It is difficult to imagine a country house without a bath or sauna. Relax, take a steam bath from the heart, relieve fatigue or use the bathhouse as a temporary home during the construction of the main house - there are many options for use. It is not surprising that interest in the topic is growing among FORUMHOUSE users from year to year.
Our portal has already told in detail where to place it on the site, how to finish the steam room. We continue the topic. From our material you will learn:
- What engineering communications are needed.
- How to install a simple and budget plumbing.
- What are the nuances to consider when installing electricians.
The nuances of installation and selection of utilities in the bath
Without properly constructed communications - water supply (option - we carry water from a well, we do not consider it), electricity, ventilation, sewage and sanitation, normal use of the bath is impossible. At the same time, due to the peculiarities of the operating mode of a bath or sauna, and this is high humidity and temperature, special requirements are imposed on engineering networks for safety of use and durability.
In addition, even at the design stage, it is necessary to decide whether the bath will be a separate structure, or we will limit ourselves to building a simple sauna inside the house.
Practice shows that most often a bath is built in the form of a separate washing and bathing complex. There are both options for relatively simple baths / saunas, as well as complex and expensive facilities (with a SPA area and a swimming pool) used for recreation and entertainment.
Regardless of the option for using the bath, we remember the main rule: first a project is made (based on the preferences of the owner and the expected mode of operation of the “wet” room).
Now we calculate the required volume of water consumption, and also determine the required number of water points. This is a shower or shower stall, a sink with a mixer, a washing machine connection point, a toilet bowl supply, a storage tank, etc.
If an electric heater is supposed to be the heat source, we calculate whether the electrical network will withstand the additional load. Do not forget about the water heater for preparing hot water, and this is also an additional load on the power grid.
We think in advance how to supply electricity (underground or air) and water to the bathhouse. Is the flow rate of the well sufficient, how to dispose of wastewater, will the septic tank cope with the mass discharge of water, or is it necessary to design the separation of wastewater, etc.
Only after collecting all the necessary data and estimating the approximate number of people who will use the bath, you can proceed to the design of engineering networks and the direct construction of the bath.
Such an approach - careful planning, will avoid costly rework in the future, when the bath / sauna has already been built. For example, it turns out that the electrical wiring and machines do not pull the connected electrical equipment, there are not enough points for, and the pump power is not enough to quickly fill the font or pool with water.
There are many features, for each of them you can write a separate article. For those wishing to find answers to the above questions, we recommend reading the articles: and observe all boundaries from the treatment plant to other objects on the site, and.
Move on. Take, for example, the usual "budget" bath - a wooden structure made of timber or logs. It is necessary to mount a water supply system and conduct an electrician in it. It is required to understand: what basic moments pay attention to equip high-quality engineering communications.
Installation of plumbing in the bath
The first thing to think about when designing a water pipe in a bath is its mode of operation - year-round or seasonal. If the bath is not planned to be used in winter, or it is supposed to be launched only on weekends, it is necessary to ensure that water is drained from pipes and plumbing (for example, a toilet bowl). If this is not done, then at negative temperatures the water will freeze and can break the pipes.
Our users solve this problem in different ways.
Kolek2575 Member of FORUMHOUSE
I plan to put a stove with a water heat exchanger on the pipe in the bathhouse. Frosts at us reach - 30 °C. Haven't decided what to do with the water yet. Leave it, break it. Drain every time?
According to experienced participants, there can be two options: either drain the water, or prevent the bath from freezing. For example, on the advice dokainfo, We use a self-regulating heating cable.
After the completion of the bath procedures, the water is drained from the heating tank and the shower cabin. In order for the water to drain freely into the well, we put a check valve on the submersible pump.
When installing such a system, we provide for the necessary slopes of the pipes so that the water flows freely by gravity.
But the heating cable is an additional complexity during installation. Power outages are also possible. If a pumping station is used to create pressure in the water supply system, then the accumulator becomes a bottleneck. From it, with infrequent visits to the bathhouse in winter, you will also have to drain the water or completely dismantle the station and store it in a warm room.
