Heating boiler using electricity and wood. A universal wood and electric stove for the home. Combined electric wood heating boilers - the operating principle of a hybrid installation

Every year, modern autonomous heating systems are becoming more and more popular among country property owners. For one reason or another, traditional gas heating units are rejected by owners of private houses (mainly due to the high cost and unavailability of gas) and are being replaced by universal combination boilers.

These are amazingly reliable, functional and productive devices, thanks to which you can provide heating for your home or any other property.

Combined heating boilers: electricity and wood as the main fuel

Currently, heating boilers using wood and electricity are in greatest demand among combined equipment. A feature of this technique, as can be seen from the name, is the simultaneous operation of both solid fuel (wood, wood waste) and electricity.

This versatility is ensured by a unique, well-thought-out and quite practical design of the equipment.

By and large, heating boilers using wood and electricity differ from traditional solid fuel boilers only in the additional built-in heating element (installed in the heat exchanger tank). It should be noted that such heating equipment also uses an automation system that allows you to change the boiler power, operating modes, and also ensure switching between fuel types.

Equipment for heating systems: additional equipment and expanded functionality

This multifunctionality is especially effective in cases where the power of the equipment in the combustion mode of firewood or other solid fuel is insufficient.

Any heating boiler using electricity and wood is also good because it copes excellently with low-power operating modes. The instructions for such equipment assume that even if the boiler operates irregularly, it will be able to effectively maintain a constant minimum temperature in the room, eliminating the possibility of freezing of the liquid in the heating system.

Design features of boilers

Any heating boiler using wood and electricity, as a rule, has a rather simple, but at the same time, well-thought-out design. Often, a firebox is installed at the bottom of the unit, into which any solid fuel is loaded, be it wood, coal or peat.

The heat released during fuel combustion heats the heat exchanger with liquid, which subsequently enters the heating system.

Heat source: wood - electricity in the house

If you switch the heat source to electric mode, the coolant in the system will be heated by heating elements. And even during low-power operation, it is electricity that allows you to automatically maintain a constant minimum temperature of the coolant.

Installation and operating conditions of combined boilers

Unlike traditional heating units, boilers using a combination of several types of energy require special installation and maintenance conditions. It is especially important to consider these requirements for the installation process if the work is done with your own hands.

To begin with, we should point out the fact that a special separate room must be allocated for such heating units in a private house. Also, it is necessary to provide a concrete pad for the unit, equip a chimney and a ventilation system. On our website you can see photos and videos of installed boilers in various houses.

Advice. If you are not confident in your own abilities, entrust all installation work to qualified specialists. Real craftsmen will complete the entire range of work in the shortest possible time, ensuring high quality and compliance with requirements and standards. In addition, you will have a guarantee for the work performed.

Advantages of boilers running on solid fuel and electricity

If we compare combined equipment for heating country houses with traditional gas or simple solid fuel boilers, their advantages become simply obvious:

• Availability and low price of fuel. Due to the possibility of working with solid fuel, it is possible to ensure the combustion of almost any waste from the wood processing industry, the cost of which is simply a pittance;
• Versatility. Due to the presence of heating elements in the design of heaters, it is possible to obtain heat from the boiler even in cases where it is not possible to use firewood;
• Economical. Wood and electricity are the most affordable types of fuel these days, and therefore you can save a lot on installing a combi boiler and heating your home. Savings are especially relevant in light of the regular rise in gas prices;
• Environmental friendliness and absence of harmful emissions from the heating system;
• Availability of automation systems and special programmers. Such equipment makes it possible for heating equipment to operate automatically when the owners are not in the house;

• High quality heating. Products from the woodworking industry, like electricity, emit a lot of heat, and therefore the coolant will be heated as quickly and efficiently as possible. In addition, there are no significant energy losses, since the combined equipment has a well-thought-out design;
• Duration of trouble-free operation.

Conclusion

Combined heating systems are an excellent choice for any private home. Availability of fuel, reliability, versatility and high performance make the units stand out from the total number of heating boilers presented on the domestic market.

