Every happy resident of Estonia should have a little cottage in the countryside by the water. And if that house features a tap with warm running water, even Margaret Thatcher herself would be envious. But before you dive into such an adventure, there are a few critical aspects you must understand for the safety of your home and family:
- 3.0 kW is no joke! You need to run a dedicated power line to the tap using a 3×2.5 mm² cable and install a 16-amp circuit breaker. It goes without saying that extension cords and extra sockets are completely out of the question. And if you think you can outsmart the system by saying, “I won’t use it at full power” — it won’t work here. When turned on, the tap consumes a constant 3.0 kW. The temperature is regulated solely by the water flow: the hotter the water, the weaker the pressure, and vice versa.
- You must have a three-phase connection to your house. Otherwise, you’ll grow tired of running back and forth to the breaker box to flip the power back on every time someone plugs in something powerful while the tap is running.
- Water pressure is the key to longevity. Before installing the tap, ensure your pump or plumbing provides a stable pressure between 0.04–0.7 MPa. If the pressure is too low (below 0.4 bar), the device simply won’t realize water is flowing and won’t trigger the heating element. If the pressure exceeds 7 bar, you risk damaging the internal seals without a pressure regulator. For a “house by the lake” with its own well, this is the number one thing to check!
If these requirements are met, all that’s left is to choose the tap itself. This is where you should go for a reputable brand at a reasonable price. Don’t waste your time on cheap “no-name” brands for 35 euros. They won’t bring you happiness, and Margaret Thatcher certainly wouldn’t envy you for that!