The methods of bath water supply, which are used by users of our portal in the winter, are interesting.
Sanap FORUMHOUSE User
In summer, I use a pumping station to provide the bathhouse with water + an electric water heater is installed. As soon as the temperature drops below zero, I drain all the water from the water supply, and in winter I use imported water to operate the bath. For 2-3 people, 50-70 liters is enough to wash. For contrasting procedures, we wipe ourselves with snow.
Also interesting is the user experience with the nickname 8k84r. The water supply of the bath is done like this - water from the well is pumped by a submersible pump. Above the steam room, in a heated room, a hydraulic accumulator is mounted, as well as an electric storage boiler for heating water in summer. Plus an open system with a tank, fed from a hydraulic accumulator.
When leaving, all taps open and the water drains into the sewer. Turn off the pump, air the pump line. It all takes about 5 minutes. Arriving, we flood the bathhouse, close the taps and turn on the power to the pump.
For clarity, we offer a diagram of the water supply system of the bath from Putnik2008.
Note: for heating water, a copper pipe is used, bent into a spiral, which was laid on the stones of an electric heater.
A 30 l canister is used as a storage tank.
Putnik2008 FORUMHOUSE User
Also, for a simple bath plumbing scheme, you can mount a capacity of 200 liters in the “attic”, which will provide sufficient water pressure when the tap is opened, or to wash in the shower. After completing the bath procedures, we leave the tap open for 15 minutes, while the water drains back into the well by gravity, but such a Spartan system, of course, is not suitable for everyone.
The bottleneck of the gravity system, with irregular use of the bath in winter, may be the depth of freezing, which depends on the region. To prevent freezing of the pipeline, it is laid below the freezing depth, a heating cable is used or insulated.
How to make a simple and effective winter plumbing that will not freeze at sub-zero temperatures and that does not require a heating cable is described in the article.
Features of the installation of electrical wiring in the bath
A complete bath water supply system is impossible without a reliable power supply to the pump, which provides the necessary water pressure in the water supply. In addition: lighting, electrical appliances used in the bath, water heaters, etc., must also be connected to the mains.
Moreover, unlike an ordinary house, a bath / sauna is a place with high humidity and temperatures, which means that special requirements are imposed on the electrical network to guarantee its safe operation.
T0lyanych FORUMHOUSE User
A bathhouse is a humid room, so the wiring in the bathhouse is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Electrical Installation Code for saunas, bathrooms and showers.
Hence: in the steam room and in the washing room there should not be any electrical appliances such as a washing machine, sockets, junction boxes and switches. This equipment is located in the rest room, and a separate wire goes to each light bulb (in a splash-proof housing) in the steam room and washing room. If an electric heater is used for heating, then for its connection we use a solid cable coming from the switchboard located in the rest room or dressing room.
According to the EIC, paragraph 7.1.40. In saunas for zones 3 and 4 in accordance with GOST R 50571.12-96 "Electrical installations of buildings - Part 7. Requirements for special electrical installations - Section 703. In rooms containing sauna heaters", electrical wiring with a permissible insulation temperature of 170 ° C must be used.
We choose special ceiling lamps / lamps - sealed, designed for operation in a humid room. The seal between the base and the cover must be made of heat-resistant silicone, and not rubber, which can crumble under high temperature.
Degree of protection of the lamp IP54. A switchboard, all switches, sockets and pumping stations are installed in the rest room. In addition to preventing electric shock, this will help prevent premature equipment failure due to corrosion caused by moisture in the washroom.
T0lyanych
Do not forget about the device of a separate grounding near the bath, even if the main grounding is installed in the house.
This is the basics of installing electricians in the bath. Let's move on to practice. As experience shows, the greatest number of questions is the choice of an electric cable for a bath, the method of its wiring, as well as safe options for electric lighting of a washing room and a steam room.
Own bath is one of the most significant objects when planning any country or country house. The heart of any bath, of course, is a stove, and in the modern version - a boiler, gas, electric or solid fuel. To get hot water, most of our fellow citizens use the power of all the same boiler plants, wood-burning "titans", instantaneous or storage water heaters in the bath. This publication will focus on methods of heating water in a bath and design features of water heating equipment.
