In the absence of gas, the cheapest way to heat a private residential or garden house is to install a solid fuel boiler. However, this option is associated with a number of negative points. The main one is the need to constantly add fuel to the furnace. If this is not done in time, the fire will go out, which will lead to a quick cooling down of the house or even freezing of the entire pipeline system. There is an inverse problem - the probability of coolant overheating, since it is very difficult to regulate the combustion rate in some boiler models. Risks can be reduced by installing a combined system of two types of boilers: solid fuel and electric.
How to connect a solid fuel boiler to an electric
Currently, mass production of combined boilers has been established, which can work both on wood and on electricity. Such units are very effective and economical, despite the fact that their efficiency is approximately 5% lower compared to analogues, which use only one type of fuel. Such equipment is not cheap, but many also cannot afford to be heated solely due to electricity. Sometimes it is more profitable to independently assemble a system of two boilers of various types.
The leading role in such a bunch is played by a wood burning apparatus (as an alternative to wood, for example, coal or peat can be used). When a fire burns in the furnace, it is he who provides hot water and space heating. Electrical equipment is turned on only if the temperature of the coolant drops below a certain level (usually set to 50 ° C). Despite the supporting role, such a safety net is very important for several reasons:
- even if the firewood is completely burned out, the temperature in the house will not significantly decrease;
- the cooled coolant flowing through the return pipe promotes corrosion and forms condensate on the walls of the chamber, which mixes with soot. As a result, a hard-to-remove plaque appears;
- the emission of combustion products into the atmosphere is reduced.
The liquid circulation in the system is provided by two hydraulic pumps (one for each of the boilers).
Important! A more powerful pump should be installed on a solid fuel boiler than on an electric one (for example, 0.6 atm versus 0.5 atm). Otherwise, the circulation may go unplanned in a small circle. As a result, it is possible to boil the coolant with subsequent pipe rupture in the stagnation section.
So that the devices do not interfere with each other's work, check valves are mounted at the feed outlets.
Important connection details
For the system to function efficiently, it is necessary to make preliminary calculations. First of all, you should find out whether, in principle, the installation of such equipment in this building is possible. Reduced or unstable voltage in private homes is not uncommon. Under such circumstances, installing an electric boiler can be completely useless.
Important! When choosing an electric boiler, it is necessary to take into account the state of the electrical wiring in a particular house, as well as the total power of all electrical appliances located in it, otherwise when the heater is turned on, a short circuit may occur or the circuit breaker will constantly turn off.
The right choice of hydraulic pumps is of great importance. When buying, you need to pay attention to their parameters. Low-power devices will not be able to provide the necessary fluid circulation. Accurate calculations should be made taking into account the diameter and length of the pipelines.
For more economical operation of the system, a thermal battery is often built into it. This is usually a tank in which water is stored for domestic hot water. It prevents the direct ingress of cooled liquid into the solid fuel boiler.
Connection diagram of a solid fuel boiler to electric
Tying boilers is carried out in parallel. A hydraulic pump and a non-return valve are installed on each of them, which does not allow water to circulate between the two devices and prevents leakage from the water jacket in case of an accident.
In the small circle of a wood boiler, a thermostat is mounted. When the temperature drops, it directs the liquid into the electric boiler. In addition, the system contains sensors. They can be of two types: for measuring the temperature of the coolant in the pipe or the temperature of the air in the room. Upon reaching the specified parameters, the sensors transmit a signal to the automation, which includes the heating elements. They temporarily become the main source of heat.
The principle of operation of the circuit is quite simple. The liquid heated by the solid fuel boiler is piped into the radiators. From there, with the help of a pump, it goes back through the sensor, thermostat and check valve for reheating. If the flame goes out and the temperature drops below the critical value, the wood-burning unit's pump will turn off by a sensor signal, and the thermostat will block the coolant's access to the tank, directing it in a small circle through an electric boiler. In this case, the heating elements will automatically start working.
The main disadvantage of heating with solid fuel is the need for constant monitoring of the process. Modern long burning stoves allow loading fuel 1-2 times a day, however, this is not always possible (for example, in the case of a long absence of owners). In this situation, the combined scheme will maintain the set temperature in the house until the tenants return.
Leave Your Comment