Do-it-yourself oil cooler does not heat

In detail: the oil cooler does not heat up; do-it-yourself repairs from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

A breakdown of an oil cooler can happen unexpectedly and at a very inopportune moment. If oil drips appear on the case, the device should be disconnected from the network immediately and think about buying a new heat source. In case of other malfunctions, the device can be brought back to life with the help of a wizard or independently. It is recommended to take on the repair of an oil heater with your own hands only if you have basic knowledge in the field of electrical engineering, while not forgetting about observing safety precautions.

Any repair begins with diagnostics. It is important to correctly determine the cause of the failure and calculate the defective part.

Do not be alarmed if the heat source starts to crackle immediately after switching on. As a rule, this happens during the heating of the mineral oil inside. Crackling is considered normal and does not affect the performance of the appliance. Sometimes moving the radiator to a perfectly flat place helps to reduce the noise.
If the heater stops turning on, the first step is to exclude a breakdown in the outlet and connect the device to another power source. The most common breakdown in this case is a loose contact, in second place is a malfunction of the plug, and in third place is damage and breaks in the cord.
If the heater shows signs of operation (the indicators are on, the fans turn on), but does not heat up, the cause should be looked for in the thermostat. This spare part is easy to buy and replace with your own hands.
A cold case may also indicate that the heating element is out of operation - this is a rather serious reason and it is not recommended to eliminate it on your own.
If the device does not turn off after heating to the set temperature, this may signal a thermostat malfunction - such work becomes not only uncomfortable and dangerous, but also uneconomical in terms of energy consumption.

Video (click to play).

The oil cooler is a non-separable design, so you cannot break the hermetically sealed case of the device when trying to replace a faulty heating element. Self-repair of the oil heater is possible only at the level of the cord, plug and control unit. To the delight of home craftsmen, the most frequent breakdowns occur in these places. In order not to get confused in spare parts, it is recommended to group all fasteners and parts and take step-by-step photos during operation - this will make it easier to assemble the device in reverse order.

First of all, the cord is examined and carefully probed, trying to detect creases. If the cord has been bent for a long time, it is most likely that a defect has formed in this area. The plug, if its design allows, is disassembled and the integrity of the contacts is checked. Most often, the problem is hidden at the point of connection of the pins of the plug with the ends of the current-carrying conductors of the cord.

If there are no visible signs of failure on the cord and plug, you should use a special device - an ohmmeter and "ring" the cable. It is also necessary to revise the connection of the electrical wire to the terminals of the power supply and check the condition of the unit, after removing the decorative cover of the front panel. The found carbon deposits are removed by thoroughly cleaning the elements. Loose fasteners are gently tightened, restoring contacts. If you have a new power cord with an outlet in stock, you can see the old cable with it.

In order not to disassemble the power supply a second time, it is recommended to immediately inspect the thermostat.To gain access to this module, you need to slightly raise the anchor of the device and inspect the contacts. Darkening indicates that there was a short circuit in the appliance. Its consequences can be easily eliminated by cleaning the electrical contacts with sandpaper and treating with alcohol. Small debris formed during the cleaning process is removed from the unit with a vacuum cleaner.

Damaged tires are also subject to replacement - new blanks are easy to cut from a sheet of brass of the same thickness, using the old parts as a template. The holes for the fasteners are drilled with a drill. The temperature controller has bimetallic plates, which must be replaced in the event of a breakdown. To remove the plate, disassemble the thermostat, carefully and consistently unscrewing all the nuts.

These polar problems have one root - a malfunctioning thermostat. To find the cause, an important module is disassembled and carefully examined. The safest thing is to replace this part by looking for spare parts for oil heaters on the market. You can try to adjust the knocked-down settings yourself by setting the armature travel within 1.5-2.5 mm. Ideally, it should move abruptly from the magnet to the stop.

After completing the repair, the device is assembled and connected to the network. The absence of the expected result is a reason to contact a specialist or an eloquent hint that it is time to purchase a new electric heater. Replacing the heating element at home, as well as welding and soldering a damaged case is strongly discouraged.

