How to connect an instantaneous heater to a water supply? Installing a instantaneous water heater with your own hands - instructions. Connection diagram for an instantaneous water heater.

And flow-through ones. Both are successfully used in the absence of centralized hot water supply.

Storage water heaters are more bulky due to the presence of a tank in which water is heated, and require free space for their installation.

An undoubted advantage of storage water heaters can be considered the ability to plug into a regular electrical outlet without installing an additional electric cable from the shield on the landing.

The disadvantages include a long water heating time and a limited volume of heated water.

Flow heaters are distinguished by their compactness. Mounted directly onto a faucet or shower head, allowing you to shower when not in use. hot water.

An instantaneous water heater does not make you wait for the water to heat up and heats it literally on the fly.

The amount of heated water in the case of using a flow-type water heater is not limited - the water is heated as long as the water tap is open.


Electricity consumption occurs only during the use of water, whereas in a storage water heater the thermostat periodically turns on the heating of water to maintain its set temperature in the tank.

Therefore, many, when thinking about which water heater to choose, prefer a flow-type heater.


What types of instantaneous water heaters are there?

Instantaneous water heaters can be non-pressure or pressure.

Non-pressure heaters are placed directly on a water tap or shower and serve only one water tap.

Pressure water heaters are capable of distributing water to several consumers simultaneously and in this case their connection is no different from connecting storage water heaters to the water supply.

Let's look at connecting both types of flow-through heaters in more detail.


How to properly connect an instantaneous heater to a water supply

Connecting a water heater depends on its design.

In the simplest case, an instantaneous water heater is connected to a cold water pipe, as shown in the figure below:

The water is heated immediately after opening the tap.

As you can see, in this case, hot water will only be supplied to the shower head.

Depending on the need, the heater can be installed to provide hot water in the washbasin tap, in the shower, or in both the tap and the shower:

An instantaneous water heater that provides hot water both in the tap and in the shower head at the same time is shown in the photo below:

These connection methods involve installing one water heater at one water point:

There are more complex solutions when, using a special piping, you can use one non-pressure instantaneous water heater for two water points, as shown in the diagram below:


The numbers in the figure indicate:
1 – instantaneous water heater;
2 – mixer with an open hot water tap;
3 – hot water valve;
4 – valve for draining water from the heater;
5 – tee;
6 – cold water flow switch;
7 – comb;
8 – spout;
9 – hot water tap in the “open” position;
10 – hot water pipe from the heater;
11 – cold water pipe from the water supply system.

As you can see for yourself, the design is bulky and not very convenient to use.

In this case it is easier to install storage water heater or use a flow-type pressure heater.

Pressure connection instantaneous water heater performed as shown in the diagram below:

At the same time, it is possible to select hot water at all water supply points - in the kitchen sink, washbasin and shower at the same time.

During centralized hot water supply, tap No. 1 is open, and taps No. 3 and No. 4 are closed. Hot water is supplied to the system from the hot water riser.

If hot water is turned off in the house, then tap No. 1 needs to be closed, and taps No. 3 and No. 4 must be opened to cold water got into the instantaneous water heater for heating.

The diagram does not show filters for coarse mechanical cleaning water from sand and other contaminants. Typically, such filters are installed before apartment appliances water metering (water meters) and there is no need to install additional filters in front of the heater.

Burnt out wiring. Yes, yes. This is the most favorable outcome, which is possible if you unknowingly try to plug in a powerful instantaneous water heater (say 10 kW) into a regular outlet, for example, into which you usually plug in a washing machine. What comes with the burned out wiring? Right. Fire.

To avoid such serious troubles, you need to stock up in advance correct information about how to connect the flow pipe. After all, there are dozens of little things and big problems that need to be solved. So shall we begin?

