If almost no steam comes out of the iron, and there is water in the container, most likely the holes are clogged with salts. You can restore your performance with a simple trick. Pour water and vinegar (ordinary, table) into a bowl with low boron (a frying pan is suitable). One glass of vinegar per liter of water. The second recipe is for 250 ml of boiling water, 2 teaspoons of citric acid. In the dishes with the prepared liquid, lower the disconnected iron. The liquid should cover the sole.
Put the container with the iron on fire, bring to a boil, turn it off. Wait until it cools down. Warm up again. This can be repeated 3-4 times. Until the salts dissolve.
Sometimes water stops coming out of the spray arm. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the tube is disconnected. In this case, the repair of the iron consists in the fact that it is necessary to disassemble the panel on which the injection buttons are fixed and reinstall all the tubes and wires.
The second way to descale the iron is to disassemble it completely so that only one soleplate remains. Cover the sole with tape so that water does not seep out, but you can also put it in a dish. Pour hot water with vinegar or citric acid inside the sole, let it cool, drain, pour over again. Continue this way until you are satisfied with the result. Then rinse with water and collect.
VIDEO
This topic provides a photo with explanations:
dismantling the iron,
repairing it
So, your iron has broken down at your home, no matter from which manufacturer, the question arises: "How to fix the iron."
Testing of the electrical circuit, as for all household appliances, is carried out with a probe for example OP-1
or with a digital multimeter.
There is no significant difference in the schemes of irons from different manufacturers.
For a general presentation, consider a sequential electrical circuit of connections iron Philips
The first wire of the phase or zero potential from an external power source has a plug-in connector with the terminal, from the terminal through the thermostat, the wire goes to the heating element. The second wire from the external power source has a contact detachable connection with the second terminal, from the second terminal the electric circuit has a serial connection passing through a thermal fuse and closes at the second terminal of the heating element. The control lamp and the fuse are connected in parallel to the two contact connections of the heating element.
The electrical circuit is closed on the heater - heating element and light bulb. The thermostat sets a certain temperature regime for heating the iron.
Closing and opening of the electrical circuit occurs in the thermostat itself due to a change in the bimetallic plate under the influence of the heating and cooling temperature of the heating element. The reasons for the malfunction of the iron are as follows:
a break in the cord wiring at the base of the plug;
mechanical damage to the wiring of the cord along its entire length;
burnout of the heating element of the sole of the iron;
oxidation of the contacts of the bimetallic plate of the thermostat;
blown thermal fuse
What can be replaced here during testing:
replace the cord;
replace the plug;
clean the thermostat contact;
replace the thermostat;
replace thermal fuse
Replacing the heating element in case of its malfunction, which is the sole of the iron, does not make sense, since the sole of the iron itself is more than half the cost of the iron itself. In this case, the sole of the iron is thrown away, everything else from the iron goes to spare parts. When disassembling the iron, care should be taken to avoid damaging the iron body.
It should be remembered that testing for detecting a malfunction of the iron is carried out in a passive way without connecting to an external power source. Immediately before connecting the iron to an external power source, it is necessary to measure the total resistance of the electrical circuit with a digital multimeter, which should not be zero on the display of the device.
Iron repair - moulinex
This topic is complemented by personal photographs and an accompanying description of the repair of the iron. As an example, consider a malfunction of the Mulinex iron.
So, before us is the Mulinex iron and the reason for its malfunction is unknown to us in advance, that is, we need to establish the exact cause of its malfunction.
In the back of the iron, photo # 1, in order to remove the cover, you need to unscrew the screw. The screw head, as you pointed out, is not suitable for our domestic screwdrivers. How to get out of the situation if there is no similar screwdriver? - Here, too, you can find a way out, for this we need small scissors with sharp ends. We insert the two ends of the scissors and we can easily unscrew the screw.
After unscrewing the screw, carefully open the cover with a screwdriver photo # 2. At the same time, we try not to damage the lid body.
After removing the back cover of the iron photo No. 3, we can see the terminal connection of the wires of the network cable with the iron elements:
heating element heating element.
Next, carefully open the lid of the iron handle with a knife, photo # 4. We put small parts from the iron handle and screws into a mug.
To directly get to the contacts of the thermostat of photo No. 5 and the heating element, or in other words - the soles of the iron, we turn off the parts one by one.
