When the heating element breaks down, the best thing that can happen is that the washing will go in cold water, and the worst - the machine can start to shock. The most dangerous - there will be a short circuit, which is fraught with fire. How to determine the health of the heater to prevent damage?
Check without
device How does the heating element work? He warms the water in every modern washing machine. It consists of a heating coil, covered with a special insulator with heat-conducting properties, enclosed in a steel tube - it prevents the ingress of moisture.
Interesting! To make the SM more compact, manufacturers reduce parts, including the heater. To compress the dimensions, but at the same time to provide a large area and volume of heating, the heating element is made in the form of twisted U-shaped arcs.
We will talk about how to check the heating element in the washing machine, namely:
- How to check the resistance of the heater with a tester.
- How to quickly and easily check the breakdown on the body of the washing machine.
- How to independently check the heating element of a washing machine without an appliance.
If you do not have a so-called household tester, that is, a multimeter, you can try to check the heating element without even opening the case of the washing machine. Looking at the behavior of the washer, you can easily diagnose the failure of the tubular heater:
- Water does not heat up, the selected washing program is not performed. If your machine is equipped with a display, the characteristic error code will blink: Indesit - F07, Bosch - F19, Kandy - E05, E-DJ - NOT, Samsung - E5, E6.
In SMA without a screen, indicators will alert you to a breakdown. For example, in the Whirlpool washing machines, the indicator “No water heating” lights up.
- The wash cycle is not interrupted, the water heats up, but it takes much longer than usual.
- The wash cycle goes on continuously, the water warms up, but when you touch the body of the machine, you feel electric shocks, or the RCD operates.
If you find at least one of the above problems, you can be sure that there is a problem with the heater. If checking the TEN with a tester is an impossible task for you, contact the master - he will quickly determine whether it is worth changing the part.
You can also use other known methods to check the heater without tools:
- If you find black dots on the part body, this may indicate breakdowns. Sometimes the points are not visible due to scale, then you need to clean it to absolutely make sure in good condition or breakage.
To remove scale, soak the heater in a concentrated solution of regular citric acid.
- If you think that there are no compelling reasons for analyzing the washer body, contact the meter. Run the CMA at full capacity by setting the temperature of the wash above 60 degrees. If the counting rate of the counter has grown, the heater heats. The fact is that the work of the heater requires considerable power, and if the heating element does not heat, then the meter will not wind more.
- Inspect the item for blistering, scratching and other damage - this will be a good reason for replacement.
- You can also check the break in this way: using a test lamp( these are used by electricians - you can buy it and even make it yourself).
How to find a detail
In different brands of washing machines TEN is located differently - Indesit and Ariston it is behind, and in Bosch and Siemens it is more convenient to get in front. If you have a circuit for connecting the heating element of a washing machine, it will be easier to act.
But if there is nothing to make a start from, then find its location yourself:
- Examine the back panel. If the back cover of the SM is rather large, then with a high probability TEN is located behind it.
- Lay the washer on its side and look at it from the bottom to detect the heater.
- A simple and effective way: remove the back cover. If even behind it you will not find the heating element, then put the panel in place is not difficult.
Caution! You can also arm yourself with a flashlight and enlighten the drum from the inside, but you need patience and good eyesight to understand the exact location of the heater.
If the PETN is found, it's time to figure out how to check the heating element with a tester. Before calling the heating element, it is not necessary to extract it.
Calculation of indicators
Before you check the TEN, you need to clearly know how to call him and what data is considered correct.
To calculate the resistance, you need to rely on:
- U is the voltage that is applied to the heating element. In our household electrical networks, it is usually equal to 220V.
- P - water heater power. You can find out this parameter by referring to the manual. If this is not stated in the manual, google, finding your own CM model.
Next, using a simple formula, as in the physics class in grade 7, we consider the resistance in ohms:
R = U² / P.
If the received digit is displayed on the tester's screen during verification, then the heating element is in good condition.
So that you are not mistaken in the calculations for this formula, we give a practical example.
Suppose heater power is 1800 watts. Substitute the values in the formula, and we get:
R = 220² / 1800 = 26.8 Ohm. As a result, the working heater should show 26.8 ohms. Remember this mark and you can start checking.
Dialing:
Quick Guide Attention! Before checking the operation of the heating element, de-energize the washing machine, be vigilant.
Start by disconnecting the wiring. After removing it, turn on the resistance measurement mode( in Ohms) on the tester, set the selector to 200 Ohm and connect the ends of the tester to the terminals of the water heating element.
What is the result:
- A healthy TEN will transmit on the tester's display an indicator close to the calculated figure.
- If the tester shows a unit, it will mean a break in the element structure, which means that the heating element will have to be changed.
- If there is a 0 or so on the multimeter screen, then there is a short circuit in the heater, which means that it is unsuitable for further service.
Now you know how to check the heating element of a washing machine with a multimeter. But this is still half the battle, it remains to check the detail on the breakdown.
Testing for
breakdown Even if everything inside the heater with a spiral is good, this does not mean that everything is in order. Inside the tubes, between their walls and the helix, there is a dielectric that can go to the SM housing. This, of course, is very dangerous for your health.
To test the element at the time of breakdown on the body, the mode of operation of the tester is switched to the buzzer mode. To check if you have chosen the measurement mode correctly, connect the wires - the light on the tester will immediately light up and it will emit a characteristic squeak.
Now:
- Attach one end of the tester to the terminal of the element.
- Attach the other end to the chassis.
- Tester does not squeak - everything is in order.
- Is a squeak heard? There is a breakdown, the heating element needs to be changed.
Now you know how to check the performance of the heating elements of the washing machine. And if you are also interested in how to remove the washing machine heating element, watch the video:
