Simple repair of electric heaters. Main malfunctions

Oil-filled electric heaters have simple design, so there is usually no particular difficulty in their operation.

In most cases they go out of order, having worked more than one warranty period.

However, even the simplicity of design sometimes cannot save an oil heater from breakdown, which usually occurs at the very wrong moment.

Difficulties in troubleshooting can only cause oil leak, the appearance of which is easy to detect during a visual inspection of the device. Oil smudges that appeared on the heater body indicate that the device must be urgently turned off, and then take care of purchasing a new heating device.

Some craftsmen are able to bring the oil heater back to life even after the appearance of such a malfunction, but this work quite complex, which takes a lot of time. Such repairs are extremely rare.

To repair other damage, usually contact a specialist, however, having elementary knowledge of electrical engineering, it is quite possible to solve the problem on your own.

Attention! Any repair of the electric heater must be carried out in compliance with the safety regulations. The device must be disconnected from the mains.

Experts believe that the correct fault detection makes the repair of the device already half done. Therefore, the first step in the repair of an oil heater is always the diagnosis of the device. In order to find a device malfunction, you need to know how it works, what parts are included in its design.

The appearance of an oil heater most often resembles conventional battery heating, however, this device is sealed, and its interior is filled with oil.

At the bottom of the container inserted heating element. A thermal fuse is located near the heating element, which serves to turn off the heater if the temperature of its body rises excessively.

Thermal relay usually located in the upper part of the body, not in contact with it. A switch is placed near the relay. If it is present, there is no need to remove the plug from the socket to turn off the heater.

Protozoa oil heater diagram looks like that:

When the switch is closed, after plugging in the plug of the electrical appliance, the heating element immersed in oil begins to heat up. The start of the device is signaled by a light bulb.

The adjustable thermostat determines the maximum temperature after which The heating element will turn off. It will return to the heating mode after the device cools down to the set temperature.

thermostat adjustment occurs by a bimetallic plate located inside it. The position sensor is designed to break the electrical circuit when the heater overturns.

For better management the operation of the device is equipped with two heating elements. In this case, two switches are installed on the case. With their help, the heating power is regulated. When adjusting, one of the heating elements can be turned off.

Schematic diagram, practically differs little from a conventional heating device. Its main difference is that in the presence of a fan, the heating elements can't turn on if the fan is not working for some reason. Such a heater circuit eliminates damage to the heating elements from overheating.

Malfunctions and repair of an oil heater

If the heater was working properly yesterday, today stops heating up, then there is no need to immediately run to the workshop, or to the store for a new heating device.

Many malfunctions are quite possible fix it yourself having basic skills in repairing electrical appliances.

An exception may be faulty heater, most often tightly rolled in the heater housing. It is quite possible to remove it, but it will not be possible to put it back in place. Even if the heater is equipped with a removable heating element, it will be difficult to achieve tightness of the device when replacing it.

Usually, the malfunctions that occur when the heater breaks down appear in more accessible places. The most vulnerable spot The device is a cord, so its integrity should be checked first. If the design of the plug allows it to be disassembled, then you need to check the connection points of the cord cores with the pins of the plug.

When the plug is in good condition the next step should be to check the condition of the cord itself, as well as the place of its connection to the power supply of the heater. To do this, the decorative cover of the device panel is removed and the tester checks the serviceability of the cord. If it is damaged, the cable is replaced with a new one.

If a the cable is ok, then the fault may be hidden in the state of the contacts of the power supply. Contacts may be carbonized and loosened.

In this case, the contacts are cleaned of soot. sandpaper, and loose contacts are gently tightened.

The thermostat is located in the same place. If darkening is visible on its contacts, then they also need to be cleaned. The thermostat may be faulty. bimetal plates. If their damage is detected, the thermostat is carefully disassembled, and the plates are replaced with new ones.

If the oil cooler is categorized energy saving, then in its design there is a thermostat that ensures the device is turned on and off at the given parameters.

