Electric heating radiators: main types, advantages and disadvantages of batteries

Bimetallic heating radiators which is better selection instructions

The first heating radiators, produced from two metals (bimetallic) appeared in European countries more than sixty years ago.Such radiators quite coped with the assigned function of maintaining a comfortable temperature in the room during the cold season. At present, the production of bimetallic radiators has been resumed in Russia, while the European market, in turn, is dominated by various aluminum alloy radiators.

Bimetal heating radiators which ones are better

Bimetallic radiators are a frame made of steel or copper hollow pipes (horizontal and vertical), inside which the coolant circulates. Outside, aluminum radiator plates are attached to the pipes. They are attached by spot welding or special injection molding. Each section of the radiator is connected to the other by steel nipples with heat-resistant (up to two hundred degrees) rubber gaskets.

The design of the bimetallic radiator

In Russian city apartments with centralized heating, radiators of this type perfectly withstand pressures up to 25 atmospheres (when pressure tested up to 37 atmospheres) and, due to their high heat transfer, perform their function much better than their cast-iron predecessors.

Radiator - photo

Externally, it is quite difficult to distinguish bimetallic and aluminum radiators. You can verify the correct choice only by comparing the weight of these radiators. Bimetallic because of the steel core will be heavier than its aluminum counterpart by about 60% and you will make an error-free purchase.

The device of a bimetallic radiator from the inside

The positive aspects of using bimetallic radiators

• Bimetal panel-type radiators fit perfectly into the design of any interior (residential buildings, offices, etc.), without taking up much space.The front side of the radiator can be one or both, the size and color scheme of the sections are varied (self-coloring is allowed). The absence of sharp corners and too hot panels makes aluminum radiators suitable even for children's rooms. In addition, there are models on the market that are installed vertically without the use of brackets due to the additionally present stiffeners.
• The service life of radiators made of an alloy of two metals reaches 25 years.
• Bimetal is suitable for all heating systems, including central heating. As you know, low-quality coolant in municipal heating systems adversely affects radiators, reducing their service life, however, bimetal radiators are not afraid of high acidity and poor quality of coolants due to the high corrosion resistance of steel.
• Bimetallic radiators are the standard of strength and reliability. Even if the pressure in the system reaches 35-37 atmospheres, this will not damage the batteries.
• High heat transfer is one of the main advantages of bimetal radiators.
• The regulation of the heating temperature using a thermostat occurs almost instantly due to the small cross section of the channels in the radiator. The same factor allows you to halve the amount of coolant used.
• Even if it becomes necessary to repair one of the radiator sections, thanks to the well-thought-out design of the nipples, the work will take a minimum of time and effort.
• The number of radiator sections needed to heat a room can be easily calculated mathematically. This eliminates unnecessary financial costs for the purchase, installation and operation of radiators.

The negative aspects of using bimetallic radiators

• As mentioned above, bimetallic radiators are suitable for operation with a low-quality coolant, but the latter significantly reduces the life of the radiator.
• The main disadvantage of a bimetallic battery is the different expansion coefficient for aluminum alloy and steel. After prolonged use, creaking and a decrease in the strength and durability of the radiator may occur.
• When operating radiators with low-quality coolant, steel pipes may quickly become clogged, corrosion may occur, and heat transfer may decrease.
• The contested disadvantage is the cost of bimetal radiators. It is higher than that of cast iron, steel and aluminum radiators, but considering all the advantages, the price is fully justified.

Features of central heating and requirements for radiators

A centralized heat supply system has some differences from an autonomous one, which are important to remember when choosing:

• the water entering the pipes is far from ideal: it contains various additives, salts, oxygen and rust;
• hydraulic shocks occur in the system - a sharp increase in pressure, often this occurs during the period of turning on / off the heating and during pressure testing;
• the temperature is also unstable - the batteries either barely heat up, or they burn.

