Electric sauna stove: how to choose?
But it won’t be a matter of choice, you just need to get a sufficient understanding of what a sauna stove is, what types the market offers, and how to take into account the features of an existing steam room when purchasing. We will try to provide comprehensive information on each of the points.
And we’ll start, perhaps, by answering the question about what types of electric stoves there are:
By voltage: 220V or 380 volts
The voltage in a regular household electrical network is 220 volts. Therefore, most buyers are interested in their furnace operating from such a network. This would save them additional hassle and expense.
However, in practice, the voltage consumed is directly dependent on the power of the purchased unit. And the power, in turn, depends on the volume of the heated room . It follows from this that the owner of a large family or family-guest sauna does not have to count on cutting costs - a large stove will need a 380-volt network.
IMPORTANT! Typically, sauna stoves that consume 220 volts have a power of no more than 7 kW. This is enough for a small and even medium-sized steam room.
Electric heater SAWO MINI MN-23NB-Z. Photo by SAWO
You can bring 380 volts into a house or apartment - it’s not particularly difficult, you just need to take three instead of one phase. Difficulties arise with permits and with replacing wiring (it must be thicker than usual). Well, don’t forget that you will have to pay more for electricity bills, but this does not depend on the network itself, but on energy consumption.
By the way, you can easily install a three-phase 380 volt network in private homes - not everyone knows, but this issue is resolved at the request of the consumer.
Let's name several models of each subspecies:
Electric sauna heaters 220 volts – Helo CUP 45 ST, Sawo Mini MN-23 NB-Z, Harvia Vega Compact BC 23, Tylo Compact 2/4, Polytech-M PEN-2m.
Electric sauna heaters 380 volts – EOS 34 A, Harvia Virta HL 90, Tylo SD 20, Helo Seidankivi Seita 1052, Polytech “Christina” with ENU-18i evaporator.
Keep in mind! In the characteristics of some furnaces there is a mention of the possibility of connecting to both single-phase and three-phase networks - “220/380”.
Electric sauna stove Harvia Trendi KIP (220v and 380v)
With and without a steam generator
Another interesting point: do you need a stove with a steam generator in a sauna? After all, a sauna is called a “dry air bath” for a reason – there is little steam in it, the main “ingredient” is dry heat, which makes a person sweat (and convection is responsible for evaporation). How will he sweat if the humidity in the bathhouse increases?
Do you know, for example, why in Japan at 30 degrees the heat is considered unbearable, but in continental Asia even at 50 degrees people continue to calmly go to work? Because high humidity does not allow sweat to evaporate from the surface of the body, and it does not cool it (continental air is much drier than island air). The result is overheating, heart problems and other related ones.
IMPORTANT! You need to be careful with the steam generator in the sauna. Lower the temperature if you want more steam. And for an ordinary sauna, the steam produced by a regular heater, which is available in all electric models, is quite suitable.
However, sometimes a steam generator is necessary. For example, when we are talking about a heater that can operate in the “sauna” and “Russian bath” modes. Of course, it will be a surrogate, but it will be fast. The heater will almost instantly heat the bath to 60 degrees, and the steam generator will produce (if it can) fine steam.
BY THE WAY! Couples are different. There is a low-temperature one - you usually see it above pots and kettles. It is white and thick, and heavy on the body. There is superheated steam - it is almost invisible, it is light, and this is what your steam generator should be able to produce.
Steam generators are also different: built-in and separate. Here are some models.
Steam generator Helo HNS 34 T1
Separate:
- Sawo STP-90-C1/3 SST,
- Harvia HELIX HGX 2,
- Helo HNS 34 T1,
- Tylo Steam 2/4/6 VB,
- HygroMatik CompactLine C06-CDS,
- Sturm Etna 3 Pietra,
- EOS SteamTec Classic.
Built-in : all models with the word Combi in the name.
Electric stove for mini-sauna
A mini-sauna is a very small room (from 1.5 cubic meters), designed for one or two people steaming at the same time. Recently, it has become fashionable to arrange these right in city apartments.
Pleasant things are combined with useful things. A mini-sauna does not consume much electricity, and you can even make it yourself. The main thing is to take good care of thermal insulation.
What kind of stove can be used for a mini-sauna? Of course, also tiny. By the way, sometimes manufacturers put the word Mini or Compact in the name of such products. Here are examples of some models that you will find on the market:
Sawo – Mini and Mini-X series (see photo above). Harvia – Vega Compact, Delta, etc.
Harvia Delta D23 oven. Harvia Photos
By place of production: Finnish electric furnaces and all others
Who is considered the best manufacturer of sauna stoves? Of course, those who understand the intricacies of this bathhouse better than others. And in this regard, the Finns have practically no competitors - this is their national pride, which they are happy to export to the whole world. But exporting is always expensive.
Here are the names of companies that are popular in the market:
- Finland – Helo, Sawo, Harvia (a separate article is devoted to electric heaters from this manufacturer), Narvi.
- Sweden – Tylo.
- Germany – EOS.
- Russia – Inzhkomtsentr, Polytech, fuel and energy complex.