Where to install an instantaneous water heater

Installation of an instantaneous water heater in the kitchen under the sink
  • Think ahead - Will it be convenient for you to supply water to the device?.
  • There are no special complaints about the wall - the weight of the devices is quite small (even the most powerful 24 kW models weigh only 4 kg). Therefore, any wall can withstand such a load. Of course, if the surface is completely curved, then it will be quite difficult to hang it on.
  • See that in the place of your choice splashes and drops of water did not reach the device. After all, the degree of protection of the case is different for all models - some will withstand even a stream of water, while others will be short-circuited by even a couple of drops. Therefore, it is better to think about this moment in advance.
  • Consider the ease of use of the water heater. Will it be comfortable for you to use it: turn it on and off, select different modes, if available, and also use the shower/faucet.

Equipment installation tools

The entire installation process can be divided into 3 stages and you will need the following equipment.

For mounting the water heater on the wall:

  • Copper wire with 3 cores and double insulation. It is desirable that its cross-sectional area be greater than 2.5 sq. mm.

Many manufacturers indicate the parameters of a suitable wire in the instructions. If you do not find such data, be sure to consult an electrician. He will provide an accurate calculation of the suitable cable.

  • Crimp terminals, as well as a variety of screwdrivers.

To connect to the water supply:

  • Metal-plastic pipes, tees, valves, Mayevsky tap, etc.
  • Gas and open-end wrench 22, pliers
  • FUM tape.

Installing a water heater on a wall

Having chosen a place, you need to secure the device. For this we just need a level with a pencil.

First remove top cover from the water heater and place it level against the wall. Use a pencil to mark the places where the holes will be later. On average, the distance between these holes is 180 mm. Next, they need to be drilled using a hammer drill or screwdriver. Install the dowels and complete the installation of the device.

How to connect an instantaneous water heater to a water supply

There are 2 options for how you can connect the device to water.

1 – elementary

Used as a temporary measure during interruptions in the supply of hot water.

In this case, everything is outrageously simple. You simply unscrew the shower head from the hose and this hose is connected to the cold water inlet of the unit. In general, the connection is complete.

So, if you switch the mixer to “shower”, then you activate the water heater and can use it hot water. If you chose “faucet”, then cold water will flow out of it, bypassing the heater.

Once the hot water supply has been restored, you can screw the watering can back on and restore everything as it was.

2 – correct, but difficult


Installation diagram of instantaneous water heater

In this case we will use a tap for washing machine. For this we need a tee and FUM tape. After installing the tee, you need to install a tap in the line. It is necessary to control the water pressure, as well as its temperature.

The new water supply from the tap to the water heater can be made either from a flexible line, which will be easier and faster, but less reliable, or from metal-plastic or PVC.

Install the faucet so that it can be easily reached, as you will need to use it often in the future..

  • The flexible hose is disconnected from the outlet through which water is supplied to the mixer. Instead of it (the hose), a tee is mounted using FUM tape. Shut-off valves are mounted on its outlets, to which flexible hoses from the water heater and mixer are connected.
  • On iron pipe(in the free space) a patch coupling is mounted (you need to tighten it until it stops). You need to drill holes in the pipe wall using a rubber gasket. The shut-off valve is also connected to the outlet of the coupling using a tape, and a flexible hose of the flow meter is connected to it, in turn.
  • In a convenient place for you, a part is cut out in the pipes for supplying cold and hot water, which is necessary for installing a splitter with a tap to control the water flow. The required sequence of parts is formed on the FUM tape: fitting - tap - tee - fitting. You can assemble the parts that are mounted on the side of the water heater (faucet and fitting) at any time convenient for you - immediately or later. The fittings are installed from the ends of the pipe and tightened until they stop using 2 wrenches (one is used to tighten the nut, and the second is used to secure it from turning).
  • Next, the flexible hoses are simply connected to the water heater. For greater convenience, we recommend fixing the eyeliner by attaching it to the wall using staples or other fasteners.

When connecting the flow duct, use only the attachments included in the kit. Using third-party faucets is strictly prohibited! Only attachments supplied by the manufacturer provide absolute electrical safety, unlike conventional taps. Believe me, among the current assortment you will certainly find a model with the necessary attachments.

