Solder the heated floor. Film heated floor: connection diagram and do-it-yourself installation. Calculation of the required pipeline length
Attaching the clamps
Turn the thermal film face down. For the convenience of lamination of lavsan, there are special air spaces at the edges of the copper busbar, because adhesive base tightly binds the lavsan to the copper busbar. You can use a stationery knife, screwdriver, scissors. Important!!! Do not damage the first heating strip; it is best to leave at least 5mm to it.
We insert the clamp so that one of the contact pads of the clamp is pressed directly against the copper busbar.
Squeeze the clamp using pliers using both hands. Do not hit the clamp with a hammer or other objects. The clamp must not touch the heating strip.
Soldering contacts
Stage 1
To connect the contacts (cord-ShVVP, cable-PV3) to the copper bus you will need:
- infrared film floor, 0.5 m wide, up to 8 m long;
- SHVVP cord 0.75 mm2. size, depending on the area of the object and the location of the thermostat;
- electrical insulating tape (with temperature characteristics and electrical transmittance characteristics);
- soldering iron, rosin, tin.
Stage 2
Turn the thermal film face down. To make it easier to separate the lavsan, there are special air spaces at the edges of the copper busbar, because the adhesive base tightly binds the lavsan to the copper busbar. You can use a utility knife, screwdriver, scissors.
Important!!! Do not damage the first heating strip; it is best to leave at least 5mm to it.
Stage 3
From the edge of the copper bus (left or right), in places of special air spaces, we make a cut in the first Mylar sheet to gain access to the copper bus.
Stage 4
At the soldering area, bend the lavsan sheet and put a piece of “solder” (tin).
Stage 5
After applying some rosin to the soldering iron, bring the soldering iron to the copper busbar and prepare the contact point
Stage 6
We clean the cable and tinning it. The contact should not be too long.
To achieve a flatter shape, squeeze the finished contact with pliers.
Stage 7
We bring the tinned wire to the prepared soldering area on the copper busbar and hold it until the connection is made (2-3 seconds).
Stage 8
For one contact you will need 2 pieces of electrical insulation.
One strip of underfloor heating is insulated in 4 places (2 with soldered wires, 2 on the reverse side)
Stage 9
Insulation of the soldering area on one side.
Stage 10
Insulation of the soldering point on the second side. After that, you need to press the electrical tape tightly at the joints.
Stage 11
Ready-made installation kit for implementing the soldering point.
On each strip of heated floor, soldering points should not exceed more than 2, i.e. connecting contacts on both sides is STRICTLY PROHIBITED!!!
There are many ways to make a heated floor in an apartment or private house, but using a heating cable is the simplest and most inexpensive option, so it is in great demand.
The heating cable is copper wire, along which it passes electricity. To increase performance characteristics, it is placed in a special fiber winding and heat-resistant polyvinylethylene. Thanks to this design, the safety of its use is ensured. An electric current passing through a wire releases thermal energy, due to which the surface is heated.
Electrical cables under concrete screed have different power: from 15 to 40 W/m, can heat up to 90 o C. The conductor - the core - is galvanized steel or copper. Any wire is designed for a traditional electrical network with a voltage of 220 V.
What types of heating cable are there?
There are two criteria for classifying heating cables under screed:
- By number of conductor:
- By wire type:
A single-core resistive wire for a concrete screed has the simplest structure and is characterized by low cost.
A resistive type electrical wire for a heated floor has one or two cores, which are placed in an insulating sheath, and couplings are installed at both ends, with the help of which the connection to the electrical network occurs. If a single-core cable is used, a closed circuit must be ensured. This means that the cable should be placed on the floor so that both ends fit into the installation box.
Resistive cable T2BLUE Raychem
If a two-core wire is used, then the presence of a second conductor ensures that the current circuit is closed, so only one end is placed in the box, and a plug is mounted on the other.
A two-core cable has a more complex structure:
- both cores are placed in insulating material, for example, silicone rubber;
- two wires are combined with fiberglass;
- a tinned copper conductor is used for grounding;
- Aluminum foil protects the core from local overheating;
- the entire structure is placed in an outer shell made of polyvinyl chloride.
A single-core cable has one significant advantage - price, while a two-core cable costs 20% more. The two-core cable is easy to lay under the screed - you can use any convenient way, without having to return the other end to the box.
When connected to an electrical outlet, a resistive wire constantly generates heat - this is its main drawback. Because if the thermal energy is blocked from the output, it will cause the wire to overheat and a short circuit will occur. You cannot lay such wires in places where you plan to place furniture.