According to the material of electric heaters: tape and tubular
Well, of course, the ovens themselves are not belt or tubular. We are talking only about the design of the heating elements, which can be either in the form of tubes or in the form of a ceramic tape. Tubular shells are usually made of metal.
Tubular heater
IMPORTANT! Tubular electric heaters are quite fragile and easily fail. They can be damaged by stones that are placed too tightly (when heated, the stone expands), or simply by a random movement that bends the heating element at the base. See the article about the correct placement of stones in an electric heater.
Today, most electric heaters are equipped with tubular elements. The reason may also be a reduction in cost. But this is not the best option for the consumer. They are not as economical as tape ones. The latter also burn less oxygen!
Electric sauna stove, strip. Photo source
On a note! When calculating power, take into account that strip elements with equal power heat one and a half times the volume.
Useful video
Also watch a video about choosing electric stoves for a sauna from different points of view:
Modern models of electric heaters
The appearance of modern electric sauna roasters amazes with the variety of design of the heating system and elegant design solutions of the body. Almost all models are made in a modern design, with beautiful shapes and contours, but this is not the main thing. The equipment operates on mains power, so it may pose a certain threat to people.
Experts recommend paying attention to easy access to some parts of the electric heater:
- The temperature sensor on the heating elements burns out first, so you will have to change it several times, especially since even expensive branded models of sauna heaters have cheap Chinese heating sensors. The price of the product is at least 70 dollars;
- Device for monitoring the water level in the steam generator. You will have to monitor it and periodically check its operation, otherwise you can burn out the steam generator;
- Panel and remote control. They often fail due to improper storage and use. The device is not cheap; for some models the price for the control unit can reach $400.
In addition, you will need to regularly rinse the steam generator container and clean the stones from plaque. On average, full maintenance of an electric heater with a steam generator for a bath takes no more than 1-2 hours of time per year, so an electric stove is considered more convenient than a wood stove.
If necessary, you can make an electric heater for a bath with your own hands, or look for a branded industrial model with a corner, central or wall location. The case is most often made of stainless steel or special zirconium enamel is applied. Paintwork for heaters is rarely used due to the high price of heat-resistant powder paints.
We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to properly make a steam room in a wooden bath
Advice! If the water used in the bath contains a lot of calcium salts, then it is best to choose an enameled model with a matte finish.
For amateurs, electric heaters are made with lining from the most popular bathing stone, chalcopyrite. It turns out very beautiful and at the same time reliable, since any broken fragment of the finish can be easily returned to its place using heat-resistant glue.
Electric sauna heaters can be divided into two groups according to heating method:
- Classic version with basket loading at the top of the body. This option is convenient in that the main flow of hot air is directed under the ceiling in a strictly vertical direction;
- Open electric heaters are used in baths with a large steam room volume. As a rule, they are installed on opposite sides of the sauna walls and adjusted so that the entrance to the room warms up more, and a stable temperature is maintained on the shelves.
The latter option is considered more effective, but less safe to use. In addition, you need to think about what are the best stones for this type of electric heater. If you don’t know what to choose, it’s best to order a special set of crushed calcite or chalcopyrite. As a last resort, you can use crushed light pebbles or pebbles of silicon-containing rocks as stones for an electric heater.
Rating of electric sauna stoves
Well, we looked at a number of models based on various criteria. It would be a good idea to bring the information together to make it easier for the reader to make their choice. Therefore, we decided to invite users to take part in compiling a rating, this time of electric sauna stoves.
For our part, we have selected a list of the most popular manufacturers, because it is important to know who you can trust, and the parameters of the steam room and the needs of all consumers are different, it is not possible to take them all into account. But with our joint efforts we can easily help beginners with their choice.
Now is the time to move on to practical issues. Let's start with those that are asked by those sauna owners who have already decided to buy an electric heater. They need to know how to choose a stove with the right parameters.
Power calculation
It is easier to calculate the power of an electric stove than a wood stove. The manufacturer indicates the power in kilowatts in the passport. The consumer can only determine the volume of his steam room in order to get his bearings. But! There is a formal volume, and there is an adjusted volume after adding coefficients - for example, for surfaces without thermal insulation, for heating adjacent rooms in winter, etc.
So, tiles, glass, stone - you need to calculate their surface area, multiply by 1.2 and add to the formal volume.
the glass door to the steam room separately - just add an extra one and a half cubes to the existing numbers.
Then it’s simple: for one kilowatt of stove power - one cubic meter of steam room space, if the stove has heating elements , and one and a half cubic meters if there are tape heaters .
Dimensions
The smaller the sauna, the more important the size of the stove becomes. Low-power heaters are usually very modest in size. An example is the Harvia Compact stove - its width is 24.5-30 cm, depth 22 cm, height 54 cm. It weighs only 9 kg (without stones). Another model from the same company - Vega Compact - weighs even less: 7 kg and has dimensions: 28x29.5x50.5 cm.
IMPORTANT! Information on sizes is essential for selection, therefore it is always indicated in catalogs.
Yes, and one more interesting point : ovens of the same size (within the same line) can have different power. This allows the manufacturer to reduce production costs, and the consumer to choose a standard-sized heater for the volume of the steam room.