For novice specialists, you should remember the sequence of such disassembly so as not to create confusion for yourself in the further assembly of the iron.
The screwdriver in the photographs shows the attachment points for such parts.
That is, here you need to kind of be careful about disassembly. The body and individual parts of the iron are supplemented with fasteners such as latches.
A screwdriver shows the knob of the thermostat, photo # 7, and we need to remove one more cover, which is the heat sink of the iron plate.
The photo shows additional places of such connections, photo No. 8, we also continue to unscrew the screws and free the sole of the iron from the lid.
Well, here we got to the most interesting, so to speak - the contacts of the thermostat photo №9. The thermostat contacts are indicated with the tip of a screwdriver.
The thermostat knob sets the heating of the iron soleplate set by us.In order to prevent overheating of the heating element, the thermostat design has a bimetallic plate, which, upon reaching the preset heating temperature, disconnects the contacts. As the bimetallic plate cools down, the electrical circuit closes and the sole of the iron heats up again.
We carefully inspect the contacts of the thermostat, that is, we check this section of the electrical circuit with a probe.
For this example, the iron malfunction was the oxidation of the thermostat contacts. We clean the contacts of the thermostat with a piece of fine emery paper and once again carry out diagnostics with a probe for this area.
In addition, of course, you should also check the heating element of the iron itself.
Iron diagnostics
The photograph shows the signal lamp of photo # 10. The lamp in the electrical circuit is connected in parallel and if it burns out, this does not entail a malfunction of the iron as a whole.
In this photograph, the fingers of the hand show the contacts of the heating element of photo # 11. We carry out diagnostics of the heating element.
To do this, set the multimeter device in the resistance measurement range. With two probes of the device we touch the contacts of the heating element, on the display of the device we can see the resistance reading - 36.7 ohms.
The meter reading corresponds to the resistance of the heating element. We carry out diagnostics for the general electrical circuit of the iron photo No. 13.
We connect two probes of the device with the pins of the plug, the result is clearly visible to us on the display of the device. That is, the resistance reading for the general electrical circuit of the iron is two tenths more.
So we figured out the malfunction and fixed the iron. As you have seen, we cannot do without diagnostics both for individual areas and for diagnosing the circuit as a whole.
About such an iron. Something is wrong with the wiring. When I began to understand, I could not find a single fastening screw. Maybe someone knows how to get to the cord?
Everything that is collected by human hands can be disassembled by them).
Carefully remove the heating regulator (just from the bottom with a screwdriver, the wheel is dressed without fastening), and then turn the iron over and in the place where the cord comes out (only lower on the plastic) there should be 2 Phillips screws (they are screwed into the main body and thanks to them it is fixed the bottom of the iron).
Perhaps they have plastic plugs (just remove them with a knife), and after unscrewing the screws, the iron will "fall apart" into 2 parts.
To begin with, you must visually inspect the case for cracks, defects and traces of melting of the case. Perhaps the appearance will immediately show what exactly is the cause of the iron breakdown. If the inspection did not give anything, you need to completely disassemble the case for self-diagnosis of all the constituent elements.
We draw your attention to the fact that it is sometimes quite difficult to disassemble the iron. This is due to the fact that every year manufacturers devote more time to the design of an electrical appliance, creating invisible latches and screw holes. Initially, prepare a set of screwdrivers and a knife that will be useful to you for further actions.
VIDEO
One of the main malfunctions of the iron is precisely the power cord, which you, in fact, plug into the outlet.
Get to the point where the contacts are connected to the heating element and if there are no visible faults, use a tester to ring the cord to determine its operability.
For continuity, you can use a homemade control consisting of a piece of wire, a battery and a light bulb. If the light is on when you connect the contacts to both ends of the cord, go ahead.
If the power cord is the cause of a breakdown, you can try to shorten it by 10-15 cm (the problem area may be removed). Iron doesn't work anyway? We replace the cord with a new one!
The second in line is the thermostat.We also check it using a dial tone, which we attach to the contact group.
When the temperature control is rotated towards the closed circuit, the electrical circuit should function. Is the light off? We clean the contacts with sandpaper and check again. Immediately we recommend watching the video repair instructions:
VIDEO
Is the thermostat working, but the iron does not heat up? Let's start checking the thermal fuse!
More often than a power cord, this element of the circuit fails. Its main purpose is to disconnect the electrical circuit if the temperature of the heating element exceeds the nominal value.