Connecting an instantaneous water heater to the network

The first thing you need to do is look at the rated current of the circuit breaker mounted at the entrance to your apartment or house. For example, you have a single-phase 220V network and a 16A meter. The maximum permissible power can be 16*220=3.52 kW. This means that the total power of all appliances in the house cannot exceed this figure. Simply put, the machine will simply “cut out”.

As a result, it turns out that the power of the instantaneous water heater that your set will withstand cannot exceed 2-3 kW. That is, it is only enough to barely wash your hands. And that's only in the summer.

What to do in this case? The answer is quite simple: you should do new wiring in the apartment. You will need:

— install a new power cable at the entrance to the house;

— replace the circuit breakers on the input and output lines with circuit breakers with a rating of at least 50 A.

Be sure to install an RCD! Your safety when using this electrical appliance depends on this. So, for a single-phase water heater with a power of no more than 6 kW, a 32A RCD with a shutdown current of 30 mA is suitable.

Selecting a wire for connecting an instantaneous water heater

In this table we provide data for single-phase copper cable with 2 cores:

Instantaneous water heater power, kW

Current strength, A

Rated current value of the circuit breaker, A

Smallest core cross-section, sq.mm.

The data in the table is valid for copper cable! If you choose aluminum, then all parameters need to be increased by 1.3-1.5 times!

As we already said at the beginning of the article: it is forbidden to plug the instantaneous water heater into a regular outlet, as it will not provide proper grounding for the device.

Simply open the water heater and you will see the terminal block: it is to this that you need to connect the cores of the selected wire.

Be sure to follow the connection by phase: L, A or P1 is a phase.

N, B or P2 is zero.

To make it easier for you to understand, we will explain with an example. For a 220V instantaneous water heater with a power of up to 6 kW, the current should not exceed 27A. Therefore, we choose a PVS 3x4 wire, three-core, with an area cross section 4 sq.mm.

When connecting to the phase, connect a cable with a white sheath, to the working zero - a wire in a blue sheath, and to ground - a wire in a yellow-green sheath.

What else to consider when connecting an instantaneous water heater

  • Categorically It is forbidden to turn on the device without water- it will just burn out. Be sure to first provide water supply and only then test the device.
  • Take care of installation of a safety valve. It is he who is responsible for relieving excess pressure (removing excess water from the system, thereby reducing pressure) and preventing the water heater and water supply from collapsing.
  • Additional protection against leakage of the device will be ensured by the presence of a protective pan with drainage to the sewer. Simply connect one end of the tube to the safety valve and the other to the sewer drain. Excess water will be discharged directly there.
  • We advise you additionally purchase and install water purification filters, especially if its quality does not meet the standard. A service specialist will help you select the one you need.

It is strictly prohibited to block the access of cold water to the water heater! This can lead to it boiling inside the device, which, in turn, will lead to its breakdown.

For greater clarity, we suggest you watch the video on installation of the “flow pipe”:

In any case, if you are not sure that you can cope with this work, then it is better to use the services of professionals.

If there are frequent cases of hot water being cut off in your apartment or private house, then you can get out of the situation by installing and connecting an electric instantaneous water heater with your own hands. This device is a miniature version of the boiler and has an absolutely identical operating principle - cold water passes through the heating element, is heated and supplied to the desired tap. Next we will look at step-by-step technology connecting the instantaneous water heater to the electrical network and water supply.

Step 1 – Getting ready for installation

The first step is to check your own electrical wiring and determine whether it can withstand the loads from this device. Today there are products on the market with a power from 2 to several tens of kilowatts. If in the first case the device can be plugged into an outlet without any problems, then to connect a high-power water heater it may be necessary to completely. Replacement is also required if the wiring is not grounded or is too old, which is often found in the country. If you have recently made repairs and completely changed the power supply line, it will be enough to bring out a separate cable for connection from distribution box, which we will talk about a little below.

In addition, you will need to prepare tools for installing the housing on the wall: an electric drill, a hammer, a screwdriver and a set of open-end wrenches.

From the materials for connecting an electric instantaneous water heater to the network and water supply, be sure to prepare a FUM tape suitable in amperage, a copper three-core wire of a suitable cross-section or a grounded socket, a tee for metal-plastic pipes of a suitable diameter and a hose in a metal braid (may not be needed).

