DIY steamer repair

In detail: do-it-yourself steamer repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

We will show you how to repair a double boiler (pressure cooker) at home with your own hands. The pressure cooker (steamer) and the multicooker are structurally similar, the differences are that the steamer will work under pressure, but the multicooker will not. In our particular case, the model is from Sakura, its problem is that the Start button is not pressed. You can select a program, time, but you cannot start cooking.

We start parsing from the bottom, using a screwdriver, unscrew the cover. Immediately we see a power board with a transformer, a heating element and its contacts, a thermal fuse, a thermal controller. We already know the approximate reason for the breakdown of our pressure cooker, but we will carry out a full diagnosis for you so that you can then make repairs with your own hands. We showed how to test the diode bridge in the multicooker repair tutorial, I advise you to visit this page, since the design there is almost identical. Also look at the board, maybe you can find traces of burns on it, swollen capacitors. Ring the transformer (primary and secondary), relays and resistors, transistors.

But it is better to start diagnostics with the simplest and most often breaking ones, we call the heating element using a multimeter:

The thermal fuse is ringing in this way:

The next step is to call the temperature controller:

He is constantly closed to a certain temperature. If an error pops up at the steamer, let's say E3, signaling the “bad” operation of the controller, then it has a regulator that is filled with sealant, which can be easily removed:

Video (click to play).

It can be adjusted with a small flat screwdriver. If we turn it clockwise, then it will fire more often, i.e. when a small temperature is set, it will immediately turn off, if counterclockwise, it will be permanently closed. Most often, there are cases when it literally half a turn must be scrolled counterclockwise.

To ring the temperature sensor, it is imperative to disconnect its contacts, put the multimeter at 200K (kilo-ohm), take two of its contacts:

Our multimeter for this sensor shows 200 kilo-ohms, this is its normal value. True, there are two types of temperature sensors, like ours, which give out from 80 to 100 kilo-ohms or another, showing from 40 to 60 kilo-ohms. If a very low resistance is shown, for example 10 or does not show anything at all, then this sensor will need to be replaced. Next to it are the wires from the upper sensor, we call them in the same way, we will not dwell on this in detail. Usually, due to the lower temperature sensor, the E1 error pops up, due to the upper E2, due to the temperature controller as we said E3, due to an error on the E4 control board. If the heating element, thermal fuse, transformer "die", then the steamer will not turn on at all and show errors.

Do-it-yourself video repair of a double boiler (pressure cooker):

Image - DIY steamer repair

Do-it-yourself steamer repair, what if it began to work poorly?

Repairing the steamer at home can only be done with some types of breakdowns. If more serious intervention is required, it is better to immediately contact the service center. Especially if the product is still under warranty.

The operation of the device without water most often leads to breakdown. This is a misuse of the steamer, because its main function is to produce steam. It is clear that when it works without water, it cannot heat up and the power indicator goes out. In automatic mode, the overheating protection sensor can also be triggered.If the repair of the steamer with your own hands will be carried out precisely for the described reason, then the device will have to be disassembled.

Important! Despite the fact that it is quite simple to eliminate such a breakdown, it is better for a person without basic knowledge of the internal structure of household appliances not to go under the case. Or, carry out the introduction inside only under the supervision of a knowledgeable person.

Necessary tool for work:

• Soldering iron;
• Rosin;
• Wrench;
• Multimeter;

Before repairing, you need to disassemble the product in order to get to the internal circuits. For this, all unnecessary elements are removed, then the device is turned over. You need to unscrew all the screws at the bottom of the cover and remove it. There will be a small saucer in front of your eyes, covering the heating element.

The saucer must be unscrewed to reveal the spiral, the boil sensor and the overheating protection device. Use a multimeter to check the coil of the heating element for integrity. The resistance should be between 25 and 120 ohms. This parameter depends on the power of the heater.

Sometimes, along with damage to the overheating sensor, you can also notice that the coil has burned out. To repair this part of the device, you just need to replace it. To do this, it is enough to buy a new spiral in the store and install it in place of the old, burnt-out one.