Using the dial tone, we determine the performance of the fuse. If the reason for the breakdown of the iron is in it, we replace it with a new one, or even remove it from the circuit altogether. During normal operation of the temperature controller, there is no need for a fuse.
Well, the last of the reasons why the iron does not work is the failure of the heating element. If the equipment turns on, the light is on, but the sole does not heat up to the required temperature, most likely this is the case. As in previous cases, using a homemade tester, we determine the performance of the product. The heating element is fixed to the sole and if the attachment point is one-piece, then most likely you will have to say goodbye to the purchase (if the reason is in it).
In the event that the heating element is connected to the sole with the help of tips, you can try to repair the iron with your own hands by cleaning the contacts with sandpaper. Still not heating up? We send the equipment for recycling, because a new part costs almost the full cost of the device!
We draw your attention to the fact that if you throw the equipment into the trash, it will be more correct to disconnect the power cord and keep it for yourself. Perhaps this element will be useful to you in subsequent repairs, especially since it will not take up much space in the closet!
If the malfunction is that the iron steamer does not work, then, most likely, it is necessary to clean the internal vaporization cavities. To do this, we recommend that you use a solution of water and vinegar in a ratio of 1 liter to 1 glass. We install the sole in the container (as shown in the picture), bring the water on the stove to a boil, turn it off and wait until it cools down. After that, we repeat the event 3 more times, which is quite enough for high-quality cleaning of the spray bottle.
In stores, you can see special descaling agents, but we highly do not recommend using them. This is due to the high cost of funds and at the same time low efficiency, in comparison with the folk method! It should also be noted that there are many negative reviews on thematic forums that the iron does not work after cleaning with salt. This is due to the fact that salt crystals clog the holes for the steam supply, as a result of which you have to thoroughly clean the sole.
Another reason why the sprinkler does not work is that the steam button has broken. It can also be called with a tester and replaced if necessary.
That's all the instructions for repairing an iron with your own hands. As you can see, the event is quite simple and even a novice electrician can do it! Finally, I would like to note that if the red indicator on the case flashes, do not panic, because this may indicate a certain operating mode or automatic shutdown after heating. Read the instructions that came with the package to understand the reason for the blinking. We hope that now it became clear to you what to do if the soleplate does not heat up and how to repair the breakage at home!
Related materials:
VIDEO
VIDEO
To fix an iron with your own hands, you need to know how this device is made. Considering the device of the iron, we can say that it is structurally similar to devices such as a kettle or a heater. The differences lie only in the purpose of the devices and the presence of additional units.
In the iron, regardless of the country and manufacturer, there are four main components:
heater;
plug with cord;
thermal fuse;
Temperature regulator.
In order for the iron to start working, you should apply voltage to the tubular heating element located in the sole of the device. In modern models, such as "Roventa", powerful heating elements from 1000 to 2300 W are used. If you do not interrupt the heating process, then the sole of the appliance will become so hot that it will only be suitable for frying eggs, and not for ironing.
In order to prevent excessive heating, a regulating device is built into the apparatus circuit. The thermal mode depends on the iron's thermostat, which is selected taking into account the type of fabric: some materials can be ironed at a temperature of 100 C, others need values of 200 C. In most models, which include Brown irons, the adjusting wheel is located in the upper part of the body under the handle.
An important unit for ensuring safety is a fuse. When the appliance reaches extreme temperatures resulting from a malfunction, the thermal fuse will open the contacts and the iron will turn off.
Before you repair the iron, you need to check the serviceability of the power cable. Most often, it cracks in places of frequent deformations - at the entrance to the body or near the plug. The malfunction may appear gradually when the indicator lamp flashes during ironing. Such a wink means that there is no normal contact and oxidation of the terminals is possible.
Another malfunction manifests itself more violently. If the wires rub against each other for a long time, the insulating layer may break and a short circuit may occur. Outwardly, this is manifested by a strong clap, shutdown of other devices and a specific smell characteristic of burnt wiring.
For women who are particularly sensitive, situations like this hurt to the core. They perceive the breakdown as a natural disaster and respond with calls to their husbands, to the Emergencies Ministry and house management. The most correct option is the first, because any man whose hands grow from where they should be can make the iron turn on again. Otherwise, you should still contact the strong half so that he handed over the thing for repair.