With excessive heat heater, or low temperature, it also needs to be examined. If a malfunction is detected, this part is replaced with a new thermostat with similar parameters.

If there is a fan in the design of the oil heater, it is also need to check. In this case, not only the contacts of the device are checked, but also the integrity of the winding of its motor. It may need to be replaced.

After completing the above checks and eliminating the observed malfunctions, the heater is assembled and then connected to the network. If the heating device still not working, you will need to consult a specialist.

Most likely that he would recommend purchasing a new heater. Some types of repairs can be so expensive that it's easier to go to the store.

You will find the device and the electrical circuit of the oil cooler in the video:

Do-it-yourself instructions for repairing (replacing a heating element) an oil heater in the video:

Your heater served you for more than one year and suddenly stopped working. No need to get upset and run to the store for a new purchase. You can try to bring the heater back to life on your own. How to repair an oil heater with your own hands so that it has been faithfully heating you for more than one year in the most severe frosts?

The principle of operation of the device

The device itself can be compared to a conventional filament coil, which is connected in parallel with a wire to a power switch. The power switch is a thermostat or thermostat.

The thermostat will make a very soft transition from one resistance value to another. Its main task is to maintain the set temperature. As a result of heating the thermostat plate, the contact is disconnected.

• Malfunction of the relay that maintains the temperature regime. Elimination - replacement.
• Broken thermostat switch. Elimination - replacement.
• The thermostat contacts are oxidized. Troubleshooting - clean oxidized contacts.
• Faulty electrical cord or outlet.
• Poor contact or its complete absence between the socket and the plug.

How to determine the cause?

In order to repair the heater, you first need to find out what exactly is out of order in it. They start with the simplest, but at the same time the main element of electricity. First check if your outlet is working. It also happens when an idle heater is disassembled, and the whole thing was in the outlet.

Next, we move on to inspecting the cord itself. Check for any damage or fractures. In such places, as a rule, disconnection of wires can occur. Repair of oil heaters should begin with checking the wire not only from the outside, but also from the inside. There may be a loose connection in the power supply unit that connects the power cord directly to it.

If you did not find any damage outside, you need to look for possible malfunctions in the power supply itself. To do this, you need to remove the cover of the power supply panel, then remove the washers and carefully inspect everything. Especially the connection of the wire to the power supply terminals.

If there was carbon deposits, they cleaned it off, the wire rang, the screws were tightened. Now put the power supply cover back on and tighten the screws. Before plugging in the device, be sure to check that there is no possibility of a short circuit, for this, use an ohmmeter.

Try connecting the device to the network. If it works, then you can be congratulated on the fact that the repair work is over. If the oil heater still does not work, repair work will have to continue.

thermostat

If they are black, then a short circuit has occurred, the device can be reanimated by cleaning the contacts with sandpaper to a shine. After cleaning, for a more effective result, it is better to wipe the contacts with alcohol.

How to repair the heater in case of suspected breakage of the bimetallic plate? The bimetallic plate is located in the same thermostat. Therefore, you first need to disassemble the thermostat, and only then take out the plate. In such a situation, the repair is only one complete replacement of the bimetallic plate.

Security

The causes of breakdowns can be very diverse, but they are all related to the electrician. Therefore, it is extremely important to observe the safety regulations while working with the device. In no case should the device be connected to the mains with the cover of the heater power supply unit open.

It is not allowed to start disassembling the device that is not turned off from the network. It is better to once again make sure that the device is in the off state. If during the operation of the heater you feel an unpleasant smell of burning, turn off the device immediately. Investigate the causes that led to the breakdown, start only after the device has completely cooled down.

In order for the oil heater to serve you faithfully for more than one year, it is important not only to choose the right model of the device, but also to operate it correctly. In this case, you will not have to independently deal with finding out the reason that caused the device to stop working, and you will also save yourself from a new waste of money caused by the purchase of a new device.