As for the wire diameter, we recommend that you do it yourself to select the most suitable value for the current load.

You can immediately watch a visual video instruction on how to connect an instantaneous water heater to a 220 Volt network:

We connect a single-phase water heater on our own

Step 2 – Attach the case to the wall

Everything is simple here - we select a suitable location for installing the electric instantaneous water heater and drill holes for its fastening. Usually the kit includes either brackets or special hinges. The only, but very important condition is that the device must be fixed perfectly evenly in all planes. Even a slight misalignment can cause the heating element to fail ( heating element will not be completely covered with water and will burn out over time).

Most often, instantaneous water heaters powered by electricity are installed in the kitchen (for washing dishes) or in the bathroom (for bathing). In the first case, due to small dimensions device, it can be installed under the sink, and in the second case, under the sink, which will also save free space. In any case, you cannot do without drilling, so prepare the right drill - for concrete for tiles or for wood for mounting on a wooden wall.

Step 3 – Connect to the power grid

Connecting an electric instantaneous water heater to the network with your own hands is not difficult. You need to remove the protective shield yourself and insert all three wires into the terminal block, as shown in the photo. Be sure to follow and connect all wires to the correct connectors according to the designation.

It is prohibited to carry out installation if there is no grounding in the room, because You are dealing with a dangerous connection: water + electricity. The slightest one may be your last if there is no provision for connecting a grounding wire. In addition, it is necessary to additionally protect the unit by connecting it through an RCD, which is activated when a leakage current is detected. You must connect the RCD at the distribution board so that it controls the entire line going to your instantaneous water heater.

Step 4 – Connecting to the water supply system

Everything here is no less simple - there are two holes at the exit from the housing. The first is necessary to connect cold water, the second is necessary to output hot water. Connecting the hoses is not difficult; it is much more important to correctly determine the “feeding” point.

If you decide to install an electric instantaneous water heater in the bathroom for a while, it is better to connect it to the shower hose (in the shower stall), simply by attaching the pipe to the mixer, as shown in the photo.

If you want to use the device for constant water heating, connect directly to the water supply pipes, through a tee with a shut-off valve and a metal braided hose. In this case, it will be possible to turn off the water during repairs to make replacing spare parts convenient.

Expert advice

We draw your attention to the fact that it is necessary to connect the shower head, which is included in the kit, to the hot water outlet from the heating element. The fact is that this nozzle has special thin nozzles that do not make it difficult to heat the water. If you choose your own nozzle with large nozzles, the water consumption may increase and the water heater will not have time to do its job.

What to consider during operation

Well, the last thing I would like to say is to use the device correctly. Many who installed this type of water heater complained after a while about its failure, citing the poor quality of the product. In fact, the problem is not the quality of the purchase, but the inattention of the person who uses it. The problem is that even the instructions highlight a recommendation for using the heater - when turning it off, you first need to turn off the device itself, and then the water. And vice versa - when you turn it on, first open the cold water, and then connect the equipment to the network. With such operation, the likelihood that the heating element will burn out is minimized.

That's all the technology for installing and connecting an electric instantaneous water heater with your own hands. As you can see, there is nothing complicated and even an electric kettle can handle this installation!

Also read:

Apartment owners today have the opportunity to get rid of their dependence on public utilities responsible for hot water supply. An instantaneous water heater can solve the problem.

These devices are most effective in country houses with running water, as well as in those apartments where hot water outages are short-term or consumption is low due to a small number of residents.

Instantaneous electric water heaters are devices that look like small heating boilers. Heating is carried out by heating elements– copper tubes with a spiral inside.

They can only be turned on if there is water, otherwise the heating element will burn out. To prevent breakdown, a protection mechanism is installed, consisting of a thermostat and a shutdown sensor. The water passing through the heating element comes out of the device already hot. In addition, the device is equipped with filters that protect against the entry of solid particles.

Depending on the connection method, water heaters can be pressure or non-pressure.