Describe your question in as much detail as possible and our expert will answer it

In the purchased radiator at the bottom of it, oil is leaking (between the sections). (Made in Turkey). Can I fix it?

I think that it all depends on the amount in your pockets!

Do-it-yourself oil heater repair is quite real. Many owners successfully restore the functionality of these heat sources without resorting to the services of craftsmen.

When starting to repair any electrical appliance, you need to know two things - how it works and how it works. The oil heater consists of:

metal case;
Heating element (heating element);
control unit;
connecting wires.

Oil is poured into the heater body, which, when turned on, is heated by the heating element. Heat is transferred to the walls of the case, and from them to the heated room. When a certain temperature is reached, the control unit is triggered and heating stops. The cycle repeats as long as the heater is connected to the mains. As a result, a constant temperature is maintained in the heated room.

There are not so many reasons why the oil heater does not work. They can be conditionally divided into two parts - electrical and mechanical. Failure in work electrical equipment most often falls on heating elements and control communications - thermal relay, switch, thermal fuses. There may be a problem in the wiring, but this is extremely rare.

TO mechanical damage includes various holes in the housing, as well as the formation of cavities on it through which oil flows out. As a rule, these are the fruits of corrosion activity. Determining the type of malfunction is not a big deal. Mechanical breakdowns are always associated with oil stains under the heater. All other faults are related to the electrical part.

To repair a heater, you first need to create conditions for this. One of the main prerequisites for a successful renovation will be preparation for it. First of all, you need to choose a place where you will disassemble the heater. It should be large enough and well lit. A garage or a separate room is best suited for this.

Then the tool and accessories are prepared.Since the device of the heater does not represent any complexity, then the tool will be the most ordinary one. A set of screwdrivers, pliers and side cutters, a small hammer and an awl - this will be enough for repairs. Before repairing, you must have a soldering iron, a tester, WD-40 liquid, grease (Graphite or Litol-24) and a little alcohol to wipe the contacts. There must be a clean rag. If the cause of the breakdown is determined in advance, then spare parts are needed to replace the failed parts.

The question of how to repair an oil heater with your own hands arises for everyone when the device stops working. Meanwhile, there is absolutely no difficulty in this matter. First of all, it is necessary to carry out disassembly in order to get to the object of repair. To do this, detach the control panel from the case. As a rule, it is fastened with latches. But there is also a fastening of another kind. For example screws or staples.

Therefore, first you need to carefully inspect the heater in order to determine how the panel is attached. Then carefully, without making great efforts, remove it. Disassembly should be done without brute force as all fasteners are made of plastic.

De-energize the heater before starting repairs.

Checking the power cord and switch... From this it is necessary to begin work on restoring the operability of the oil heater. The fact is that during long-term operation at the connection points, the wires usually burn out, and the contact is broken. In this case, it is enough to disconnect the wire and strip it, and at the same time the connection point. After that, reassemble everything. Contact re-established. We check with a tester whether this is really so. At the same time, you need to check the power cord for a wire break. Rarely, but such a malfunction occurs. This is done simply using the same tester.

Next stage - inspection of all contact connections in the control unit. It is necessary to very carefully inspect each contact for burning, oxidation and loosening of the fastening. A screwdriver, a fine-grained abrasive cloth, and a cotton swab moistened with alcohol will be sufficient for the repair. It is possible that somewhere you will need a soldering iron to solder the wiring that has come off.

It may happen that arose malfunction in the thermal relay, or temperature regulator. In this case, you need to carefully remove and disassemble it. After disassembly, the bimetallic plate, which is inside, is removed and replaced with a new one. The thing is that there can be no more malfunctions there. After replacing the plate, the relay will restore its potential.

Repair of thermal fuses will consist in checking their performance and replacing them, if necessary, with serviceable ones. Checking is a simple dialing test by a tester. There may be several thermal fuses, or they are also called thermostats. We check each one.