Self-regulating cable
Shielded or self-regulating cable for a warm floor it is a matrix, inside of which two conductors are placed, and between them there is a layer of polymer, which releases the necessary thermal energy. The special feature of this cable is that it regulates heating due to the resistance of the polymer. As the temperature increases, the resistance also increases, which leads to a decrease in current strength and, as a result, the amount of heat generated decreases.
Self-regulating heating cable braid
Thanks to this structure, the self-regulating cable is also quite economical, so over time it will justify the investment in its purchase.
Screened wire composition:
- carbon conductor;
- polymer;
- insulation;
- reinforcing braid;
- external insulation made of PVC.
Despite the ability to control overheating, it is also not recommended to lay such a cable under furniture, since this will increase electricity consumption but will not provide the necessary effect - heating the cabinet is pointless.
Heating mats
To simplify the installation of underfloor heating using a heating cable, special mats have been developed. They consist of a mesh base on which heating elements are fixed.
The main advantage of this design is that you don’t have to make a concrete screed, but you can immediately lay the finishing layer on top (most often tiles are used).
Installation of mats is very convenient because it is easy to change direction and can be laid in any order, bypassing the furniture locations. Most often, a resistive two-core cable is placed in the mats.
Laying the heating mat
The most common brands of heating cables and their characteristics
Presented on the Russian market as domestic producers electrical cables for heated floors under screed, and imported.
| Brand | Section length, m | Power, W/m | Maximum working temperature, about C | Service life, years |
| Single core cable | ||||
| National comfort, NK-250 | 17 | 15 | 90 | 15 |
| Teplolux | 10 | 14 | 90 | 25 |
| Neoclima | 5 | 15,2 | 100 | 35 |
| Twin cable | ||||
| Ceilhit | 8,1 | 18 | 100 | 25 |
| Teplolux Elite | 15 | 27 | 90 | 30 |
| Raychem T2 | 14 | 20 | 100 | 35 |
| Self-regulating cable | ||||
| Optiheat 15/30 | 15 | 30 | 100 | 40 |
| Devi-pipeguard 25 | 25 | 30 | 85 | 30 |
| Heating mat | ||||
| NeoClima | 0.65 m2 | 105 | 80 | 25 |
| Electrolux EEFM | 2 m 2 | 150 | 80 | 35 |
| National comfort | 0.5 m2 | 130 | 90 | 25 |
Rules for installing heated floors with electric wire
For electric heated floors, it is necessary to ensure a perfectly flat surface rough foundation, since there may be air in the voids, which will lead to burnout of the resistive element. A thin screed of 3 to 5 cm is recommended for the subfloor.
Next comes thermal insulation. The thickness of the material should be at least 2 cm, but if this is an apartment on the ground floor, it is better to choose a thicker one. When choosing a material, you should pay attention to heat resistance - it must withstand heating up to 100 o C. It is better not to use material with a foil coating - foil will quickly deteriorate under the influence of constantly high temperatures. An alternative is a metallic coating - it will reflect heat and direct it upward.
Self-installation of electric heated floors
Used as roll insulation, and slabs. One condition is that there should be no gaps between the canvases. If heated floors are installed in the bathroom or kitchen, you should use waterproofing materials. They will prevent the penetration of unwanted moisture.
The most commonly used is thick polyethylene film. The next stage is the installation of heating elements. It can be carried out on a special mounting tape, which has fasteners for the cable. You can replace it reinforcement mesh, the cells of which do not exceed 1.5 cm.
The next stage is screed. You can use any materials that can withstand high temperatures. This is either a concrete composition with the addition of polymers, or ready-made dry mixtures for heated floors. Before pouring the screed, you need to check the functionality heating system. The test takes place using a tester that measures the maximum resistance. Deviations within 10% from the data specified in the wire passport are allowed.
Installing the Thermostat
To save energy and more efficient operation of the heated floor, you should use a thermostat. It must be installed before laying the heating elements. It is mounted in convenient place, departing from the floor at least 30 cm. You need to make a niche in the wall to install the box and draw a groove to the base of the floor, in which the corrugation or pipe is placed. The corrugation should pass another 0.5–1 m along the base of the floor; connecting wires from the heating elements are placed in it.
The ends of the cable must be led to the thermostat in such a way that the couplings remain in the screed.
Cabling
There are several cable routing options:
The snail layout is less popular, especially if resistive elements are used. The pitch between turns is selected independently, depending on required power per 1 m 2. The minimum permissible distance is 5 cm, the maximum is 30 cm.
