How to change the heating element in an Ardo washing machine

When the irreplaceable “home assistant” suddenly stopped heating water for washing, either the low-temperature mode was selected, or for some reason the heating function stopped working. This could happen due to various internal elements, but most often this means that the heating element in the Ardo washing machine needs to be replaced. It is not recommended to ignore the breakdown and continue to operate the machine without heating the liquid, so it is better to repair the device as quickly as possible and prevent new damage from occurring. We will analyze in detail how to do this yourself without calling a specialist.

What is needed for repair?

Changing a water heating element is relatively easy, because it does not require any special tools or extensive experience in repair work. To carry out the replacement yourself, it is enough to prepare standard tools - a ratchet with an 8-mm head, Phillips and slotted screwdrivers, an ordinary multimeter and any technical lubricant, for example, WD-40.

Finding a suitable heating element is also easy. The easiest way is to disassemble the machine to remove the damaged water heater and take it with you to the store as an example. It is necessary to buy either exactly the same heating element, or an element with the corresponding rated power. In addition, the presence or absence of a hole for the thermistor located on the body of the water heating element should be taken into account. The cost of a part varies greatly depending on the brand, power and other indicators, so it can be found for as little as $5 or as much as $2,000.

Where is the heating element installed?

The location of the water heater in Ardo brand technology is standard - right under the tank. To change it, you need to disconnect the washing machine from all communications, provide free access to the back wall, remove it, remove the drive belt and go to the heating element itself. The part is installed just below the bottom of the drum, looking like a rounded metal piece surrounded by wiring.

Do not rush to disconnect the wires - first take several photographs of the connection, so that you can later use the photo as an example when connecting a new heater.

But it is easy to detect and remove the heating element, but finding the exact cause of its failure is much more difficult. This fragile element is very easy to break in a variety of ways, so before replacing it is recommended to find out the cause of the problem in order to protect the new part. Most often, the water heating element fails due to the following reasons:

• strong power surges;
• incorrect operation of the temperature sensor;
• overheating of the heating element due to scale formed during operation in conditions of hard, poor-quality water;
• liquid that has entered the contacts of the part;
• user inattention;
• manufacturing defects.

Among all the reasons, sudden power surges are considered the most common, so it is recommended to check the heating element after each such incident.

Most often, if you change the water heater, the problem with heating the liquid will disappear. If replacing this unit did not help, then most likely the problem is hidden in the control module of the Ardo washing machine. In this case, the control board could be damaged due to burnt tracks or damaged contacts, which is almost impossible to handle with your own hands.If this happens, you should take the module to a service center, since working with an electronic element requires not only special equipment, but also impressive experience in working with electronics.

Work progress

Never use a washing machine with a damaged water heater. Not only will you be faced with the constant activation of the self-diagnosis system, which will actively signal an error, but you will also not be able to wash dirty clothes that will remain stained after processing in cold water. That's why it's better not to delay repairs.

If you are ready to begin restoring your “home assistant,” then you should first make sure that the household appliances are disconnected from all communications. Then you should disconnect the hoses and drain the waste fluid that remained in the system after the previous operating cycle. This must be done so that during repair work water does not accidentally get on the electronic contacts. How to drain through a drain filter?

• Use a screwdriver to pry up the service hatch to then remove it.
• Prepare unnecessary towels or rags and place them under the machine.
• Place a water container, such as a basin or bucket, under the garbage filter.
• Unscrew the filter by turning it clockwise.
• Collect all waste fluid.

Now you can begin partial disassembly when the equipment is empty. Unscrew the fasteners from the rear panel to remove the wall and then the drive belt. Once you have free access to the water heating element, proceed with the inspection.

• Find a water heater.
• Disconnect all wires from it.
• Set the multimeter to resistance measurement mode.
• Attach the probes of the device to the contacts of the heating element.
• Evaluate the data obtained, which normally should be in the range of 20-30 ohms.

If the indicators are different, then you need to change the heater to restore the functionality of the Ardo washing machine. Remove the old heating element by first loosening its central bolt, pushing the pin inside the tank and prying it with a screwdriver. During these manipulations, be extremely careful not to accidentally damage the tank from the side of the part's seat.

Be sure to clear the water heater groove of dirt and debris before installing the new part. Install the nut on the bolt of the new element, treat the rubber gasket with WD-40 or an analogue, and then place the heating element in its seat, fixing it there and connecting all the wires.

After installation, do not forget to carry out a test work cycle to evaluate the work done. You can subjectively test the heating of water, or you can wrap a children’s thermometer in a rag and place it in this form in the washing machine drum. An idle cycle without washing at a high temperature will clearly demonstrate whether the problem with heating the liquid is corrected or not. Once the wash has finished and the rinse cycle has started, stop the cycle and discard the used water.

During the test, do not let the machine start rinsing, as it will drain all the hot water and draw in cold water, which will affect the thermometer reading.

If you did everything correctly, the children's thermometer will show the correct temperature. And if it corresponds to the selected temperature for the operating cycle, then the heating problem is solved.

Does Calgon protect the heating element of the machine?

All that remains is to disassemble the advertised method of preserving heating elements using household chemicals “Calgon”.Representatives of the brand scare users that without their product, the washing machine will very quickly become covered with scale, which will lead to the failure of first the water heating element, and then the entire “home assistant.” To avoid this terrible situation, many housewives dutifully add Calgon during each wash, but many experts believe that this is completely unnecessary.

The fact is that scale does not directly affect the performance of the water heater. Moreover, scale is considered one of the most less common causes of heating element failure. It is much more important to deal not with scale, but with banal operating errors of the washing machine, and also to use a voltage stabilizer so as not to be afraid of sudden power surges in the network.

In addition, Calgon does not prevent the formation of scale, but only slows down its appearance. That's why it's more effective to simply prepare a tap water filtration system. Finally, simply cleaning the washing machine every six months and replacing the water heater every few years will be more effective and even cheaper than regularly using the above-mentioned household chemicals.

Therefore, “Calgon” can really help in the fight against scale, but it is not a panacea, since the heating element will still fail over time. Therefore, it is better to regularly clean the “home assistant” and use water supply filters that soften hard water.

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