Left check the condition of heating elements... To do this, it is enough to measure their resistance with a tester. It should be less than 1 kΩ. One connection is used to check for an open circuit. Thus, if the tester shows a lot of resistance or shows nothing at all, then it's time to change the heating element.

This completes the check of the electrical part of the heater. Moving on to mechanical failures.

Of these, only one is relevant - oil leak... In this case, the heater will have to be disassembled to drain the remaining oil inside. If there is damage to the case, it is important to determine exactly where it happened. Then you need to carefully clean the found place with a sandpaper. This is done to determine the repair method. If it turns out that the hole is small, and there are no traces of corrosion around, then one of the repair options would be to screw a self-tapping screw or a suitable screw diameter into the hole.Another option would be to use a special sealant called "cold welding". Before use, it is kneaded in hands to the state of plasticine.

A rolled bead of sealant is placed over the hole and carefully leveled to the surface. After 15-20 minutes, it hardens so much that you can use the heater. It will be somewhat more difficult to eliminate the hole that has formed from the rust. In this case, you will need to sand the entire rusty spot to a "live" metal. Then again you need to carefully examine and estimate the size of the hole. If it is not very large, then it can be soldered. If the hole is large, then here you need to use welding, that is, apply a patch and scald it. In this case, the repair of the oil heater will be more serious and will require not only a special tool, but also skills.

The heater body is brazed with brass solder or its substitute. Not with tin. Welding is best done with a semiautomatic device. That is, with a wire, not an electrode.

As you can see, repairing oil heaters, and even with your own hands, is within the power of anyone who is familiar with the basics of electrical engineering and plumbing. Therefore, before throwing away the heater, you need to carefully inspect it. If the breakdown is minor, it will be much cheaper to repair than buying a new one..

Electric oil heaters are common devices and are highly reliable, but it happens that even such simple devices fail. In a situation where the heater does not turn on or does not heat well, you need to check the availability of the warranty card. With a valid warranty, it should be taken to a service center. But it often happens that such an opportunity is absent, and the repair of the oil heater will have to be done by hand. In this case, it is necessary to consider the possible causes of breakdowns and find out methods for their elimination.

Different models of heaters can have a different number of heating elements, thermostats and switching devices for connection and connection. They also have forced air systems to enhance convection and increase heat transfer.

The heating elements are housed in a rugged, sealed, ribbed, oil-filled housing covered with a durable dielectric powder coating. The switches are attached to the outside of the heater. All connections of heating devices and external control elements are connected through a hermetically sealed sleeve.

The circuit of the oil heater is constructed as follows: the supply wire with a plug is connected through switches and a thermal fuse to the heating elements. In this case, the thermal fuse provides a break in the supply circuit in the event of an emergency overheating of the device. The latest models of oil heaters are also equipped with a position sensor that turns off the device in the event of a fall or critical deviation from the operating state.

If a decision is made to fix the malfunction with your own hands, then the analysis of the heater should be started from the side of the power cord connection. In most cases, it fits over the cover covering the control panel and is secured with external screws. By unscrewing them and removing the control panel cover, you can gain access to all safety and switching devices.

This completes the analysis of the heater, since it is highly undesirable to break the tightness of the case. In 90% of cases, any malfunction is a failure of control systems or an open contact outside the sealed case.

Typical heater malfunctions are as follows. When the device is connected to the network, the automatic protection on the switchboard is triggered. This is a sign of a short circuit.Repair of oil heaters in this case is performed by determining the location of the short circuit and eliminating the cause of the short circuit. If the device does not heat up or heats up weakly, there can be many reasons. You can find out why the device does not work by dialing the circuit and identifying the faulty element.

Traces of oil on the body and floor will indicate a leak. It is necessary to find the place of the leak and restore the integrity of the case. You will need tools to fix a heater, but they are common enough to be found in any home.

It is necessary to consider in more detail each of the possible breakdowns.

