The temperature sensor is a part inside the washing machine, which is responsible for the temperature of the water and the operation of the heating element.
In the event that overheating occurs or the water does not start to heat up at all, the thermostat will be to blame, which sends readings to the automatic control system to turn off the temperature heating in a timely manner.
Consider in this article the problems associated with the thermoregulation sensor.
Types of thermostats
There are many models of washing equipment and not all of them have a sensor of the same design.
They are divided into electromechanical, which are divided into:
- bimetallic;
- gas-filled.
Electromechanical sensors
Their job is that they open the electrical circuit when a predetermined temperature is reached.
gas-filled
Such a sensor is divided into 2 halves. The first is similar to a metal tablet up to 30 mm in size and 30 mm high.
This part is located on the inside of the washing machine tank and is in direct contact with water.
The other part of it looks like a copper tube that connects to the temperature controller that we see on the control panel.
This thermostat is filled with freon. When the water temperature changes, it expands or narrows and this causes the contacts of the heating element to close or open.
Bimetallic
It also looks like a tablet of the same size, about 30 mm, only the height is not higher than 10 mm.
He got his name because of the bimetallic plate located inside.
When the water is heated to the required temperature, the metal plate bends and this allows you to close the contacts so that the heating stops.
Electronic sensor
Let's talk about the thermistor. It is installed in almost all current models of washing and dishwasher equipment.
This is a long (30 mm) metal cylinder or a rod with a diameter of 10 mm.
It is located directly on the heating element. The thermistor reacts to the change in resistance when the water is heated to the temperature set by the controller and, upon reaching the desired values, gives the command to turn off the heating process.
How to check the temperature sensor of a washing machine?
To make sure that the part is faulty, you have to get it.
Often the electronic thermistor is located inside the heating device, which is located at the bottom of the washing machine.
Checking the temperature sensor of a washing machine is a simple matter. First you need to get it, and to get it you have to:
- remove the back cover;
- unhook the wires from the sensor;
- do not completely unscrew the screw that holds the heating element;
- get thermistor.
Multimeter readings
The multimeter should show a resistance of 6000 ohms if the temperature is 20 degrees.
Although the indicators of the multimeter are very conditional. You need to focus on the model of the washing machine:
- At Zanussi at a water temperature of 30 degrees, the resistance is approximately 17 kOhm.
- Washing machine temperature sensor Ardo will show 5.8 kΩ in normal mode.
- At Kandy under the same condition 27 kOhm.
Now you need to lower the thermistor into water with a temperature of 50 degrees and check. The resistance should drop to 1350 ohms (depending on the model).
To find out exactly what the indicators should be, you need to look at the description of the washing machine or at the manufacturer's website.
Checking the gas-filled sensor
Getting to the gas-filled sensor is a little more difficult.
You will have to remove the back cover and front control panel. On the control panel, unscrew the outer part of the sensor. On the back you should see a lead with wires.
It is very important to avoid damaging the copper tube, so you will have to be very careful when removing the rubber insulation.
You can arm yourself with an awl to pick up the seal around the tube and remove it. In order for the sensor to pop out of the groove, you need to put a little pressure on it, pull it out and unhook the wires.
A common failure for such a sensor is a problem with a copper tube from which freon comes out and replacing a temperature sensor in a washing machine.
Checking the bimetal sensor
The bimetallic sensor is located in the same place as the gas-filled one, and is removed in the same way.
It is checked with a multimeter followed by heating in hot water, as in the case of a thermistor.Basically, in such a sensor, the cause of inoperability is in the plate, its wear or mechanical damage. In case of malfunction, it is replaced with a new one.
How to understand that the sensor is broken?
There are external signs that allow you to say with confidence that the problem is in the sensor. These include:
- The machine even at a low temperature mode heats the water to a boil.
- The body of the washing machine heats up during operation, and steam is visible from the hatch.
