The presence of running hot water in the house has long been not a luxury, but an urgent need. To understand what is better - a boiler or a flowing water heater, you can only study the features of each device and determine exactly what purpose it is bought for.
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What is an electric instantaneous water heater?
The task of such a device is to immediately heat the water as it passes through the heater. It looks like this: the incoming liquid creates pressure and activates a relay, which, in turn, automatically activates the heater. All this happens in a flask of copper. Water heats instantly, and it can be used without any expectation.
Such a device is equipped with a temperature controller in order to set the desired degrees. In addition, instantaneous heaters are equipped with protection - when the heater is critically heated, the automation cuts off the power supply to avoid damage to the device. On some models, a water pressure stabilizer is also installed.
Installation of such a device requires compliance with two basic rules:
- Good water pressure. If insufficient, the heater will quickly burn out, and you can forget about the warranty, it will be noticed when disassembling.
- Quality wiring. The device consumes a fairly large amount of electricity, which means that a weak, old or ill-conceived system can crash and ruin not only the water heater, but also other appliances in the house.
Under these conditions and in the absence of gas, such a device would be an excellent option for heating water in small quantities. Which is better - a gas water heater or an electric water heater of this type, we will analyze below.
Advantages and disadvantages
Positive points can be considered:
- very fast heating of water;
- small dimensions;
- in modern models, the heater is turned on only at the moment when the pressure appears, which means that energy is saved - there is no unnecessary time for the “idle” operation of the device.
Negative qualities are also enough:
- "Eats" a lot of electricity, not every wiring can withstand;
- water may not fully warm up during power surges;
- for the shower, the pressure will be quite small;
- if the model is cheaper, because of forgetfulness without disconnecting the heater, you can say goodbye to the device;
- may be shocked if there is no “protection” from a short circuit in the apartment.
What is a storage water heater?
An electric or gas storage water heater is traditionally considered more convenient for frequent and active use. The principle of its operation is as follows: a tank of a certain volume (on average from 30 to 100 liters) is filled with cold water. A heater is installed in the tank itself, which heats the accumulated mass of liquid to a certain temperature.
The panel must have a water temperature regulator where degrees are set. Over time, the entire volume of water warms up, and the heater is automatically turned off, which eliminates the breakdown of the device. This option is quite common, but the liquid can be heated by other methods, for example, using a heating boiler.
Advantages and disadvantages
Boiler Advantages:
- the right amount of warm water that will flow from the tap with good pressure;
- any temperature;
- there are models in which you can program heating at night to reduce the load on the network if the appliance is electric;
- a wide range of different manufacturers, with all sorts of feature sets;
- water heats up at any pressure of water, as it accumulates in the tank.
The disadvantages are:
- decent electricity consumption and load on the common network, if we are talking about electrical, the most common option;
- long heating time - up to several hours before reaching the desired temperature;
- it is quite voluminous, especially when it comes to a 100 liter tank.
Differences and purpose of flow and storage devices
Thinking about how one device differs from another, it is worth paying attention to their purpose. In essence, a flow-through water heater is needed for fast, but not volumetric heating. That is, if you need to wash your hands in the garage or after the garden, rinse a small amount of dishes and so on. It is not suitable for bathing or family use, since the pressure is too small for showering or even washing long hair, and during power surges, the liquid can be alternately cold and hot.
A storage device, on the contrary, is perfect for a small family of 2-4 people. Depending on the displacement, you can heat enough water and not worry that something is about to happen to it. If the people live more and have access to gas, a gas boiler will be the best option.
Most popular models
Which is better to buy a water heater in terms of a variety of models and additional functions, it is better to decide on the basis of the budget. Here are the most popular representatives of flow drives:
- Zanussi 3-logic 3,5 S - a fairly powerful and inexpensive device for practical owners;
- Hyundai H-IWR1-3P-CS - has average power and all the necessary protections;
- Electrolux NPX6 Aquatronic Digital is a good, powerful and expensive model.
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| Title | Zanussi 3-logic 3,5 S | Hyundai H-IWR1-3P-CS | Electrolux NPX6 Aquatronic Digital |
| Type of water heater | flowing | flowing | flowing |
| Heating method | electric | electric | electric |
| Performance | 3.7 l / min | 2.3 l / min | 2.8 l / min |
| Number of taps | one point (non-pressure) | several points (pressure head) | several points (pressure head) |
| Price | from 1800 rub. | from 2200 rub. | from 7050 rub. |
Accumulative water heaters:
- TIMBERK SWH FE5 50 - a flat, neat device with a powerful heater and all the necessary panels and settings;
- THERMEX FLAT PLUS IF 50V - the best ratio of cost and quality, wear resistance;
- ELECTROLUX EWH 100 ROYAL - a safe boiler with a variety of electronic filling and all kinds of protection.
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| Title | TIMBERK SWH FE5 50 | THERMEX FLAT PLUS IF 50V | ELECTROLUX EWH 100 ROYAL |
| Type of water heater | funded | funded | funded |
| Heating method | electric | electric | electric |
| Volume of the tank | 50 l | 50 l | 100 l |
| Number of taps | several points (pressure head) | several points (pressure head) | several points (pressure head) |
| Price | from 12000 rub. | from 13200 rub. | from 12550 rub. |
All of these models have been tested by people and are operated very successfully. Of course, there are cheaper options, but the quality may suffer. A “bad” boiler can warm for a very long time, lose too much electricity and, on the whole, “eat” more money from the owners than the price for a high-quality model.
Features of a geyser and its advantages
Deciding what to choose - a water heater or a geyser, to give preference to the second one is subject to a large consumption of hot water. In any case, it will turn out cheaper - the productivity of such a device in relation to the resources expended is much higher than other water heaters. This option will fit perfectly into a large house or cottage, other large buildings with many consumers.
Moreover, such a device has several disadvantages:
- need special permission, which gives the appropriate structure;
- gas burning will be affected by the temperature outside the window;
- Installation requires an extra hood.
Choose a water heater based on your needs. The more people need water daily, the more meaningful the installation of a gas model will be.For an ordinary family, an ordinary boiler will be enough, and for installing in a garage (in order to wash your hands a couple of times a week), a flowing water heater is also suitable.