Operating conditions

Caring for an oil heater in the first place consists in proper operation, compliance with all rules and conditions.

• During operation, the surface of oil heaters can become very hot, up to about 100 degrees. If there is no special protective screen, then you can easily get a severe burn. Often there is a great temptation to hang wet laundry on the device to dry, rightly believing that it will dry in a moment. Of course, it will dry out, but it can also lead to breakage of the device. Wet laundry hung to dry does not allow the appliance to give off the body in the room, so it cannot cool down. Because of this, in turn, its internal components begin to overheat. The result is a breakdown. If you really want to use a heater to dry clothes, buy a special device that attaches to the top of the device and you can lay out wet laundry without damaging the device.
• It is advisable to wipe the heater from dust accumulating on it as often as possible. This also saves the device from overheating and increases its thermal output. In addition, dust burning on the heater can cause an unpleasant odor.
• Do not install the device in damp rooms. Oil radiators are not intended for use in bathrooms or showers. The most ideal place for such devices is spacious dry rooms.
• It is undesirable to use oil radiators in small rooms. The truth is worse from this becomes the owners of the device. In a small area, the device simply cannot function properly. Therefore, very often in the premises there is a lack of oxygen and too dry air.

• The oil heater must only be operated in a vertical position. Even its storage in the summer, when there is no need to use additional heat sources, should only take place vertically. If it happens that the device has been lying in a horizontal position for a long time, let it stand before turning it on. This is necessary so that the oil completely glass down, and the heating elements do not overheat due to the lack of a heat conductor.
• It is not recommended to use adapters to connect the radiator. This usually happens when the socket in the room does not have a Euro plug. If such a need arose, then it is better to buy a really high-quality reliable conductor. Most often you can find cheap options in stores. When you connect the device with their help, the contact is not complete. As a result, the device turns on and off. This will not end in anything good for the heater, it can simply burn out.

As you can see, in order for the oil heater to work well and for a long time, no extra effort is required. Prevention during the operation of the device will only benefit. Proper care can extend the life of your appliance.

Another important point: never leave the radiator on when leaving home and do not place it near upholstered furniture or curtains. In general, everything that can easily catch fire. And even more so, you don’t need to put the device in close proximity to your own bed, because you can simply forget about it and get completely unpleasant sensations in the morning.

The fan heater can be used as additional electric heating for the house and summer cottage. If your system does not cope or you have not yet turned on the central heating in the apartment, such heaters can come to the rescue. But what to do if after the summer the fan heater does not turn on or blows, but does not heat? In this case, you can try to repair it yourself, which is actually not very difficult. Next, we will provide the most common causes of breakdowns and do-it-yourself repair methods.

Doesn't respond when turned on

If the fan heater does not turn on when connected to the network and pressing the button, there may be several reasons for the malfunction. The first thing to do is to check the electrical cord, perhaps it was interrupted somewhere during summer storage. Did not help? We take a screwdriver and a multimeter, after which we proceed to self-repair the fan heater. Most likely the cause of the malfunction is the fuse box, one of which worked when overheated.

On the example of a household heater Scarlett SC158 consider in the form of step-by-step instructions on how to fix a fan heater with your own hands:

We draw your attention to the fact that it is strictly forbidden to replace fuses with thin wires (bugs). With this method of repairing a fan heater with your own hands, you will make a fire hazardous heater that will not work when overheated!

Video repair instructions:

How to find a breakdown with a multimeter and repair it

Turns on but does not heat up

The second popular failure of the fan heater is blowing, but does not heat the air. In this case, the cause of the malfunction is most likely a heating element - a spiral or a ceramic heating element. Everything is simple here - you check the resistance in the circuit with a multimeter and if a break occurs somewhere, you need to replace the heating element with a new one. Sometimes it happens that the heater has stopped heating, because. damaged one of the sections of the spiral. In this case, you can try to repair the fan heater with your own hands by connecting a nichrome spiral.