If an oil leak is found on the body of the device, you need to find the place of the leak, weld it or solder it. In the latter case, silver solder should be used, it is impossible to solder with simple tin. Leaking oil will not allow high-quality soldering of the leak, which means that you will have to drain the oil and only then solder using a burner. Then you should check the tightness of the soldering point by filling the heater with water. After making sure that the liquid does not leak at the leak, it must be drained and the heater dried by heating.

After all the water has evaporated, you can pour oil into the heater. Before pouring, the substance should be heated to 90 ° C. In case of significant leakage, the entire volume must be changed, using transformer oil if possible. When filling the heater, leave room for thermal expansion. It is strictly forbidden to add another oil, since the brand of the original product is unknown, you can accidentally mix mineral with synthetic. The entire volume of oil must be replaced.

The noise in the heater can be both intermittent and constant. The source of noise after switching on may be water, which got into the oil in the form of steam during assembly due to the high humidity in the workshop. As water heats up, it changes from a liquid to a gaseous state and produces a crackling sound.

Bursting air bubbles can also be a cause of startup noise. This happens when the heater is carried and the oil is shaken in it. After warming up the device, these noises disappear and do not pose any danger for further operation.
Constant crackling is the cause of a malfunction of the electrical part of the heater. It should be found and eliminated, since such a device cannot be operated.

Also, the heater can crackle with linear expansion of parts, the dimensions of which change when heated. This is also not dangerous, in addition, the sounds disappear when warming up.

If the oil cooler stops working, this is most likely due to problems and malfunctions of the electrical part. The check should begin with dismantling the cover that covers the heater wiring diagram. After that, using a tester, you need to check the serviceability of the power cord. The defective element is found by alternate dialing. Then you should switch the tester to the resistance measurement mode and check the condition of the conductors. If the resistance of at least one conductor differs from zero, the plug or wire is replaced.

It will not be possible to repair the electrical part, except for the cord, at home. It is necessary to remember, and it is better to photograph the order of connecting the terminals, and then dismantle the faulty sensor. In the store you need to purchase the same one and install it in place of the old one.

The bimetallic thermostat is located next to the heater mode control keys. It is a rotating handle connected to a moving contact and a bimetallic plate. It consists of two different metals and is capable of changing its linear dimensions depending on the temperature, and when the ends are rigidly fixed, it can bend and close the contact.

The serviceability of the bimetallic thermostat is checked by connecting it to the tester.By gradually turning the heater temperature control knob, the resistance is measured at the relay terminals. The resistance should be equal to 0 at all positions of the regulator. Otherwise, you need to wipe the contacts with alcohol or clean them with emery paper (zero). If the manipulations did not lead to normal operation of the regulator, it should be replaced.

The number of these elements depends on the heating element connection diagram and the set of heater modes. In most cases, the device has 3 operating modes and 3 self-healing thermal fuses, with 2 heating elements of different power installed.

Thermal fuses are located in glass fiber protection tubes. By checking the resistance of each of them, you can determine the health of the elements. If there is a malfunction, the thermostat must be replaced. After repairs, the resistance of the circuit should be checked in each mode of operation of the heater.TEN (tubular electric heater) for an oil heater consists of a shell - a tubular metal body, nichrome spiral and quartz sand, which insulates the spiral from the tube walls. At both ends, the tube is sealed with bushings through which the heating coil leads are connected. They have no polarity and are arbitrarily connected to the network.The most common malfunction in the heating element is a break in the spiral heating element (nichrome thread). To check, you need to touch the tester's probes to the terminals of the heating element in the resistance measurement mode. When the multimeter 1 appears on the display (the resistance is equal to infinity), a thread break is diagnosed.

If it turned out that the heating element for the oil heater burned out, then repairs would be required, which would be very difficult. This is the search for a heating element of the desired configuration and power, its pressing out of the case with the accompanying oil drainage process, replacement of the heating element, oil filling, sealing, etc. It is easier to buy another heater, since repairs will result in almost the same amount.