Pressure-type devices can be used to supply hot water to both the bathroom and the kitchen. Gravity heaters are designed to supply hot water to a specific location (usually the kitchen). Such devices are more Compact and more energy efficient.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Flow heaters have the following advantages:

  • more easy installation and low cost compared to storage boilers;
  • compactness;
  • fast heating of water.

TO negative aspects such devices include:

  • high energy consumption;
  • the need for sufficiently high pressure in the water supply;
  • inability to accurately adjust the water heating temperature.

Of great importance right choice water heater. These devices differ from each other in many characteristics: power, minimum operating pressure, control methods (for example, stepwise or smooth temperature control) and other parameters.

After purchasing a water heater, you need to choose a place to install it.

Selecting a location

Almost any room can be chosen to install an instantaneous electric water heater: bathroom, kitchen, toilet or even shower. The main thing is that the installation location meets certain criteria:

  • protection from moisture (for example, splashes from a shower);
  • ease of turning the water heater on and off;
  • ease of use of the tap or shower to which the device is connected;
  • ease of connection to the water supply;
  • proximity to the mixer to avoid unnecessary heat loss.

There are no special requirements for the wall itself due to the light weight of the device.

Tools and materials

Before installing an electric instantaneous water heater or pipes, you should stock up the following set of materials and tools:

  • instantaneous water heater;
  • impact electric drill;
  • Victory drill;
  • screws with dowels;
  • screwdriver;
  • gas key;
  • FUM tape;
  • pliers.

Installation and connection to the water supply

At the first stage marks are made on the wall in places corresponding to the fastenings. Here they drill holes and drive dowels into them or install brackets (if they are included in the kit). The water heater is attached to them.

Connecting an electric instantaneous water heater to water can be done according to several schemes. In the first case, you will need 4 valves and two outlet adapters - “tees”. One valve is inserted into the pipes with hot and cold water. Tees are installed between them and the mixer.

A water heater is connected to them: the inlet is connected to a pipe with cold water, the outlet is connected to hot water. Valves are also installed on the pipes between the water supply and the water heater. If the water heater is turned off, the valves leading to it are in the closed position, and those that stand on pipes are open.

When turning off hot water, a number of manipulations must be performed. You need to close the valve on the hot water pipe, open the valves leading to the heater, and turn it on. When hot water appears, reverse the steps.

There are more a simple option for installing an instantaneous electric water heater - on a shower, in which the device itself is not connected to the hot water supply pipe. In this case, its outlet remains free. When the hot water is turned off, a shower hose is connected to it, from which the watering can is pre-twisted.

After that the valve located at the inlet opening opens. Now, when you turn the mixer switch to the “shower” position, hot water will flow, and when you turn the mixer switch to the “faucet” position, cold water will flow.

In approximately the same way, an electric water heater is connected in those buildings where hot water supply is not provided for by the design (for example, in country houses). The only difference is that instead of a shower hose, a stationary pipe is used. It can be made of almost any material: metal, plastic, etc.

This video shows how to install an instantaneous electric water heater on a shower:

What about a storage tank? And what are such devices good for? Find out for yourself.

There are also compact water heater faucets that are great for the kitchen sink. Find out more about their choices.

Special taps with sensors will allow you to use the water you consume more economically; here you can learn all about them.

Electrical connection

Connect to electrical network should be given no less attention than to water supply. First of all it is necessary calculate the total power of all electrical appliances in the apartment, including installed water heater. The resulting figure must be compared with the characteristics of the general circuit breaker.

It should be borne in mind that in many old buildings switching equipment and electrical wiring are not designed for those powers, which consumers load them with today. Therefore, it is better to replace them if possible.

The power of most single-phase water heaters is within up to 9 kW at current up to 27A. Considering the high power of such devices, it is advisable to run a separate line from the electrical panel to power them. When connecting, it is recommended to use a three-core PVS 3x4 cable.

At the same time, we must not forget that current in a damp room is most dangerous, so electrical safety considerations should come first. Therefore, in addition to circuit breaker install a residual current device.

