Storage water heaters are best suited as the main or additional source of hot water. This equipment is very popular, the reason is the intensive increase in prices for utilities. Let's see how the water heater is connected.
Can I install it myself?
The ancestors said that it is necessary to measure seven and cut only once. This wisdom can be applied to the selection of technology for the installation of storage heaters. If there is no minimum set of knowledge and skills related to the installation of plumbing equipment, then it is better to entrust the connection of the water heater to experienced professionals. This applies more to apartments in cities. If you make even a small mistake, the consequences can be very unpleasant. Especially unpleasant to flood the neighbors.
So, the independent installation of these units is associated with serious risks. However, if you follow all the recommendations and advice, then everything will turn out well. Even more - independent installation and connection allows you to significantly save and gain new skills.
Materials and Tools
To connect a water heater with your own hands, you will need a set of tools. This is an ordinary plumbing tool that any home master must have. You need a building level, adjustable wrenches, a marker, pliers, a punch, screwdrivers and tape measures. You should also purchase PVC pipes and FUM-tape, although it is perfectly replaced by linen threads.
Mount the heater on the wall
This is the standard solution that is used in most apartments. The device is most often installed in kitchens or in bathrooms. It must be remembered that the unit is quite heavy and for its installation the walls must be load-bearing. It is also important to choose a place so that the tank is as close to the hot water tap as the hot liquid quickly loses its temperature.
Also, professionals are advised to pay attention to the next moment. Mounting height depends only on comfort of use. During operation, you will have to switch various thermal modes of operation - to do it should be convenient.
Installation technology is divided into several stages. Consider each in detail. After studying this instruction, connecting the Termex water heater and other models will not cause difficulties.
Beginning of work
The first step is to choose a site. Above we examined the nuances of choosing a place. The place where the installation will be carried out must meet certain requirements. So, access to the device during the entire period of operation should be unhindered. Pipes, as well as risers should be in good condition, and better - in excellent condition. It happened that instead of installing and connecting a water heater, the foreman had to deal with an unexpected replacement of parts of the pipeline due to the fact that it was simply impossible to insert into the system - the pipes were very old.
The wall on which the equipment will be mounted must be able to support the weight of the water heater. The load can be from 160 kilograms or more. Also, before installation, it is necessary to check the electrical wiring - it must be in good condition and withstand heavy loads.
Wiring
Any storage heaters are equipped with powerful heating elements - heating elements. Water heats up quickly enough. Therefore, certain requirements are imposed on the wiring. The requirements themselves depend on the manufacturer of the heater. In general, the cable cross-section should be 4-6 mm 2 . But it is also necessary to find out the capabilities of the meter, the maximum current for which the meter is designed. If the maximum allowable current is 40 A, then this meter will not withstand the load. It is being replaced with a new one. To connect an electric water heater, you need a switch that can withstand a certain current, as well as cable products 3 x 8 or 3 x 6.
Measurements
When the place is selected, and the wiring problems are resolved, you can proceed directly to the installation work. Using a marker on the wall, make a mark - this will be the bottom point of the water heater. Next, measure the distance between the point and the place where the mounting plate will be attached, which is welded to the top of the unit. In marked places, holes are drilled.
It is worth paying attention to an important point. There are no holes on the mounting plate. The tank is hung for special fasteners - hook anchors.
If the wall is made of brick or concrete, then conventional drill for a hammer drill will be powerless. Need winning items. For a wooden wall, you can use a conventional drill. The diameter should be slightly larger than that of the fastener itself.
Then the dowel is driven into the hole made under it. Experts recommend hammering the dowel directly with a hammer. Next, a special hook anchor is screwed into the hole. A heater will be hung on it. The anchor should be screwed as far as it will go - this is about 10-12 centimeters. The tank is fixed by hooking the bar to the installed anchors.
On this installation work ends. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this procedure. However, you still need to connect the device.
We connect water
At this stage, the water heater should be connected to the water supply. The scheme depends on the characteristics of a particular apartment. To connect, you need hoses that can be made of plastic or polypropylene. Consider typical options for connecting a heater. Having studied them, it will be possible to easily connect Ariston water heaters and heaters of other manufacturers.
Connection Features
The process consists of two stages. At the first, the heater is connected to the water supply. At the second stage, work is underway to connect the tank to the electric line. And to the water supply and electricity, the heater is connected easily. Usually, everything is described in detail in the instructions.
Work sequence
The first step is to connect the water heater to the water supply by installing a cold water filter. It is mounted at the entrance. There is no special need to install a cleaning element on hot water, since the heater will only be connected to the cold water supply system.
If it is planned that the hot liquid will be used only from the boiler, then it is possible to completely cut off or cut off the hot water supply branch in the apartment. If the heater will be a backup option for the preparation of hot liquids, you must make sure that the installed screen is tight.
