Cold heated towel rail, heated towel rail does not work

What to do if the water heated towel rail stops heating

Remove air lock

This problem also occurs with devices built into the heating system. During the autumn connection of batteries, air is forced out into the final elements of the system - heated towel rails. This interferes with water circulation. To make the device hot again, you need to bleed the air.

It happens that the heated towel rail does not heat up after turning off the hot water. When it is already turned back on, the coil remains cold. Airing is also to blame for this. In both cases, you need to act according to one of two schemes. The first is for modern coils. The second is for old-style equipment.

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If the device has a Mayevsky valve (it can be hidden under a cap, in a corner, at one of the outlets) or another valve for bleeding air, follow this procedure.

Instructions for working with the Mayevsky crane

Turn the valve so that water comes out. Place a bowl so as not to flood the floor.
Wait until the hissing stops and the liquid flows in a thin stream.
Close the valve back.

Sometimes valves are installed from two outlets and then you need to bleed both in turn. If there is no air vent, then you will have to use another method.

Water heated towel rail TERMINUS Standard

Instructions for working without an air vent

Place a rag on the floor or a bucket or large bowl.
Slightly unscrew the top nut that attaches the coil to the riser.
Water will come out from the junction with a hissing sound. Wait until the hissing stops and tighten the nut back.

In some houses, it is possible to remove the airlock only from the neighbors’ apartment on the top floor or attic, if house communications are located on it. Sometimes it happens that the air lock is eliminated, but the device still does not heat up or cools back down after half an hour. This video shows what to do in such a situation.

Plumbing equipment
Choosing a water heated towel rail: 4 important criteria and manufacturer ratings

Remove the blockage

If bleeding the air does not help, it may be scale. It appears due to poor water quality. In this case, the coil will heat up poorly or remain cold.

Note. Cleaning of equipment connected to the heating system is carried out only during the summer shutdown.

Water heated towel rail Energy Modern

Instructions for removing blockages

Turn off the water supply and place a bucket down to drain the remaining water inside. Or lower the coil outlet into the bathtub.
Remove the heated towel rail and disassemble it.
Pour a hot solution with Anti-Scalp, Mole, oxalic or citric acid, and table vinegar inside. The last two powders are diluted in a proportion of 2-3 tablespoons per liter of water. The rest - according to the instructions. The solution must be left inside the pipe for some time.
After this time, clean it with a brush, plumbing cable or a bendable rod with a metal sponge.
Rinse it again under strong water pressure and install it back.

You won't be able to remove old devices yourself. In addition, the blockages in them may be too ingrained and a cable with cleaning agents will not be enough to clear them. In this case, it is better to call a plumber.

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Check the water supply system

The coil built into a faulty hot water system only warms up when the hot water tap is open. Since there is no constant circulation, the heated towel rail does not heat. The simplest solution to this problem is to install electrical equipment or connect to the heating system.

Correct incorrect installation

The temperature of the heater may vary depending on where it is installed. If it is located far from the riser, hot water may simply not get into it. The most successful installation is considered to be one in which the coolant is supplied to the top of the device and leaves from the bottom.

Proper Connection Methods

Diagonal. The water supply is carried out at the far upper outlet, and the return flow is carried out at the near bottom. The pipes are connected at a slope of 3 to 30 mm, without bends.
Lateral. The coolant flows in and out of outlets located on the same level. The pipes are located with a slight slope or strictly horizontally.

It is advisable that the top of the heater is not located above the water intake point. If this condition is difficult to fulfill, install a Mayevsky tap. The bottom crossbar, on the contrary, should be higher than the point of the return line. Subject to the connection conditions, these two types of installation will ensure constant circulation of the coolant and minimize airing.

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Check that your neighbors are connected correctly

When replacing a heated towel rail, neighbors may change the connection diagram and block the riser. In this case, you first need to call a plumber - he can correct the situation. If this does not work, you can complain to the Criminal Code or the local housing inspection office. Sometimes the device does not heat up properly due to the actions of utility services - when the temperature of the incoming water does not meet established standards.

Replace outdated equipment

If all else fails, and the equipment has been installed for a very long time, the only way to solve the problem is to change it. In addition, clogs will accumulate faster in old pipes.

Water heated towel rail Tera Bohemia with shelf

Correcting possible breakdowns with your own hands

Tool required:

indicator screwdriver;
Phillips screwdriver:
pliers;
adjustable wrench;
tester;
funnel.

To fix this:

Remove the heated towel rail from the brackets and unscrew the plug with the Mayevsky valve and the gasket, which is located in the upper part.
Turn over and drain the liquid into a container prepared for this purpose.
Unscrew the connection of the heating element of the heated towel rail with the device (in the lower part), that is, in the place where the leak formed, using a key.
Remove the old gasket and replace it with a new one.

Reference! The plumbing store asks for a seal made of fluorine-containing polymer and the appropriate diameter.

