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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Damage to the heating element relay. The device has a sensor responsible for the level of water intake. 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.

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:

1. 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.
2. The work process does not stop, the water heats up, but this takes much more time.
3. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.

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 washing machine 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.

At first glance, the design of an electric kettle is simple. At least that's what it seems like while it's in working order. Once the kettle stops working, the principle of its operation becomes a mystery. Where to start repairing the device? Of course, from checking the heating element. Today we tell you how to ring an electric kettle.

Determining the type of kettle

Since the heating element can be open in the form of a spiral or hidden under the housing, it can be checked in different ways. Let's look at how to ring a disk kettle (closed electric kettle):

1. We check the entire cycle. To do this, we bring the tester to the socket plug and set it to resistance. Make sure that the electric kettle is active, namely the power button is activated. Now we compare the obtained indicators with the norm. How to calculate it? For example, for electric kettles with a power of 1700 W the indicator will be 28.47 Ohms, for 2000 W – 24.20 Ohms. If you check a thermopot with a power of 800 W, then expect a reading of 60.50 Ohms. Please note that the mains voltage taken into account is 220 W. Online calculators will help you correctly calculate the resistance.

2. We proceed to the next step if the actions described above did not produce results. To do this, you need to check the contact plates located on the bottom of the kettle. If the readings are high, you will have to disassemble the kettle. We need to get to the heating element and ring it. If the data corresponds to the figure we calculated, then the heating element is working. Look for the cause of the breakdown in the contacts. They often burn out or become bent.

To clean the spiral heating element, you need to turn the kettle over and find the contact plates; they contain pins that conduct electricity to the heating element. To get to them you need to remove three screws and then ring the plates. If the indicators are ok, then check the power button.

How can you ring the heating element of an electric kettle?

For these purposes, it is customary to use a tester or multimeter. But, if they are not at hand, then the check is carried out using a phase indicator. To carry out measurements using the first two devices, you need to set the correct program. This should be the minimum resistance mode. Then you should touch the heating element with the probes.

Next, look at the data and draw conclusions. Infinity on the tester means that the element's spiral is broken. The number “1” on a multimeter is also equated to infinity. The same indicators will indicate a short circuit if one probe is applied to the heating element and the other to a metal pipe.

When using the communication indicator, you should be extremely careful and do not grab the tool and the parts being examined with your bare hands. To take readings, you need to find a phase in the socket, then connect this output to the contact rod of the heating element. Now we take the indicator and touch the contact located on the other side. It should glow, but the metal pipe does not. Opposite data indicates a break in the spiral or breakdowns in the insulation.

We have listed the most common ways to check the heating element. If the described tools are not at hand, then dialing can be done even using a regular telephone. To do this, you need to connect it to the break of any wire. If the phone continues to make sounds, then the heating element is working.

A popular malfunction of household appliances and heaters is the failure of the heating element. If in your home the washing machine does not heat the water during washing or the iron coil does not heat up, you definitely need to test this element of the circuit with a tester. In this article we will tell you how to check the heating element with a multimeter at home, and also provide several useful video instructions on the topic.

Verification technology

First of all, we’ll look at how to test the heating element, after which we’ll delve deeper into practical aspects related to the repair of household appliances. So, you can check the heating element according to the following scheme:

1. Calculate the heater resistance. To do this, use the formula: R=U 2 /P, where U is the network voltage (220 volts), and P is the rated power of the heating element, which can be found in the device passport.
2. Next, be sure to disconnect the device being tested from the power supply, get to the heating element and disconnect the wires from it.
3. Turn the multimeter into resistance measurement mode (200 Ohm range) and touch the leads to the leads as shown in the photo below:

• The value on the display is approximately the same as the calculated value, which indicates that the heating element is working properly.
• “0” is displayed, which means shorted and will need to be replaced.
• “1” or infinity is displayed – there is a break in the circuit, the heater needs to be replaced.

You also need to check the heating element for breakdown () using a multimeter. To do this, we switch the device to buzzer mode, touch the output with one probe, and the body of the heating element with the other, as shown in the photo below:

The buzzer beeps - there is a breakdown, which means that you cannot do without replacing the part.

It is also advisable to check the insulation resistance of the heating element with a megohmmeter. To do this, you need to include it in the “500 V” measurement range. Touch the heater contact with one probe, and the body of the electrical appliance with the other. An insulation resistance of more than 0.5 MOhm is considered normal.