It is also not a rare case when the same fuse is the cause of the breakdown. If the fan heater does not produce heat, check the fuses using the technology provided above.

In addition, the bimetallic thermostat often fails (shown in the photo with a red arrow). To repair, you just need to clean its contacts yourself to a metallic color and warm it up yourself with a soldering iron. The thermostat should behave as follows: when heated, the contacts should open the circuit, and when cooled, close it again. If the device does not work as expected, try manually closing the temperature controller and connecting the heater to the mains. If it is working, the spiral should be heated.

Blades don't spin

If the fan heater works, but the fan does not spin, the most likely cause of the malfunction is the motor has stopped working. What to do in this case? Ring the part with a multimeter and check its insides. Perhaps the bearings are simply worn out and should be replaced. About that, we talked in the corresponding article!
Another option for a breakdown is severe dust pollution, as a result of which the fan does not turn or often turns off. Try to repair the motor yourself by wiping it with a rag and dropping a little machine oil between the moving and stationary parts. Did not help? We change the electric motor that has broken down to a new one with the same characteristics.

Doesn't work well

Well, the last malfunction - the fan heater does not heat the air well. In this case, the cause of the breakdown is contamination of the parts. Most likely, the heating element is covered in dust, as a result of which heating occurs weakly, for example, at the second speed, as at the first. For such a simple repair, turn off the power and go through all the elements of the circuit with a dry rag or vacuum cleaner, the main thing is not to damage anything. Did it but didn't help? Check the electrical plug, it might be the culprit. Turn on the heater for a few minutes, then remove the plug from the outlet and feel the electrodes. If one of them is noticeably warmer than the second, the electric plug is broken, as a result of which the household heater emits little heat.

Installing an oil cooler for heating in a house in a country house or in a garage at the moment is a common and necessary thing. After all, despite all the charms of scientific and technological progress, interruptions in heating still happen. You can assemble such a unit with your own hands or purchase a factory model, but in any case, sooner or later, all owners are faced with the need to repair these products. We will talk about possible breakdowns and intricacies of assembly now.

In the photo - a voluminous home-made unit.

Oil heater repair

The older generation remembers that earlier, in the accompanying documentation for all electrical appliances, there was always a detailed diagram, thanks to which it was possible to repair the product with your own hands.

Modern instructions, as a rule, do not contain such explanations. But do not despair, an oil heater is not a spaceship and it is quite possible to understand it.

Common breakdowns

Important: do not be afraid if the oil cooler clicks when heated or after turning off.
When the technical oil inside the unit warms up or cools down, slight crackling is normal.
Plus, the thermostat can make such sounds.
In some cases, placing the instrument on a solid, level surface eliminates the problem.

• If the sensors on the control panel of the electrical appliance do not show signs of life, then first of all you need to make sure that the outlet is working. A large load entails burning the contacts. The next number is the fork, here the reason is similar. After making sure that the socket and plug are in order, you need to check the mechanical integrity of the wire itself, rubbing, creases, squeezing;

• If the indicators are lit, when it is, it is spinning, but there is no heat, you need to check the operation of the thermal relay. Such things are often not repaired, the price for it is small and there are such relays for sale. Unscrewing a couple of fasteners and reconnecting the terminals will not be difficult;
• In the case when the unit heats up normally, but does not turn off after heating, the cause must be sought in the thermostat. As in the case of a thermal relay, the thermostat is not repaired, it is immediately changed to a new one. Despite the fact that the device seems to work, you should not delay replacing the thermostat. Heating elements, working in the constant overload mode, will quickly burn out, and this is already serious;
• If the wires and automation are normal, you need to check the serviceability of the heating elements. A “broken” heating element can only be replaced if it is possible to dismantle it. In inexpensive models, the heating elements can be tightly soldered into the case; here it is already cheaper to buy a new heater;

Fault repair

Tip: although the oil cooler circuit is relatively simple, if you decide to fix the unit yourself, you should not rely on memory.
All disassembly actions must be recorded on paper or video in order to subsequently return everything to its original state.