The internet is filled with videos on the topic of ironing repairs. Many plots are devoted to the flaws in the supply wire. If the cord is faulty near the plug, there is no need to disassemble the appliance. In the case when suspicion falls on the part that is hidden by the body, you cannot do without disassembly. To make, for example, repair the Philips iron with your own hands, you should remove the back cover. Behind it, the power cord diverges into three wires. If the insulation is damaged, it must be restored. When oxidizing the terminals, you need to disconnect the wires and clean up problem areas.
VIDEO
The heating element in modern designs is a reliable unit and rarely breaks. When this trouble occurs, it is better not to buy a new heater. It's easier to get a new iron. But first, you should make sure that the problem is in the heating element.
In all models, the heater contacts are soldered to the device contacts and connected to the indicator lamp. If the lamp is on, and the iron does not heat up, then the malfunction is associated with the heating element.
The most common cause of heating element failure is coil rupture. Another reason may be insufficient contact of the heating element rods with the device terminals at the connection points.
On some models, the thermal fuse is included in one heater circuit and the regulator in the other. If the fuse is faulty, then a false "diagnosis" can be made, suspecting that the heating element is malfunctioning. To find out exactly the reason for the failure of the device, it should be completely disassembled.
VIDEO
Temperature control is carried out with a round wheel. It is located in the Azur iron and in other models on the body under the handle.When you turn the wheel to the right, the heating temperature increases, to the left, it decreases until the heating element is completely turned off.
The wheel acts on the thermostat by means of a special sleeve or steel angle and is attached to the body with latches. In the Scarlet iron and in other models, it is enough to pick up the adjusting disc with a screwdriver to make it come off.
The operating principle of the thermostat is based on various properties of metals. In the manufacture of this unit, two plates are soldered, made of metals with unequal coefficients of linear expansion. Thanks to these indicators, each plate behaves differently. Outwardly, it looks like this: under the influence of temperature, the common plate bends, causing the circuit to open, and the iron turns on.
To make sure that the temperature regulator is faulty, you will have to disassemble the iron completely.
The handle of the device and the plastic parts of the case are attached to the metal parts with latches or self-tapping screws. Even one manufacturer has many models, and they all have design features. But all species have common points.
To disassemble the iron, it is necessary to examine its sharp part, where there is one attachment point. For example, a Philips iron hides a self-tapping screw under the steam knob. To unscrew the screw, turn the handle all the way to the left and pull up. After removing the adjusting unit, you can unscrew the self-tapping screw. In the Brown model, the screw is hidden under the nozzle cover. You can remove the nozzle by slightly pulling it towards you. After removing it, free access to the screw opens. Other screws or latches are located under the back cover of the device.
After the plastic part of the case has been removed, the iron thermostat should be considered. In cold mode, the contacts must be closed. If there is a special device, it is better to ring the knot. If there is no device, you can clean the contacts with fine sandpaper, and then turn on the iron to the network.
To set up an iron, you can refer to statistics, which say that 50-60% of malfunctions occur due to the fact that a thermal fuse fails. This unit is disposable and reusable. Fuses of the first group, like kamikaze, are triggered only once. The unit is designed so that when the heating element reaches a temperature of 240 ° C, the circuit is broken. Further operation of the device without additional intervention becomes impossible.
More modern technologies involve the use of bimetallic parts. Such a thermal fuse is able to turn off the iron in extreme situations, and then turn it on again. If the iron does not work for this reason, the easiest way is to discard the knot and short the circuit. This can be done in different ways:
by soldering;
by crimping a metal rod;
switching power wires.
In each case, it is necessary to achieve reliable contact.
Another common ailment is a problem with the steaming system. Sometimes in the Bosch iron, the button that starts the process is strongly pressed, and steam is not supplied. Repairing a Bosch iron should begin by unscrewing the screw at the back and removing the back cover. Then you should carefully pull out the two buttons regulating the steam supply up. They are not screwed in and are held onto the bushings by friction. Next, you need to unscrew the screw, after which the plastic handle should be easily removed. There are two pumps under the cover: one supplies water to the sprinkler, the other supplies water to the soleplate to create steam. The steam pump needs to be removed. At the bottom there is a ball that sticks to the bottom of the chamber due to scale. To eliminate the malfunction, you need to push the ball into the chamber and assemble the iron in the reverse order.