You can learn more about how to check the heating element with a megohmmeter and multimeter by watching these videos:

Master's work

Dialing scheme

By the way, also, before making the dialing, you need to visually check the condition of the heating element. To do this, remove scale from the heating element and inspect the surface for swelling, cracks and other mechanical damage. If there are any, the part must be replaced.

Another way to check the heater for an open circuit is to use an electrician's test lamp. To do this, one contact of the heating element is supplied with zero from the network, and the second phase is supplied through this lamp. If the light is on, then there is no break. Anyone can do it using available means; we wrote about this in detail in the article to which we referred.

These, in fact, are all the ways to check the integrity of the heating element. As you can see, in some cases you can check the heating element even without a multimeter. Below we will look at videos that clearly explain how to ring the heater of a washing machine, boiler, dishwasher, kettle and other electrical appliances used in everyday life.

Visual video lessons

If the boiler does not heat the water or when it is turned on, you can check the heating element of the water heater as follows:

In a similar way, you can check the serviceability of the heating element in a dishwasher, heater (for example, in a heat gun coil) or other household electrical appliance. We hope our instructions helped you and now it’s clear how to check the heating element with a multimeter at home!

In our houses and apartments there are a huge number of devices for heating water. Most of them have a heating element installed. It can be wet or dry type. Despite the differences, this element has one purpose - to heat water. However, any product has its own service life, and sooner or later the water heating device fails. In today's article I want to talk about how to check an electric heating element (ring it) using a multimeter.

What is heating element

A heating element is a tubular electric heater. It is based on a spiral with a high electrical resistance value. When current passes, it heats itself and heats the water. The entire space between the body and the wire spiral is filled with a special insulating compound. It does not conduct electricity, but transfers heat well.

Electric heating elements are available in a large number of appliances in the house. This is not only a boiler and a kettle, but also a washing machine, oven, electric stove and even a hairdryer. Each of these devices contains a tubular electric heater, in one form or another. Due to long service life or other factors, the element may fail.

Before deciding whether to replace it, you need to check the heating element. To do this, you can use a multimeter (tester). This is a fairly useful device with which you can ring the heater of a washing machine, kettle and any other water heater. The cost of the device varies from 250 to 2000 rubles. The approximate range and prices can be found at this link.

If you are not yet familiar with our article on how to descale a boiler, then I recommend everyone to read it here.

How to check the heating element?

1. Before you start checking the water heating heating element, you need to calculate its resistance. To get this value, you need to know the power. This parameter is available on the device body itself or in the technical data sheet.
2. Once you know the power, you can begin to calculate the current passing through the heating element. This value is the ratio of power to voltage.
   Current (amps)=power (W)/voltage (Volts)
3. Next we calculate the resistance.
   Resistance = voltage/current (Ohm).

Let's say there is a heating element with a power of 2000 W and a voltage of 220 Volts. By simple calculations and using formulas we get a value of 24 ohms.

1. Before you start checking the electric heating element, do not forget to disconnect the electrical appliance from the network and disconnect the wires from the connectors.
2. Next, you need to set the multimeter to the desired mode. In our case it is 24 Ohms.
   After this, it is worth touching the ends of the multimeter to the contacts on the heating element.

• If it is working, then the multimeter will show a resistance as close as possible to the specified value.
• When you see the value zero, this is a sign that there is a short circuit inside the heating element and it needs to be replaced.
• When the device shows 1, this means that there is a break in the heating element. In this case, it is also expected to be replaced.

Checking the breakdown of the heating element on the body

First, you need to set the multimeter to ringing mode. Next, we touch the heating element contact with one probe of the device, and the body with the second.

1. If the tester does not emit any sound signal, there is no breakdown on the case.
2. When the device beeps, this is a sign that the heating element has a breakdown in the body. In this case, it will need to be replaced.

With these manipulations you can check the performance of a tubular electric heater using a multimeter (tester).

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I hope the article was clear and useful. Now you know how to check (ring) the heating element with a multimeter and understand whether it needs to be replaced or whether you need to look for problems elsewhere.

Sooner or later, any owner of this device will have to replace a burnt-out heating element in a storage electric boiler. Don’t think that it will serve you for decades, no matter how high-quality and expensive the model is.

Heating elements fail for two reasons:

• scale formation and burnout of the working element (heating coil)

• corrosion and mechanical failure

Scale and cleaning of heating elements

Scale forms primarily in the presence of hard water. Just 1mm of scale gives 75% additional thermal insulation. Thus, the heating element under such a large layer of salts simply begins to overheat.

The first sign of scale formation is a distinct hissing or whistling noise.

