The quality of the equipment and the correct installation do not guarantee the absence of breakdowns. Faults in the water heater can be repaired by yourself. The main thing is to correctly determine the breakdown. In our article you will learn how to do this without calling the wizard.
Causes of boiler problems
To understand why heaters fail, you need to understand the principle of their operation and the purpose of the main elements. Regardless of what type of boiler you have, storage or flow, their design is similar. Only the brand, design and spaciousness of the tank differ.
The heater tank device is quite simple. It consists of two parts: internal and external. Between them, a layer of thermal insulation is laid - polyurethane foam. The housing includes two nozzles: one with a divider at the end serves to pump cold water, the other - hot.
In flow-type devices, there is no storage tank, and heaters have a large capacity.
The presence of a thermostat allows you to set the desired heating temperature.
Most boilers are equipped with a magnesium anode, which protects against corrosion. The anode requires periodic replacement, then the heater and boiler as a whole will last much longer.
Damage just does not happen, there are reasons for this:
- Power surges.
- Prolonged neglect of service.
- Incorrect installation or connection of the device.
- Scale and corrosion on parts.
- Untimely repair.
To find out the cause and pinpoint the location of the problem, parts are diagnosed.
How to repair a boiler with your own hands
Consider the main malfunctions and ways to resolve them.
Leak in heater
The most common electric boiler problem is leakage. It occurs due to corrosion of the tank, in case of failure of individual elements. Most often it is:
- Lack of grounding, which leads to corrosion.
- Natural wear.
- Damage to the safety valve.
What to do if the tank is dripping? Do not brew a leak yourself: this can lead to irreparable consequences!
Why you can not do tank repair:
- The outer and inner parts are inseparable.
- In modern technology, glass enamel is used, which is easily damaged and cannot be repaired.
If the warranty period has expired, it is easier to buy a new boiler. In the future, it is recommended to pay attention to the material of the tank. You also need to change the magnesium anode more often.
It happens that a leak arises from under the flange that secures the heater. Then you need to drain all the water, remove the gasket and assess its condition. If it is damaged or worn, replace it. In order not to lose money with a new gasket, take the old one to the store.
No water heating
If cold water flows instead of hot water, the heater is broken. In addition to the lack of hot water, an RCD can be knocked out when the boiler is connected to the network. Problems with the heating element arise due to corrosion and scale.
It is recommended to periodically replace the heater with a new one. Even if you constantly descale the element, this can lead to damage and exposure of the contacts. Then, not only the RCD will close, but also the water from the tap can be shocking.
How to understand that the scum completely covered the heater:
- As it precipitates, you can hear a rumble during water intake.
- Smells of sulfur.
To make sure that the heater is broken and does not work, diagnostics will help:
- Drain the water tank.
- Open the heater cover.
- Measure the voltage at the terminals of the heater using a tester (220-250 V).
- If everything is in order, set the multimeter to resistance measurement mode.
- Unplug the heater.
- Disconnect the heater contacts.
- Attach the multimeter probes to them.
- With a break, the indicators will tend to infinity.
- If the part is operational, 0.68-0.37 Ohm will be displayed on the screen.
Additionally, make sure that there is no current leakage to the housing:
- Attach one probe to the copper pipe, the other to the contact of the heater.
- If there is no leak, 1 will be displayed on the screen.
- If there is, the tester will give values with a minus sign or, conversely, too huge.
Verification is performed the same way for flow and storage models.
The heater cannot be repaired; it must be replaced. It is important to choose the right part for your model, so it’s better to write down the item number or go with it to the store.
Water temperature is above normal
If too hot water is supplied, the problem is with the thermostat or thermostat. An additional sign of failure is the lack of heating when the thermostat does not turn on the heater. To perform diagnostics and repairs, the thermostat must be dismantled.
Troubleshooter:
- Unplug the boiler.
- Drain all the water.
- Remove the tank from the wall.
- Remove the cover (for vertical models, the cover is on the bottom, for horizontal models on the left, for Termeks models the panel screw is in the middle).
- The thermostat is marked in yellow on the picture. Disconnect its contacts and remove it from the housing.
Now you can check the part for serviceability. The easiest way:
- Press the safety button as shown in the photo:
- Heat the copper tip with a lighter.
- When in good condition, the button will turn off.
Diagnostics with a multimeter is carried out as follows:
- Set the tester handle to the maximum value.
- Measure resistance on contacts.
- If the multimeter does not respond, the part cannot be repaired; it is better to immediately replace it.
The boiler does not turn on for a long time, often turns off
This also indicates a problem with the heater. Due to limescale, water can heat up for a very long time, increasing energy consumption, since heat dissipation is impaired. To avoid breakage, change the magnesium anode in time, which purifies the water from impurities.
The following problems occur:
- During operation, the surrounding equipment also heats up. This happens when the plug is designed for greater power consumption than the outlet, or the contact between them is broken. It is better to call an electrician to check and replace.
- Weak pressure of water. It is necessary to check whether cold water is pumped normally. Inspect the faucet, perhaps the reason is in it. If everything is in order, inspect the safety valve. Clean it from dirt and scale.
- The boiler does not turn on at all. After repair, the device did not work? It is necessary to check the electronics and the main board. This work is best entrusted to a specialist.
Now you are aware of the main problems of boilers. Carry out preventive examinations, install filters on water, clean the heater in a timely manner, then the problems will not affect you.