Washing machine does not heat – causes and troubleshooting

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Hardly any other electrical appliance has such an important importance in the household as the washing machine. Almost every day, the device cleans dirty laundry for years, saving you a lot of effort and work. However, if the machine has been running regularly for several years, small and major errors sometimes creep in. It doesn’t matter whether you own a no-name device or a branded machine from Bosch, Siemens or Miele.

If the heating of the washing machine is defective,sandpaper for glass this is often only noticed by laymen after some time. But if you have the feeling that your laundry feels ice-cold even after a cooking program, the assumption is that the washing machine heater no longer works properly. But how do you recognize a defective heater? What causes can this problem have? Is it possible to carry out the repair yourself, or does an expert necessarily have to be commissioned? We have compiled the answers to these questions as well as many other tips for you in today’s guide.

Many causes possible

Most laymen suspect that the heating rods of the washing machine are broken if the device no longer heats properly. In fact, the heating is exposed to quite high wear due to the permanent heating and cooling as well as the electrochemical corrosion. Especially if you have owned your machine for a long time, this error is therefore an option. However, this is only one of many possible causes that can cause the heating to fail. Often there is also a problem in the circuit of the machine. Unfortunately, troubleshooting in this case is not so easy.

You need at least basic knowledge in the field of electronics to track down the error. You need to take some measurements so that you can find out where the culprit is by the exclusion procedure.

In any case, you should consider the following components and components when researching the causes:

Heating element

Temperature sensor of the heater (NTC sensor)

Cable contacts

Insulation

Heating contactor

Dry running protection

Assignment of the program switch

In principle, these components can be responsible for ensuring that washing machines no longer heat. It is therefore important to check the functionality of the elements by means of visual inspections and measurements. Of course, you need the appropriate specialist knowledge to measure. For example, to find out whether the NTC sensor is broken, the resistance must be measured there. It only works properly if the resistance decreases with increasing temperature.

Typical damage caused by broken heating

With washing machines that have a heater, the problem is in many cases there. Often the contacts burn through or the connection is interrupted inside. Rather, less often, the heating itself is defective. With old devices, electrochemical corrosion occasionally leads to contact weakness, so that heating is no longer possible.

Various principles for heating

In order to find the fault, it depends on the exact equipment of your heating system. Some devices have a direct thermal stop, while other models use an indirect thermal stop. If your machine has a direct thermal stop, a certain temperature must first be reached before the program performs the next step.

With a device with a direct thermal stop, it is easy to detect the defect if the heater no longer works, because the machine would get stuck in the middle of the wash cycle.

In addition, there are variants in which heating is based on a defined time. A machine that does not have an external thermostat defines the temperature set by the respective program according to a time schedule. In this case, the passage is still terminated, even if the washing machine can not heat. You only notice that the device does not heat because the laundry feels unusually cold.

Find and fix defects in the electronics

In order to correct such electrical faults, you need basic electrotechnical knowledge. In addition, a circuit diagram is an advantage. In any case, take the necessary safety precautions before checking the electronics of your washing machine. Remember to unplug the power outlet to unplug the device from power.

The following instructions are not intended for laymen without electronics expertise. Contact customer service and have the machine professionally repaired if you lack the necessary knowledge.

In order to check the electronics of the machine, it must be removed from the device. You can then find out if, for example,best oscillating spindle sanders there are cold solder joints or other damage that could cause the washing machine to stop heating properly. In order to remove the electronics, you need to unscrew the back wall of your washing machine and go in search of the circuit board. You may also have a model where the top cover plate needs to be unscrewed to open the machine and make the board accessible. Once you have found the electronics, follow the instructions below:

Inspect the board thoroughly and look for braised spots or cold solder joints.

If you discover such damage, it is obvious that you have found the culprit for the no longer functioning heating. Use a soldering iron and solder to re-solder the defective areas cleanly and thoroughly.

Also check if there are fused connectors on the board itself or on other components.

If you discover such errors, you should replace the connectors if possible. Alternatively, you can thoroughly clean the contacts of the connectors.

Then reinstall the circuit board and screw the washing machine shut. Now reconnect the device and run a test run to see if it washes your laundry again as expected.

Detecting non-electrical faults

If you have carried out all visual inspections and measurements, but have not found an error, other components can be considered as a source of error. If you have a device that heats with a time control, a clogged air flap could also be the culprit. In addition, it happens that the water from the lye vat runs off permanently if the drain hose or the vat itself is defective. In both cases, heating is done without water, so that the heating stop is triggered. Observe whether water leaks during the pre-wash cycle. In this case, the suction regulator can be considered as the cause of the error. Check if the pump of the machine is defective, because it can also be responsible for the fact that the washing machine no longer heats.

If in doubt, ask a specialist

As you can see, it’s not so easy to figure out why a washing machine doesn’t heat anymore. The causes are very diverse and electronic expertise is absolutely necessary for troubleshooting. If, despite the tips and hints from today’s guide, you can not determine why the heating on your washing machine fails to perform the service, you should hire a specialist with the repair. If you still have a warranty on your device, this is the best idea anyway. If your washing machine is already too old and therefore no longer has a warranty, customer service can certainly provide you with a cost estimate. This allows you to estimate in advance what costs you will incur for the repair work and whether it may be better to invest immediately in a new, modern and more energy-saving machine.

Summary

If the freshly washed laundry feels unusually cold after going through the program, or if the wash stops in an unforeseen place, it may be that the heating of the device has failed. There are many different reasons for this. In most cases, the electronics of the machine are defective, so electronic expertise is necessary to find the error. If you do not have this knowledge, you should ask customer service for advice to have the device professionally repaired. In rarer cases, it is also due to the pump of the washing machine, a clogged air flap or a leaking lye vat, if the heating no longer works.

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