- First, you should decide whether it will be the main heating in the room or auxiliary. If the main thing is, then you need to provide a power of 150 W or more, and when the heated floor is only additional system– 110 W is enough.
- Secondly, the degree of floor insulation is taken into account - if this is a ground floor apartment, then you need to provide 140–150 W, even with additional heating. More powerful elements should be installed on the balcony or loggia - up to 180 W.
- Thirdly, the definition of the heated area is approximately 70% of the floor, taking into account the location of the furniture (the wire is not laid under it).
Now you can calculate the cable length. For example, the coverage area is 10 m 2, it is necessary to organize a power of 140 W per 1 m 2. There is a heating cable for underfloor heating with a power of 16 W. We are counting maximum flow: 140*10 = 1400 W. We determine the cable length: 1400/16 = 87.5 m. Now you need to select the number of bays or sections that will come as close as possible to this value, since shortening heating cable for a warm floor it is very problematic.
How to shorten the cable?
The question of how to shorten a heating cable may arise when the wrong footage has been calculated and there is nowhere to put the excess (you must remember the minimum permissible distance between turns is 5 cm). The wire is sold in coils that have several sections. Couplings are installed at the ends of the cable in the section. A certain resistance is created inside each section. If you cut the wire yourself, the balance will be upset: the resistance will decrease, the current will increase.
As a result of this, the cable will simply burn out, so you should use up the entire footage for coverage. But if such a need arises, then it is better to entrust the pruning to a professional. It will determine how much resistance is lost and install a current-limiting resistor to compensate.
Video: Nexans TXLP heating cable for underfloor heating
Experience shows that the use of a heating cable is a solution whose effectiveness is in no way inferior electric fireplaces and convectors. The “secrecy” of such a cable also deserves attention: being located under a decorative coating, it saves usable area, which is especially appreciated by owners small rooms. The number of people who want to know how to choose this heating element for a heated floor is steadily increasing, and therefore this topic is worth exploring in more detail.
Peculiarities
First of all, it should be noted that the high popularity of the heating cable is due to its impressive efficiency. It converts almost all electrical energy into heat, allowing you to minimize losses and achieve optimal consumption of available resources.
This is especially noticeable provided that insulation of the lower layer is used and there are no errors during the installation process.
If we highlight situations for which a warm floor is considered the best solution, then their list will look like this:
- use of cold coatings (optionally, ceramic tiles);
- high level humidity in rooms (most often these are bathrooms);
- inability to connect to central heating(relevant for dressing rooms and hallways, as well as insulated loggias and balconies);
- the need to heat suburban real estate.
Another remarkable feature of floors equipped with a heating cable is the ability to install them under the most different types coatings. It’s enough just to get acquainted with the principle of operation and arrangement of such heating systems, as well as with their main varieties.
Operating principle
The functioning of heating cables requires the ability of their material, which is a special alloy, to convert electricity into heat. All of them have maximum moisture resistance, and their power is in the range of 10-30 W per 1 meter.
As for the forms in which such cables can be presented, these are:
- coils;
- sectional systems;
- rolls (mats).
The latter option is secured with a snake on a reinforcing mesh, which can be cut, but on the condition that the wires providing heating and power are not affected. Thus, heating mats allow you to easily walk around furniture, appliances and other interior items. In most cases, such heating systems involve the use of a two-core resistive cable, and the termination of their supply conductor is carried out using a heat-shrinkable tube.
It is also worth adding that the heated floor includes:
- cable;
- temperature controller – manual or program controlled;
- temperature sensors - internal or external.
As a rule, at maximum load the cable heats up to a temperature of 60-65°C. Its standard values, relevant for normal everyday use, are much lower - about 30°C.
But the insulation of the heating cable can easily withstand significantly higher temperatures - up to 100°C.
Primary requirements
Before you start choosing a cable for a heated floor, the property owner should draw up detailed plan of your home. It must include accurate information about the location of stationary interior items, the surfaces under which are impractical to warm.
- multiplying the length of the room by its width;
- calculation of the total area occupied by furniture and appliances;
- subtracting the second result from the first.
As for the power of the conductor, sufficient for full heating of the room, then, depending on the specifics of the latter, its values are:
- living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and kitchens - 100 W;
- bathrooms and toilets – 150 W;
- balconies and loggias – 200 W.
If the home owner plans to use cable in reels, then in his situation the calculation will be more complicated. This is explained by the need to take into account several additional parameters, the main ones being the pitches of turns, the length of the heating cable and its specific power.
In addition, the following requirements should be taken into account:
- for apartments, a warm floor should play the role of an auxiliary heating source, and not the main one;
- in buildings made of wood, a cable with a power not exceeding 2 kW is needed;
- if a warm floor is installed to heat stairs, ramps and other architectural elements located outdoors, its rated power should be 4 kW;
- the length of cable used to create one circuit must not be interrupted;
- moving the conductor from room to room is unacceptable to avoid its refraction;
- installation of one circuit is most justified for rooms whose area does not exceed 25 square meters. m.
In addition, for the installation of heated floors, it is strongly recommended to use only complete accessories and spare parts, the characteristics of which are optimally combined with each other.
Kinds
Among all forms of cable release for heated floors used in apartments, the most popular are mats - products that do not require the owner of the home to perform most of the calculations. If we select decorative coating, which is rightfully considered optimal, then this is tile or ceramic granite. Two types of heating cable used in modern systems deserve special mention:
- Resistive. Such elements may include one or two wires. The two-core version is less difficult to install, but its cost is slightly higher than that of the single-core one. In such cables, one conductor acts as a heater, while the second provides power. Regardless of the number of cores, the presented type is ideal for a floor with a screed, due to the fact that concrete cools extremely slowly.
- Self-regulating (“self-heating”). This type of cable is interesting because its heat output directly depends on the room temperature. Moreover, in situations where a lack of heat is observed only in certain areas of the surface, the self-regulating cable will intensively heat them. It is not difficult to guess that such systems are more expensive than resistive ones.
Mats are also worthy of consideration, the most popular varieties of which include:
- Cable. This solution is a single-core resistive cable, which is attached to the mesh with a snake. It is reasonable to use such mats under tiles, which is explained by their small thickness.
- Carbon (carbon fiber). The described type of mats assumes the presence of rod heating elements connected in parallel. Their main feature is infrared radiation, generated as a result of exposure to electric current and acting as a heat source. It is noteworthy that the rods function independently of each other, providing heating according to a self-regulating principle. Carbon fiber mats, like those mentioned above, make sense to be laid under ceramic tiles.
- Film. This mat, which also uses infrared radiation for heating, features carbon rods embedded in a polymer film.
It should be noted that such systems are sensitive to overheating, and therefore installation under stationary furnishings is contraindicated for them.
Another noteworthy point is the impossibility of laying tiles over film mats. The fact is that the glue used to fix the coating in question does not provide a connection with the film, which is why instead of tiles, experts recommend using plywood or chipboard under carpet or linoleum.
Installation
In addition, during the installation process, any kind of damage to the laid conductors must not be allowed. As for whether it is possible to shorten or lengthen the heating cable and whether it is allowed to cut it, such measures should be treated with extreme caution. The reason for this is very prosaic: the length of the kit presupposes a specific resistance value, a change in which can lead to incorrect operation of the system and even to its failure.
- The most common installation of the heating cable is in a screed. To implement it, you need to follow these steps step by step:
- Preparing the base. Provides for pouring a 3-centimeter layer of cement-sand mixture.
- Laying cold wire. Allows you to connect the thermostat to the underfloor heating system by creating a channel with a cross-section of 20x20 cm.
- Installation of a socket box for a temperature controller.
- Placement of a substrate capable of reflecting heat. Using this element under the cable allows you to speed up the heating of the system and reduce electrical energy consumption.
- Laying the mounting tape. Alternative solution, providing reliable fastening cable is a reinforcement mesh.
- Fill cement screed, having a thickness of about 40 mm. It is important that the solution tightly fills all cavities: this way you can achieve the best heat transfer rates.
- Resistance measurement - insulation and ohmic.
The final stage of arrangement is laying the decorative covering.
This activity can be carried out after the screed has completely dried - approximately 3 decades from the moment it was poured.
Tsugunov Anton Valerievich
Reading time: 5 minutes
One of the most economical and at the same time effective options heating of premises in our time is a film heated floor. In conditions of constant rise in price of coolants, as well as electrical energy, the use of heating elements with low power is a completely justified solution.
Advantages of heated floors
The main advantages of such a warm floor are:
- Environmental Safety. Thermal radiation with a wavelength of 5-20 microns, which is emitted by elements of such a floor, is absolutely harmless to people, animals and plants.
- Reduced energy costs due to more efficient heating premises and low power consumption.
- How to install? It is quite possible to install a film heated floor with your own hands, just follow our installation instructions. There is no need to involve specialists for this.
- The use of infrared rays for heating a room does not lead to a decrease in air humidity, which has a positive effect on the health and well-being of people.
- Due to the small thickness of the film, it can be mounted under facing materials walls and ceiling, which makes it possible to heat rooms even more efficiently.
