor bolts. To do this:

1. Select a location.
2. In the level, mark the places of the upper fasteners.
3. Drill holes.
4. Screw in the anchor bolts.
5. Try installing the boiler.
6. Remove the unit.
7. Screw in the remaining bolts( one or two).
8. Install the boiler.

Important! The floor device is simply placed on the selected place.

Connecting pipes

The pipes from the heating system are connected via a three-way valve, in front of which there is a ball valve:

1. Connect the cold water supply pipe through the return and explosion valves.
2. Place another ball valve.
3. Connect the return pipe to the outlet connection.
4. Move the pipe along which water will flow to the equipment, to the outlet connection.
5. Mount the ball valve in the connection point.
6. Connect the expansion tank.
7. Connect the air vent.
8. Connect the joints with a sealant.
9. Open the ball valves and check the system for leaks.

Important! If recirculation is provided, mount a ball valve, return filter, air vent, pump to the boiler.

Now you are ready to improve your living conditions in your cottage or country house without additional waste, because you can cope with the selection of an indirect heating boiler and its installation now, without the involvement of specialists.