How to remove the heating element from the LG washing machine

One of the most common malfunctions in modern washing machines is the failure of the water heating element, or simply the heating element. It is very easy to determine the breakdown - you start a high-temperature program to wash clothes in hot water, and the machine does not heat the water at all and performs all manipulations at low temperatures.

In this case, you should not ignore the malfunction and continue washing in cold water, because a faulty part can seriously damage the washing machine. It is better to remove the heating element from the LG washing machine as quickly as possible and install a new one. To perform diagnostics and subsequent replacement, strictly follow our instructions.

What is needed to remove the heating element?

It is not difficult to remove a damaged heating element with your own hands, so any owner of an LG washing machine can handle this task. It is also important that for dismantling you do not need to buy additional tools to the basic set that is kept in every home just in case. We will need:

• Ratchet with 8 mm head,
• 2 screwdrivers: Phillips and slotted,
• Multimeter,
• Technical lubricant.

Of course, it would be more convenient to purchase the part in advance to install it immediately after dismantling the old one, but the chance of error is so high, because the water heating element must be ideally suited specifically for your LG equipment. The manufacturer installs different models of heating elements in washing machines, both in power and in size. Therefore, it would be much better to first remove the damaged part, inspect it, rewrite the markings and even take it with you to the hardware store so that you have a sample at hand.

The element can also be ordered online, where the price for the part is around 1500 rupees. The main thing is to correctly determine the power of the heating element, which in LG machines usually reaches 1850 W. But you should not rely solely on this figure, since all machines are individual, which means the power can be even higher.

Where to look for the heating element?

The LG home assistant hides the heating element in a standard place for automatic washing machines — right at the bottom of the tank. It’s easy to find the electric heater: just turn off the machine from the power supply, turn off the water supply, turn the body 180 degrees and remove the back panel. Pay attention to the bottom of the drum — it’s under it that there’s a metal part connected by many different wires. You’ll never confuse it with the engine or other components, because the heating element is always in the tank, surrounded by wiring.

But if it is not difficult to find, dismantle and install a new water heater, then it can be much more difficult to diagnose and understand the reasons for the breakdown. The heater can become unusable due to a number of problems, so it is so important to accurately determine the cause of the malfunction in order to eliminate it and prevent the breakdown of the new heating element. Most often, the part fails for quite ordinary reasons.

• Sudden surges in electrical power supply.
• Incorrect operation of the heater temperature sensor.
• Overheating of the part due to a large layer of scale.
• Banal inattention of the user during operation.
• Moisture getting on the contacts of the part.
• Factory defect.

Most often, replacing a damaged part can eliminate the malfunction and restore the normal functionality of the device. But it is much worse if the cause is hidden in the control board, the replacement of which is much more expensive for users. If the electronic control module is damaged, for example, the contacts have come off and the "tracks" are damaged, then you will have to repair or replace it. And it is not recommended to do this procedure yourself, as it is too complicated for people without professional technical education. In this case, it is better to call a service center technician to your home.

Diagnostics and heater removal

Do not rush to disconnect the part, first you need to check that it is really out of order. For diagnostics, follow the instructions.

• Find a potentially faulty heater in the washing machine's tank.
• Disconnect the wiring from the "chip"
• Using a multimeter in the "Resistance" mode, check the heating element. To do this, apply the tester probes to the contacts of the element being tested.

If the multimeter shows figures in the range of 20-30 Ohm, then everything is OK with the part. If the number is different, then the heating element needs to be changed. This should be done as follows:

• First of all, disconnect all wires and loosen the central fastening nut located between the heater contacts,
• Then, with a little effort, press the stud with the nut screwed on into the tank. The part will fall inside by about 1 centimeter,
• Then a popular problem may arise - the water heater gasket may have dried out and become deformed, which will make it difficult to remove it from its mounting hole. In this case, we recommend using flat-head screwdrivers to pry the rubber from both sides and carefully pull it out,
• Finally, all that remains is to remove the faulty heating element itself and clean the mounting hole so that it will be easier to install the new part later.

Install the heater according to the instructions in reverse order, and then be sure to check the functionality of the washing machine. Only a test wash will show whether the water has started to heat up well again.