Requirements for a water heater in a bath
A bath, as a rule, is an unheated structure (or a room in a house) that is distinguished by high humidity and temperature changes. Therefore, a boiler for a bath must have certain properties and functionality.
It should be:
- maximum resistance to corrosion;
- equipped with the ability to drain the liquid from the tank or heat exchanger;
- ensure safety during use;
- do not have combustible materials in the design;
- equipped with a thermometer with the ability to set the required water heating temperature.
Tip: since the bath is heated, as a rule, only at the time of use, and draining water from the boiler (to prevent defrosting in winter) is long and troublesome, you should choose models that can automatically maintain the temperature in the storage tank above the freezing point .
Types of water heaters for a bath
Today, the Russian climate technology market offers a wide range of boilers, which can be divided into two groups:
- Flowing.
- Cumulative.
Important! All types of boilers can operate in a water supply system with an overpressure of at least 1 kg / cm 2. This is easily obtained in the central water supply system. If water is taken from a well (well, reservoir), then to ensure the necessary pressure in the water circuit, a hydrophore (membrane accumulator) should be provided.
Water heating can be done by open fire (in gas water heaters) or combustion products (in wood-burning heaters).
But there are several problems here:
- Installation of a geyser requires coordination with the local gas industry.
- When using a solid fuel water heater, there are difficulties with regulating and maintaining a certain water temperature.
If you do not have the ability (or desire) to face all the difficulties of obtaining permission to use the "gas pipe", then there is only one option left - an electric boiler.
Flow type heater
An electric instantaneous water heater for a bath is a device in which water passes through a heated heating element. The heating element is turned on and off automatically when the consumption point is opened.
Installations of this type have a lot of advantages:
- Full hot water bath (no volume limit).
- Get hot water quickly.
- Maintenance free.
- Do not require draining the liquid after use.
Flowing water heaters have one more indisputable advantage - small dimensions. Now a few words about the shortcomings.
- To heat a sufficient amount of running water, a large heating element is required. (from 8 to 27kW), and this entails problems with wiring.
- In simple (by design) devices, the degree of heating is determined by the power of the heating element and the flow rate of the liquid.
More complex devices are equipped with automation that is able to maintain the required temperature in the DHW system, but this entails a significant increase in cost.
Storage boilers
The storage type heater consists of a heat-insulated tank, a heating element, an automation unit and a safety group. In modern boilers, some manufacturers install a magnesium electrode, which prevents the formation of scale on the heating element and corrosion of the inner surface of the metal container. Installations of this type are available in both horizontal and vertical versions.
The principle of operation of the boiler is as follows: the tank of the device is filled with water, which is heated by a heating element to the temperature set by the owner in the range from 35 to 85 ° C. After reaching the temperature, heating stops. When the liquid temperature drops by 0.5°C, the heating element automatically turns on and heats the water in the tank to the set temperature.
Advantages of using storage boilers in the bath:
- Low power consumption compared to flow analogues.
- Does not require additional costs to increase the cross section of the wiring.
- With the correct selection of the container, it provides a sufficient amount of hot water.
- They keep the temperature of the liquid for a long time even during a power outage.
- Less demanding on the quality of the liquid.
In addition, storage electric boilers are reliable, durable, fire and electrical safe.
The disadvantage is a lot of weight and dimensions.
Selection rules
As a rule, low-power water heaters are used to create hot water in the bath: 2 - 2.3 kW. The thing is that while the steam room heats up to the required temperature, the water heater will prepare the required volume of hot water. This significantly reduces power consumption.
The volume of the tank is selected based on the number of people in the bath. As practice has shown, at a water temperature of 60 ° C, the consumption for taking a shower is 20 l / person. In total, for 3 people a boiler is needed, with a volume of 60 - 80 liters, plus a reserve in the region of 30% of the calculated volume.
Advice! When connecting the boiler to the mains, be sure to use a separate branch with an automatic device equipped with an RCD.
