There are many people who want to warm up in a home bathhouse or sauna. However, it is not always possible to arrange such a steam room in a city apartment. An alternative solution is a steam generator for a shower cabin, which allows you to turn the shower box into a kind of Turkish hammam.
There are a lot of models with various additional features offered in stores, but not all of them are worth the money. Therefore, you should pay special attention to the choice of equipment so that the purchase does not disappoint later.
We will tell you how a steam generator works, outline the features of different types of such equipment, and provide tips on choosing and installing a steam generator.
Principle of operation
Shower stalls are usually equipped with household steam generators, the operating principle of which is practically the same from model to model.
The simplest device consists of a water tank equipped with a heating element and a system of 3 solenoid valves. The first valve is needed to fill the tank with water, the second to supply steam to the cabin, and the third to drain the remaining water into the sewer. The operating procedure of such a system is as follows:
- the sensor measures the water level in the tank and if it is below the set level, the water supply valve opens;
- after the required level is reached, the valve closes and the heating turns on;
- the user can set on the control unit the temperature in the cabin to which heating will be carried out. After reaching it, the heating elements are turned off;
- the control unit ensures that the required water level is maintained in the tank and periodically opens the valve to fill;
- after the procedure is completed, the discharge valve opens and excess water goes into the sewer
Price
The price of shower cabins with an Economy class steam generator starts from 35,000 rubles.
True, this only applies to Chinese-made products.
A German cabin with the same parameters will cost 275,000 rubles.
Almost half the price - 158,000 rubles. – the products of a Finnish manufacturer will cost the buyer.
Spacious Premium cabins, packed with the most modern features, cost from 500,000 to 1,700,000 rubles.
What are they?
Let's first figure out what kind of steam generators there are. They can be divided into 3 main types based on their operating principle:
- electrode;
- with heating element;
- induction
Electrode. The water in such devices heats up and turns into steam when an electric current passes. The main advantage of this design is the absence of scale.
With a regular heating element . This is the most common and cheapest type of steam generators, which are installed in most modern cabins. They are equipped with the usual heating elements in the form of tubes. And the principle of their operation is similar to a regular boiler.
Induction. Heating of water in such systems is carried out due to high-frequency radiation, which transfers its energy to the walls of the water tank. Their main advantage is that the energy consumption for converting water into steam is 3-4 times lower than when using heating elements.
Reviews
True connoisseurs of the Russian bathhouse clearly call shower cabins with steam generators useless pampering. But many users who have such devices speak very positively about them: warming up in cold weather or at the onset of a cold is pleasant and useful.
Among the opponents were buyers who took the risk of purchasing cheap products: the steam escapes and they did not receive any positive effect from the procedure. But owners of high-quality steam rooms (insanely expensive) rate them highly.
Is it worth doing it yourself?
Many consumers want to save money and try to make a steam generator with their own hands. They are usually made from an empty gas cylinder. Tubes with valves cut into it to fill the tank with water and supply steam. Heating elements are installed inside the cylinder and connected to the electrical network.
The big problem with such steam generators is that they do not provide any protection against boiling water.
Therefore, their use is extremely dangerous and can result in a fire. We do not recommend making steam generators yourself .
The feasibility of assembling an independent steam generator
Those who want to make a steam generator with their own hands will not have any special problems with assembly. You just need to select a suitable housing and build an electric heating element into it.
Most often, home craftsmen take a small gas cylinder for this. Pipes are inserted into this container to supply water and remove steam, and a heating element is installed inside.
It’s not difficult to make a steam-generating homemade product, but its intended use may be unsafe for the health of those who like to take a steam bath.
The first disadvantage of homemade installations for producing steam at home is low efficiency, so it is difficult for them to compete with factory models.
The second disadvantage is safety of use. On the one hand, it is water and electricity, and on the other, steam, which creates pressure. There are possible electric shocks and potential mini-explosions here.
In a multi-storey building, it is highly not recommended to connect such a steam generator to the network. By saving on a factory device, you can then pay with your health and end up with a lot of money that you will have to spend on repairs in your apartment and your neighbors’.
Secrets of choice
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to purchase a shower cabin with a built-in steam generator, or buy it separately and improve your existing cabin.
If you need a ready-made kit, we recommend reading our special article about shower cabins with sauna and bathhouse. For those who want to purchase a steam generator separately, we have collected a number of criteria that you should pay attention to when purchasing it .
Volume of the tank. The steam output of the system directly depends on this parameter. For domestic needs, a tank with a volume of 3-5 liters will be sufficient . This is just enough to fill the space of a medium-sized shower stall with thick steam.
Steam temperature. The steam temperature that the steam generator can produce ranges from 40 to 60 degrees. If you want to achieve maximum heating, it is better to choose a device capable of producing steam at 60 degrees.
Performance. Its optimal value is 2-4 kg/h. It is worth noting that the higher the value of this parameter, the faster the steam will fill the shower box.
Type of instalation. There are wall-mounted and floor-mounted models of steam generators. It will be more organic if it hangs on the wall, since in this case the device will not hide additional space.
Control. The generator can be controlled both locally and remotely.
It is better to choose models that are equipped with control panels. In this case, you will be able to control the steam parameters directly from the shower stall.
Cabin price
The cost of a shower cabin with a steam generator, as noted earlier, is much higher than for conventional models. The budget version of Chinese production does not cost less than 35 thousand rubles. For comparison, a cabin from a German manufacturer with the same functions will cost at least 270 thousand rubles, and a cabin made in Finland will cost at least 158 thousand rubles.