Whatever iron you have to repair, you must remember about safety and follow certain rules: turn on the device to the network only when it is necessary; do not try to fix the malfunction with wet hands; during repairs, the iron must be installed on a stable, non-conductive and heat-resistant coating.
VIDEO
Such a necessary and important device for preserving the proper look of things, as an iron is, for sure, in every home. Everyone knows the main points of its correct use, but, unfortunately, not everyone understands how it can be repaired independently in the event of a minor breakdown, because it is better to repair an old iron than spend money on a new one. The reason for the failure of the iron may be the breakdown of one of its constituent elements.
What to do if it does not work when the iron is turned on again? Experts say that 80% of such breakdowns can be fixed on their own, while the remaining 20%, in which the failure of the heating element is to blame, involves the purchase of a new device, since repairing an existing iron can result in a much larger amount than purchasing a new one.
To carry out repairs on their own, the home craftsman will need a tester with a light bulb and a set of screwdrivers.
In any case, when repairing an iron, even if only the cord is to blame for the malfunction, you will have to disassemble the device, which is also a small difficulty, because design solutions are now such that all screws and connecting elements are hidden as diligently as possible. While the designs of different irons differ, there are a few common details that will help you to disassemble the body of the device. So, it is worth remembering that the body of the iron is always fastened to the sole with screws, and not just latches, therefore, at the junction of the sole and the body, you should look for them carefully. The cogs can be hidden under the water tank, decorative plugs, or other decorative elements of the appliance.
First you need to carefully examine the iron and check the operation of all indicators on it. If these indicator lights do not work, then the cause of the malfunction is most often the cord of your iron.
It is the cord, or rather its inconsistency and non-working condition, that is to blame for almost every fifth iron breakdown. Therefore, in order to check if this is the reason, you must remove the back cover from the iron. A conventional tester can be used to check the integrity of the cord.
You can test the cord for operation by leaning one end of the tester with a light bulb against the plug, and leaning the battery against the other end of the cord. If the light is off, then the problem is in the cord. It needs to be shortened and checked again.
And if the light is on after the experiment, then the reason is not in the cord, which means that the iron will need to be disassembled further. But before proceeding with further examination and study of all the elements of the iron for their performance, it is worth using the recommendation, according to which it is better to draw a diagram for connecting all the wires, which did not become a problem when it would be necessary to assemble the iron and bring it back to its original state.
First, you need to disconnect all the wires from the iron, and only then start trying to consider the thermal fuse, which is possible only after disassembling the device.
It is this part of the iron that is to blame for half and even most of those cases when the iron refuses to turn on and work. To check this particular part for correct operation, it is necessary to connect the dialing wires to it from both sides: if the light does not light up, then the fuse is to blame for the malfunction. The way out of this situation may be to remove this fuse and short-circuit in this part of the electrical circuit. This should not be a cause for concern, because if there is a correctly working thermostat, the absence of a fuse cannot cause danger.
First, you can try to remove the outer handle of the temperature controller by prying it, for example, with a knife and using very little force. If this cannot be done, then it is better to immediately proceed to removing the device case, unscrewing the screws. When all the screws are unscrewed, it will be possible to examine all the "insides" of the iron and try to find the malfunction already here.
Now the very process of checking the serviceability of the temperature controller. This check can be carried out by setting it to the extreme positions. If this cannot be done with sufficient ease, then you can try to do it with pliers. Next, you should use a continuity to check if there is an electrical circuit: one end of the continuity is connected to one of the contacts, and the other to the other. Then you need to put the regulator in its extreme positions, and if the light comes on in one of the positions, then the thermostat is working, if not, then it is worth cleaning the contacts. This can be done using sandpaper or even an ordinary nail file.
If all the other elements that were previously checked according to the scheme described above are in good order, then the fault of the iron breakdown, unfortunately, is in the heating element. Most often, the heating element is very difficult to remove from the iron and, therefore, replace, which also affects the financial component of the repair. Here the craftsmen are advised to send the iron for recycling.
In this case, before getting rid of the old iron, you can remove the serviceable cord from it, which can be useful in the repair of other household appliances.
Video (click to play).
Of course, other elements of the iron can also be repaired. So in the steaming system, for example, scale can form, but it is much easier to get rid of it than from the problems described above. But it is even easier to prevent it by using only distilled or boiled water.