When the noises become louder, but the boiler continues to work properly, do not delay cleaning, otherwise it may be too late.

Disassemble the boiler, as shown below, and begin cleaning. This can be done in two ways:

Cut off the neck of a 1.5 liter plastic bottle and dilute the solution in it:

• warm water 60 degrees

• 7 teaspoons citric acid

Soak the heating element in it overnight. After which, in the morning you clean off all excess. The result is sometimes simply amazing.

Corrosion of the water heating element

Why does the heating element body corrode and collapse? The fact is that the heating element in the boiler is equipped with a magnesium anode.

Without it, a galvanic couple is formed inside the titanium:

• tank - heating element

And with a magnesium anode:

• heating element - anode

Through this anode, all stray currents flow to the ground, gradually taking with them some part of the anode body. When it is completely destroyed, these currents begin to flow down the body of the heating element.

The growths on the heating element do not form evenly. Because of this, different parts of its copper shell acquire different expansion coefficients. As a result, surface tension is created, which breaks the shell of the heating element.

In many service centers, if the boiler breaks down completely, you may even be denied a warranty if you do not have a receipt for timely replacement of the anode.

Ultimately, corrosion becomes through and the working element burns out.

By the way, with the anode intact, the water from the tank may have a slight odor. When the smell disappears, this may be some kind of sign of corrosion of the electrode.

Modern models have special sensors that monitor the condition of the anode.

With timely replacement of the anode and mandatory cleaning, your heating element will actually last several times longer. Grounding the housing also increases the service life of the heating element by at least two times.

However, for some reason many people lose sight of this point. Meanwhile, during intensive work, it is recommended to clean the boiler at least once a year.

It cannot be said with certainty that some models, for example Electrolux, Ariston or Gorenje, have a longer service life than Thermex or Indesit. It all depends on many factors:

• amount of water consumed

• the average heating temperature of this water, its chemical composition

• is there grounding or not?

Checking the serviceability of the heating element

How can you understand that the heating element has burned out and it’s time to change it? If the indicator lights light up and show that the boiler is on, but it does not heat, this is only an indirect reason.

You can also check the presence of potential between zero and the body of the device. When the heating element is destroyed, its current-carrying spiral comes into contact with water, and through it the voltage reaches the boiler body.

It is better to take measurements with a multimeter in AC voltage measurement mode. The dial can show either a couple of tens of volts or all 220V. This already indicates a 100% malfunction and the need to change the heating element.

If you have an RCD, as it should be in a normal circuit, then it starts to knock out when you try to turn on and supply power.

A correct RCD (not 30mA, but max 10mA) is a mandatory element of the circuit when connecting any boiler, otherwise the voltage can easily appear on the faucet, tap water in the kitchen and in other unexpected places.

Draining water and disassembling the water heater

And so, when you decide that you still need to open it, the first thing you do is turn off the power by unplugging the plug from the socket. Then drain the water from the titanium. To do this, turn off the hot and cold water supply taps.

Unscrew the cold water hose, placing a suitable container for drainage.

If water does not flow from the removed hose, this indicates an air lock. We need to remove it. To do this, just slightly loosen the nut at the point where the hot water pipe connects to the pipe.

After draining, completely unscrew both valves from the titanium (hot + cold) to open the bottom cover and gain access to the heating elements.

There are modern models where the bottom cover is collapsible and to remove it, it is not necessary to touch the valve. It comes in the form of a plastic insert secured with several screws.

Disconnect the power wires, first remembering or marking with a marker which one is connected where. Better yet, draw a diagram. As a rule, all wires are colored and this will be easy to do. Otherwise, you can get confused in such a pile of wiring.

If you don’t want to draw anything, then just take a couple of photos on your cell phone. You will know exactly the location of all elements and wires.

After this, unscrew the nuts or screws securing the heating element itself around the perimeter.

You can unscrew them in any order, but you need to screw them in the same way as the engine head or the wheels on a car, that is, crosswise.

If you immediately tighten a nut all the way, this will cause the flange to bend and there will not be the required tightness. Consequently, the gasket will not hold and will leak.

Carefully pull the heating element out. It will be all covered in rust, and from the magnesium anode, except for a thin burnt piece of iron, there may be nothing left at all.

Flushing

After the heating elements are removed, the boiler itself must be rinsed with clean water to remove all the rust and dirt that has accumulated inside. Therefore, for a quality replacement, the water heater still has to be removed from the wall.

Rinse the insides with an ordinary tap hose. Pour only a little water, since the boiler with a volume of 50-80 liters will still have to be lifted manually to drain all the scraps. Some people add citric acid when washing, others don’t.