If the spiral works, then you need to remove the protection device in order to repair the device. First, unscrew the nut, for which the wires are disconnected. During this manipulation, there is a molten ball and mounting wires on the sensor. They must be bent using pliers. After opening the lid, you must additionally make sure that the stem does not fall out of the steamer. Its tips have grooves that will need to be warmed up. After that, the remains of the solder are collected in a single container. Next, you need to add rosin to this container and melt a new ball with a soldering iron, which you put on the sensor. It remains only to close the lid and bend the antennae. We must do this very carefully so that they do not break off.

Important! Not everyone will be able to assemble the device correctly in the reverse order. In order not to get into an unpleasant situation, experts advise recording each stage of disassembling and repairing a double boiler on a camera. Then, if you have any questions, you can always spy on the hint.

It is necessary to assemble the steamer in the reverse order only after additional verification that all contacts are carefully closed and everything is assembled correctly. Now you can check if the steamer is working correctly.

Other possible breakdowns and ways to solve them on your own

The steamer has begun to cook poorly. There is little steam production

The steam generator may be clogged. This is not due to improper operation, but due to untreated water, which contains a lot of salts. You can do the cleaning yourself using regular table vinegar. It is poured into a container instead of water; all parts must first be removed. Then turn on the device for five minutes and let it stand. It may take up to five cleanings to eventually start working like new.

You can also use citric acid for cleaning in such a situation. For this, 25 grams of citric acid is dissolved per liter of water. Stir well and pour into the device instead of water. Cleaning can be done as a preventive measure once a month to avoid further damage.

A fairly common breakdown that can be easily resolved. You just need to buy a new timer in the store or in the market, and then make a replacement.

Heating turns on (off) during operation

Normally, while cooking, the green light is on continuously until the set time has elapsed. But the steamer can start to turn off on its own for short periods, and then turn on. It is possible that the filters are clogged and need to be found and cleaned. If the device is under warranty, then it is better to take it to a service center for cleaning.

The described breakdowns are most often encountered during the operation of steamers, and it does not matter if these are new products or already proven "veterans". If you are confident that the breakdown can be dealt with at home, then you can carefully proceed with the repair. But, when there are any doubts already at the start, it is better to turn to professionals. Especially if the device is still under warranty.

Repair of the steamer may be required in various cases, but most often it is necessary due to the fact that this technique was connected without water. The result of such a malfunction is the impossibility of heating the device and the extinction of the power indicator, since the overheating protection sensor is automatically triggered. And if the repair of steamers is necessary precisely for this reason, then it can be done independently. To do this, you will need to take a multimeter, rosin, soldering iron, wrench, pliers, and a Phillips screwdriver.

Image - DIY steamer repair

First you need to remove all unnecessary items from the steamer. Next, turn it over and unscrew the screws located in the bottom cover. After removing it, you will see a small "saucer" covering the heating element, it will also need to be unscrewed and removed to the side. Under it there will be an overheating protection device, a spiral and a boil sensor.

First, you need to check the coil of the heating element for integrity with a multimer. Its resistance should be in the range of 25-120 ohms, this figure will directly depend on the power of the heating device. If you notice that in addition to the fact that the overheating sensor has worked, the spiral has also burned out, then it will need to be replaced with a new one. If it is fully functional, you will need to remove the safety device from the steamer. To do this, you will first need to carefully unscrew the nut, and then disconnect the wires.

Then you will see that there is a molten ball and fastening antennae on the sensor, you will need to bend them on all sides with pliers. Then you need to open the sensor cover, while making sure that the stem does not fall out of the device. Its notched tip, which it has, you will need to heat up and then shake off all the rest of the solder from it into a box. Next, you will need to add rosin to them and melt them into a ball with a soldering iron. Then you need to put it back into the sensor, close the lid and bend the antennae, this must be done carefully so that they do not break off.

After that, you will need to make sure that you assembled the device correctly, and that all contacts on it are carefully closed. Then you just have to put everything in the reverse order and check if your equipment is functioning properly.

As you can see, repairing steamers with your own hands is not at all difficult, so you can safely tackle it.