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Every owner of a country house wants to heat his area as cheaply and efficiently as possible. You can use different solutions to the problem, but a combination boiler: electric and wood is the best answer to the heating problem. Resource consumption is lower than with gas installations, so the price of autonomy will not be shocking.

Combination heating boilers: wood-electricity – what is it?

This device is capable of providing a country house with heat for a long time and reliably. Of course, the name speaks for itself: this boiler operates simultaneously on two types of resources - wood and electricity, which combine perfectly with each other and save a large amount of money on fuel (read also: " ").

A distinctive feature of such boilers compared to the standard solid fuel model is the presence of a tubular electric heater installed in the heat exchanger tank (more details: " "). In addition, these electric wood heating boilers have an automatic control system for the power of heat output, so that the device can switch to a more economical mode at any time.

Additional equipment for the heating system

A combined gas/wood/electric boiler can come complete with special meters and performance monitoring systems that significantly increase the heat flow into the house (read also: ""). Such sensors can independently turn on the heating mode not with wood, but with electricity, which allows you not to worry about unexpected cold snaps in your home.

In addition, these devices do an excellent job of heating the area in relatively warm weather, when high power is not required. They drive water through pipes, maintaining a predetermined minimum temperature. Thus, electric is useful in any weather. If property owners are not at home, and do not want to spend a decent amount on heating, then the device can be put in a saving mode, which will maintain a temperature sufficient to prevent the water in the pipes from freezing.

Features of the structure of a universal boiler

Each such system has a simple but proven design of the device. As a rule, wood gas has a firebox at the bottom of the device.

Solid fuel is added there, for example:

• Firewood (read: " ");
• Coal;
• Peat.

When the boiler operates, heat is generated, which heats the liquid in the heat exchanger. This heated water is sent through pipes throughout the house.

In the case of switching fuel from wood to electricity, the main element of the system will be tubular. In addition, in the energy saving mode of the wood combi boiler, electricity also switches to current.

Installation and rules for using the device

Since the device operates on several types of resources at once, you should be especially careful when using it. In addition, the installation of the boiler should be carried out as much as possible in accordance with the instructions in order to avoid further problems during use.

The work should begin with planning the placement of the system. A separate room will be required, since combined heating with electric wood is best placed isolated from other elements of the housing. The boiler itself should be placed on a concrete pad; in addition, you will need to think through and install a chimney and ventilation system.

If you don’t want to deal with the installation of a heating system, then it is better to turn to professionals who will not only quickly bring the matter to the final stage, but will also issue a guarantee for the work done.

The principle of a combination boiler in a private house, details in the video:

Combination boilers wood electricity: main advantages

This heating system has a number of advantages over standard gas heaters or wood boilers, for example:

• Fuel is cheaper than analogues that use only one type of kindling. Since not only electricity is consumed, but also wood, you can throw any waste from sawmills into the boiler, which is sold for ridiculous amounts.
• A combi boiler is very versatile, as it can switch from wood to electric power at any time. This is especially important, since there are situations when there are no logs at hand, and it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the house (read also: " ").
• This is very economical, since wood and electricity are now the cheapest on the fuel services market. Every year gas becomes more expensive, so switching to combined heating will be very beneficial.
• Universal wood-electric heating boilers do not have a harmful impact on the environment, as they do not emit exhaust into the atmosphere. Thus, this is one of the most environmentally friendly heating systems, safe for allergy sufferers and asthmatics.
• The automaticity of the system allows you not to worry about maintaining heat in the house or overspending on fuel, even in the absence of property owners.
• Electricity and wood generate a large amount of heat, so the room warms up very quickly and efficiently. The well-thought-out system of the device allows you to avoid heat losses, which also allows you to seriously save on fuel.
• Combination boilers have a long service life, so when purchasing such a unit, you can forget about upgrading the heating system for a long time.
• The boiler has pleasant external characteristics, so even when putting a house up for sale and taking a photo of a room with a heating system, the seller will only receive advantages from the presence of this system.
• Such boilers do not produce dangerous leaks, as is the case with gas analogues, so you can worry less about the safety of your home.

