Five large boilers with good tank protection against corrosion

By the standards of Ariston water heaters, the Hotpoint-Ariston PRO1 R 100 V 1.5 K PL DRY electric boiler belongs to fairly “simple” devices that do not have so many “chips”. There is only one element in its design that deserves close attention from those who want to buy a good and durable boiler. We are talking about a "dry" heating element - an electric heating element, the design of which has a positive effect on the "survivability" of the storage tank. Thanks to its use, the possibilities for the development of foci of electrochemical corrosion are reduced. In addition, the same dense and rigid calcium crust is almost not formed on the surface of a “dry” heating element, as on a “wet” one. Instead, scale has the appearance of a loose deposit that can be easily removed if annual scheduled maintenance is carried out. And in general, boilers with "dry" heaters accumulate significantly less scale, so they are better suited for regions and areas with "hard" water. This water heater has a 1500 W heating element. It heats the water in the boiler in 3 hours 18 minutes (at ∆t=45 °C) and can bring its temperature up to 80 °C (at this value, the overheating protection is triggered). A traditional mechanical regulator is used to set the temperature.

Otherwise, this boiler is quite "normal". It has a "classic" appearance: a cylindrical body, white color, there are fasteners for vertical mounting on the back, and pipes for hot and cold water are located at the bottom. The storage tank, which has a volume of 100 liters, is completely “wrapped” in polyurethane insulation, the task of which is to keep warm. Looking inside the tank (this opportunity is provided only when performing service or cleaning), you can find an enamel coating on its walls, a magnesium anode and a perforated tube through which cold water from the water supply enters the boiler. Ariston claims that the design of this tube increases the amount of hot water available to the user by 16% due to the fact that the layers of cold and heated liquid in the tank do not mix.

A well-known manufacturer, a 5-year warranty on the tank, a quite reasonable price and a “dry” heating element - these are the reasons to buy a Hotpoint-Ariston PRO1 R 100 V 1.5 K PL DRY boiler for a family of 3-4 people and needs a spacious water heater for providing for their daily household needs.

Like many other electric boilers, the Atlantic Steatite VM 100 D400-2-BC looks like a big white cylinder. Although the designers of the French company Atlantic tried to "ennoble" its appearance, but the matter was limited to a small stamping on the front of the case and a silver rim along its lower edge. However, more is not required, because the main task of a 94-liter boiler is not to decorate the bathroom, but to provide hot water to a family of several people. And this water heater copes with this task quite well. It has a power of 1500 W and heats up a full tank in 3 hours and 40 minutes. The maximum value of the water heating temperature is limited to 65 °C. The functions of the control element for setting the temperature regime are performed by a conventional mechanical regulator in the form of a wheel, which is located at the bottom of the case.

The most interesting part of the boiler is hidden inside the tank. There is the pride of Atlantic - a patented "dry" heating element of a special design. It is a "flask" with a steel shell filled with small blocks of steatite - a material with high heat capacity and excellent thermal conductivity. Steatite elements separate the "flask" from the heating coils. Due to this design, the characteristics of the heating element are improved. Without going into the details of physical and chemical processes, we only note that the “dry” heating elements of Atlantic water heaters last longer and require replacement less often, do not “hiss” or “buzz” when the boiler is turned on, and much less scale forms in the tank (compared to "wet" heating elements). Moreover, the amount of scale is so much less than usual that, according to the operating instructions, service and tank cleaning can be done every two years (and not every year, like most other boilers).

Due to the technical solutions used in the design of the water heater (“dry” heating element, magnesium anode, high-quality enamel coating of the storage tank and a dielectric coupling on the hot water pipe), the Atlantic Steatite VM 100 D400-2-BC boiler turned out to be a very reliable device. The manufacturer is so confident in its resistance to corrosion that it gives an 8-year warranty on the tank (and 2 years on the electrical part).

The features of the Gorenje GBFU 100 SIM V9 boiler are partially disclosed in its name. The letters SIM signify belonging to the Simplicisity series, a line of household appliances (it also includes some Gorenje refrigerators, ovens and microwaves), which is distinguished by its clean shapes and minimalist appearance. The design of the water heater is so concise that there is not even a temperature indicator on the body. And the letter U in the model name means "universality" - the ability to install the boiler in a vertical position (with water supply and discharge from below) or horizontal (pipes on the left). With any installation method, the device hangs on 4 mounts (usually boilers are hung on two points) and is securely held on the wall without staggering. Since the heater is supplied without a cable, before installing it, you should buy a wire having a cross section of at least 1.5 mm2 and a plug.