The sensor for the fall or vertical position of the oil heater is a system of a weight and a spring-loaded arm in equilibrium. When the heater is in a vertical position, the weight acts on the lever, and that on the limit switch that closes the network. When the position of the oil heater is changed, the balance of the system is disturbed, and the switch breaks the contact.

2 wires leave the position sensor. Measuring the resistance of the sensor in different positions, determine its serviceability. If the oil heater is in a vertical position, the resistance at the ends of the sensor should be zero. In a tilted state, the resistance should be equal to infinity. If the measurements are abnormal, then the sensor should be replaced.

Oil-fired electric heaters have simple design, therefore, usually during their operation, there are no special difficulties.

In most cases, they fail, having worked more than one warranty period.

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

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

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

To repair other damage, usually contact a specialisthowever, with basic knowledge of electrical engineering, it is quite possible to solve the problem on your own.

Experts believe that the correct fault definition makes the repair of the device halfway done. Therefore, the first stage 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.

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

At the bottom of the container heating element inserted... A thermal fuse is located near the heating element, which serves to turn off the heater when 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 close to the relay. If it is present, there is no need to remove the plug from the socket to turn off the heater.

The simplest oil heater circuit looks like that:

When the circuit breaker is closed, after turning on 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.

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

Thermostat adjustment occurs with a bimetallic plate inside it. The position sensor is designed to break the electrical circuit when the heater rolls over.

For better control the operation of the device is equipped with two heating elements. In this case, two switches are installed on the body. With their help, the heating power is regulated. During adjustment, one of the heating elements can be switched off.

The schematic diagram of an oil heater with a fan practically differs little from a conventional heating device. Its main difference is that in the presence of a fan, the heating elements impossible to turn onif the fan does not work for some reason. Such a heater scheme excludes damage to heating elements from overheating.

If a heater was working properly yesterday, today stops heating, 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 yourselfhaving basic skills in electrical appliance repair.

An exception may be faulty heating element, most often tightly sealed in the heater body. It is quite possible to remove it, but it will no longer be possible to install it in place. Even if the heater is equipped with a removable heating element, it will be difficult to achieve the tightness of the device when replacing it.

Usually, malfunctions that occur when a heater breaks down appear in more accessible places. The most vulnerable point 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 junction of the cord veins with the pins of the plug.

If the plug is working properly the next step should be to check the condition of the cord itself, as well as the place of its connection with the heater's power supply. For this, the decorative cover of the device panel is removed and the tester checks the integrity of the cord. If it is damaged, the cable is replaced with a new one.

If the cable turns out to be working, then the malfunction may be hidden in the state of the contacts of the power supply. Contacts can be caked and loosened.

In this case, the contacts are cleaned of carbon deposits. 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 defective bimetallic plates... If damage is found, the thermostat is carefully disassembled, and the plates are replaced with new ones.

If the oil cooler belongs to the category energy saving, then in its design there is a thermostat that enables the device to be turned on and off at the given parameters.

Excessive heat heater, or low temperature, it must also be inspected. If a malfunction is detected, this part is changed to a new thermostat with similar parameters.

If there is a fan in the design of an 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 is possible that it may need to be replaced.

After completing the above checks and eliminating the noticed faults, the heater is assembled and then connected to the network. If the heating device still doesn't work, you will have to seek the advice of a specialist.

Most likelythat he would advise you to buy a new heater. Some repairs can be so expensive that it's easier to head to the store.

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

Instructions for the repair (replacement of heating elements) of an oil heater with your own hands, look at the video:

Oil-filled electric heaters are popular household units characterized by high durability, since they are manufactured in an industrial environment using modern technologies. However, these electrical appliances are not designed to withstand all emergency situations in everyday life and still fail.

The device of even the most modern unit allows, in some cases, to repair oil heaters on their own.

Consider this popular household heater from the perspective of assessing the possibility of its recovery after failure, since it is necessary to repair the oil heater with a guarantee of the safety of its further operation.

Eliminating a malfunction of an oil-filled electric heater, like repairing an infrared heater of any other type, requires certain skills and adherence to a number of rules.

