Video tutorials
If the water heater doesn’t heat water or the RCD kicks out when you turn it on, you can check the water heater’s heating element as follows:
If you want to test the heating element of a washing machine, you have to get to it before. The entire instruction is provided step by step in this
To check the iron with a multimeter, simply disassemble the housing and touch the pins with the feeler gauge, as shown here:
As for the kettle, you can test it using the following procedure:
In a similar way you can check the serviceability of the heating element in the dishwasher, heater (for example, in the coil of a heat gun) or other household electrical appliance. We hope that our instructions have helped you and now it is clear how to check the heating element with a multimeter at home!
How to check the heating element for open and short circuits
The next important step in testing the performance of the heating element, is its testing, to identify the two main faults:
Heater breakage. conductive filament, rod or spiral inside the case;
Short circuit between its terminals;
The step-by-step instructions that will help you to test the heating element include the following steps:
Leakage current measurement method
Disassembled to access the contacts of the heating element;
Disconnect the supply wires from the heater;
On the multimeter, select a test mode, and place the probes in the appropriate “COM” and “VMa” sockets;
Touch the probes to the output studs of the electric heater, each to its own stud;
If the display shows “1” and the buzzer does not sound, the unit is damaged, destroyed, or the conductive element is broken. It is the heating element that heats up when it is switched on. It is not practical to repair it, usually it is simply replaced with a new one.
If the circuit is tested and the signal is present and the display shows a reading other than “1”, it means that it is intact.
But rejoice too early, there is still a possibility that the tube electric heater is defective, it is necessary to determine one of its main indicators. internal electrical resistance.
Checking Rules
Checking the heating element is not difficult, but you need to know some of the nuances of this diagnosis:
- Check only with a fully functional multimeter,
- It is possible to check the heating element only by disconnecting all connected wires,
- joints of metal and multimeter probes should be cleaned of any dirt, rust and lime scale,
- The safety valve must be checked.
All these conditions are obligatory for exact diagnostics in order not to recognize the working heating element as faulty by mistake.
Possible malfunctions
Even if the heating element and the tank are regularly descaled, after some time the heater is damaged and the contacts can become fried. You can tell by the RCD tripping all the time and by the tingling in your fingers when you wash your hands. If the scale has completely covered the heating element, when the faucet is open in the tank will be heard rattling, clicking, there may be a smell of sulfur.
Spoiled heating element must be replaced. A heater operating intermittently and intermittently must not be used.
- Circuit breaker is triggered regularly. overloading occurs due to the need to warm up the scale layer.
- If there is an electrical current on the housing, the RCD is triggered.
- The boiler control unit is permanently switched off.
- Safety valve is malfunctioning, it is triggered, it must be pressed.
The main problems of the heating tube:
- Coil breaks. It can burn out during a short circuit in the network. The electric circuit of the water heater opens, the machine does not work.
- Electrical leakage on the case (breakdown). Caused by destruction of the insulating layer or the shell. Ground fault normally trips, power supply to the boiler is shut off.
- Scale build up on the shell surface. Insoluble solid sludge can be on the tube, and if the boiler is not cleaned for a long time the layer becomes thick. Heating elements and the bottom of the tank are buried under the thickness of scale.
Faulty temperature sensor in the water heater causes damage to the heating element. The device does not properly control the heating of the liquid, overheating constantly occurs. Regular work in such conditions leads to the destruction of the shell or the coil itself.
Prevent breakdowns of the internal heater by installing a filter directly before the boiler or provide for a filter system at the inlet to the house. The unit is cleaned every 6 to 12 months, making sure that the magnesium anode is replaced in time, as it wears out.
How to check the water heater heating element for serviceability
Heating element. the most important and most frequent part that fails in flow-through, storage and flow-storage water heaters. Bad water quality has a negative effect on the service life of the heating element. Over time it becomes encrusted and begins to rust. Through-corrosion of the tube with the appearance of tiny microcracks leads to bare conductive thread, which in contact with water poses a danger to life and health. If the device has stopped delivering hot water, then, first of all, check the serviceability of the heating element. Simple actions will help to save time, more accurately diagnose the cause of the problem, to protect yourself and others.
