Washer heater not working

by Wylin Tjoelker
(Sumas, WA)

GE front load # WHDVH626FWW

New control board, new inverter, drain filter clean and drain pump works.

On Test Mode t07 heater does not produce heat. The thermistor has the proper 12 ohms @ 75 degrees. The heater element has the proper 15 ohms resistance. During t07 test the board is sending and the element contacts are receiving 119 to 148 volts and both element wires are reading 9.7 to 10 amps in the clamp meeter. Still the heater element does not heat up. Took element out and examined it. It looks fine. Put it in a pot of water and it still reads 15 ohms and no short to ground. Also tested thermistor again - proper ohms at 75 degrees and they go down as temperature of test water goes up.

Any suggestions?

Thanks much,

Wylin

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Answer

Hi Whlin,

If during the test mode the heater is receiving voltage and drawing amperage it has got to be heating but it is not the only thing that can be the problem is the heater itself. If the heater is actually putting out heat but the control fails to indicate that the water temperature is rising then the problem is the control (I know it is new), the thermistor or the wiring in-between.

Since you just replaced the control we will assume for now that it is ok. Check the wiring between the thermistor and the control board and if it is ok replace the thermistor even though it has the correct ohm reading.

Since the heater is has the correct ohm reading, it is not grounded out, it is receiving voltage and drawing current I am almost certain it is heating, so I believe the problem will be the thermistor or the wiring but I cannot be sure.

GE Front Load Washer Test Modes

Thank you,
Shawn/administrator

Comments for
Washer heater not working

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Apr 29, 2011

Heater indeed not working
by: Wylin

Hi Shawn:

Thanks much for your prompt and well thought out response.

I tested the thermistor wiring again. It is good and there is no path to ground for any of the wires or contacts on the thermistor or board or element.

So is the element indeed heating? I conducted the following tests:

t09 cold water valve test. water temp coming in measured with thermometer in water stream in dispenser drawer opening: 48 deg. bottom of tank near element: stone cold to touch. Drain hose remains cold while draining.

t08 hot water valve test. Water temp coming in: 125 deg. bottom of tank near element: warm to touch. Drain hose becomes warm while draining.

to7 Heater/Thermistor test. Water coming in: 52 deg. board displays 58 deg. After fill it reads 51 deg. and keeps reading 51 deg. for the remainder of the test. Bottom of tank near element: remains stone cold during test. Element being fed 117 volts and drawing 8.10 amps. Drain hose remains cold while draining.

These tests were conducted with both the Old and the New boards installed and produced the same results except for the cold and hot valve tests which only produced two beeps instead of doing the tests while the new board was installed.

These tests seem to indicate that the thermistor is indeed reading accurately and that the element is indeed not heating even though it produces the correct 15 Ohms and is fed 117 volts and draws 8.10 amps during test.

Also checked during a wash cycle with sanitize and while being fed 117 volts it did not increase the temperature of the bottom of the tank. The element is supposed to heat the water to 160 deg.

Are there any further possibilities?

Many thanks,

Wylin

May 01, 2011

Bad Heater
by: Shawn/admin

If it the heater is getting 117 volts and it is not heating then it is bad. I just can’t seem to figure out why it would be drawing current and not heating. I have never known for a heater to test correctly with an ohmmeter, draw current and not heat. With that being said since the heater is receiving voltage the board is doing its job. Since the water isn’t actually being heated then the thermistor is ok. All that is left is a bad heater even if it has the correct ohms and it is drawing current.

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