Important! In the event of failure of any of the structural elements of the oil heater, the operation of the heater must be stopped until the malfunction is eliminated.

Actual image of one of the models of oil heaters with a list of outdoor equipment

First of all, one should be aware that restoring the operability of most of the components of this heating device at home is impossible or requires professional knowledge and skills. Experimenting with failed electrical assemblies is fraught with unpredictable consequences (electrical injury, thermal injury, fire, explosion), therefore, repairing an oil heater with your own hands, without having professional training, in most cases should only be by replacing a worn-out part.

In addition, when repairing an electric heater, the following rules must be followed:

the device must be unplugged;
the heater must be cooled down to room temperature;
equipping the device with homemade components is prohibited;
contact of transformer oil with the body, as well as with the insulation of the wiring, should be avoided;
it is prohibited to replace a standard mains cable with a grounding conductor with a wire without grounding.

The leakage of an oil cooler usually occurs when it is mechanically damaged or as a result of corrosion caused by a defect in the protective paintwork.

When the familiar oil radiator, which has been used for a long time, has flowed, a natural question arises, what to do, why not try to restore its tightness with your own hands?

However, repairing an infrared heater on your own in the event of a leak is possible only if the device is an old-style domestic-made unit with a flat steel radiator and a removable heating element.

Domestic oil-filled electric heaters with steel radiators

For repairs, the control unit is disconnected from the device case, under which the heating element is located. Then the heater, after disconnecting the contacts, is unscrewed, and the oil is drained through the mounting socket into a clean container. The remaining oil is allowed to drain, after which the radiator is filled with water to prevent the oil from igniting inside it.

The wall thickness of such radiators is 1-1.2 mm, which allows the use of electric welding. The place of leakage on the body is cleaned with a grinder with a grinding disc or manually with coarse sandpaper. Depending on the location and size of the damage, a patch is cut out of steel of the appropriate thickness, applied to the hole and scalded with a Kemppi semiautomatic device.

Kemppi machines of various models for semi-automatic electric welding in the domestic environment

The weld is cleaned and ground, and then boiled again if necessary. After degreasing, the repair site is painted with a heat-resistant paint such as Rustins High Heat Black Pain.

Important! If the heater is painted using powder technology, then during the repair work you need to strive for minimal damage to the coating - it is impossible to restore it in domestic conditions.

Heat-resistant paint Rustins High Heat Black Pain in small packaging

After the paint has dried, the radiator is filled to 80% with oil and the heater is reassembled in the reverse order.

If the oil heater clicks during heating before the repair, you should not expect that the clicks will disappear after the tightness is restored - the joints of the housing parts are deformed when the temperature rises and at the same time crackle.

Repair of radiators of finned oil heaters is not advisable, since they are made of thin sheet steel using laser welding. Restoring the tightness of such tanks is technically difficult; in domestic conditions it does not guarantee success or is comparable in cost to the cost of a new heater. In addition, if the heating element is non-removable, then the oil can be drained through the damage, but it will not be possible to fill it back.

A technically sound oil-filled domestic heater crackles quietly when plugged into the network. This factor is not dangerous, since it is caused only by the expansion of the prefabricated body of the unit, which clicks when heated.

If, after turning on the unit and setting the required power and temperature values, the heater is silent, then the radiator does not heat up, and the malfunction should be looked for in the electrical part.

First of all, they visually inspect the integrity of the electrical cable. If there is no visible damage, you must first dismantle the stands with wheels from the lower part of the unit housing.

Then you need to disconnect the control unit from the radiator, for which purpose a standard plate with the inscription Do not cover is pryed off and removed on top of it with a screwdriver, under which there are fastening screws.

Placement of fastening the screws of the control unit to the case

Having unscrewed the fasteners from above, in the lower part of the control unit, screws are also released or the fixing springs are unfastened (depending on the model), the shell is removed from the edge of the joint between the block and the radiator, and the dismantled unit is laid with the inside out.

