Connecting a water heater (boiler) to the water supply with your own hands

Household water heaters (water heaters) are divided into flow and storage models. The former are compact and are usually installed under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. On the one hand, a hose from a cold water tap is connected to them, and on the other, a tap to a mixer or shower head. Connecting such a technique to water is as simple as connecting a toilet bowl or a shower stall. It is only necessary to tighten a couple of nuts on the pipes, not forgetting the FUM tape.

Scheme of connecting the storage water heater

With boilers (accumulative analogue), everything is somewhat more complicated. The wiring diagram here is slightly different. This equipment is a boiler filled with water, in which the liquid is heated due to the operation of a gas burner or heating element. First, such a column is filled from the cold water pipeline, and then, as it heats up and is necessary, it releases “boiling water” heated to 40–750 C into the hot water pipe.

Types of boilers and water heaters

A storage water heater is installed in apartments and private houses:

• in the kitchen above or below the sink;
• in the bathroom (toilet);
• in the utility room.

But the closer it is to the cold water supply riser, the easier it will be to connect the boiler to the cold water supply. The distance from the column to the water supply is less - fewer pipes will have to be laid. The main thing is that the wall, on which it is planned to mount the water heating equipment, is able to withstand its weight.

Options for placing a boiler in the house

Connection to the water pipe

To connect the water heater to cold water and hot water, you will need:

• wrenches (it is better to take a pair of adjustable wrenches);
• FUM tape;
• tees for tapping into existing pipelines;
• two shut-off valves;
• safety and check valves;
• plastic pipes or hoses in a metal braid;
• pipe cutter and soldering iron for plastic or appropriate fittings;

The process of connecting the boiler to water pipes is reduced to connecting two pipes (inlet with cold and outlet with hot water) to the threaded pipes on the heater body. And the main point here is the correct insertion of tees for these taps into the existing water supply pipeline.

The procedure for connecting the boiler to hot water consumers

Insertion into a pipe made of metal-plastic

If the water supply is made of metal-plastic pipes, then compression or press fittings will be required. With the first, when connecting the water heater, it is easier to work, you need to tighten the nuts with wrenches. And the latter are more reliable, but form an integral connection.

To install the tee, you will need to cut a section of the appropriate size on the pipeline. To do this, it is better to use a pipe cutter, but you can also take a hacksaw for metal with fine teeth. Only it is necessary to ensure that the aluminum layer of metal-plastic does not then protrude on the cut edge. The foil can be pulled inside the pipe, due to which the latter will be narrowed.

Boiler connection diagram and consumables

polypropylene

If you need to connect the boiler to a water pipe made of polypropylene pipes, you will need a soldering iron. The incision is made in the same way as in the case of metal-plastic. Then the tee is heated on one side and soldered to the pipe, and then the second end is soldered. On the side there is a free end with a thread for connecting the outlet from the water heater.

Variants of water supply schemes through the boiler

Steel pipes

You will have to tinker with steel pipes. Here it is necessary either to take the grinder and then cut the thread to connect the tee with a die or a screw clamp, or install an overhead clamp (“vampire”, tee-clip) and drill the pipeline.

The first option for connecting the water heater to the water supply is more difficult to install and more reliable in operation, and the second is faster and simpler, but not so durable.
But here is how to connect the drain of the washing machine to the sewer - you can simply hang the drain hose on the bathtub, or you can install a tee with a side outlet. In the second case, the reliability will be an order of magnitude higher.

With steel water pipes, everything is in many ways similar. However, both an inserted tee and an overhead clamp give approximately the same result. Moreover, if there is no experience as a grinder, then it is better to use the second option.

Steel pipes are not easy to connect, so more often this option for connecting to a boiler for industrial needs or intensive use

Relief valve installation

If everything is done correctly, then on the outlet of the boiler for cold water, the fittings should be installed according to the following scheme (from top to bottom from the heater):

1. A tee with a tap for draining in case of an accident of water from the boiler.
2. Safety valve (against steam pressure).
3. Check valve (to prevent water from flowing back into the pipeline).
4. Shut-off valve (for cutting off the heater from the water supply).

The safety valve usually comes with the water heater and is needed to prevent the boiler from bursting due to an excess of steam. And the reverse allows you to avoid draining water back into the water supply when it turns out to be empty for one reason or another. This guarantees the safety of the electric heating element.

Boiler connection diagram through a safety valve

A shut-off valve will suffice on the DHW outlet. But you can additionally put a drain valve. Although it doesn't make much sense. Inside the boiler, the end of the hot water inlet pipe is always higher than that intended for cold water. Therefore, in any case, more liquid will drain from the cold water inlet than from the DHW outlet.

Errors when installing a water heater

Among the main errors of improper installation of the boiler are:

1. Replacing the safety “stall” valve with a reverse one (this option will not protect against overheating and explosion of the boiler).
2. Insufficient reliability of fastenings (the photo with the toilet bowls broken from the fall of the water heater walks a lot on the network).
3. Install a shut-off valve or a long hose between the boiler connection and the pressure relief valve.

In the latter case, if you install a valve, then in the closed state it will not let excess steam through to the safety valve. An explosion with such a connection scheme will be inevitable. And if you insert a hose in front of this valve, then with an increase in pressure, the latter can be torn.