Currently, such combined systems are gaining popularity due to the low cost of fuel and the ability to vary the heating mode. They provide excellent performance, heating your home in the shortest possible time without eating up a fortune. In addition, this development will last for many years, so a combined boiler for wood and electricity is the choice of those who prefer reliability and practicality.

By and large, heating a country house with wood and electricity provides for more than a dozen different combinations, and each of them brings certain benefits or conveniences. The thing is that there are also a lot of heating systems that run on solid fuel and electricity and, in fact, you can combine any of them, and in the combination that you like best.

We will now look at different heating devices and try to choose the most suitable combinations, and also show you a video clip.

Wood burning fireplace

Types of heaters

Firewood

Wood-burning brick oven with hob

A fairly common heating option in Russia is a wood-burning brick stove with a hob, and such a structure can be either with or without a water boiler, which radically changes the principle of heating a room.

That is, if there is no container for heating water, then other rooms are heated either using a coarse stove that is built into the partition, or using natural air circulation. If the furnace has a water tank, it is possible to install a heating circuit.

Wood burning fireplace with water jacket

The same can be said for fireplaces, which can only heat one room and serve as a decorative feature, but may also have a boiler or tubular heat exchanger. The second option implies the possibility of installing radiator heating or even a heated floor system, although both are possible.

Buleryan. Photo

Buleryan systems are very effective, where the heating of the room occurs due to hot air that circulates from bottom to top through steel pipes installed outside around the combustion chamber. Nowadays they make a variety of modifications of such stoves, but their principle remains unchanged - this is the secondary burning of wood in another chamber. Moreover, they are laid 1-4 times a day, depending on the modification.

Conventional solid fuel boiler

Domestic metal heating boilers using solid fuel are also produced, for which firewood will also be a good source of energy, although the highest efficiency will be when coal is used. Such units are made with a water jacket, which is a tubular-type heat exchanger, but some also assemble such structures from sheet steel, using a special container to heat water, as can be seen in the top figure.

Gas generator solid fuel boiler

But the most productive in the wood-burning line can be called gas-generating boilers, which operate on the principle of a Buleryan stove - they use afterburning of pyrolysis products (smoke from burning wood). Such units can have an efficiency of up to 96%, and the laying of firewood, depending on the modification and specified settings, can be done from one to four times a day.

Note, most solid fuel units of various types can operate not only on wood, but also on charcoal or coal.

Electricity

Operating principle of a heating element boiler

Electric boilers that operate on heating elements can be called quite compact and have an excellent design, and you can see the principle of their operation in the top image. Different models can have from 4 to 28 kW and even more when connected to a network of either ˜220V or ˜380V. The water pressure in the tank can range from 0.8 to 3 bar, although the optimal mode is recommended within 1-2 bar, and their efficiency is about 85%.

The principle of heating the coolant using the ionization method

Electrode boilers (in Russia known as a product of the GALAN company) are fundamentally different in the method of heating the coolant; they are also called ion boilers. The liquid here is heated due to the polarity of two electrodes installed inside - our current frequency is 50 Hz, therefore, the ions change the direction of movement at the same speed, which contributes to heating. Models can operate from a network of either ˜220V or ˜380V, rated power from 2 to 25 kW and at the same time a very affordable price.

Film beam electric heater (PLEN)

PLEN is also found on sale under the abbreviation IPO (infrared film heater), which is essentially the same thing, it’s just that different manufacturers can make such a film with different parameters - more detailed information is in the table below. The instructions allow you to mount the PLEN with your own hands on the floor, ceiling and walls.