Based on these data, it is possible to formulate an extended list of the required properties of thermal devices:

1. Radiators must withstand pressure 1.5 times what happens in the system. In Soviet panel or brick five-story buildings, it is 5 - 8 atmospheres, in new buildings 12 - 15.
2. The metal must be immune to corrosion or have a special coating on the inside so that no rust, scale and other troubles linger on the surface.It is good if the material does not react to the presence or absence of water in the system and to changes in temperature in the coolant.
3. The wall thickness should be sufficient so that abrasive particles (the same rust or sand) do not thin them over time from friction. Otherwise, a breakthrough is inevitable.
4. High heat transfer will allow you to get your portion without loss due to poor conductivity.
5. In addition to the functional load, this element also carries an aesthetic one, so it is desirable that it harmoniously complements the environment, and does not spoil it.

Methods for fixing heating pipes in the wall

As a rule, among residents it is customary to cover steel heating pipes in the wall, those that have already served for a long time and have a very unpresentable appearance.

However, it is worth remembering that there are two main options for such work:

1. Equip the main walls with strobes and move the racks a short distance, and then repair them with plaster.
2. Construct a drywall box around the heating pipes.

Related article: Wall decoration on the veranda inside

There are also such cases when the wall is completely sheathed with plasterboard. The riser in this case is inside the false wall.

The following are the most common methods for covering pipes in a wall.

Cast iron radiators

The level of heat transfer of batteries depends on the material of its manufacture. Many consumers do not know how to choose heating radiators, because each type has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Well-known cast-iron heating radiators have:

1. acceptable cost;
2. the ability to function at high carrier temperatures;
3. resistance to aggressive environments;
4. high strength;

Cast iron batteries

The heat dissipation of these radiators is higher than that of the others. Along with the advantages, it should also be noted the disadvantages of cast iron radiators:

• unattractive appearance,
• significant dimensions and weight,
• susceptibility to water hammer,
• the need for periodic painting.

Cast iron vertical heating radiators are relatively cheap appliances. They are more suitable for gravity systems. The design of cast iron batteries consists of separate sections interconnected by casting.

Bottom connection of radiators

Quite often there is such a scheme for connecting heating radiators, when the incoming coolant flow is connected to the lower collector, while the output flow is connected to the lower collector from the other end of the radiator battery.

Hot water has a lower density and due to this it should rise up, and the already cooled coolant should go down. Due to this circulation, the coolant is replaced with a hotter one. But according to manufacturers' estimates, with this type of battery connection, from 10 to 20 percent of the coolant simply flows past the vertical pipelines and does not participate in heat exchange. This is due to the fact that a narrow channel does not contribute to efficient circulation and the process of displacing the cooled coolant can be very slow. Naturally, when salts and scale are deposited on the vertical pipelines of the radiator, the circulation rate will deteriorate and the efficiency will drop even more.

Advantages and disadvantages of the solution

We have already touched on them in passing, but we will repeat:

• Floor installation allows you to transfer the weight of a massive heater from a light partition to a solid floor.
• In this way, you can create a thermal curtain where wall mounting is simply not possible.
• Finally, with floor installation, at least one stage of installation work is excluded from the installation of the heater - fixing the brackets to the wall.

Related article: Electric boiler for heating: advantages, disadvantages, choice and connection

At the same time, when installed on the floor, the pipes remain visible, which is undesirable in most cases. To drown the eyeliner into the floor ... Remember: at least in half of the cases we are talking about shops, showrooms and other non-residential premises. What do you think this floor is made of in most cases?

Drowning pipes into concrete or under tiles is not only a very large amount of work. This is also wrong from the point of view of further maintenance: sooner or later EVERYTHING fails. It is desirable that the replacement of communications does not require a major overhaul of the premises.

In addition - when installing floor heating devices along the glazing, part of the room willy-nilly be cut off from the exhibition area or trading floor. Sometimes this is undesirable.

Sometimes it is the space near the window that is sorely lacking.

What it is

Underfloor heating radiator - this is just a heating device that is attached to a horizontal surface. To the floor. Or just stand on it. It does not have any other fundamental differences from other designs.

Why is this needed? The answer to this question is inextricably linked with the main categories of floor heating appliances.

1. Cast iron batteries are quite massive in themselves. In addition, they contain a fairly large volume of coolant.If such a radiator can be hung from a main wall, then it is problematic to hang it on a light plasterboard or wooden partition.

How much does a ten-section radiator weigh? Not every wall can withstand it.

