Electrode boiler - what is it and how to install it yourself

Ecology of consumption. Estate: Household heating boilers have been replenished with new models - Galan electrode boilers, which have an obvious advantage. Unlike other heating devices, an electrode boiler does not require approval for installation in accordance with the current “Rules”.

Domestic heating boilers have been replenished with new models - Galan electrode boilers, which have an obvious advantage. Unlike other heating devices, an electrode boiler does not require approval for installation in accordance with the current “Rules”. What are the models of the new boiler, and what conditions exist for connecting it yourself?

Galan boilers, operating principle, technical characteristics and design

The electrode heating boiler is a heating element design equipped with materials from a European manufacturer. Let us remind you that this is AISI 316L stainless steel and nichrome with increased load capacity that can withstand a long operating cycle.

The operating principle of the galan electrode boiler is to pass electric current (electrolysis) through a special non-freezing coolant.

Electrolysis and heat transfer of the heated state of the electrodes is carried out at constant current. The compact design of the heating blocks is distinguished by the small overall dimensions and weight of the boiler assembly. The coolant of the heating electrode system is antifreeze.

technical characteristics of electrode boilers

The main technical characteristic of an electrode boiler is power.

The line of electrode boilers is represented by the models Hearth, Geyser and Vulcan.

The smallest heating boiler is the OCHAG , which has a low power consumption (from 2 to 6 kW), designed to heat an area of 120, 230 and 280 cubic meters.

For example, the electrode boiler galan hearth 3 has the following characteristics:

overall dimensions: length 275 mm, 35 mm, device weight less than 1 kg.
a power of 3 kW allows you to heat a room with an area of 120 m3.

GEYSER models of medium productivity have increased power - 9 and 15 kW with the ability to heat a room with an area of 340 and 550 m3. Overall dimensions are 360 and 410 mm, 130 mm, weight 5 kg.

The most powerful models are VULCAN , with a power of 25, 36 and 50 kW and are designed for heating rooms from 830 to 1650 m3.

The linear efficiency of an electrode boiler can reach 96-98%. Compared to a traditional heating element, the efficiency of an electrode boiler is up to 50% due to the method of direct heating of the coolant.

The first thing that catches your eye when you see electrode boilers is their unusual design. Instead of a pot-bellied and voluminous boiler, there are long cylindrical structures with two threaded flanges, indicated by arrows of different colors (incoming blue and outgoing red). The metal body of the boiler can have a diameter from 40 to 100 mm and a length of 310 - 350 mm. design of electrode boilers

During the process of electrolysis and when heating the coolant in the boiler, the internal pressure increases to 2 atm. The heated water is pushed upward, providing the functions of a circulation pump. In addition, galan electrode boilers are distinguished by the presence of heating automation with a simple device control system.

Multifunctional control units designed to implement a specific algorithm for the operation of electric heaters deserve special attention. It will be difficult to install and assemble an electrode boiler without certain knowledge.

The installation process boils down to installing the Galan boiler itself, attachments, piping, connecting electronics and pumping coolant into the heating system.

Features of Galan electrode heating

First of all, it should be said that the Galant heating system is a closed structure, i.e. The coolant circulates in a closed circle. In other words, electrode boilers cannot be used in systems where the coolant comes directly from a well or other source.

As for the radiators that can be used, there are practically no restrictions; they can be:

Steel;
Bimetallic;
Aluminum.

The only thing that is not recommended for use with such boilers is:

Large-sized radiators;
Cast iron radiators for home heating;
Large diameter pipes.

There are also no special requirements for electrical connections. The only thing is that you must use cables of the appropriate cross-section, and the connection diagram contained in the instructions for the equipment must also be followed.

Electrode boiler Ochag-3

Advantages

The Galan heating system has many advantages, among which the following points can be highlighted:

Energy efficiency , which the manufacturer managed to achieve thanks to new technology for converting electrical current into thermal energy.
Energy saving - electrode boilers working in conjunction with digital electronic control units consume 30-40 percent less electricity compared to traditional heating elements.
Thanks to the use of modern technologies and high-quality materials, as well as the use of automatic devices, these devices are completely energy and fire safe.
Galan heating systems operate in a fully automated mode . Thanks to this, human intervention is not required to ensure a stable and comfortable temperature regime, regardless of weather conditions. Automation from Galan is capable of maintaining the temperature background with high accuracy (± 0.2 degrees). The equipment can be equipped with a climate control system for weekly programming of the operating mode. In addition, when using non-freezing coolants, such as “Potok”, there is no need to drain them from the radiators, even in the case of long-term downtime of the boiler.