Connecting the wire itself does not seem difficult. As a rule, the connection diagram is given in the instructions. There is a terminal block under the water heater cover. Three wires must be connected to it: phase, working zero and grounding.

It should be kept in mind that It is strictly forbidden to connect the ground wire to the working zero. Considering the enormous importance of the correct execution of all electrical work, it is recommended to entrust them to a professional electrician.

The instantaneous water heater is one of the most effective devices in case of short-term shutdown of hot water supply. It has many advantages over other devices that perform similar functions. Such devices are convenient for use in city apartments and small country houses. Installation of water heaters is not particularly difficult and can be done with your own hands.

Previously, we conducted a review in which it was thoroughly covered, as well as recommendations for selection.


So, the new “tankless water heater” is out of the packaging, the instructions have been read, and now it’s time to think about where it’s best to install the instantaneous water heater.

It is advisable to choose a location for installing an instantaneous water heater based on the following considerations:

  • whether splashes from the shower will fall on the device in this place;
  • how convenient it will be to turn the device on and off;
  • how convenient it will be to use the shower (or tap) of the device.

Before you begin installation, you need to decide:

  • will it be convenient to use the device directly in the place where you take a shower (or, say, wash dishes);
  • will it be convenient to use? various modes work (if such adjustments are available);
  • will moisture or water not get on the device (after all, there is clean 220V!).
  • It is also necessary to take into account the future water supply - how convenient it will be to connect the instantaneous water heater to the water supply. Any special conditions will not be presented to the wall - the weight of the device is small. Naturally, it will be somewhat more difficult to install the device on curved and very uneven walls.

Do-it-yourself instantaneous water heater installation

Installation begins with determining the location. We take a level, a pencil and mark the location of future installation. We remove the top cover from the water heater and apply it to the wall, draw it horizontally with a level and mark future holes. Using a drill, we drill holes for dowels (or plugs - as you like). We install dowels and fasten the device to the wall with screws.

Usually, the kit includes the necessary fasteners, but it often happens that the dowels themselves are short (for example, there is a thick layer of plaster on the wall) and the screws themselves are short, so I would recommend purchasing the necessary fasteners of the required size in advance. At this point the installation can be considered complete.

Connecting an instantaneous water heater to the water supply

An electric instantaneous water heater can be connected to water in several ways.

Method one is simple

We take the shower hose, unscrew the “watering can” and connect the hose to the cold water inlet of the water heater. Now, by setting the mixer handle to the “shower” position, we can use the water heater. If we put the handle in the “faucet” position, then cold water comes out of the tap, bypassing the heater. As soon as the centralized supply of hot water is restored, we disconnect the water heater from the “shower”, screw the shower head back on and continue to enjoy the benefits of civilization.

The second method is more complex, but more correct.

Connecting the water heater to the apartment's water supply through the outlet for the washing machine. To do this, we use a tee and a skein of fulenta or thread. After the tee, to disconnect the water heater from the water and to regulate the pressure and temperature of the water from the water heater, a tap is needed.

When installing a faucet, you should also pay attention to the ease of use of the latter. After all, we will open and close it repeatedly in the future.


The section of our water supply from the tap to the water heater can be installed using a variety of pipes: from metal-plastic and PVC to conventional flexible pipes. The fastest way, of course, is to make the liner using flexible hoses. If necessary, our water supply can be secured to the wall (or other surfaces) using staples or some other means of fastening.

How to install an electric instantaneous water heater - video

Connecting an instantaneous water heater to the electrical network

As a rule, household single-phase instantaneous water heaters are very powerful devices - from 3 to 9 kW. Accordingly, for correct connection you will need a dedicated line (necessarily with a separate RCD for emergency shutdown), since a regular one will not withstand such voltage.

It is prohibited to use standard sockets for power supply, due to the fact that in most cases they do not have proper grounding.

When connecting wires to screw terminals phasing must be observed:

L, A or P1 - phase;

N, B or P2 - zero.

Attention! You cannot turn on a instantaneous water heater if it is not filled with water.

It is not recommended to carry out electrical installation work yourself; it is better to use the services of a specialist.