1. For panoramic glazing or shop windows, exhibitions, museums, etc. desirable thermal curtain. It prevents fogging and icing of glasses, and at the same time forms the most rationally directed convection currents. Cold air from the windows goes directly to the heaters.

The problem with standard wall-mounted radiators is that if the glazing starts right from the floor, there is simply nothing to mount them to. The obvious solution is to install the batteries directly on the floor.

Steel heating radiators

Steel batteries are available in two versions: tubular and panel.

Panel heating radiators have different sizes and dimensions. They are rectangular appliances that combine the features of a radiator and a convector.

Inside the structure there are two or three panels interconnected by welding. And inside these panels, the coolant circulates through the channels. Some models are reinforced with ribs to increase heat transfer. According to the connection method, panel radiators are distinguished with bottom and side connection.

The technical characteristics of the devices are as follows:

• panel height from 30 to 90 cm;
• depth up to 17 cm;
• width up to 3 m;
• operating pressure up to 8.5 atm;
• maximum heat carrier temperature up to 120 °C.

Steel tubular heating radiators consist of horizontal or vertical pipes connected to collectors. The rate of heat transfer in such models is very high. In all key indicators, the devices are superior to panel models.Although their cost is much higher than panel ones.

Tubular heating radiators Russian-made are an ideal option for our conditions. After all, the pressing pressure reaches up to 25 atm.

Steel Batteries

Arguments for and against steel batteries

Comparing the performance of steel radiators, we can conclude that they are better than those of batteries made of other materials.

The thickness of stainless steel up to 1.5 mm has a positive effect on the reliability and strength of the structure. But they are not without some drawbacks. One of them is susceptibility to corrosion. Due to water hammer, the integrity of the radiators can be compromised. But despite this, the performance of steel radiators allows you to create a practical and balanced heating system.

Additional advantages of steel radiators include:

• beautiful appearance,
• adjustability,
• economy,
• high efficiency;
• a wide range of,
• small amount of coolant.

Russian-made ROSTerm steel heating radiators are of high quality, interesting design and affordable price. They are perfectly adapted to our conditions. Due to the large size options, they can be mounted in administrative buildings, city apartments and private houses.

Aluminum radiators

Aluminum radiators enjoy well-deserved popularity among buyers. They have many advantages: they are light, compact, give off a lot of heat to the environment, what else do you need? But, there are also disadvantages:

1. Gas formation is possible (it is impossible to let “anti-freeze” into the batteries);
2. Aluminum is subject to corrosion (to prevent this, a chemical-neutral film is applied to the product);
3. Possible leaks in the seams;
4. A short period of work - up to fifteen years. Some manufacturers have been able to increase this by several years;
5. Sensitivity to pressure drops in the system, which is often observed in multi-storey buildings;
6. Sensitivity to the composition of the coolant.

Sectional aluminum radiator

The best bimetallic radiators with a center distance of 500 mm

The choice of heating equipment with a center distance of 500 mm for the rating is not accidental. The vast majority of modern residential premises have sufficiently large window openings, and the distance between the window sill and the floor is, as a rule, at least 60 cm. Therefore, bimetallic radiators of this qualification are most popular among the population.

Royal Thermo Piano Forte 500

A lot of positive user ratings for this Italian radiator on Yandex.Market, which fully confirm the reliability of the design, long service life, original design, puts it in first place in the rating.

• heat transfer from 740 W to 2590 W (depending on the number of sections);
• the number of sections varies from 4 to 14;
• Power Shift technology that increases heat transfer;
• steel collectors are designed for pressure surges in the system up to 30 atmospheres;
• resistant to the most aggressive coolants;
• wall and floor mounting possible;
• original design;
• manufacturer's warranty - 10 years.

rather high cost.

In general, as the British say, we are not rich enough to buy cheap things. Therefore, in this case, the price corresponds to the quality.Particular emphasis is placed on the presence of Power Shift technology - the presence of additional ribs on the vertical collector, which significantly increase the heat transfer of the model. In addition, in addition to the basic white and black colors, the buyer can order other tones or RAL palettes.

Rifar Monolit 500

Domestic development, deservedly taking second place in the rating in terms of the number of collected laudatory reviews in its direction. The features include the technology of the same name used in the production process - the sections are connected using contact-butt welding.

• a monolithic design that allows operation in the most severe conditions;
• heat transfer from 784 W to 2744 W;
• complete set of sections - from 4 to 14;
• high resistance to aggressive coolants (pH 7 - 9);
• there is a bottom connection;
• manufacturer's warranty - 25 years.

• expensive for a domestic product;
• there are no odd sections - for example, 5 or 7.

However, in general, the radiator of this model collects extremely positive reviews. Moreover, management companies strongly recommend it for use, due to the high resistance of the model to corrosion and a long guaranteed service life.

Global Style Plus 500

Once again, the Italian model, who has collected a significant number of admiring reviews addressed to her. The inside of the radiator is made of alloy steel, while the outside is coated with aluminum alloy.

• high strength;
• maximum working pressure 35 atmospheres;
• crimping pressure - 5.25 MPa;
• heat transfer in the range from 740 W to 2590 W;
• equipment - from 4 to 14 sections;
• pH value (aggressiveness of the coolant) - from 6.5 to 8.5;
• manufacturer's warranty - 10 years.

heat transfer decreases slightly with a decrease in the temperature of the coolant.

Satisfied with the purchase, the owners shower this model with extremely positive assessments - high resistance to pressure drops in the system, the presence of silicone gaskets between the sectional joints prevent leaks, adjustment works stably, and so on.

Sira RS Bimetal 500

Another Italian, appreciated by the domestic user, as the reviews speak eloquently.

• high strength - working pressure up to 40 bar;
• heat transfer from 804 W to 2412 W;
• equipment - from 4 to 12 sections;
• coolant resistance is expressed in terms of pH - from 7.5 to 8.5;
• manufacturer's warranty - 20 years.

Well, that's what premium class is for! In addition to satisfactory assessments regarding the technical characteristics of this radiator model, satisfied with the purchase, the owners note the unique design - smooth, curved shapes, the complete absence of sharp corners.

Fondital Alustal 500/100

Also, the Italian miracle of engineering, which won the approval of Russian users, which was reflected in the number of positive reviews.

• heat transfer from 191 W to 2674 W;
• equipment from 1 to 14 sections;
• high strength - working pressure up to 40 bar;
• the most aggressive coolants are not afraid (pH 7 - 10);
• manufacturer's warranty - 20 years.

In general, a minor minus, due to the fact that this model is a continuous water chamber. On the other hand, there is an internal anti-corrosion coating, as the owners of this radiator note, and a stroke pattern that prevents the system from airing.

Advantages

Modern electric wall mounted radiators are available with automatic controllers, so they do not need constant supervision. During the operation of the convector, there is no such phenomenon as drafts, and the air heats up very quickly.

Control and management

When choosing a unit, you need to pay attention to the thermostat, thanks to which you can control the temperature in the room and save electricity. Thanks to automatic temperature control elements, the radiators are not in danger of overheating and can be placed on a surface of any material

Safety

Additional protection against moisture has a positive effect on the performance of the heating device and makes it possible to install it in rooms with high humidity.

Despite the fact that the temperature of the heating element is quite high, it does not exceed 65 degrees on the surface of the case, so the risk of thermal injury is eliminated.

Environmental friendliness and comfort

Heating radiators powered by the mains do not provoke the appearance of an unpleasant burnt smell and do not affect the purity of the air in the room. Since there is no forced ventilation in them, there is no extraneous noise. In some models, the wall mount is supplemented with wheels, which makes it possible to install the equipment on the floor, thereby making it universal.

Life time

The operating period shown by electric heating radiators depends entirely on the quality of the heating elements. If all standards are met during their production, then the service life of the devices will be at least 15 years. This is confirmed by a two-year warranty on samples of well-established brands.You don’t have to worry about the body, because steel is able to withstand temperatures that exceed the performance produced by the heating element.

Cast iron batteries

The main advantages of this type of radiators are low cost and durability. Cast iron batteries are not subject to corrosion and can last up to 50 years. In addition, they are undemanding to the quality of the coolant and easily withstand quite a serious pressure in the system - up to 12 atmospheres.

The advantages of cast-iron models, therefore, have a lot, and therefore, in some cases, they can be an excellent answer to the question of which radiators to choose for heating a private house. However, despite the large number of advantages, such batteries are installed quite rarely in residential suburban buildings. The thing is that Soviet radiators of this variety look too old-fashioned. It is almost impossible to fit them harmoniously into a modern interior. In addition, these batteries are very heavy and can be used mainly only in buildings with very strong walls. For example, for a house built of foam concrete, they are absolutely not suitable.

Cast iron heating radiators for a private house are suitable, but when deciding to choose just such models, it is worth bearing in mind that they do not differ in particularly high efficiency. Such batteries warm up rather slowly, and their heat transfer is not particularly large.

Two-pipe radiator connection diagram

It is very simple: all devices in this scheme for connecting heating radiators are connected in parallel to each other.Like everything that moves, a fluid, of course, chooses the path that is easiest for it. With a two-pipe scheme, it is easier for the coolant to flow through the first radiator. Further, on the second radiator, the pressure will be weaker, so the flow through it will be less. On the third radiator there will be even less pressure, and so on throughout the network. If there are many radiators, then it is likely that with such a scheme, nothing will flow through the last radiator at all.

Both systems are bad in that they are very poorly balanced. We can fight for a long time with the fact that one of our radiators heats up, while the other does not heat up. If we close one, the first one starts to heat up. We close the first one, the second one starts to heat, and the first one stops heating. Such nonsense happens in two-pipe schemes for connecting heating radiators. It happens that there are two radiators side by side, there is one through one duct, but there is no duct through the other. That's all. No matter how you fight, no matter how you regulate, either one or the other heats up, but never together. Therefore, if you use such a system, then use it in very small rooms.

Pros and cons of convector heating

The main advantages of this type of home heating:

1. It is possible to heat rooms for various purposes.
2. No adverse effect on the state of the air, since convector heating does not burn oxygen.
3. Minimal impact on the degree of air humidity.
4. Easy installation of heating equipment - this plus applies to electrical units.
5. There is no negative impact on the well-being of people.
6. A wide range of equipment for the arrangement of heat supply.

In addition to the advantages of convector heating, there are disadvantages:

1. The feeling of overheated air, which not all residents like.
2. If the room has high ceilings, this type of heating will be ineffective.
3. There is a big difference between the temperature in the upper layers of the air and those located below.

As for electric convector heating, it has another big drawback - high cost. But not all houses have a gas main, and if there is a wish that the heat supply system does not require large expenses and is easy to install, then in this case it will not be possible to do without convectors.

Comparison of batteries for a private house

In order to figure out which radiators are better to choose for heating a private house, you can make a small comparative analysis, evaluating the advantages and problem areas of each type:

We will separately consider the technical parameters of heating batteries of various types and the possibility of their installation in a private house:

Indicator of working pressure, atm.

Low (excluding original decorative models)

Thus, the question of which heating radiators are better for a country house can be answered that, based on material, practical considerations and ease of installation, the choice should be made in favor of aluminum or steel batteries, which have many advantages and have a low price. Also, the video will help you figure out which heating batteries are better to choose in a private house.

plumbing fixture installer

1 comment

Based on personal experience, I will say that for a private house in terms of price-quality-appearance-weight-installation complexity-heating efficiency, aluminum radiators are the best option. With a good gas boiler in the house in winter it becomes very comfortable.If your hands grow from the right place, then for the installation of the heating system I advise you to make a pipeline from metal-plastic pipes. It will turn out a little more expensive than pipes made of polypropylene or steel, but special equipment is not needed for installation. It is enough to have wrenches for 24, 27.30 and 32 mm or gas wrench No. 1 or No. 2 with a good adjustable wrench. The service life of such heating is 15-30 years. P.S. Pipes, fittings and radiators should never be Chinese!

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What are these devices

Electric wall-mounted heating radiators, oddly enough, contribute to energy savings. In appearance, they resemble ordinary radiators. Due to the ribbed surface, the amount of heat distributed increases significantly and the room becomes warm in a short time. Radiant and convective heat exchange contributes to the direction of heat over the entire length of the radiator surface. Of course, the power and heat transfer of the radiator depends on the number of its segments. The body of the battery can be made of bimetallic alloys or aluminum, which makes it similar to a conventional heating battery. «>»>»>»>»>»>»>»>»>