- Unlike other options, when laying a film covering, the film can be dismantled and re-laid, for example, when moving. Of course, its dismantling is only possible if floor coverings such as linoleum, laminate or carpet are used.
- The heating film is different long term service – up to 30 years or more.
Design
To install a film heated floor, you must use the following elements:
- A film that consists of a polyester base. Strips of carbon paste connected to each other by copper jumpers are used as a heating element. Before starting work, make sure that the canvas can be cut to your size.
- A temperature sensor is used to determine the temperature of the floor surface.
- The operation of the entire heating system is controlled using a thermostat.
- To connect electrical wires The heating elements of the heated floor are supplied with contact terminals.
Important! Connections must not be made using tin soldering! Manufacturers prohibit soldering any cross-section of wire to the strip floor structure. When soldering is performed, excessive heating of the conductive bus occurs, which can disrupt the contact in the heating system and lead to its failure. The manufacturer insists on using crimp connectors.
- Isolation of places electrical connections performed using bitumen insulators (see installation instructions).
The operating principle of this design is extremely simple. When voltage is applied to the terminals of the thermal film, an electric current begins to flow through the carbon elements, which causes the appearance of infrared radiation. The connection diagram for a film heated floor is also very simple: strips carbon film laid on the base, connected with wires and the finished floor covering can be laid. But more on that a little later.
Technical characteristics of heating film
To the main technical specifications Film heated floors on the market include:
- Power consumption linear meter films. Currently, for most of its models this figure lies in the range of 45-67 W.
- Melting point (130 C). It is worth noting that during operation the surface of the film is heated to a temperature not exceeding 55 C.
- The percentage of infrared radiation in the total frequency spectrum must be at least 95%.
- The length and width of one strip of thermal film (usually 8 X 0.5 m).
- The film thickness is 0.4 mm. This makes it possible to lay a heated floor under any flooring– laminate, parquet, ceramic tiles, as well as linoleum or carpet. The main thing is to strictly follow the installation instructions and film heated floors will delight you with comfort and warmth for many years.
Installation procedure
Do-it-yourself installation of film heated floors is carried out in the following order:
- Drawing up a plan for the placement of furniture elements and household appliances. This takes into account the area of the room and the total power of the entire heating system.
- Marking the area of the room in which it is planned to install heating elements.
- Laying a thermal insulation substrate that prevents heat from being spent on heating interfloor ceilings or concrete base floor. Foamed polypropylene is used as a backing, one side of which is covered with reflective material. The underlayment should only be laid on a flat, dry and clean subfloor surface.
- In strict accordance with the pre-drawn plan, the installation of a warm film floor is carried out. His stripes are cut under required size and are laid without overlaps; heat-resistant tape is used to fasten the strips together. Laying heated floors closer than 10 cm to the walls is not allowed.
- Installation of thermostat. The installation height of this device is determined for reasons of ease of use, as well as general design rooms. Wires connecting the thermostat to heating elements, and also with electrical network apartments are laid in pre-prepared grooves. The installed thermal sensor must be equipped with corrugation and be able to be easily replaced if necessary. How to connect the regulator to the network and where to connect the temperature sensor and cables from the heated floor is indicated in the installation instructions for the device.
- Connecting the heated floor to electricity. For this, wires with a cross-section of at least 1.5 mm 2 are used, which are clamped with pliers in the contact terminals. The heated floor is connected to the thermostat via a temperature sensor according to the diagram shown. The temperature sensor is installed between the heating film and the thermal insulation substrate near the location of the thermostat. All connecting wires are recessed into grooves pre-cut in the substrate.
- Functionality check.
- Laying a film layer of protective polyethylene on top of the infrared film.
- Flooring can be installed.
Attention! Before laying a heated floor, you should carefully plan the furnishings of the room. Its installation in areas that will be occupied by furniture will lead to overheating of the carbon elements and their failure.
Connection diagram
Please note that all underfloor heating elements are connected in parallel. This is extremely important to ensure reliable operation of the heating system as a whole, since if one of its elements fails, the rest will continue to work.
Attention! The film can only be cut in places specially designated for this purpose. On each roll they are indicated by a dotted line. Otherwise, the integrity of the electrical circuit may be compromised.
Laying film under various types of flooring
The heated film floor under the laminate must be laid on a perfectly flat surface according to the installation instructions. The maximum permissible difference in floor level cannot exceed 1 mm per 2 linear meters.
Important! A heated film floor under linoleum or carpet is laid using a plywood or fiberboard backing between the infrared film and the floor covering.
