Lochinvar recently announced the launch of its Lectrus Light Commercial Electric Boiler. This innovative technology provides versatility to customers while supporting the industry-wide transition to electrification and decarbonization. 

Building on Lochinvar’s portfolio of sustainable water heating solutions, this unit is the first electric boiler designed and manufactured entirely by Lochinvar. Available in a kilowatt (kW) range from 15 kW to 150 kW, the Lectrus boiler is designed to fit a variety of residential and commercial installations. The unit can be installed in any indoor environment without losing performance—even in below-freezing ambient conditions. This versatile unit is ideal for most industry-seeking sustainable alternatives to natural gas or propane models, including healthcare, education and government facilities. 

Customers switching to or upgrading a fully electric boiler system can cascade up to eight Lectrus units of varying sizes to create a system that best suits their application needs. Alternatively, customers who are looking to reduce their carbon emissions while still utilizing gas products can install the Lectrus boiler alongside other condensing and non-condensing Lochinvar boilers to optimize performance and reduce carbon emissions. 

“The need to achieve rigorous decarbonization goals is steering many buyers toward electric boiler technology, and Lochinvar is proud to now offer our first in-house manufactured electric boiler,” said Lochinvar Product Manager Ross Brawner. “Customers can take advantage of zero on-site emissions and sustained performance while still relying on the same top-tier customer service that they know and expect from Lochinvar—before, during and after a sale.” 

The unit was designed with the customer in mind. User-forward features come standard on the Lectrus Electric Boiler, including the customizable cascade and low water cutoff. Additionally, Lochinvar’s Smart System LCD operating control platform comes standard on every Lectrus unit. This system allows for modulation and staging of the elements to operate within the full kW range of the boiler. To do this, the unit’s modulation control board determines which element bank comes on to ensure equal runtime across each bank. Meanwhile, the triac board controls a fully modulating element bank to allow for precise temperature control and to provide close to 100% turndown. This process prevents harmful contactor over-cycling and overshooting of the desired system temperature—extending the life of the boiler and saving customers money in the long run.

“Lochinvar is uniquely positioned to manufacture our own electric boiler technology. We have extensive expertise in manufacturing ASME-rated tanks and recently invested in new plate metal lasers to improve the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing process, as well as ensure the continued quality of every tank we produce,” Brawner said. “Thanks to this expertise, contractors can feel confident that the Lectrus boiler will run at peak performance for years to come, minimizing the likelihood of returning to a jobsite for repairs and unexpected maintenance.”