Electronic control units

The Galant heating system is an excellent option for those settlements where the network voltage is unstable . Even if the voltage drops to 180V, the boiler will continue to operate.
Electrode boilers do not require installation permission.
If a leak occurs in the system, the device immediately turns off, since the electric current cannot be closed in the circuit.
The liquid heating chamber has a small volume, and during ionization, the coolant in it heats up sharply, as a result of which the pressure rises to two atmospheres . Thus, the boiler serves not only as a heater, but also as a circulation pump for heating. This allows you to reduce the cost of purchasing equipment, as well as the cost of operating the heating system.
Low price.

Advice! The use of Galan antifreeze will make the system more efficient and also increase its reliability.

Thus, the popularity of these devices is well founded.

Replacement electrodes for Galan boilers

Flaws

Like any other heating equipment, electrode boilers also have some of their disadvantages, which are listed below:

Demanding requirements for water - the fact is that not just any water can be used in the system, but with certain characteristics. When starting heating, it is necessary to prepare the coolant according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. As a rule, to do this, add a few teaspoons of soda and salt per liter of water. You can also use special liquids.

Coolant Galan

Electric current circulates in the water, therefore, the possibility of receiving a strong electric shock if you touch the heating radiator is possible. To prevent this situation, it is necessary to perform grounding in accordance with PUE and GOST 12.1.030-81.
Periodically it is necessary to clean the system and change the electrodes, which become thinner over time, resulting in reduced heating efficiency. Thus, in terms of durability, electrode boilers do not have any advantages over traditional heating elements.

As we can see, the shortcomings are not critical, but they should still be remembered.

In the photo - electrode boilers Geyser-9

Contents of delivery

The delivery set of the electrode boiler from the manufacturer includes:

electrode block with power from 3-50 kW
power unit including circuit breaker, modular contactor and digital water thermostat
digital thermostat for air climate control unit.

Attachments (expansion tank and pump) are not included in the delivery package, so their parameters are pre-calculated and the equipment is purchased separately.

Heating system requirements

To ensure the normal functioning of the heating system, a number of requirements must be met:

the proposed heating system should be a closed two-pipe type with a membrane expansion tank (volume characteristics 1/10L)
the boiler is mounted vertically, not exceeding the level of the radiators
When piping the boiler, it is recommended to observe the ratios of the diameters of the boiler block (Ø 32), riser Ø32 (1″/1/4), main line (Ø 25), radiator outlets (Ø 20).

For connection to the heating system, cast iron, aluminum and bimetallic types of radiators are recommended, as well as a register system in compliance with the standard configuration and coolant displacement.

Installation features

To install an electrode boiler with your own hands, you will need a two-pipe heating system, as mentioned above, of a closed type. The boiler is installed in a strictly vertical position.

Piping should be done with pipes with a diameter of 32 mm or one and a quarter inches. For parallel modular systems, the diameter of the riser must be calculated individually, since it depends on the number of boilers in the system.

Note! In order for electrode heating to be effective, when choosing radiators, it is necessary to take into account the power of the boiler - the power of the sections of the structure should not exceed the power of the heater.

Heating scheme Galan with heated floor

In order for the system to work economically and correctly, the climate control must be installed in a specific location specified in the installation instructions. In addition, you need to adhere to a certain volume of water or other coolant in the system, which is taken at the rate of 12 liters per kilowatt of power consumption. It’s even better if the volume averages 8-10 liters per kilowatt.

Of course, in this case it is necessary to carry out a heating project and use a boiler of the required power.

Otherwise, the heating installation process does not differ from the installation of a system with traditional types of boilers. Moreover, heating can mean not only battery radiators, but also heated floors.

Here, in fact, are all the main features of Galant electrode heating.

Electrode boiler wiring

The following components of the heating system are subject to piping of the electrode boiler:

expansion tank
circulation pump
security group
return taps and coarse filter
coolant fill valve
coolant drain valve from the system
supply tap.

Before mounting and installing the galan electrode boiler, it is necessary to calculate the components of the heating system. The boiler power is calculated according to the area of the room and the height of the ceilings, as well as the material of the walls of the house or apartment. Then they determine the location of the future installation of the boiler and develop a diagram and junction of the mains, and the type of radiators.