Further information will be useful to those who have already purchased a stove and need information on how to properly install and connect it.
Installing an electric stove in a sauna
Of course, an electric heater is not nearly as demanding as a wood-burning (and even more so a brick) stove. It does not need a foundation or a chimney ; many models can be mounted on the wall, and some can even be hung from the ceiling! However, some preparation is still necessary.
For your information! Did you know that some heater models can be installed directly into the bottom shelf? This significantly saves space, and the shelf is protected by a special flange made of steel or other material, which can be purchased along with the stove.
Where the heater will stand, it is better to lay out the floor with tiles or otherwise make it non-flammable (put a sheet of metal, for example). A suspended structure does not need this.
You will find the minimum distances to the main surfaces in the stove data sheet . Usually they are small, but they should be observed exactly or upward.
But if practically no questions arise regarding the installation of the furnace itself, then the same cannot be said about its connection.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of installing electric furnaces in a bathhouse include:
- Simplicity and ease of installation
- No dirt, soot or burning
- Economical energy consumption;
- Compact and ergonomic
- Versatility
- Safety and environmental friendliness
To install electrical appliances, you do not need to think about installing a chimney. You don’t need to waste time preparing and constantly adding firewood. Such models take up little free space, which is very convenient for small private buildings.
Diagram of the internal structure of an electric furnace
Electric ovens operate on 220V or 380V. This must be taken into account when purchasing. If you do not have very powerful wiring, then it is better to take a weaker model.
Disadvantages include:
- High price
- Extra energy costs
- The need for high-quality and powerful wiring in the room
Connecting an electric stove in a sauna
The fact is that each sauna owner must independently take care of grounding the purchased unit. If you are not particularly versed in electrics, then entrust the connection to professionals , it is worth it.
It was already mentioned above that electric heaters come with different voltages. For those that can be connected to a regular network, nothing needs to be changed in the wiring. But for those with a voltage of 380, you already need to stretch a cable of the appropriate quality and thickness .
So, grounding. It is better to make its circuit separate for the sauna, rather than using the circuit of the distribution panel . This is not so difficult - the Internet is full of information on how to make a ground loop yourself. It is preferable to conduct the core through cable channels.
In addition, we can recommend connecting the stove to the network not directly, but through a device that ensures that the electrical appliance is turned off if a short circuit occurs or the air in the steam room gets too hot. Such a device will not be needed if a differential circuit breaker with a leakage current of 30 mA is installed.
Most models provide a choice of built-in or remote control panel. In the second case, you will have to take care of connecting the remote control. Typically, owners place it either at the door or in an adjacent room.
IMPORTANT! The remote control needs a circuit breaker in the distribution panel. Look at the stove data sheet to find out the current load. In accordance with it, the denomination of the machine is selected.
Electric furnace sensors allow you to monitor and control the heat. They also require installation, but all its points must be described in detail in the installation instructions for your stove.
IMPORTANT! Do not use intermediate connections, or extend or twist sensor wires.
A separate question is what wires can be used to connect the electric heater. If the stove is designed for 220 volts, then the wires will be three-wire, if for 380 - five-wire. An important issue is the sheath of such wires. The fact is that vinyl is in no way suitable for your purposes. It is correct to use rubber-insulated wiring that is not afraid of high temperatures.
*** So, we will consider that the short course for the future owner of an electric heater is completed. I wish you health and a pleasant stay in your own sauna!
What is an electric heater with a steam generator?
On the market of special equipment for a bath, there are a huge number of offers of electric heaters for every taste and color. There are designs with an additional fan that blows air through the hot stone. Many bathhouse owners like systems with drip addition of aromatic liquids, from beer to linden infusion. In order not to be distracted by the heating process, you can choose an electric heater model with remote control and programmable bath heating time.
Most often, for a small bathhouse, connoisseurs and connoisseurs of steam choose more advanced models equipped with a steam generator. The question often arises: why install a device in a steam room that produces a stream of hot water vapor, if you can get by with an ordinary electric fryer or, at worst, a wood-burning sauna stove.
The fashion for black-style bath procedures is long gone; only a few enthusiasts are able to fight the smoking and smoky stove in a Russian bath. Most owners prefer a comfortable stay in the steam room.
The steam generation system evenly distributes air heated to the required temperature, aromatized and saturated with hot water vapor, in the space of the sauna or bathhouse.
Essentially, a steam generator is a coil or closed circuit equipped with an external heater, for example, an electric coil or a ceramic element. A fan blows air through the heat exchanger while simultaneously supplying a precisely dosed amount of purified water. The output is perfectly pure steam without splashes of boiling water.
At the same time, an electric heater with a steam generator for a sauna is a good way to change the thermal conditions of the room. Instead of the dry, overheated atmosphere of a Finnish bathhouse, the generator will help make it stronger, richer in steam and less hot, like in a Russian bathhouse. Well, for lovers of oriental, Turkish or Roman baths, it is quite possible to control the electric heater with your own hands and choose a cooler, more gentle mode, as in thermal baths or hammams.
