Do you think it’s enough to choose the right water heater? For successful operation, it is equally important to connect it. In the article, you will learn how to tie an indirect heating boiler. Our recommendations will help to carry out the installation so that the equipment works as efficiently as possible and does not break.
Types of water heaters and the principle of their work
Unlike models that run on electricity or gas, the indirect heating boiler (BKN) operates thanks to an external heat source. If the system is connected to heating, then the heat carrier is heated by solid fuel. This approach helps in the winter, but what to do in the summer when the heating season is over?
Manufacturers produce combined systems: in addition to the tank there is a heater, which can run on electricity or a solar collector. How to make an indirect boiler, read in a separate publication.
There are two types of water heaters:
- managed;
- without control.
The first are more expensive and easy to use, they work on the machine. All that is needed:
- Connect the inlet and outlet of hot water.
- Organize the flow of cold flow into the tank.
- Install a fluid distribution device.
Even equipment with a temperature regulator cannot heat more than the heat carrier allows. For example, the boiler heats up to 40 degrees, which means that the coolant will warm the water up to a maximum of 40 degrees.
Uncontrolled devices operate automatically, depending on the parameters of the boiler. You will have to mount the temperature sensor yourself and connect it to the heating system. After that, the binding is performed, which we will describe in detail below.
When choosing, pay attention to additional functionality - it can come in handy during operation. More expensive models may be equipped accumulation system. Thanks to improved insulation and a large tank volume, the liquid retains heat well in the absence of electricity.
There are also appliances with recirculation. Three pipes provide quick heating. A hot stream moves along two of them, one cold stream. An additional nozzle can be used to connect things to the dryer.
Features of tanks and their installation
Indirect water heaters are floor and wall. Wall-mounted reaches a capacity of up to 150 liters. The shape of the tank is most often round. Mounted on special brackets that come with the kit.
Tanks with a displacement from 200 to 1500 are installed on the floor. They have side or rear hose connections. The base is often held on legs. For bulky equipment it is necessary to allocate a separate room.
The nuances of installing and tying the device
It is best to tie the water heater together with the installation of the boiler and other equipment than to embed the device into an already finished system. There are two basic connection principles:
- With priority. This circuit requires a powerful boiler. It provides quick heating of the contents of the tank, pumping the entire volume through the coil. Thus, hot water enters the radiators, which does not allow the temperature to drop.
- No priority. It is characterized by prolonged heating, since not all water passes through the coolant.
Strapping Rules:
- Choose a place to install the tank as close to the boiler as possible. So you can reduce heat loss.
- Installation should be carried out on a flat and solid surface.
- For the normal functioning of the system, an expansion tank must be installed at the outlet of the water heater. It neutralizes thermal expansion.
- Each individual device (circuit) must be equipped with cranes. This will disable them individually, regardless of the rest of the system.
- Mandatory installation of a check valve.
- To reduce the hardness of the water, install cleaning filters.
- Do not place tanks of more than 150 liters on the wall, especially if it is made of drywall.
How to tie a boiler
There are several tying schemes that we will give below. Choose the most convenient for you.
Forced circulation and three-way valve
The scheme is suitable for tying a single-circuit or double-circuit boiler with a boiler. If a gas boiler is already installed, position the BKN nearby. A circulation pump is mounted on the feed. Then a three-way valve is connected, which is controlled by a temperature sensor.
A tee cuts into the inlet pipe in front of the casing, to which a hose is connected to drain the fluid from the heat exchanger. How it works:
- As soon as the temperature sensor informs the control board that the temperature is low, the valve turns on the heat carrier of the water heater. The heating system starts up.
- The content of the coolant passes through the heat exchanger, it heats up in the tank.
- As soon as the heating reaches the set temperature, the valve switches the operation to heating.
Convenient scheme for regular use of the water heater.
Use of two pumps
If the installation of the BKN occurs at a large distance from the boiler or you rarely use it, it is better to include a circulation pump in the system.
Scheme of connection to an automatic boiler:
One pump is mounted on the inlet pipe, and the other on the heating casing. Tying is done using tees, without a three-way valve. The thermostat controls the start and stop of the pumps.
Non-volatile boiler
For this scheme, it is better to use wall-mounted models, since the boiler should be located above the other devices.
Installation of floor model is also possible. But in this case, the water will heat up more slowly.
Priority is provided by a large circuit, which is supplied to the water heater. It should be one step larger than the one that is connected to the heating system.
Temperature and flow switching are provided by a thermostatic head with a sensor. It sets the desired indicators. If the sensor indicates that there is cold water in the tank, the heating switches to the boiler - and vice versa.
Hydraulic connection application
Suitable for installations with multiple circuits and large tank volumes. Similar schemes are used in apartment buildings when, in addition to heating, it is necessary to provide, for example, floor heating.
A hydraulic distributor (hydraulic arrow) helps to disperse the pressure so as to avoid heat stroke. It is risky to carry out independent installation; it is better to consult a specialist.
Recycling equipment
If you want to include an additional heating device, a towel dryer, you need to arrange the connection so that the water circulates constantly in the pipes. You can immediately buy a device with a recirculation function or turn it on using tees. However, such a connection has negative aspects:
- High consumption of electricity, fuel. Passing through the pipes of the dryer, the water cools, so the device needs to be turned on more often.
- Blending layers. During normal operation, hot liquid rises. The stream that comes out of the pipes mixes the layers, and at the exit you get a liquid of a lower temperature.
Connection steps
Make the necessary calculations, mark the pipes on the floor plan, the installation location of the boiler and boiler. Prepare a solid foundation for the water heater, especially if it is designed for large volumes. Then do this:
- Route by identifying the locations for the hot and cold nozzle.
- Install tee, pressure relief valve. The latter allows you to get rid of excess pressure.
- Securely seal all connections.
- Make a connection to electricity, install an RCD circuit breaker.
- At the end, adjust the thermostat. Run a test run.
Observe the connections, nozzles. There should be no leakage or suspicious noise. Remember that the heat source can be not only the boiler, but also the solar collector. Sometimes its installation is much more profitable.
To finally understand the principles of tying, watch the video on the topic: