Italian Baxi gas boilers are a high-quality and efficient type of heating equipment designed for organizing heating and hot water supply in private homes and other premises.
One of the important advantages of this company’s products is the adaptation of all installations to work in Russian conditions, with differences in gas and water pressure, and with unstable voltage in the power supply network.
In this regard, Baksi boilers are noticeably ahead of products from other companies, however, they are not able to fully comply with the proposed operating conditions.
In particular, they do not tolerate changes in power supply parameters very well and require the use of appropriate devices. Let's take a closer look at this issue.
Do Baxi gas boilers have protection against power surges?
According to the manufacturer, the electronic filling of the boilers contains a special chip that compensates for voltage fluctuations in the range of 30%.
In any case, such statements were present in the passports of the Ace series, now discontinued and replaced by the Main series.
However, judging by user reviews, the built-in protection clearly cannot cope with the resulting surges in mains voltage . The reason is the low performance of the protection system, which is triggered after the control board has responded to the surge.
A vicious circle arises - the protection is turned on by the control board, which is exactly what needs it. In this matter, there is a clear flaw in the company's engineers, who did not take into account the specifics of the operation of their own equipment.
In what cases should you consider purchasing?
First of all, residents of the private sector and cottage villages will need the stabilizer. The power lines in such areas are badly worn out, the substations were not designed for the increased number of consumers, and are operating at the limit of their capacity.
The number of subscribers is very high, various heaters and other installations with high energy consumption are connected.
In addition, stabilizers are required for installations that heat large areas. This is especially important for regions with cold winters, where the danger of being left without heating in cold weather is great and has extremely undesirable consequences.
The most volatile elements of Baksi boilers:
- Control board.
- Circulation pump.
- Gas valve.
The most sensitive element is the control board; its failure will lead to a malfunction of all other devices. If the corresponding sensor does not work and the boiler is not blocked, the consequences will be very undesirable.
NOTE!
Experts and users recommend that all owners of Baksi boilers immediately purchase stabilizers, since a power surge can be triggered by local causes located in the same room.
Baxi gas boilers – which ones to choose
In Europe, Baksi feels confident among picky consumers, like some shark in the sea near a warm beach. The company has been among the leaders in heating equipment for more than a century, boilers are sold in great demand, Baxi closely monitors demand and market and technological innovations, competes with other world leaders - manufacturers of boilers and other heating hydraulic equipment.
Now the BAKSI company presents several lines of gas boilers, for every taste, color and budget. What is popular, which Baxi boilers sell well? As always, the company's price/quality ratio is excellent.
Will a single-circuit or double-circuit gas boiler from BAXI be better?
The top sellers are double-circuit boilers from Baksi. For example, not an expensive, but technologically advanced model BAXI ECO 4s 24 F. It will cost about 500 USD.
The demand for double-circuit ones is rather fueled by the fact that users want to quickly and without the cost of additional equipment be able to heat hot water for domestic needs (DHW).
Indeed, any double-circuit boiler, including Baksi, will heat water online. But flow-through heating from any boiler is so inconvenient that soon users decide to supplement the double-circuit stratified heating boiler, or at least an electric boiler... How to heat water with a double-circuit boiler
Similar to the one proposed, but single-circuit, able to control an indirect boiler BAXI ECO 4s 1.24 F - for the same $500. With an indirect boiler, it forms a strong pair, ensuring comfortable hot water supply at all times.
As a result, the choice is almost equivalent: double-circuit with layer-by-layer, single-circuit with indirect... But if you still want the simplest and cheapest hot water supply, then you can follow many who made the BAXI ECO 4s 24 F a sales leader, and don’t add anything to it...
Should I buy a BAXI condensing boiler...
Judge for yourself, in the previous example, a 24-kilowatt double-circuit boiler, without any special bells and whistles, but very well made, with a brass group inside, cost 500 USD. And the 20-kilowatt condensing, also double-circuit, BAXI DUO-TEC COMPACT 24 GA requires you to pay 950 USD.
The difference is 450 USD. - for what? – for gas savings, perhaps even 20% per season. You can arm yourself with a calculator and find out that with our price for natural main gas this difference, i.e. a condensing boiler will not pay off... In Europe it will pay off, but not here.
But gas savings are only possible during low-temperature operation, when the coolant is not hotter than 50 degrees, when, due to vapor condensation, the boiler efficiency according to the old calculation method develops to 109% (the so-called “latent heat”).
But for such a temperature, you will also need 1.5 times more radiators, which means another plus of $500, in addition, the boiler still needs to be connected to the sewer system, where the toxic condensate can be drained, not every system will like this...
Shouldn’t you buy the best Baxi - a two-in-one gas boiler?
Among the lines of BAXI gas boilers you can also find such a thing as a wall-mounted boiler with a built-in water heating tank. This means that you do not need to separately purchase an indirect heating boiler for single-circuit or a layered boiler for double-circuit... Then hang it all on the walls, intertwined with pipes. And if the boiler is in the kitchen, then create “real beauty” by occupying half the wall for the boiler room...
The solution “boiler and water heating boiler in one housing” wins in two respects:
- The boiler and boiler are coordinated as much as possible. The manufacturer provides a guarantee for a pair of equipment, not only for heating, but also for hot water supply. It endorses its quality with its reputation.
- Equipment that should be bulky “by all standards” is here very compact in a modest box that is hung on the wall.
For example, the Baxi Nuvola 3 Comfort 240 Fi model includes a single-circuit boiler and an indirect built-in boiler of 60 liters. But the main thing here is that a 24-kilowatt boiler with its power can heat water almost in direct-flow mode at a considerable flow rate - in general, a bath of hot water is always provided... This miracle will cost about 1250 USD.
The model is slightly cheaper – 1100 USD. — Nuvola 3 B40 240 Fi. It has a more modest 40-liter boiler, and automation without a remote control, but the heating capabilities are the same...
Several reviewed models of gas boilers from Baksi will certainly tell you what to choose that will be suitable for specific conditions and circumstances.
Criterias of choice
The main criteria for choosing stabilizers for Baksi boilers are:
- Single phase type.
- Precision stabilization.
- Speed of response to a power surge.
- No rephasing (clearly defined zero).
- Power level from 300 W.
- AC frequency 50 Hz.
- Sinusoidal voltage graph.
- Installation method (floor, wall, etc.).
Rephasing causes a malfunction of the control board and leads to blocking of the boiler. The power of the stabilizer is determined by the needs of the installation and cannot be less than that required by the equipment used (the most loaded unit).
The frequency and accuracy of the sine wave are important for the operation of circulation pumps that are sensitive to these indicators. Distortion of the voltage graph leads to malfunctions and even destruction of moving parts of pumps.
The accuracy and speed of response of the device determine the overall quality and efficiency of operation.
Based on these criteria, a general selection of stabilizers is made, although for each model it is recommended to take into account its own characteristics and features.
Device
The design of the units does not differ significantly from analogues from other manufacturers or generally accepted schemes.
Baxi Slim boilers consist of the following components:
- Gas burner of open or closed type.
- Sectional type heat exchanger made of cast iron.
- Circulation pump.
- Three-way valve.
- Expansion tank.
- Turbocharger fan.
- Control board and self-diagnosis sensor system.
The operation of the boiler is based on the process of heating the coolant and organizing its circulation. Heating is carried out in a heat exchanger, where the heating agent receives thermal energy from gas combustion.
The hot coolant passes through a three-way valve (mixing unit), where a colder return flow is mixed into it in a certain proportion.
The result is an OM of the required temperature, which is sent to the system. Hot water is supplied to the tapping points after passing through the heat exchanger .
Its temperature depends on the intensity of analysis; the more the tap is open, the colder it is.
What power should voltage stabilizers be?
The minimum power indicator is 300 W, but the recommended values are 400-500 W. These values are averaged; each user can independently calculate the nominal value of the stabilizer.
To do this, you need to find the column “electrical power consumption” in the technical specifications (detailed, not general) and multiply the indicated value by the strength coefficient - 1.3.
The resulting value will be the minimum indicator of the stabilizer power for a given boiler.
IMPORTANT!
The electrical power consumed should not be confused with the thermal power produced.
Selection by reaction time to a power surge
The reaction time determines the period when the boiler electronics are forced to work with the changed voltage value until correction occurs. The recommended value is 100-200 ms .
This indicator is very important, since devices with a long reaction time cannot protect the boiler - the electronic control board manages to fail before the stabilizer corrects the power parameters.
Inexpensive Chinese models operate after a relatively long period of time - about 1 second. This is unacceptable, so it is recommended to check the characteristics of the device when purchasing.
Input voltage swing range
The range of power supply voltages in which modern boilers operate without harmful consequences is 200-240 V.
Accordingly, the stabilizer must produce an output value as close as possible to the nominal value - 220 V. The error allowed for stabilizers should be within 7-10%.
A larger error value may provoke a situation with excessive distortion of the current parameters at the output of the device, which may result in failure of any boiler components.
Weight and dimensions
Devices from different manufacturers may differ from each other in both size and weight (mass). If the boiler is located in a separate, fairly spacious room, the size and weight of the stabilizer are not of fundamental importance.
However, for small chambers or for wall-mounted boiler models, the size and weight of the device become a significant indicator that determines the possibility of placement in a designated room or installation on a wall.
When choosing a place to place the boiler, you should remember the need to place a stabilizer. The load-bearing capacity of the wall (for wall-mounted models) must ensure the possibility of simultaneous installation of both the boiler and the stabilizer.
The chamber must be sized to accommodate both devices and allow maintenance to be carried out without interference.
BAXI ECO Four series
Power: 14, 24 kW.
Wall-mounted gas boilers. The ECO Four series includes single- and double-circuit models with open and closed combustion chambers with a power of up to 24 kW, which are easy to install, use and maintain.
The wide liquid crystal display is simple and easy to use, continuously and accurately displays both the current state of the boiler and the parameters being set.
Which to choose
The choice of stabilizer is determined by the design features of the boiler, the type of burner, the type of fuel and other features of the installation. You should immediately stop using electro-mechanical (later) devices.
During operation, they spark strongly, which is unacceptable in rooms (especially in separate chambers) with gas appliances.
Let's look at which stabilizers are good for individual series and models of Baksi boilers:
SLim Series
The selection of stabilizers should be made based on calculations based on the amount of power consumed. A series of tests were carried out for the SLim series boilers, according to the results of which the stabilizers and Shtil showed the best performance.
They offer a wide selection of devices for various tasks, including for normalizing the operating voltage of Baxi Slim boilers.
The devices have good characteristics, small errors and a high input voltage range, which allows them to work successfully with powerful floor-standing installations of the Slim series.
Baxi Luna Series
For Luna boilers of the Luna 3 or Luna Comfort ranges, various devices from several manufacturers were tested. Indicators of power, speed, and stabilization accuracy were tested.
Experts note that almost all domestic stabilizers demonstrate equally stable performance, which is optimal for boilers of these lines . The leader in testing results was the product whose products were able to show the best results.
They have a very reasonable cost with ample capabilities and high quality work.
Eco Four 24F
The most accurate way to determine the appropriate stabilizer model is to calculate power based on consumption indicators. This will allow you to choose a device that can perform its tasks quite efficiently, without overpaying for extra power or other unnecessary capabilities.
The power consumption of the model is 80 W. Multiplying it by the reliability coefficient (1.3) we obtain the minimum permissible power of the stabilizer.
The resulting value is 104 W, but you should choose slightly higher values to take into account the inevitable drop in performance over time.
Eco 4s 24 F
The power consumption of boilers of this model is 130 W. Accordingly, the minimum power of the stabilizer will be 169 W.
It is recommended to choose a suitable stabilizer, starting from 200 W models, since over time their performance decreases slightly.
Baxi Fourtech
Baxi Fourtech boilers have different power consumption values - 130 and 80 W. This means that different models will have their own types of stabilizers, corresponding in power.
You should choose from samples from 140 W or from 200 W in order to obtain reliable and economical voltage stabilization.
Main 24Fi
The electrical power consumption of this model is 170 W. Accordingly, the minimum power of the stabilizer should be 221 W. choose from settings from 300 W of power, which will allow you to compensate with a margin for all possible distortions of the input voltage parameters.
NOTE!
The recommendations given relate only to the power of stabilizers. When purchasing, you must also be guided by the magnitude of the error and the type of device. The best option is thyristor stabilizers, which work quickly and silently.
It is necessary to take into account that the best choice would be domestically produced devices. They were developed by engineers who understand the specifics of equipment operation and understand the range and parameters of possible failures.
Devices from the following companies received high ratings from users::
- Energy.
- Calm.
- Teplokom.
- Resanta.
- Caliber.
- Bastion.
- ERA.
Among foreign companies producing voltage stabilizers for gas boilers, we can note:
- Daewoo.
- Elitech.
- Powerman.
- Lenz Technic etc.
It is necessary to take into account that you should be guided by the characteristics and parameters of the device, and not by the name of the company.
Series of gas boilers Baxi Slim
The Italian company Baxi has been producing various heating installations for more than half a century that perform the tasks of heating rooms and preparing water for hot water supply. The range of manufactured units is wide; there are devices for any conditions and specific tasks.
Gas boilers are the most popular type of device, since their economy and efficiency are significantly ahead of other designs.
The Baxi Slim series represents a model line of boilers, the peculiarity of which is increased power and greater capabilities compared to wall-mounted models.
Users are offered several design options with an open or closed burner, single- or double-circuit types of units.
All installations have approximately the same set of functions, self-diagnosis and protection systems.
There is no fundamental difference in design between them; only the power of the boilers differs, which determines the size of the premises served.
Price range
The cost of stabilizers depends on various factors:
- Power.
- Manufacturer.
- Type of design (stabilization principle), etc.
The price range is quite wide and ranges from 5 to 250 thousand rubles (some imported models are even more expensive). When choosing, you should be guided by the needs of the available equipment.
It is not advisable to purchase a stabilizer “for growth”, since when purchasing a new boiler, the old stabilizer may be unable to perform its task.
Where is it used?
Floor-standing boilers of the Baxi Slim series have great capabilities for heating rooms.
Unlike wall-mounted installations, which are limited in their capabilities, individual floor-mounted samples can heat up to 600 m2, which corresponds to the area of an industrial workshop or a fairly large store, public center, etc.
For heating private houses, models of relatively low power corresponding to the size of the house are used.
They are focused on supplying hot water and heating, while powerful installations mainly heat the coolant for the heating circuit of the room.
