Checking the heating element of the washing machine

If your washing machine suddenly does not heat the water, then various breakdowns are possible. The most common of them is failure of the heating element (heater). But how can you be sure that this is the problem? We'll talk about this in more detail below.

How to remove the heating element of a washing machine?

Let's first remove the heating element. To do this, we need to open the body of the washing machine.

For most models, the heating element is located at the rear. But there are also those who have it in the front. Let's say your machine falls into the majority category. Then we need to remove the back wall by unscrewing several screws (if your machine has a heating element at the front, then remove the front wall).

Then we find the heating element. It is located at the bottom of the tank. Then disconnect it from the wires. If you want, you can take a photo of their position so as not to confuse them later. And we extract it. To get it out we need to unscrew the nut, which is located right in the middle. Then press or tap the protruding end of the bolt to push it inwards.

After this, you can pry off the heating element with something flat; a slotted screwdriver or knife will do. For clarity, we decided to add a video on replacing the heating element. In it you will see how to disassemble the machine and where to find the heating element we need and how to remove it. Let's look:

Checking the heating element

Now we have removed the heating element and can check its functionality.

To check, we will use a multimeter, also called a tester. The normal resistance of the heating element is from 20 to 40 ohms. In some models of washing machines it can reach 60 Ohms.If the resistance is significantly less than 20 ohms, it means it is faulty.

You can also watch a specialist’s consultation on checking (ringing) the heating element with a multimeter:

Adviсe

We can also use visual inspection to identify faults. Just look at the heating element. If you notice black marks resembling specks, then most likely it has a breakdown in the body.

You should be very careful about the performance of this part. Indeed, in case of some breakdowns, it can supply electrical voltage to the body of the washing machine. This could cause an accidental electric shock.

If you carefully examine the heating element, you can understand how it is fixed to the tank and how the sealing occurs. When we tighten the nut onto the thread, the rubber part of the fastening mechanism expands. It is due to this that it is properly fastened in its place and does not allow water to spill out into the machine.

It is for this reason that, before taking out the heating element, we twist the nut and press on the protruding threaded rod so that it goes inside. Only after this we can remove our heating element, using a flat-head screwdriver to pry it off. The whole process must be done very carefully, because on some models of washing machines it is very easy to break the tank.

When we return the heating element to its place, we need to make sure that it fits into the required mount, which is located at the bottom of the tank. If it is located above this mount, it will touch the drum. In some cases, this problem is detected only during the spin function.

3 reader comments

1. 03/05/2016 at 12:23

   novel:

   very helpful and clear

   Answer
2. 08/05/2016 at 07:32

   Sergey:

   Useful information! Brief and clear! Thank you!

   Answer
3. 03/20/2021 at 10:12

   Elena:

   Cool, but with the engine it’s a little complicated

   Answer