The sequence of dismantling the control unit from the oil heater housing

They visually inspect the integrity of the wiring and insulation, as well as the quality of the contacts at the junction of the wires, paying attention to areas with kinks and oxidation.A wire with obvious internal damage is replaced with a new one, the oxidized contacts are disassembled, cleaned with sandpaper and reassembled.

At the end of the visual inspection, they begin to "dial" the components with the help of a tester - a multimeter, which begins with testing the cores of the wire section from the plug to the nearest connection. The operation is simplified by the different colors of the wires in the cable of the electrical appliance, which makes it easy to trace the direction of the wiring.

The audible signal of the tester indicates the integrity of the called section, the absence of a signal indicates damage.

The initial stage of dialing the oil heater with a multimeter - the section from the plug to the heating element

The heating element, in addition to heating elements, is equipped outside with current and temperature fuses, the presence of which must be taken into account when dialing. The possibility of a situation is not excluded when, with a working heating element, one of these fuses burned out, or even both failed.

TENA fuses: on the left - by temperature, on the right - by current

If testing nevertheless revealed a failure of the tubular heater, then further actions depend on the method of installing the heating element in the radiator. The threaded fastening of the heater in the absence of rolling allows it to be replaced. In this case, the heating element is unscrewed from the radiator, and instead of it, with the replacement of the sealing gasket, a heater with identical parameters in terms of power and shutdown temperature is installed.

Tubular electric heater for threaded installation in a heating unit

In the case of a non-removable installation, the heater is sealed in the radiator socket. In domestic conditions, it is very difficult to flare the old one and install a new heating element by performing its airtight rolling, so you should think about buying a new oil heater.

Testing for this node is done as follows:

ring out the section of the chain from the plug to the thermostat;
the regulator is set to the minimum temperature value and tested - the circuit must be open;
when turning on each of the heaters separately, as well as two heating elements at the same time, when the temperature controller is set to a nonzero value, the circuit must be closed.

Inside view of the 2 kW Sinbo household oil heater thermostat

If the dialing of the thermostat showed a malfunction, that is, the oil heater does not respond to switching power modes or changing the temperature by turning the flywheel, the device must be replaced, since diagnostics of its technical characteristics followed by repairs based on the results of testing in an industrial environment is not advisable, but do this in living conditions is extremely difficult.

In the absence of faults, the regulator is cleaned of dust, and the contacts are tightened.

The question of whether an oil heater can explode is relevant, since the oil pressure in the radiator reaches high values, and the air "cushion" in the form of 20% of its volume still has a limited potential. To prevent this from happening, there is a thermal relay in the heater design, which should turn off the heater in case of overheating.

Under normal conditions, this relay, which is a bimetallic plate, should close the electrical circuit. If the multimeter detects an open circuit in this thermal fuse, then it should also be replaced with a new one with identical characteristics.

Dial-up of the thermal relay of the oil-filled heater and the appearance of the thermal relay

Oil heaters explode extremely rarely, precisely because they have several degrees of protection, duplicating each other, and the likelihood of simultaneous failure of all safety devices is small.

The opening of the electrical circuit when the oil heater is tilted or overturned is ensured by a device whose principle of operation is based on the presence of a suspended weight in its structure, which retains its position when the unit deviates from the vertical.

Option of equipping an oil heater with a circuit breaker when the device is overturned - a plumb line with a metal weight

This device is tested by manually tilting the heater from the vertical. If the device does not turn off, the element must be cleaned of dust and consumed, or better - replaced with a new one, the installation of which is not difficult.

It should be noted that if the protective switch fails, the oil heater does not explode - if the heating elements not covered with oil overheat, the thermal protection of the tubular heater is triggered, or the thermal relay opens the electrical circuit.

An oil cooler is a device, which is quite realistic to diagnose its malfunction on its own, but it is better to minimize the repair of this device on its own before replacing the failed parts with new ones, since the features of operation (the hazard factor of using electric current, high pressure and oil temperature) require professional skills and increased attention to work performance.

To get a better idea of repairing oil-filled IR heaters, this video will help you:

Video (click to play).