Film width 0.35 m	Film width 0.51m	Film width 0.65m
Length/voltage	Power	Length/voltage	Power	Length/voltage	Power
1.0 m/73 V	60 W	1.0m/110V	87 W	1.0m/110V	111 W
1.0m/110V	60 W	1.5 m/220 V	130 W	1.5 m/220V	166 W
1.5 m/110 V	89 W	2.0m/220V	137 W	1.9 m/220V	210 W
2.0m/220V	119 W	2.4 m/220 V	208 W	2.5 m/220V	276 W
2.5 m/220 V	149 W	3.0m/220V	260 W	3.0m/220V	332 W
3.0m/220V	179 W	3.4 m/220 V	295 W	3.4 m/220V	376 W
3.5 m/220 V	208 W	4.0m/220V	347 W	4.0m/220V	442 W
4.0m/220V	238 W	4.6 m/220 V	399 W	4.4 m/220V	486 W
4.5 m/220 V	268 W	5.0m/220V	434 W	5.0m/220V	552 W

Note. There are also electric heated floors, infrared spot heaters, oil fireplaces, electric convectors and air blowers.

Starting a solid fuel boiler

• First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the simultaneous insertion of an electric and wood-burning boiler into the heating circuit (as a rule, they are connected in parallel). Of course, you will not run both units at the same time - this is unnecessary, since such a combination is done for interchangeability, and not to create a more powerful unit.
• So, when one boiler is running, the taps on the second one need to be turned off so that hot water does not enter the cold heat exchanger of the other unit. It was noticed that the excessive consumption of electricity when the electric boiler is running and the taps are open to the solid fuel unit is about 50 rubles per night, not taking into account the other half of the day! If you operate the components in the boiler room like this for a month, then this overexpenditure will be 50 * 2 * 30 = 3000 rubles.
• It is very convenient in a country house to have PLEN as a backup heating system, since heating the room in such cases is possible for only half an hour, which is impossible with other heaters.
• But in order to warm yourself while the wood-burning unit gains power, you can use an electric fireplace or a point IR emitter.

As you already understand, you can combine electric and wood heating in a variety of ways, using the devices that we talked about in this article. Here, the main requirements for units include interchangeability, efficiency and sufficient power, and the final choice will be yours.

hydroguru.com

Combined electric-wood boilers for a private home

• Conclusion

The most profitable and convenient to use is heating equipment that can operate on several fundamentally different types of fuel. This type includes wood-electricity heating combination boilers, which are very popular today. Next we will discuss the design of these units, as well as their advantages in comparison with other types of boilers.

Combination boiler

What are the benefits of electric wood boilers?

The main fundamental disadvantage of any solid fuel boiler is that the homeowner is more or less tied to it. After all, this device, unlike its gas counterpart, has to be “fed” only manually. This problem is partially solved in boilers with an automatic fuel supply system, but they can only work with fine-grained coal (with the size of individual parts from 5 to 25 mm), pellets or bulk fuel - shavings, wood chips or sunflower seed husks. If the owner of the house plans to use ordinary firewood as fuel, the automatic feeding system will not help him in any way.

Boiler with automatic fuel supply system

On average, you have to add firewood to the boiler every three hours. What happens if you can't do it on time? Of course, the coolant in the heating system will cool down, and with it the air in the rooms. You will also have to forget about proper rest: you will have to get up at least twice during the night to replenish the supply of firewood, otherwise in the morning you will wake up in the refrigerator.

For the owner of a combination boiler that runs on wood and electricity, such problems can only be a nightmare. If the supply of firewood in the firebox is not renewed in a timely manner and the temperature of the coolant begins to fall, the smart automation itself will turn on the electric heating elements and the operation of the heating system will thus be resumed.

Another advantage of boilers of this type is that they are quite simple to manufacture and therefore relatively cheap. For those on a limited budget, such equipment is most suitable.

Separate boiler room

Installation of an electric wood-burning boiler

The design of heating boilers using wood and electricity is very simple. It consists of just a few elements:

1. Combustion chamber

It is located in the lower part of the boiler and has dimensions that allow you to lay firewood up to 600 mm long. The fuel is placed on a grate, under which an ash box is installed.

2. Heat exchanger with heating elements installed in it

The heat exchanger connected to the heating system is located above the firebox so that the hot gases generated during the combustion of wood blow over its surface.