Repairing an outlet, plug or cord is extremely simple. The socket or plug is untwisted and in case of carbon deposits, all burnt parts are removed and cleaned with emery. The cord is simply inspected and “ringed” with an ohmmeter.

Do not forget about the contact group inside the device itself. After removing the protective cover, internal contacts should also be inspected and preventive measures should be taken.

It happens that small debris gets into the armature of the thermostat and the contacts also burn out. In this case, you need to disconnect this node, remove the cause of the blockage and clean the place of the circuit, additionally wipe it with alcohol.

When completely replacing the thermostat, it is advisable to immediately adjust the settings. This can be done by setting the armature movement in the range of 1.5 - 2.5 mm. Since the casing has already been removed, it will be useful to immediately ring the thermal relay and fuse.

If, after all the efforts, it turned out that the cause of the malfunction is a “broken” heating element, then it will need to be replaced. This is not difficult to do, but you need to act carefully so as not to overfill the oil. Plus, our Chinese friends prefer to save on the quality of gaskets, which often leads to minor oil leakage, while the algorithm of actions will be similar.

The device of the oil cooler provides for the installation of heating elements in the lower end of the device. The cover can be fastened with several bolts or a pair of locknuts. The device must be turned upside down and by unscrewing the fasteners, carefully remove the heaters.

Tip: there are a lot of different models of heating elements on the modern market, visually similar models may differ in characteristics or have different mounts.
Therefore, the ideal option would be to take an old heating element and, presenting it in a store, ask to pick up the same one.

In order to eliminate or prevent oil leakage when replacing the heating element, paronite gaskets should be used, as a rule, they come with the heating element. Note that rubber gaskets are not recommended, they can be destroyed when in contact with technical oil or will not withstand elevated temperatures. In order to be safe, in addition to paronite, it is necessary to additionally coat the connection with heat-resistant sealants.

How to assemble an oil heater yourself

To make such a unit at home is not difficult. Moreover, the scheme of the oil cooler is the same everywhere, the difference lies only in the power of the equipment and the dimensions of the device case.

Depending on the size and required power of the apparatus, from 1 to 4 heating elements can be installed in it. Often, one heating element is enough for a household heater.

As for the case itself, the choice is huge. Most often, standard cast-iron aluminum or steel batteries are taken for this purpose. But you can also use an ordinary metal gas cylinder of a suitable diameter, or even a tightly sealed pan. The main thing is that the heating element does not touch the body.

Don't forget the oil itself. As a rule, it is advised to take any refined technical oil. But electrical transformer oil is considered an ideal option. This composition is already adapted to work at high temperatures.

The price for it is quite high and can take up to half of the budget, so the choice of case volume must be approached carefully.

It is most convenient to make a heater from a standard MS-140 cast iron battery, it has an acceptable cost, plus there are ready-made heating elements and related accessories on the market that are adapted to this model.

As already mentioned, the heaters are mounted at the bottom end of the unit. The housing must be grounded, on the opposite side of the structure, a ball valve and an oil cooler drain hose are installed from below. This is especially true for volumetric heaters with a heavy body, where oil drainage, if necessary, is hampered by a high mass.

Since we are talking about a heater based on the MS-140, then the upper hole of the battery, which is located above the heating element, is closed with a cork. And above the drain tap, the hole is closed with a plug with a Mayevsky tap built into it, so that, if necessary, pressure can be relieved.

Important: regardless of the size and volume of the heater, its oil filling should be within 85%.
The remaining 15% will go to compensate for the expansion of the oil when heated, plus in large units it is advisable to install an additional expansion tank.

The video in this article shows the intricacies of assembling the heater.