But the most interesting feature of this water heater is, nevertheless, not in the design or construction of the fixtures. Inside its 96-liter tank is a system of two heating elements with a total power of 2000 watts. Both heating elements are "dry". They are more reliable than "wet" ones, and less "overgrown" with deposits in the form of lime and scale. It is also interesting to note that a working boiler with a “dry” heating element, when turned on, does not make any clicking or “gurgling” sounds and does not hiss during water heating. The process of heating a full tank of tap water from 10 °C to 65 °C takes 3 hours and 16 minutes. The user can set the desired temperature from 10°C (frost protection mode) to 75°C. For adjustment, a mechanical regulator in the form of a wheel is used. In addition to the upper and lower limits, it indicates the ECO mode - a setting corresponding to a temperature of 55 ° C. The manufacturer claims that in the “economical” mode, the water heater consumes the least amount of electricity (in terms of the annual cycle), and 5 to 8 times less scale is formed in the tank.

Durable "dry" heating elements, simple mechanical control (which tolerates power surges better than electronics), an oversized magnesium anode and a 10-year warranty on the tank are good arguments in favor of the Gorenje GBFU 100 SIM V9 for those who want to buy a reliable boiler for a family of 3 - 4 people.

By design, Bosch Tronic 8000 T ES 100-5E 0 WIR-B does not differ much from other electric boilers belonging to the “above average” class. But some details and elements deserve attention. For example, the layer of polyurethane insulation that "envelops" a 96-liter steel tank on all sides is 32 mm thick - 5 - 7 mm more than most competitors. And the inner surface of the storage tank is covered with glass ceramics(the manufacturer believes that it is more hygienic and better protects the metal than traditional enamel). Two "dry" heating elements with a total capacity of 2000 watts are responsible for heating the water in the tank. Each of them is a copper heating element, which is located inside a steel "glass" and therefore does not come into direct contact with water. This design increases the life of the heating element, eliminates the "hiss" and "buzz" during water heating (although relay clicks will still be audible) and reduces the amount of scale in the tank.

This boiler is electronically controlled. The dashboard is very modest in terms of functionality. It has an LED indicator for the operation of the water heater, a button for turning the appliance on and off, buttons for adjusting the temperature and a small LED display for displaying it. Using the buttons, you can set the temperature in the range from 8 ° C to 70 ° C. A mode with water heating to such a small value as 8 ° C is needed, strictly speaking, exclusively for frost protection, so that the water in the boiler installed in a room that is not heated and not used in winter (for example, in a country house or in a summer kitchen ) did not turn into ice. The water heater is equipped with a very precise electronic thermostat. Thanks to him, the temperature of the water in the tank will never differ from the value set by the user by more than 1 - 3 degrees.

The display not only displays the temperature, but also displays information from the built-in self-diagnosis system of the device in the form of error codes. However, the instruction manual assures that the Bosch Tronic 8000 T ES 100-5E 0 WIR-B boiler has only two types of errors: a short circuit and failure of the temperature sensor. Although the design of the water heater allows it to be mounted to the wall in a vertical and horizontal position, it is not possible to rotate the LED display by 90°. How it is supposed to adjust the temperature is a mystery (users who choose the horizontal mounting method can rack their brains over it themselves).

Boiler Drazice OKCE 100, like other electric water heaters of the same brand, is equipped with a "dry" heating element of the original design. It is a module assembled from heating coils and ceramic blocks, enclosed in a metal flask. The module does not come into direct contact with water (in fact, that is why it is called a “dry” heating element), but gives it heat through the walls of the flask. Thanks to this technology, the heating element lasts longer, and less scale forms in the tank, and metal corrosion does not develop as quickly as in traditional boiler designs. Having a decent power (2200 W), the heater quickly heats the water. It takes only 2 hours and 36 minutes to heat a full tank (97 liters) of tap water at a temperature of 10 °C to 60 °C.

The signature feature of the Drazice brand is an increased layer of thermal insulation. For most other boiler manufacturers, 25 - 30 mm thick insulation is considered the norm, and Drazice OKCE 100 is “wrapped” in a 42 mm layer of polyurethane foam. Due to the increased thickness of the insulating material, the device retains heat better and turns on less often to heat water. A mechanical regulator is used to control the temperature settings. The user can set the water temperature from 5°C (frost protection mode) to 80°C. On the handle of the thermostat is also marked "economical" temperature (about 55 ° C), which is considered the most advantageous in terms of energy consumption.

A reliable “dry” heating element, a thick layer of thermal insulation and a 5-year warranty on the tank have their price - the Drazice OKCE 100 boiler costs one and a half times more than typical water heaters of the same volume. Add to this the additional (relatively small) cost of purchasing a power cable that is not included in the kit, and buying specific hoses or fittings. The fact is that the nozzles of Drazice boilers are 3/4", while the water pipes in apartments and houses are usually 1/2".