From time to time, owners of washing machines have to change the heating element. It cannot be said that this part is the most vulnerable in the machine, but due to excessively hard tap water and voltage surges, the heaters often stop functioning. You can replace the element yourself without turning to a specialist for help. Even a “newbie” can cope with such work. We'll tell you how to choose the right heating element for your washing machine. What heater parameters should you pay close attention to?
Is it possible to install a more powerful heating element?
First, it’s worth checking how powerful the heating element is in your washing machine. For individual heating elements, the operating power indicator can reach 2200 W, but devices with 1800-1900 W are more common. The higher the value, the sooner the water in the tank is “brought” to the desired temperature, but electricity consumption also increases.
According to experts, heating elements of different capacities are suitable for many automatic machines.
For example, having removed the “original” tubular heater with a power of 1.9 kW from the washing machine, and not finding a similar one, you can easily install a 1.8 kW heating element in the machine. The main thing is that the element fits other parameters. There will be nothing wrong with such a “replacement”, the only thing is that the “home assistant” will heat the water a little slower. It is also allowed to install more powerful heating elements. However, the excess of the indicator should be reasonable - no more than 0.1-0.2 kW. Still, if possible, it is better to install an original heating element with a rating similar to the “original” one.
The power indicator of the heating element (printed on the body of the spare part) must be known in order to check the element. So, using the simple formula R=U²/P (where “U” is the network voltage indicator), you can calculate the operating resistance of the part. For example, an 1800 W heater should “produce” a resistance of 26.9 Ohms (plus/minus 3 Ohms).
To check the heater you will need a multimeter. It is necessary to switch the tester into resistance measurement mode and attach its probes to the terminals of the part (right and left). The middle bolt is the grounding bolt; you don’t need to touch it. If the device display shows a value within 23-30 Ohms, it means that the heating element is working and does not need to be replaced. The zero displayed on the multimeter display will tell you about a short circuit that has occurred inside the heating element. One or an infinitely large number indicates a break in the heater. In any of these situations, the element will need to be replaced.
Required part parameters
For the repair to go smoothly, you need to choose the right heating element. The ideal option is to remove the faulty heater from the washing machine and go to the store with it. The consultant, after examining the part, will help you find a complete analogue. If the choice of spare parts for automatic washing machines in your locality is small, and you have to order the part via the Internet, you need to be very careful when choosing a heating element. It is necessary to look not only at the power of the heater, but also at a number of other characteristics.
Seating place. The heater you purchase must exactly match the dimensions of the hole for it. It is better to measure the length of the heating element so as not to make a mistake when choosing. The “dimensions” of most parts are the same, but if your washer was released quite a long time ago (10-15 years ago), then there will be differences.
Equipped with a collar.If your machine had a heating element with a collar, it is better to install a similar element, although this is not necessary. But if the “original” heater did not have an additional “device”, it is important to replace it with a part without a collar.
Dimensions. You can find short, medium and long tubular heaters on sale. So, it will not be possible to install a larger heating element, but a smaller element will do.
Form. Most automatic machines are equipped with straight tubular heaters. However, in some models you can find curved heating elements. Therefore, be sure to remove the element from the machine and inspect it before ordering a new one.
Hole for connecting the thermostat. Some heaters have special cavities for a temperature sensor. So, instead of a heating element with a hole, it is quite possible to install a part without it, but you will have to use a plug. If your machine has a separate thermistor, you can safely buy an element without any “holes”.
Heating element coating. This indicator will only affect the reliability and wear resistance of the tubular heater. Otherwise, the coating does not play too big a role when selecting components.
When choosing spare parts for a washing machine, it is better to pay attention to the heater manufacturer.
So, when selecting a heating element, it is recommended to take a closer look at the Italian brand Thermowatt. The components of this brand are highly reliable. IRCA parts are not inferior to them - the heating elements are equipped with a fuse - due to this, the service life of the device is extended.
What types of heating elements are there?
There are many variations in the design of heating elements. To sort them all out would require writing a very long article.All this information will be superfluous, since you can understand how to choose the right heating element using just a few examples. So, on sale you can find heating elements in the following design.
Classic heating element, power 1.9 kW. Device length 175 mm. It has a hole for a temperature sensor and is equipped with a collar.
Universal tubular heater with a rating of 1.6 kW, 18 cm long. There is no collar, there is a hole for the thermistor. Mostly installed on Samsung brand washing machines.
An elongated heating element, 30.5 cm in length. It has a high power of 2 kW. The part is straight, equipped with a temperature sensor, a collar and a rubber seal.
Standard heater rated 1.9 kW, length 173 mm. There is a collar, there are no holes for the thermostat.
Long heating element 305 mm. Installed on some LG models. It has a power of 2 kW, has a collar and a thin cuff.
As can be seen from the examples, there are heating elements of different sizes. Therefore, it is very important to dismantle the faulty part and measure the length of the heating element. Also see if there is a collar and a hole for the thermostat. This will help you avoid making mistakes when choosing components. Proper selection of spare parts will save your time and money.
From time to time, owners of washing machines have to change the heating element. It cannot be said that this part is the most vulnerable in the machine, but due to excessively hard tap water and voltage surges, the heaters often stop functioning. You can replace the element yourself without turning to a specialist for help. Even a “newbie” can cope with such work. We'll tell you how to choose the right heating element for your washing machine. What heater parameters should you pay close attention to?
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