How is the heating element replaced in Bosch washing machines?

Bosch household appliances have long conquered millions of users around the world with their phenomenal vitality and functionality. Bosch washing machines are no exception. The ease of maintenance and truly exceptional reliability inherent in these devices allowed them to successfully master the markets of Europe, Asia and the entire post-Soviet space.

However, nothing lasts forever, unfortunately, and this technique can fail, which, of course, in no way diminishes the merits of the popular brand. In this article, we will discuss one of the faults that always occur at the wrong time - the failure of the heating element - the heating element.

The malfunction of the heating element is quite easy to diagnose - the machine does not heat the water in all operating modes. At the same time, she can continue to implement the programmed washing mode. The fault can be identified by simply touching the transparent surface of the loading door. If it remains cold during all stages of the washing machine, then the heating element is not working.

In some cases, the washing machine, switching to the washing mode, when the heating element should come into operation, turns off. Sometimes, if not only the tubular electric heating element is damaged, but also the control unit, the machine does not turn on, giving an error signal on the display.

There are not so many reasons why the heating element of a Bosch washing machine may be faulty, but they are all fatal to this knot.

• The most common reason for the failure of the heating element, according to the elementary statistics of breakdowns of Bosch washing machines, is age. The tubular heating element is a unit that always works under extreme conditions. With temperature changes, the physical properties of the materials from which it is made change, which ultimately leads to its failure.
• Powders and fabric softeners, solutions of which are heated by heating elements, represent a rather aggressive environment, especially if these detergents are of dubious quality. It also provokes breakage.
• The properties of water in the plumbing system can contribute to the formation of scale, which prevents heat exchange between the heating element and the water in the drum. This leads to prolonged overheating of the heating element.
• Very frequent washing of laundry at extremely high temperatures, more than 60 ° C, significantly accelerate the death of heating elements.

If it was possible to identify a breakdown of the heating element, there is no point in waiting for its self-liquidation, the decision to replace it must be made immediately. It is important to adequately assess your strength, and if they are not enough for such a procedure, it is better to immediately seek help from specialists.

However, a fairly large number of users decide to carry out this operation with their own hands. With some technical skills and the right tools, this is quite affordable.

So, the decision to replace the heating element was made independently.Next, you should make sure that you have all the necessary tools. To replace the heating element in the Bosch Maxx 5, Classixx, Logixx and other popular models, you will definitely need:

• flat screwdriver;
• a screwdriver with replaceable tips;
• Torx bit (10 mm);
• key for the bit;
• tester - multimeter for measuring resistance;
• It's a good idea to have a small hammer and pliers just in case.

Of course, before you start replacing a failed heating element, you need to purchase a new one. It is highly desirable that the replacement part is original, corresponding to the model of the washing machine. Inadequacy of some characteristics of the new part can lead to more serious malfunctions of the machine. In addition, in the case of replacement with a non-original part, there is a high probability of leakage at the junction.

In order to change the heating element with your own hands, you need to be prepared for a number of operations that have nothing to do with this node itself, since accessing it is rather difficult:

• disconnect the washing machine from the power supply, sewerage and water supply;
• extend the unit so that it becomes as accessible as possible;
• using a screwdriver, remove the top cover of the washing machine;
• take out the container for the powder, for this you need to pull it out and press a special lever;
• unscrew the two screws that were hidden by the container;
• remove the control panel, observing the condition of the wires connected to it, put the panel on the machine body from above;
• remove the front panel, for some models of Bosch washing machines you will have to remove the plastic decorative panel that hides the drain filter plug - the mounting screws are located under it;
• remove the collar of the boot door cuff, carefully prying it with a flat screwdriver, place the cuff in the drum;
• unscrew the mounting screws of the loading door;
• disconnect the wires going to the blocking lock;
• set the panel and door to one side.

You can start dismantling the heating element.

You need to start the dismantling process by removing the wires. It is recommended to photograph or sketch their location so as not to be confused when installing a new part.

To remove the old heating element from the washing machine, you need to unscrew the nut located in the middle of its surface located outside the machine. Using a screwdriver, without strong pressure, you need to try to pull the heating element out of the tank. Sometimes you have to do this with two screwdrivers. In rare cases, when the heating element is heavily covered with scale and does not pass into the opening of the tank, you will need a hammer, which will have to lightly hit the heating element body or a screwdriver. Impacts on the washing machine tank are unacceptable, this can cause deformation, which will prevent the correct installation of a new heating element.

It is necessary to carefully remove the thermostat from the removed heating element, then it will need to be installed on a new part. If there is scale on its surface, it must be removed.

It is advisable to check the health of the removed heating element using a multimeter - this will help determine the severity of the breakdown. The most important indicator is resistance. To measure it, you need to connect the tips to the contacts of the heating element. If the device did not show anything (on ohms), then the heating element is really faulty. The upper limit of the resistance of the heating element should be 30 ohms for heating elements with a capacity of 1700-2000 W and 60 ohms for heating elements with a capacity of 800 watts.

There may be a break inside the tube of the heating element, in this case you need to check if it hits the ground. To do this, it is necessary to measure the resistance at the outputs and the housing of the heating element, while the device must be switched to megaohms. If the needle of the multimeter deviates, then the breakdown is really present.

Any deviation from the normal operation of the heating element can affect the operation of the machine, since it is part of its electrical network. Thus, even if the first test did not show a malfunction, the second must be carried out, especially since it does not require special training, you just need to switch the device.

Installing a new heating element is usually straightforward. Changing an old part for a new one in the case of a heating element is actually not difficult, everything is done in the reverse order.

• Install a descaled thermostat.
• After applying a few drops of any detergent as a lubricant, install the heating element in the corresponding slot in the tank and secure it with a nut. It is dangerous to overtighten the nut, you can break the thread, but you can’t under-tighten it, there may be a leak.
• Put the terminals on the heating element connectors, according to the prepared diagram or photo, so as not to confuse their location.
• Assemble the washing machine in the reverse order of the described disassembly sequence.
• Check the correct assembly and the tightness of the installation of the heating element. To do this, you need to start the washing machine by selecting the mode in which the water is supposed to be heated. If the door of the loading door heats up, the heating element is working properly and is installed correctly.
• After the water is drained, it is necessary to check the tightness of the installation. To do this, it is not necessary to disassemble the machine again; it is enough to turn it on its side. If a leak occurs, it will be noticeable.

To prolong the life of the heating element of the washing machine, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• use washing modes at extremely high temperatures as little as possible;
• use high-quality detergents that are effective even at medium and low temperatures;
• use anti-scale agents.

How to change the heating element in a Bosch washing machine, see below.