Table 2. Average cost of shower cabins with a steam generator.
| Model | Height/length/width, cm | Options and equipment | Average cost as of March 2020, rubles |
| Koy K015 | 215/145/90 |
| 232 650 |
| Koy K011 | 215/100/100 |
| 174 488 |
| Koy K055 | 215/145/90 |
| 220 275 |
| Koy K075 | 215/100/100 |
| 174 260 |
| Luxus 532 S | 225/175/90 |
| 143 000 |
| Elegansa Weser | 216/95/95 |
| 96 400 |
| Orans SN-99100 RS | 220/180/130 |
| 647 500 |
Prices for multifunctional shower cabins
Multifunctional shower cabin
How to connect?
It is worth noting that the steam generator cannot be installed in any shower stall; it must be:
- hermetically sealed - so that steam does not escape from the cabin and does not create increased humidity in the bathroom;
- equipped with a forced air - this is necessary in order to disperse steam throughout the cabin;
- have nozzles - through which steam will be supplied.
A prerequisite for installing a steam generator is the installation of a coarse filter on a suitable cold water supply pipeline.
This will prevent large pieces of rust from getting into the tank. But to increase the service life of the heating elements, it is recommended to install a hard water filter. This solution will prevent scale formation. If all conditions are met, you can proceed with installation.
Scheme
Below, for greater clarity, a detailed diagram of the steam generator is presented.
Elements:
- steam nozzle;
- steam line;
- discharge into the sewer;
- coarse filter on the cold water supply;
- thermocouple;
- rear part of the cabin;
- thermocouple wire;
- steam supply valve;
- stub;
- control Panel
- power button;
- thermostat;
- indicator of water level in the tank;
- power cable;
- from a level meter;
- steam generator power supply.
Installation instructions
Step 1. First of all, you need to choose a place to install the steam generator . It would be best to mount it in another room. This is a plus, both from an aesthetics and safety point of view. After all, high humidity can not only damage the device, but also lead to electric shock.
A storage room is perfect for these purposes if it has communications. The main condition is that the distance from the steam generator to the shower stall should be no more than 5-7 meters . Otherwise, the steam will cool and condense.
For some shower cabins that come with a steam generator, it can be installed directly on the back side of the cabin.
Step 2. The next stage is installation . If the device is floor-mounted, then everything is simple, it is only important to install it so that people do not trip over the supplied communications.
If the device is attached to the wall, everything is a little different. First you need to make holes in the wall using a hammer drill. Then hammer the dowels into them and screw in the screws. Now you can hang the steam generator by the special “ears”.
Step 3. Connecting communications . As a rule, the water inlet valve is connected to the water supply using a flexible connection. Exactly the same as on regular taps. The connection to the sewer is made using a special corrugated tube included in the kit.
Step 4. Steam line . The steam pipe is mounted at a slight slope towards the shower stall. This is necessary so that the condensate does not stagnate in the system, but drains on its own. As a result, the tube is connected to the steam nozzle on the shower stall itself.
Steam nozzles must be located at the bottom of the cabin. This is due to the fact that with this design option, the steam will gradually rise to the top, and the cabin will warm up more evenly.
Step 5. Temperature sensor . The next step is connecting and installing the temperature sensor. As a rule, it is a small sleeve with wires. They must be connected to the appropriate terminals according to the instructions. The sensor itself is mounted at the top of the shower stall. If there is no specially provided hole for it, you can carefully drill it according to the diameter of the sleeve and seal it.
Step 6: Control Panel . The control panel is mounted directly on the shower stall or next to it. For beauty and convenience, it is better to provide a place for it in the wall in advance and route the wiring there.
Modern control panels are wireless. They communicate with the steam generator unit via Wi-fi or bluetooth. This allows you to make them portable and get rid of unnecessary wires.
Step 7. Connecting to the electrical network . The socket into which the steam generator will be connected must necessarily go through an RCD. This requirement is primarily due to the fact that the device has direct contact with water, and in the event of a leak, the RCD will interrupt the power supply.
Functions
The basic model is a cabin equipped with a “Turkish bath” function. It is small, the air humidity in it reaches 100%. Such a cabin heats up to 450C quickly, a comfortable temperature does not threaten burns when it comes into contact with metal parts of the structure.
Manufacturers offer saunas as options:
- Finnish;
- with infrared radiation.
The first of them can be considered an advertising gimmick by the manufacturer: in fact, it is impossible to warm up the cabin space to 1000C, and it is not necessary from the point of view of user safety. But the air humidity with this option will be no more than 30%, unlike the “Turkish bath”.
Cabins equipped with infrared emitters are divided into two sections:
- the first is a shower room;
- the second is a “steam room” with a wooden floor and infrared lamps.
The human body heats up quickly in infrared rays, and there is no source for increasing humidity.
In addition, the shower cabin can be equipped with:
- tropical shower;
- hydromassage bath;
- contrast shower.
For those who try to get maximum comfort even from plumbing equipment, telephones, stereo systems and even chromotherapy means are built into the cabins - a set of LED lights that color water jets in different colors.
Examination
Before using the installed system, it must be thoroughly checked. Start the steam generator from the control panel and set the required temperature. After some time, usually 4-5 minutes, you will see steam coming out of the nozzle. Turn off the heat and carefully inspect all connections. If there are no leaks and the machine in the panel has not been knocked out, you can start the system again.
We hope that our article helped you find out what steam generators for a shower stall are and how best to install them.
