A device for heating water in the SMA is one of the main elements. During the operating cycles of the machine, the heating element first heats up and then cools down. This causes gradual wear of the spiral, which begins to lose its qualities. After some time, the heating device stops functioning. Let's figure out how to check the heating element of a washing machine.
Signs and causes of failure
As a rule, the machine continues to wash even with cold water. To make sure that the heating device is malfunctioning, you need to understand the signs indicating a breakdown of the element. There are not so many of them:
- after the washing process, the laundry does not smell very pleasant;
- while the machine is operating, the glass on the loading hatch door does not heat up;
- things don't wash out.
The reasons for this problem include the following:
- Broken or shorted element. In such cases, the machine either does not work at all, or only works for a short time, because the remaining elements of the unit can easily become damaged and even burn out.
- Failure of the heating device circuit. In such situations, the heating element does not indicate any loss of performance, and the breakdown will be difficult to identify.But if the unit washes for a long time or periodically freezes, then the problem must be looked for in the break.
- Damage to the heating element relay. The device has a sensor responsible for the water intake level. When the device is working, the water reaches the desired level, then the electronics receive a command to turn on the heater. It happens that the elements that control the amount of water become dirty during the period of operation. Therefore, you should clean the pressure switch and check the heating element sensor.
Often, users do not notice that the washing machine finishes the washing process untimely, or does not complete part of the program, and attribute such troubles to the electronics. And these are the first signals for help.
Where is the water heating element located?
If we consider different brands of machines (Indesit, Bosch, LG), then the heating element in each type of model can be located in different places, and it is most convenient to approach it either through the back panel or through the front.
But if you are not aware of this, you can still find it yourself:
- The back panel of the machine is inspected. If the lid is large, then the heating device is located behind it;
- The machine must be placed on its side and the bottom inspected. This may be how you detect the heater;
- The easiest way is to remove the back panel. If there is no heating element there, then it will be easy to install it in its place.
There is another option - use a flashlight to illuminate the inside of the drum of the machine. If you have good vision, you can determine the exact location of the heater.
Having found the heating element, you need to make sure that it is working. Note that for such a procedure there is no need to dismantle the element.
How to check the heating element of a washing machine
There are several ways:
- multimeter;
- a quick and easy way to check the body part;
- determination of performance without a device.
When you don't have a tester at hand, try performing the test without opening the case. By observing the behavior of the washing machine, you can easily determine that it is the heating device that has failed:
- The water does not heat up, but the washing process is carried out. On machines with screens, signals indicating this error will flash. If there is no display, pay attention to the flashing lights.
- The work process does not stop, the water heats up, but this takes much more time.
- The machine works, the water warms up, but when touching the body part, electric shocks are felt, and the automatic protection is periodically triggered.
When at least one of the indicated malfunctions is detected, there can be no doubt - the heating element is not working well. If you cannot check your unit with a tester, we recommend that you seek help from a specialist. He will confidently determine whether there is a need to replace the element.
There are several other ways in which you can organize an element check without the appropriate tools:
- As soon as dark spots appear on the body of the heater, a breakdown can be confidently diagnosed. Sometimes such points are hidden by scale; it needs to be cleaned in order to finally be convinced of your thoughts. Lemon juice will help you deal with scale;
- don't want to disassemble your machine? In this case, just watch the operation of the electric meter. Start the machine at maximum. When the meter spins faster, this means that the heating element is still working;
- Check the case for bulges, scratches and other damage.Their presence will confidently confirm that the heating device needs to be replaced;
- Electrical experts can look for an open circuit using a home-made test light.
We call the device
Before checking the serviceability of the heating element, the washing machine must be disconnected from the electrical network. After this, the wiring is disconnected, the tester switch is set to 200 Ohms, and its probes are applied to the water heater terminals.
The result of your actions will be:
- a functional element will display on the device screen a value close to the calculated value;
- if the tester displays “one”, then there is a break inside and the heater will have to be replaced;
- when the value is “zero” or close to it, a short circuit has occurred. Ten is not suitable for further work.
Checking for breakdown
Even if the heating element spiral is in perfect order, this does not mean that everything is normal. Perhaps the dielectric inside has leaked into the body of the washing machine, and this already poses a danger to your body.
To organize a test of the heating element for breakdown, set the tester to the “buzzer” mode. After connecting the wires, the lamp on the device should light up and a squeaking sound should be heard.
Now we use the tester to take the heating element terminal and apply the second probe to the body. If there is no squeak, then everything is in perfect order. Otherwise, the heating device will definitely have to be replaced.
How is the resistance indicator of the heating element determined?
To check an element, it is not enough to know how and with what instruments this is done. It is necessary to have information about the value of its resistance. To begin with, it is recommended to calculate this value. To do this you will need the following information:
- Voltage supplied to the water heating element.As a rule, this indicator (U) is equal to 220 V. This voltage is present in the household electrical network of our apartments.
- The heater power indicator is R. It can be easily determined, you just need to look at the operating instructions. The second option - the power of the heating element can be checked on the Internet based on the model of the machine.
Having all the necessary information, we determine the resistance R using the special formula R=U²/P. The resulting resistance indicator is formed in the heater during operation. If the heating element is working properly, then the figure obtained by the formula will appear on the multimeter screen.
How to change the heating device?
We found the heating element and made sure that it should be replaced. First, disconnect all wires. To avoid confusion in the future, it is recommended to first record the order of their connection with a camera.
To remove the heating element, you need to unscrew the nut located in the middle part of the device. Now you need to pry the heater with a screwdriver and carefully remove it, rocking it in different directions. It is now recommended to immediately remove scale from other elements surrounding the water heater. The new heating element is carefully installed on special mounts. If you make a mistake, it will touch the tank during operation. All that remains is to connect the wires and assemble the machine to run it for testing.
Expert advice
In order for the heating device to work as long as possible, you should provide proper care for the washing machine.
When performing repair work, be sure to disconnect the washer from the electrical network.
Many people recommend first removing the heater from the machine and then checking its functionality with instruments.But this is probably not necessary - the check can be easily carried out at the installation site. This will save time and avoid unnecessary work.
Conclusion
Having the proper experience in such work and the necessary equipment, you can always check the heater’s functionality yourself. And the repair work will not be particularly difficult, because the heating element will have to be replaced with a new analogue. But if you doubt your own abilities, contact the service center for help.