If you plan to install the boiler into an existing heating system (in most cases), then the calculation may be limited to the correct piping and connection of the power unit and thermostat.

Reviews

Mostly online reviews are about Galan electrode boilers. Most of them are positive. But this is for those who fulfilled the requirements for installing and preparing the coolant and connected the electrical part correctly. In this case, people talk about the reliability of boilers and their efficiency: they work without supervision reliably and without failures, they are economical, they “keep” the temperature stable, they operate silently.

There are owners who installed Galan Ochag 9 in parallel to a wood-burning boiler: it turns on at night after the wood has burned out and the coolant has cooled. Others save on bills by 2 times compared to the previously available heating element.

There are the following negative reviews:

The house burned down because the boiler was hung on a wooden wall and connected through a 50A circuit breaker.
The first year it heated normally, but in the second year it began to work worse. After preparing the water and flushing the system, the temperature rose, but not enough.

There are no other negative reviews, only messages from those who offer heating element boilers or other brands. Yes, and the existing negative reviews indicate installation violations, but not that the boilers are bad or not working.

However, electrode boilers have quite serious disadvantages that you need to know about before purchasing. Read more about the operating principle, advantages and disadvantages of electrode boilers here.

We install the Galan boiler

To install the Galan boiler, plastic pipes are used. In horizontal wiring it is necessary to create a slope of 3 degrees. The height of the vertical riser must be at least 2 m above the boiler. The electrode boiler requires grounding with a grounding resistance of 4 ohms.

After installing the boiler, the expansion tank and circulation pump are installed. Shut-off valves on the pipeline are installed after the return and expansion tank. Valves are installed before and after the radiator group.

How to install the boiler and standard attachments is shown here.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to their innovative technologies and design capabilities, Galant heating boilers have significant advantages over their heating element counterparts, such as:

Main advantages

When installed, they do not require additional costs, except for the purchase of a heat source.
The installation of this device itself is much cheaper than the installation of liquid fuel equipment.
Galant boilers do not require constant maintenance and cleaning.
They do not emit odors, are environmentally friendly and safe to use.
There is no need to build a chimney for them.
They are lightweight and small in size, which saves space, and their installation does not require a separate room.
They are easy to install; you can install them yourself with your own hands.
The boilers are completely fireproof.

The few disadvantages of these heating units include:

High cost of consumed electricity.
It is impossible to use them for arranging underfloor heating systems, heating swimming pools, or arranging beds in greenhouses.
Installation of an electric boiler with a power of more than 10 kW requires approval from Energonadzor.

Boiler connection diagrams

There are several boiler connection schemes: basic standard, parallel connection and connection to a heated floor system for a rated voltage of 220 and 380 V, and many other equally interesting schemes.

The simplest are considered to be connection diagrams for a single-phase electrode boiler or a three-phase electrode boiler with control electronics, a circulation pump and a filter. But no matter what scheme you prefer to implement, grounding the installation is a prerequisite.

For example, for an electrode boiler galan hearth 3 with a power consumption rating of 3 kW, according to the basic connection diagram, a voltage with a frequency of 50 Hz and a maximum boiler phase current of 13.7 A and a starting current of 5 A are required.

In this case, the connection is made using a conductive copper wire with a cross-section of 4 mm2 and to the heating system using a DN 32 mm coupling.

But the electrode boiler remained an ordinary boiler if the heating system did not contain control elements with a unit for measuring and adjusting the operating parameters of KROS.

About company

They are distinguished by a very low price, high efficiency and decent economy, which requires automation. The heating boiler has a high heating rate. A circulation pump in a heating system with a Galan stake is welcome.

This is recommended to increase the ionization zone of the system water. Any distortion will negatively affect his work. Powers from 3 kW to 15 kW, length from mm to mm, weight from 2.5 kg to 10 kg. There are only two models in this line: 12 kW and 15 kW, mm long, weighing 8 kg.

A wire with a cross-section of 2 or more is selected. But the equipment must operate under automatic control - this is the only way to achieve electricity savings - by optimizing the thermal regime.

To fill and ensure productive operation of the system, 70 liters of water is enough. Modern metal alloys are highly resistant to electrolytic solutions. Shut-off valves are not installed between the outlet and the expansion tank. Contraindications This type of equipment is not suitable for connection to heating systems for underfloor heating, greenhouses, swimming pools, staircases and roofs. Boiler piping diagram. Electrode boiler connection diagram