3. A simple control unit

This component monitors the temperature of the coolant and, if necessary, supplies voltage to the electric heaters.

4. Housing and flue pipe

Heating element for boiler

The above list refers to the simplest version of an electric wood-burning boiler, but many of the modern models have various improvements. For example, the boiler can be equipped with an automatically controlled air damper, through which the control system doses the volume of air entering the combustion chamber and thus regulates the boiler power.

Double-circuit combined heating boilers are also more functional in comparison with the basic design. Such models have a second heat exchanger, which is connected to the hot water supply (DHW) circuit. This improvement eliminates the need for the home owner to purchase a separate heater for preparing hot water.

How to choose an electric wood-burning boiler?

Before purchasing a boiler of this type, you should decide on some of its parameters:

1. Boiler power

Power selection is carried out in the same way as for any other boiler. It is best to order a thermal calculation and heating system design from a specialized company. If this is not possible, you can use the average statistical value of the specific power of heating systems, which is 130 W/per sq. m. m for houses with an area of ​​100 - 150 sq. m and 85 W/sq. m for houses with an area of ​​400 - 500 sq. m. By multiplying the specific power by the heated area, you can determine the required boiler power. So, for example, to heat a house with an area of ​​125 square meters. m you will need a unit with a power of 125x130 = 16,250 W or 16.25 kW.

Do not forget that an electric wood-burning boiler places special demands on home wiring. Make sure that it will be able to “pull” the unit you like.

Devices of this type, especially powerful ones, are quite massive. Before purchasing a boiler, evaluate the load-bearing capacity of the floor and the possibility of strengthening its structure in the room where the boiler room will be located.

3. Material and design of the grate

If wood fuel predominates, you should choose a boiler with a cast iron grate. If you plan to use bulk fuel frequently, choose a model with a honeycomb grille, which is made of ceramic and steel.

4. Availability of a second heat exchanger

Today, a combined wood-electricity boiler with the ability to connect to a DHW circuit is a fairly popular product, but it is not suitable for everyone. The fact is that at the moment of using hot water, all the attention of the boiler switches to it. In this case, the heated coolant stops flowing into the heating system, since it is it that is used to heat water in the second heat exchanger. If for some needs you have to open the hot water tap for a long time, installing a double-circuit boiler does not make sense. In this case, you will simply be left without heating.

5. Heat exchanger material

Cast iron heat exchangers are considered the most preferred. They are not subject to corrosion, due to their high heat capacity they can smooth out short-term drops in boiler power and do not have weak points in the form of welding seams, since they are prefabricated. The steel heat exchanger is a welded structure, it is less durable and is susceptible to rust, but, unlike cast iron, it does not collapse under sudden temperature changes.

Conclusion

The advantages of combined boilers with electricity and wood are undeniable. A house equipped with such a unit will always be warm, even if the owner for some reason forgot to put firewood in the firebox. By purchasing a boiler of this type, you get a reliable assistant who will prevent you and your household from freezing under any circumstances.

cotlix.com

Combined electric wood heating boilers - the operating principle of a hybrid installation

Heating a private home » Boilers and boiler equipment

Wood boiler

Far outside the city, where there are no gas mains, it is difficult to organize efficient heating of a house with one type of water heating equipment. After all, domestic power lines do not always have the necessary power, and boilers running on solid fuel do not have autonomy. Some manufacturers have tried to solve this problem and offered electric wood-burning boilers to potential buyers. Using them, you do not need to be afraid of a power outage and you can count on certain concessions in terms of installation maintenance.

When is it worth buying a hybrid?

It is clear that combining several operating principles will be expensive for the buyer. Electric wood boilers are not cheap, so their purchase can only be justified if it is necessary to use several types of fuel in one heating season.

In some regions of Russia, preferential tariffs for electricity are established, and if they are exhausted, the cost of electricity increases significantly. In such a situation, it is not economically profitable to use electric boilers, so here, too, combined units can be the best way out of the situation.