Finding the heater in the washing machine
First you need to find the heater. But be sure to unplug it from the socket before doing so.
Many models (Indesit, LG and Ariston) have the heating element at the back, and only Bosch and Siemens have it at the front. If the back of the washing machine has a large lid, screwed with hardware, it’s probably there. To get to it, all you have to do is unscrew the bolts and remove the cover.
Another way to determine the location of the heater is to look into the machine from below, gently turning it sideways.
We check the water heater heating element for serviceability. I tell you what algorithm we use
First of all, the search for the cause of malfunction must begin with a check for current leakage. Usually, if this happens, immediately upon turning on the power supply RCD or differential switch is triggered and the line is de-energized. Finding the leak is done in the following way:
Disconnect the tested electrical appliance from the socket;
Disassemble it to get access to the electric heater terminals;
Switch on the multimeter and insert the probes into the sockets “COM” and “VMa”;
We test first one contact on the body of the device, then the other;
Unfortunately, you won’t always be able to detect a breakdown in this way. Quite often, reveals it only a specialized tester. megohmmeter, which checks circuits with high voltage. This is the only way to spot minor damage to the insulation. A multimeter will only catch obvious faults, for example when a phase conductor touches the neutral conductor.
Often, a leak can be detected by measuring with the heater turned on. But I do not advise to do this unless you are 100% confident in your skills of working with electrical equipment.
If you find a leak, the connection between one of the contacts and the body. you need to look for the place of breakdown. I suggest you disconnect the supply wires from the electric heater and measure without them. Then you will know if the heating element or other elements in the circuit are to blame.
If the problem is not detected let’s continue diagnostics:
Multimeter models
It is customary to find out the resistance of the heating element by means of multimeters. There are digital and analog devices. They are used for similar purposes, but the principle of operation is different. Regardless of the option chosen to test the heater, before using it, you need to make sure that there is no damage to the integrity (including damage to the insulation coating) of the wires leading from the probes to the tested apparatus.
Digital
When buying a new meter it is preferable to choose models of this group. The design includes a controller, an integrated circuit and a screen on which the measurement result is displayed. These products are superior to analog products in accuracy. It is not defined by a zero setting or a battery discharge level. the user simply receives a numerical reading. Some products are equipped with additional functionality. with their help you can find out where the wiring is hidden in the wall thickness, to test the radio components. If testing of heating elements is a part of professional activity, it is recommended to purchase a device equipped with an alarm. The integrity of the electrical circuit is detected by an audio signal.
Pointer
Such devices are directly connected to the test object. Radio cells convert the signal into electric current which moves the pointer placed in a magnetic field. Strict polarity must be respected when using the device. If there is an error, the pointer moves in the opposite direction until it meets the limiter and a high modulus signal can cause the multimeter to malfunction. If such a mistake is made when handling a digital instrument, it will notify the user with a “minus” sign on the display before the numerical value of the measured parameter.
How to use the device
PVC pipes and fittings for plumbing is a guarantee of quality water in the house, read about the benefits.
To make your water tastier and healthier take care of filters in your private home, read about it at https://klimatlab.com/vodosnabzhenie/filtraciya/filtry-dlya-ochistki-vodyv-chastnii-dom.html
Flow-through-type machines require a few other rules to be followed.
- Check the water pressure before turning on the power. Weak jet will not allow the device to function properly.
- In case of uncomfortable temperature, adjust it with the buttons on the body or by turning the faucet tap.
- If the place of installation of the heater is a bathroom, arrange for splash protection.
- No more hot water needed. be sure to turn the unit off.
Reliability of equipment depends not only on the quality of products. Also important: the correct installation, commissioning and use of the equipment. Compliance with the recommendations given in the article will significantly increase the period of uninterrupted operation of the boiler.