Questions and answers
Question: Many people ask where to hang the boiler in the bath?
Answer: If a flow type device is used, then it is mounted directly in the washing department. If a storage water heater is used, then the dressing room will be the best place.
Question: What is better a gas water heater or a boiler powered by electricity.
Answer: If the building is gasified, a gas water heater would be the best option. If there is no gas - definitely an electric boiler.
And as a conclusion: the reliability and durability of the boiler for a bath depends entirely on the competent choice and proper installation of the device, which is best left to professionals.
It is hard to imagine a cottage or a country house without a good bath. Naturally, the sensations after dousing with ice water are indescribable, but, nevertheless, this is only the only one of the bath procedures. Before visiting the steam room and after, in order to maintain hygiene, you will have to wash, and this will definitely require the presence of hot water. Heating water at home and delivering it to the bath in containers is far from the optimal solution. It is best to install a water heater for a bath. Moreover, a hot shower is more of a necessity in a bath than a luxury.
When installing water supply, it should be noted that the water supply system must meet the following conditions:
- Even if you mean not a country cottage, but a house in which they live all year round, it should still be borne in mind that the bathhouse is usually not heated. This is due to the fact that the bath is not visited every day, so wasting energy can be considered wasteful. In this regard, it is necessary to protect the water supply system from freezing, which will help to make a well-arranged drain.
- Taking into account the fact that specialists are reluctant to leave the city, you need to be prepared for the fact that the operation and maintenance of the system will fall on your shoulders, therefore, when installing a water supply system, its design should be made as simple and easily accessible as possible.
- The device that is used to heat water must be installed in accordance with fire safety requirements.
Considering that the water heating device is the main element of the bath water supply, its purchase should be approached seriously and carefully. Taking into account the specific operating conditions of the water heater, increased requirements are put forward for it:
- For the normal operation of the bath, a significant amount of hot water is required, in connection with this, the use of instantaneous water heaters in the form of electric flowers and gas water heaters will be ineffective, it is better to prefer the installation of boilers or electric water heaters.
- Boilers with large tanks should not be chosen, as it will take a long time to heat the water to the desired temperature. If the tank is too large, then the boiler will have to be put into operation 2-3 hours before visiting the bath, which is not always possible.
- Draining water from the boiler tank should be as convenient and simple as possible. The best solution would be to drain directly into the sewer system.
- Taking into account the fact that the bath is heated periodically, preference should be given to such models of boilers that automatically maintain the water temperature above zero.
- For the convenience of controlling water heating, models equipped with a thermometer are best suited.
Water heaters that use natural gas as an energy carrier have proven themselves best - financial savings, in comparison with electric and solid fuel boilers, are tangible. Payment for gas is 3-4 times lower than for electricity in the same operating conditions.
Despite all the advantages of gas equipment, the main requirement is the presence of a gas pipeline. In addition, the installation of such equipment is impossible without the consent of the gas service-gas supplier. If there is no gas line nearby or simply there is no desire to bother with paperwork, then the best option would be to install an electric water heater.
Design
Basically, electric water heaters have a simple design, consisting of an electrically insulated water tank, inside which a tubular electric heater (TEH) is installed.
Rust on the walls of the boiler is not formed due to the presence of a special anode device. Most often, water heaters are equipped with thermostatic devices responsible for the automatic operation of the heating element. Such a device not only minimizes human intervention in the operation of the water heater, but also saves electrical energy.
All boilers are equipped with a safety valve that reduces pressure, thereby protecting the container from deformation and destruction. The boiler can be connected to one or more water intake points, which will replenish the volume of water as it is consumed.
The principle of operation of a storage electric water heater is based on the law of physics - when heated, hot water rises, from where it is taken. The simplicity of the boiler design makes it possible to perform independent installation and connection to water intake points, thereby reducing the cost of equipment installation.
Power
Usually, a boiler with a capacity of 2 - 2.5 kW is enough for a bath, connected to a single-phase power supply. The small capacity boiler does not have any special electrical requirements. To install it, you will need to lay a cable connecting the circuit breaker to the switchboard.