Washing tip: It is best to rinse the tank in the bathroom, placing it vertically on a linen board. Twist the watering can from the mixer shower and insert the hose into the hole where the heating element was.

Replacing heating element and anode

After all cleaning procedures, proceed to reassembly. Keep in mind that the anode may not be included with the new heating element. Be sure to buy it separately and screw it into your seat.

It is especially worth noting that if two heating elements are installed in the boiler, then it is not always necessary to install two anodes.

One is enough for one electric titanium, even if you have at least five heating elements inside. The anode is not an accessory or component of the heating element. This is an element of protection for the boiler.

Please note that in the factory version, during the first disassembly, on the second heating element there is no place at all for mounting this anode.

Some claim that on tanks with stainless steel you can do without an anode, the main thing is to have them in specimens with walls made of glass porcelain.

However, the pattern of failure of boilers is usually the same: first the anode, then the heating element and then the housing.

You can install heating elements not only from the direct manufacturer of the boiler. For example, there is a company called Thermowatt, which produces some of the best heating elements on the market. The main thing is that the power, overall dimensions and seating fit.

Practice has shown that there is not much difference. The main thing here is the quality of the product (China or Italy).

When repairing, be sure to change the flange gasket. Here are some of their varieties for boilers Thermex, Ariston, Indesit, Gorenje, Electrolux:

Thermex Ariston Indesit Gorenje Electrolux

Some people are trying to save money here. Remove the old one and replace it with the new element.

However, a leak that will inevitably form in a month or two will make you regret such savings.

The flange nuts, as mentioned above, are tightened in a cross pattern. In this case, there is no need to use excessive force; you can inadvertently break the thread or tear the pin out of the body.

According to the marks sketched in the diagram, connect the power wires and replace the protective casing-cover. Before closing the cover, be sure to check all terminal blocks again, they should fit tightly and not loosen.

Filling with water and checking functionality

Hang the electric titanium in place. Connect the hoses and open the cold water and begin to fill the tank. The hot water tap must also be open to allow air to escape.

At the same time, make sure that there are no leaks anywhere. As soon as water comes out of the “hot” tap, the boiler is full. There is no need to close the tap immediately; let all the “slurry” spill out and finally flush the tank and pipes.

Only when clean water comes out do you turn off the mixer.

After this, the water heater must stand for at least half an hour or an hour so that condensation leaves all surfaces and there is confidence that there are no leaks.

You can then apply voltage by plugging the titanium into an outlet. To check the operation of the thermostat, use the control knob to force the adjustment to maximum and minimum.

In this case, the boiler on/off light should light up.

If the boiler operates quietly, without making any sounds, and it is not clear to you whether it is heating or not, you can check the energy consumption using the meter.

At maximum heating power of the heater, the counter will spin or blink much faster. This means that the heating elements work as they should.

The entire repair with the purchase of spare parts will cost you around 1500-2000 rubles. In any workshop that calls a plumber to your home, they will ask for at least 3,000-5,000 rubles for such work, and this does not include materials.

So self-repair can save you a significant amount of money, the main thing is not to make some mistakes.

Errors when replacing heating elements

1 Tighten the heating element fastening nuts in a circle.

As discussed in this article, this method will lead to bending of the flange and subsequent leakage. That is, you will have to remove the boiler from the wall again, unscrew everything and reassemble it again.

2 Application of sealant when installing the gasket.

No sealants should be used when replacing heating elements. Tightness should be created only by uniform pressing of the gasket material.

3 Using an old gasket.

No matter how intact it may seem, in any case, every time you open the heating elements, be sure to replace the sealing elements.

4 Replacing only the heating element without replacing the magnesium anode.

Even if you don’t find a suitable anode in your store, never install heating elements inside the tank without it. Not only does this reduce the service life of the heating elements, but ultimately it all ends in burning out the body of the boiler tank.

True, some expensive boiler models have titanium anodes with electronic potential removal.

They just don't require replacement. Therefore, before unscrewing anything, carefully study the product data sheet.

5 Control board.

When washing the tank and draining the water, be very careful; you can accidentally flood the electronic control board with the display, which is located on the side of the housing, with water. In this case, the boiler simply will not start after switching on.

You will search for the cause for a long time, ringing all the terminals, but it will lie literally on the surface. You can soak this board even with the boiler upside down.

Look closely at the hole where the lone control wire goes.

Water can simply flow through it directly to the electronics. So, it is best to close this hole initially, even before pulling out the heating elements, by pushing any seal there.