The storage water heater connection diagram also provides that the inlet pipe should be located as close as possible to the water inlet to the apartment. No other elements in the wiring and splitters should reduce the pressure. The pipe that connects to the heater should only be used to supply cold water to the tank. It’s not worth it to use it for anything else.
Experts recommend choosing this PVC pipe. It should also have a reinforcing layer. But it is forbidden to use metal products with these tanks - they do not meet the operating requirements for these units. To connect the pipe to the tank using brass adapters and taps. Cranes are very easy to operate. They open easily and close just as easily.
The tap is soldered to the input pipe. When this work is completed, you can proceed with the installation of the adapter. Next, install the check valve. It is needed to completely eliminate overflow from the boiler if the system rises pressure. This is the main rule for connecting the water heater to the water supply. Do not forget about the check valve.
It should be noted that the faucet also provides a return discharge of water if there is increased pressure inside the heater or in the pipes. The adapter nut is installed at the outlet of the device. It is connected to a crane. This is how the wiring is done and this is how the standard wiring diagram for connecting an electric water heater in most apartments and houses looks like.
Mounting to metal pipes
To connect, you can even not use welding equipment. Connections are made using tees - the masters call them “vampires”. By design, the tee is an ordinary tightening collar. There are nozzles on the sides. Thread ends already have threads.
To install such a tee, first it is mounted in the right place and tightened with the help of complete screws. A gasket is placed between the pipe and the metal part of the product - it is complete. It is very important that the gaps in the tee and in the gasket are exactly in the right places.
Then, using a drill in the pipe, a hole is drilled through the gap in the pipe and gasket. Further, either a thread is screwed onto the hole or a hose is fixed. Through the last water will go to the heater. Such a storage water heater connection scheme is quite applicable in urban apartments.
A very important point is the strict sealing of each connection. FUM tape, flax thread or other sealing materials are used to seal threaded joints.
We connect to the power supply
Here, too, there are no particular difficulties. However, there are still moments that need to be known and taken into account. The most basic nuance is power. It must strictly correspond to the type of cable that is used in the process of connecting the storage water heater. For greater reliability, it is recommended to purchase copper wires. Their cross section may vary from 2.2 to 2.5 mm 2 .
In order for the heater not to cause any problems to its owner in the future, to work properly and reliably, you should pull a separate line for it from the electric meter. In this case, the tank will be completely safe for further operation.
When installing the device in city apartments, do not forget about the need for grounding. It would seem that in city apartments with the connection of the storage heater there can be no problems with grounding, but sometimes they happen - due to insufficient grounding, the device beats the user with current. If the apartment has grounding, it is better to connect it.
Instantaneous water heaters
This is another type of water heaters. Unlike storage devices, there is no tank in which water accumulates. According to the principle of operation, the heater resembles a gas column. But in this case, the coil through which the code passes is heated by electricity. Let's see how the instantaneous water heater is connected.
Mains check
The first step is to check the electrical wiring and determine whether it can withstand significant loads from a flow heater. The modern market offers products whose power reaches 10 kW. Accumulative heaters are easily plugged into a conventional electrical outlet, but flow-through heaters have higher power. When turned on, certain problems may occur. Sometimes after switching on, the wiring burns out and you need to change it all.
Change the wiring in the event that it is just old or there is no grounding in it. This is often found in country houses. If repairs were recently made and the electric line was changing, then for reliable connection of the flow heater it is enough to stretch a separate new cable. Pull it straight from the junction box.
Fasteners
At this stage, you need to fix the body of the flow heater to the wall. To do this, select any suitable place and drill holes. Most often, special brackets or hinges are included with the device. One important condition is that you need to mount so that all planes are perfect. Even if there is a slight bias, then the heating element of the flow heater can fail. The element will not be completely covered by water, which means that it will not be sufficiently cooled. This will cause the burner to burn.
Heaters of this kind are installed in the kitchen or in the bathrooms. Due to the small overall dimensions, the device is perfectly installed under the sinks, in the bath - under the sinks. This will allow you to use hot water and save space.
Electrical connection
This step is to connect to the electrical network. The connection diagram of the water heater is quite simple. Remove the protective screen and lead three wires into the appropriate block. On the block and in the instructions there is a special color marking - it is extremely difficult to mix wires. It is absolutely necessary to arrange grounding - it is forbidden to operate the device without it.
We connect water
Everything is very simple here - there are two outputs on the case. The first is needed to supply cold water, the second - to exit the device is already hot water. The connection diagram of the electric heater to the system is the connection of the corresponding hoses. If the heater is needed temporarily, then it is connected to the place of the shower hose.
If you need it constantly, then you can directly join the water supply. To do this, use a tee and a stopcock.
Conclusion
Thus, a storage water heater is connected. In fact, there is nothing complicated here. Everything can be done with your own hands. For installation and connection does not require any special tools.