Note! Some models are capable of operating on almost all types of solid fuel. Having chosen the right equipment, you can heat your house not only with wood, but also with pellets, briquettes, sawdust and even coal.

Operating principle of hybrid equipment

How does an electric wood boiler work? How does he work? The operating principle of the installation is based on the use of several combustion chambers and electric heating elements. A separate heat exchanger is connected to each firebox. It is this design feature that allows you to use the type of fuel that is at hand.

If electric heating elements are turned on, they heat not the coolant, but the water that is in the boiler. There are many advantages to this heating option. At any time you can use the most accessible type of fuel, for which you just need to change the burner. Doing it yourself is not that difficult. A detailed description of the switching circuit is in the instructions.

Series AOTVK 22-6

Practice shows that in most cases, owners of hybrid installations use electricity to heat a country house. But if it is turned off, the house will not cool down. The hybrid stove can be heated with wood, coal, and even waste from wood processing.

Any electric wood-burning boiler is capable of operating autonomously for several days, without requiring human presence. If you choose the electric heating option, you do not need to monitor the installation at all. Its operating time will be limited only when the power supply to the network stops.

Note! When installing the equipment described, experts recommend starting an electric wood-burning boiler by warming up the firebox, and only then transferring the unit to network operation. This will help you significantly save on electricity and warm up all rooms in the house in a matter of minutes.

There is a huge range of described equipment on sale. In order to choose the right model, you need to consider several important factors.

Features of choosing a model

Electrical installation

Modern manufacturers offering to evaluate the features of electric wood-burning boilers produce series for domestic and industrial service. Among them there are compact floor-standing units and mini-boiler rooms. Each unit has its own equipment and its own scope of application.

Therefore, when choosing a specific model, it is worth considering:

1. Installation power.
2. Number of circuits.
3. Dimensions of the unit and its weight.

Protherm BOBER series

The number of coils that will allow you to heat water using the combustion chamber is also important to consider. In some electric wood-burning boilers, hot water is heated mainly using heating elements. And this is not always convenient. After all, the electricity can be turned off at any time, and then property owners will be left without hot water.

When purchasing an electric wood-burning boiler with several combustion chambers made of cast iron, you need to be prepared for the fact that such equipment will weigh too much. The total weight can sometimes reach several centners, so you will have to prepare a powerful foundation for the equipment. And these are additional costs, and considerable ones.

When buying a hybrid model, it is useful to ask what material the grates are made of. Experts recommend choosing units with cast iron or steel grates coated with ceramic enamel.

What else is important to know about hybrid boilers?

Hybrid model

Before buying hybrid boilers for heating a country house, you must take into account that such installations will require a professional connection to the electrical network. Equipment can be installed only after receiving all permits, and when a separate line designed for 380 Volts is connected to the residential property.

To ensure the necessary safety when operating hybrid equipment, it is necessary not only to connect the installation to the devices, but also to ground it. In this case, you cannot experiment. The only correct option is when the grounding is connected to a special circuit dug deep into the soil of the earth.

Basic installation requirements

Experts warn that the efficiency and reliability of an electric wood heating boiler will largely depend on proper installation. Here are its basic rules:

Pellets Fuzzy Logic

• All elements of the floor structure must be securely installed and correctly connected.
• Directly in front of the firebox, you need to lay a large metal sheet on the floor.
• It is advisable to place asbestos cardboard under the bottom of the installation.
• In addition to the correct connection to electricity, it is necessary to install a chimney, observing all safety rules, as well as SNiPA standards.
• As a rule, an electric wood-burning boiler intended for heating a house is installed in a separate room, where, in addition to electricity, there must be good supply ventilation.
• When installing, it is important to choose a pipe diameter that matches the power of the heating system.

Note! Failure to comply with this point will provoke different levels of pressure. This will lead to leaks and even ruptures. Therefore, it is advisable to install locking mechanisms along the entire length of the circuit that shut off the system without stopping the operation of the boiler.