Conclusion

As you can see, the malfunctions of the oil cooler, as well as the assembly of a handicraft electrical appliance with your own hands, are not sky-high difficult and impossible. For those who find it easier to visually perceive information, we have prepared a video in this article.

Oil electric heaters have been used for a long time and have proven to be a good means of heating a room if central heating is not enough. Compared to convectors, oil coolers have a high efficiency, as they give off heat for a long time after they are turned off. The article discusses one of the most common breakdowns of oil coolers and a way to eliminate it.

Regardless of the manufacturer, almost all oil coolers have a similar structure and the same components used in both expensive and cheap models.

Before you is one of the representatives of the middle class.

The problem with this heater is that it does not heat in any of the three positions of the mode switch. In addition to the oil heater in the radiator, the device has a side fan heater that works without problems.

You need to start repairing the oil heater by removing the front panel on which the controls are located. To do this, you will need a straight or Phillips screwdriver (depending on the model of the device).

There are three on this heater. One above and two below.

We find all the screws that secure this panel and unscrew them.

For the convenience of removing the lower ones, you can put the device with the panel up.

When the screws are removed and lie in the box, carefully remove the cover from the radiator. At the same time, the wires inside and other elements can interfere with this, so you need to do this slowly, removing obstacles.

The cover is removed, and heating elements and other elements of the circuit appear in front of you.

Here are the main ones

thermostat,

package switch,

protective thermocouple.

Outwardly, everything looks fine. The wires are in good condition, the nodes are not damaged. You will have to check each element individually.

Checking the heating elements of the oil heater

To check, you need a device that can determine the integrity of the electrical circuit. Any "dialing", multimeter or voltage indicator.

But before you take measurements, you need to remove one end of the wire.

This is the neutral wire "common" for two heaters. This is necessary so that the circuit does not show through the circuit, this can happen even with a non-working heating element.

We put one end of the dialing on the "common" wire, and the second alternately, first on one, then on the other end of the heater.

With serviceable elements, both should “ring”. In this case, both heating elements are working.

Check the thermostat

With open contacts, it did not show the circuit, which means that measurement can be done without removing the terminals with wires from it. Turning the regulator clockwise, you will hear a click and the contact, both visually and according to the readings of the measuring device, is closed.

And again, the cause of the breakdown was not found.

The next step is to check the thermal protection element

Finding it was not easy, as it was hidden in an insulating tube.

We unscrew its fastening and tighten the tube. It works as a fuse, it works (breaking the circuit) when the temperature standards are exceeded and when it cools down, it returns to its original state.

Here the same call comes to the rescue. We just connect its ends on both sides. The presence of a circuit indicates the health of the thermoelement. Again, no damage was found.

Packet switch test

Upon closer inspection, you can see that its plastic body is slightly deformed. And this happened, most likely due to excessive heating of the contacts.

We parse it.

To do this, use a small screwdriver to open its mount.

After that, remove the top cover. Under it, such contacts are found.

It is immediately obvious that they are burnt, and that's all.

We take a file or, in extreme cases, a nail file and clean them. There is only one movable contact, and it has this shape.

To remove it, you just need to pull it towards you. This will release the switch handle. We clean the movable contact of the switch over the entire surface and insert it into the fixed ones.

It is not easy to do this, but it is possible. Now cover it with a lid and try to put it in its original place. In this case, the handle on the front panel must be compared with the package switch shaft so that the strip on it indicates some position of the switch.

We clamp the mount and try to switch.

If everything works without problems, we lay the wires and bundle them.

We put on all the removed terminals and put the heater on the wheels. Without closing the lid, carefully plug it into the network. The appliance must be warm. In our case, this is what happens.

Disconnect from the mains and fasten the cover with screws. We turn it on again and check the work in all positions.

Repair of the oil cooler showed that the cause of the failure was burnt contacts of the package stage switch. It is unfortunate, but this breakdown is one of the most frequent in any heating devices. The reason is switching under high current and poor-quality manufacturing of the assembly contacts.