You will also need to install an RCD (residual current device) that protects people in the bath from accidental electric shock. It is strictly forbidden to connect the boiler directly to the outlet, especially since the design excludes the possibility of such a connection. The power cable must be connected to the contacts located on the inside of the boiler body.
Choosing water heaters for a bath should also take into account the consumption of water, the consumption of which is determined by the number of people who can visit the bath at the same time. The volume of the boiler obtained by calculation should be increased by 15-20%, but not more, since an excess of volume will lead to an overrun of electricity.
If a cottage or country house has a fairly powerful heating and hot water supply system, then an indirect water heating boiler can be installed in the bathhouse. In such units, instead of a heating element, there is a pipe inside the boiler, which is part of the heating system.
Storage-type water heaters are not as demanding on water quality as flow-through ones, but for their reliable and long-term operation, nevertheless, it would not be superfluous to provide for the installation of water softening devices and a system of simple filters.
With the correct choice of the boiler model, compliance with the requirements for installation work on the installation of equipment and water treatment, the life of the water heater will be at least 15 years.
Stock of steam, stock of firewood, stock of heat…. And of course, a supply of water! - not only a reservoir for heating water, but also a source of problems in the cold. But these problems do not threaten you, since you are on the most useful and interesting site about baths and saunas. We build a bath water supply system using a boiler together. What hidden features and disadvantages should be taken into account when designing a hot water supply system in a bath?
The first thing I want to talk about is the disadvantages of using electric boilers in freestanding baths. Everything said in the article applies only to use in winter:
Winter in my region is not cold and I came to the conclusion that a family bath for 3-4 people is enough with a head of a 50 liter boiler that will give out the first warm water in an hour, and the rest will warm up while you enjoy light steam in the steam room.
Features of installing a boiler check valve in a bath
I found it by accident on the Internet video, in which I saw confirmation of the correct installation of my boiler. This scheme extends the life of the water supply system to the boiler, prevents clogging of the valves.
It is advisable to put water supply pipes to the boiler in a thermal insulator made of foamed polypropylene. This does not affect the freezing of water in any way, but will not allow condensation to form on the pipes. With the most correct installation and operation, be prepared to descale the boiler every two years and change the magnesium anode.
Hot water is vital for the normal operation of the bath. Many lovers of the steam room are well aware of how problematic the situation is when, in the midst of a steam bath, there is no boiling water. Attempts to heat water on the stove or take it from the stove’s hanging tank usually end in an accident and the owners of the bathhouse are not welcome. Therefore, the source of hot water in the bath must be autonomous.
Providing hot water from an instantaneous water heater
There are several proven methods of flow heating water. These do not include all kinds of electric boilers and heat accumulators. As a rule, such a technique heats water for quite a long time, and at a time it can give out 30-35 liters of hot water. More powerful bulk water heaters cost a lot of money, and for a bath that is visited once or twice a week, it is not advisable to install such a boiler.
It is easier and cheaper to install an instantaneous water heater in a bath. The most convenient options for heating water in a flowing way are several:
- Use a branded flowing water heater for a bath;
- Get boiling water by passing a stream of water through a coil-heat exchanger installed in the bath oven;
- Heat water in a flowing way in a tank welded into the container with a part of the chimney pipe;
- Make a homemade discharge instantaneous water heater.
Important! The first and last options for instantaneous water heaters are convenient in that electrical devices do not depend on the operation of the stove in the bath and provide the most stable volume of water in terms of temperature.
Which instantaneous water heater for a bath is better
The answer is simple - the best would be an instantaneous water heater, which can provide an unlimited amount of hot water, and at the same time provide the highest level of safety. Most often, the owners or managers of a small bath do not want to complicate their lives by installing "cunning" schemes for flowing water heating, but use simple electric water heaters for a bath, which are widely available. But the more people use the bath, the more electricity, and hence the money spent on heating water. Therefore, non-electrical circuits are also widely used, and in some cases there is simply no alternative to them.