Generalization

Aesthetic appearance

Any electric wood-burning boiler can solve the heating problem of a country house. Sometimes using an electric unit is not economically feasible or is impossible due to frequent power outages. But I don’t want to heat my house with wood - it takes too much time to maintain such installations. Manufacturers took these shortcomings into account and offered potential buyers a good compromise. Many people use it successfully today.

Our units operate on solid fuel and are designed for wood heating of cottages and low-rise private country houses. The area of ​​wood-heated premises ranges from 80 to 320 square meters.

The design of the wood-burning device allows the additional use of electric heating of the coolant. For this purpose, a threaded coupling for the heating element is provided on the rear or side wall of the housing.

This is a useful option for wood-burning boilers, allowing you to avoid temperature changes in the heating system during breaks between fires. When using water as a coolant, electric heating will protect the system from freezing in case of prolonged inactivity during the cold season.

A tubular electric heater with a control panel will automate the process of controlling the unit and expands the functionality of a simple wood-burning boiler.

Installation of heating elements

The heating element is not included in the sale of the wood-burning boiler, but is an option that must be purchased separately. For low-power wood-fired combination boilers up to 18 kW, a 1-3 kW tubular electric heater is suitable; for 18-32 kW units, a heater with a rated power of 6 to 9 kW is recommended.

A control panel with a thermostat automatically maintains the temperature in a given range by turning the electric heater on and off. The unit is equipped with boil protection and a light signal.

Heating elements with a power of 1 to 3 kW are single-phase and powered from a household electrical network with a voltage of 220 V, and heating elements with a power of 6 to 9 kW are three-phase and powered by a network with a voltage of 220/380 V. When installing the unit, connect the ground.

Recently, it is increasingly possible to find in private homes universal combined heating boilers that can operate simultaneously on two types of fuel. The combination of electricity and firewood is an excellent choice: such a boiler is very compact, practical and reliable. In the event of a power outage or fuel shortage, you will not be left without heat and hot water in winter.

Externally, a combination boiler is practically no different from a conventional solid fuel unit. In principle, this is the same wood-burning heating boiler, which has a heating element built into the heat exchanger. Another important difference is the design of the water jacket. One of the walls of the furnace of such a boiler has a complex configuration and is made by cold stamping. Heating elements are mounted between the walls of the jacket, and there is a special contact hole to which the contacts of the electrical wiring wires are connected.

Combination boiler: wood - electricity

Combination boilers that run on wood and electricity are designed very competently and thoughtfully; the main operating units are:

• solid fuel loading hatch – solid fuel is loaded into it; the volume of fuel loaded at a time depends on its size;
• ash pan – supplies oxygen for fuel combustion and collects ash;
• burners allow you to switch from one type of fuel to another;
• draft damper - regulates the intensity of fuel combustion. The chain drive opens or closes the ash chamber damper;
• heat exchanger – provides warm water supply;
• temperature sensors - automatically regulate the operation of heating elements, which ensures continuous heating.

The automation system allows you to adjust the operating mode of the boiler, as well as its power. There are boiler models that have hobs for cooking; they are installed above the firebox. Boilers with two circuits allow you to connect a “warm floor” system; for this there are special outlets for installation.

Combination boiler design

Boilers with one circuit and two circuits are produced. In the first case, the boiler is used only for heating, in the second it will provide hot water for household needs. Units with manual and automatic control systems are also available for sale. Boilers with a manual control system are cheaper, and automatic control makes maintenance and life easier for the owner.

Advice. When choosing a boiler for heating your home, you must correctly calculate the power of the device based on the area of ​​the room. Fuel consumption will depend on this.

Principle of operation

The operating principle of a combined heating boiler is quite simple. The heat generator, powered by the electrical network, starts the electric heater. Tubular electric heaters begin to heat the coolant (water) automatically according to the principle of a boiler. This process is automated by a special device; firewood is only loaded into the firebox manually.

While the heating element is heating the water, you need to fill the combustion chamber with wood and set it on fire. The combustion chamber is located below and transfers heat from burning wood to a heat exchanger. When the temperature of the coolant reaches the set point, the heating element turns off, and then only firewood generates heat. The burning power of wood can reach 30 kW, which is enough to heat a house.