Non-electric water heating options
If electricity is not supplied to the bath, there are two ways to heat the water. In the first case, a copper coil or heat exchanger is used for heating, mounted directly into the furnace furnace. At a height of at least three meters, a container with a supply of cold water is installed. A steel pipe supplies a certain amount of water to the flow heater of the furnace, which is regulated by a tap. After heating, due to the difference in pressure, the excess liquid is squeezed into a second container and stored there until used for the needs of a bath, steam room, shower.
To avoid heat loss, the container is wrapped with thermal insulation, usually mineral wool or felt, and covered with a fiberglass body. Such a system provides heating of water in a constant mode in an unlimited amount. In a more modern version of the flow heater, they try not to lift the cold water tank due to the large mass in order to avoid pressure on the bath structure.
In this case, water is supplied to the water heater of the furnace by creating excess pressure in the cold tank. To avoid local overheating in the water heater heat exchanger in the furnace, it is recommended that one of the pipes, either inlet or outlet, be made entirely of copper, brass or aluminum. In such a system, it is imperative to provide for an emergency valve that would allow superheated hot water to be bled back into a cold container.
The second method involves the use of special containers for running water heating with a part of the chimney pipe welded inward. The built-in fragment of the chimney is made of heat-resistant alloy steel. In this case, the heat of the flue gases moving through the chimney is used for heating. When the furnace is operating even at half power, the gas temperature is at least 400-500 ° C, due to which the water in such a heater is heated to a temperature of 70-80 ° C as quickly as in the previous version.
Unlike a scheme with a tubular coil-heat exchanger, such a water heater is much safer, it is not afraid of failures in the water supply to the flowing part of the water heater. In addition, this method of heating is considered more economical, since it uses the energy of exhaust gases. The disadvantages of the design include the relative complexity and high cost of manufacturing the container - the flow part of the water heater.
Combined designs of instantaneous water heaters
If desired, to provide the steam room and baths with hot water, you can use a combined instantaneous water heater of industrial production. In fact, the device is a boiler with a built-in heater and a small firebox that heats the heat exchanger. The cost of such a heater ranges from 10 to 25 thousand rubles, most often this option is used in permanent baths to provide showers with hot water in continuous mode.
Electric instantaneous water heaters
The most famous version of the instantaneous water heater is the design in which water from the water supply is supplied to a tubular boiler, the surface of which is heated by a hot nichrome spiral. As a rule, the performance of such a water heater is limited to 3-4 liters per minute. The positive aspects include the simplicity and cheapness of the heater, the low weight and compactness of the device, and the relatively low price.
The disadvantages of an electric instantaneous water heater include high sensitivity to the quality of the supplied liquid. With a high content of calcium and magnesium salts in water, a large amount of scale is deposited on the inner surface of the heating circuit, leading to overheating or even burnout of the water heater heat exchanger.
In addition, the device requires constant pressure in the water supply, otherwise the temperature of the water in the flow path may vary in proportion to the pressure from boiling water to just warm or almost cold. In a bathhouse, the use of such a heater will require the additional installation of a booster water pump and a cold water pressure regulator.
In expensive models of instantaneous water heaters, automation elements are installed that control the heating process and partially compensate for pressure and temperature surges. Instead of nichrome spirals, ceramic elements coated with gold or platinum are installed in the flow part of the water heater, on which scale is not deposited. In operation, such a water heating device turns out to be more economical and convenient than any of the above schemes.
In addition to those listed, there is another category of electric water heaters - electrode heaters. Their principle of operation is different from the previous ones. Heating of water during its movement through the heat exchanger is carried out using two electrodes immersed in the water flow, to which an alternating voltage of the mains is supplied. A feature of such a device is the self-regulation effect: the more liquid flows through the tank, the more heat is released when current passes between the electrodes. In the absence of water supply, heat generation stops without the use of any automation. Thanks to this, the device turned out to be very simple and reliable in operation.
Conclusion
Of these schemes, the most reliable instantaneous water heater can be called a system equipped with automatic operation control. Even with increased power consumption, this option looks more attractive for use in the bath.