Combination boiler operation

When the wood burns out, the heating element turns on again and maintains the set temperature. You can only heat with wood, and turn on the heating element only to be on the safe side. If you run out of firewood, only the heating element will provide heat. But often electricity and firewood are used at the same time, this is especially convenient at night, when it is not possible to constantly add firewood to the firebox. Then in the evening the firewood is laid, and the heating element is turned on not at full power to maintain heat.

If electricity is used as a priority for heating, and firewood is used only as a reserve, then boiler maintenance is simplified to a minimum. The required temperature is automatically set and the heating element is responsible for maintaining it. When there is a power outage, as often happens in our country, you add firewood to the firebox and the boiler starts working on solid fuel.

Important. When operating the boiler with wood, make sure that the damper on the chimney is open. When operating on electricity, the valve can be closed.

Advantages of combi boilers

Advantages of boilers, operating on wood and electricity in comparison with devices operating on one type of fuel are obvious.

Combination boiler with built-in heating element

1. Versatility. You can use one of two types of fuel at your discretion.
2. Economical. Electrical energy is the most accessible type of fuel, and so is wood. In addition, coal and waste from the wood processing industry can be used as an alternative. The result is a perfect union: wood - electricity.
3. Thoughtful design. Heat is properly distributed and energy losses are minimal, which makes these boilers very efficient.
4. Long service life. With proper operation, such a boiler will serve you faithfully for a very long time, at least 20 years.
5. Autonomy. There is no need to constantly monitor the process - the automation will do everything for you. Moreover, when operating on electric fuel, the heating mode using a heating element is limited by an uninterrupted supply of electricity.
6. There are models with pre-built pipes for connecting the “warm floor” system.

Important. Combination boilers that run on wood and electricity operate efficiently even at low power levels.

Flaws

And yet, with all the advantages, combination boilers also have disadvantages, like any other heating equipment.

It is better to install a combination boiler on a pre-strengthened base

1. It is necessary to equip a separate room - a boiler room, and also need premises for storing fuel reserves.
2. Weight. Devices made of cast iron can weigh several hundred kilograms; before installing such a boiler, it may be necessary to install a concrete pad to strengthen the base of the floor. Due to the significant weight of the product, models for wall mounting are not available, only models for floor installation.
3. The design of combined boilers is more complex, which affects the cost of installation and service repairs.
4. Another drawback is the low power of the electrical component. The power of electric heaters should not exceed the power of the wood burning chamber. The power range of the wood-burning firebox is from 6 to 25 kW.
5. The cost of combined boiler models is 20-40% more expensive than similar solid fuel boilers, but their purchase is much more justified than installing one type of boiler and then subsequently replacing it with another.

The manufacturer offers combined heating boilers powered by electricity and wood of various capacities, configurations and performance. When purchasing such equipment, pay attention to such points.

Consider how much fuel you need to add at one time

1. Power depends on what fuel is used. Decide in advance what type of fuel the units will run on in priority.
2. The size of the combustion chamber - the volume of the firebox determines how often you will need to load fuel.
3. Quietness – installation of a special valve ensures quiet operation of the unit.
4. Number of circuits - for some models, water heating is carried out only by heating elements. More economical are models in which the coolant coil is built into the combustion chamber.
5. Heat exchanger. It can be made from cast iron or steel. Cast iron devices are resistant to corrosion, take a long time to heat up, but also give off heat for a long time, have a significant mass and can crack under sudden temperature changes. Steel ones are subject to faster oxidation and corrosion, are lighter in weight and resistant to temperature changes.
6. Grate bars. Made from various materials. It can be cast iron or ceramics. Cast iron is more heat-resistant and suitable for burning any solid fuel. They use honeycomb cast iron grates with ceramic coating; they are suitable for bulk materials that use more oxygen during combustion.
7. Weight and dimensions of the boiler. It may be necessary to reinforce the surface area on which the unit will be installed with a concrete screed.