If the device does not heat

Check the entire electrical circuit. First, inspect the socket of the heated towel rail: insert a plug from another device into it. If it doesn't work, unscrew the socket.

First, the switch labeled “bathroom” is turned off on the electrical distribution panel. If there is no such inscription, turn off the general packet switch.

Important! The socket must be grounded and have an automatic shut-off system. It is recommended to install a waterproof socket

The problem with a faulty heated towel rail socket is solved in this way:

The burnt-out contact of the heated towel rail is restored and reassembled.
If this does not help, change the entire outlet to a waterproof one.

The next possible breakdown is a malfunction of the connection to the heated towel rail (cable with plug). Use a tester to check the continuity of the circuit by resistance to direct current. Sometimes it is possible to access the wire at the junction with the thermostat, sometimes this is not possible, because the cable is sealed.

If the tester shows no network, change the entire line or just the plug.

Photo 1. Checking the heating element of a heated towel rail using an electrical resistance tester. If the voltage is insufficient, the entire circuit must be checked.

Then, using a resistance tester, they check the integrity of the thermostat circuit - the heating element. Most likely, the breakdown is in this element.

Most companies provide the ability to replace heating elements, regardless of whether they are intended for wet or dry dryers.

Replacing the heating element

When purchasing a heating element, they also purchase gaskets for connection to the housing. The seller is asked to dispose of the old NE, if such a service is available.

Replacement steps

An adapter is inserted into a nut with an internal thread, a gasket is placed inside, a ring is put on the protruding part of the adapter from below, and the pin is screwed into the ring with a screwdriver, securing the adapter immovable.
This design is put on the heating element. Carefully screw the nut with the heater into the heated towel rail and tighten it with a wrench.
Install the entire set of “towels” in their original place. Place a funnel in the top hole and pour it into the coolant (oil, water, antifreeze) in small parts. Check the lower threaded connection for fluid leakage. If necessary, tighten with an adjustable wrench. Install a nut with an adapter, gasket and Mayevsky valve in the upper part.
The upper part with the valve is wrapped with a rag to prevent the coolant from leaking onto the floor when the heater is connected.
Turn the thermostat to maximum and wait: when heated, excess liquid will come out through the Mayevsky valve. Remove the rag, tighten the valve and screw on the cap that hides it.

When replacing a dry heating element, the procedure is simpler and does not require a detailed description.

Remove the plug and if the phase wire burns out at the junction with the heater, correct the breakdown, wrap it with heat shrink and put it in place. If the thermostat in the device fails, they replace it or try to connect it directly, without this device.

If the problem is a broken heating cable, the fix will require replacing the heating element.

Attention! Before installing a new heating cable with a thermostat in place, check it with a tester

If the heated towel rail connected to electricity does not work

Electric heaters are considered quite reliable, but they can also fail.

Causes of failure

Burnt out heating element.
Thermostat malfunction.
Wiring problems.
Blockage.

Electric heated towel rail Domoterm Classic DMT

Remove the blockage

Blockages appear only in combined devices - they operate on hot water supply and electricity. To check if there is a plug inside, turn on the device and after a few minutes check its temperature next to the heating element and in another area of the coil. If the heater is warm, but the rest of the pipe is cold, there may be scale in it. Remove the equipment so that the liquid does not leak out and clean it with a plumbing cable.

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Check electrical

If the heater remains cold, the problem lies in the electrical part. You can search for a malfunction using the following scheme:

Inspect the outlet. If there is no visual damage, check it using an indicator screwdriver. Replace the outlet if necessary.
Some devices have a thermostat. Give it a spin. A faint click indicates serviceability.
Set the multimeter to record the DC resistance level and check the resistance of the heating element and wires. The indicators of the first should be less than 1 Ohm, the second should approach infinity. If other numbers are displayed, the wiring is changed.

Electric heated towel rail TERMINUS Classic 32/18

Diagnostics of heating elements with a multimeter:

Disassemble the heating element and carefully disconnect the wires connecting it to the electrical system. The user manual will help with this.
Set the measurement scale to Ω and indicate the maximum value.
Ring all the wires and the heating element itself separately.
If the indicator tends to zero, there is a short circuit in the system.

Replace equipment

Replacing the electric heater is easy. You will need a screwdriver and wrenches. The dry heating element is unscrewed and a new one is installed. If it comes into contact with the coolant liquid, the coil is unscrewed, the liquid is poured into a suitable container, the heater is replaced and the coolant is poured back.

Electric heated towel rail TERMINUS Classic

In the article, we explained why the heated towel rail in the bathroom does not heat, and what to do in each case. To repair equipment connected to the hot water supply, work in the sequence that we have described.

Specifics of servicing an electric heated towel rail

Such models have a second name - design radiators; they exhibit a high margin of reliability. Common reasons for their failure are internal defects, power surges, resource depletion, and overheating.

Structural features

Structurally, there are two types of electrical equipment - liquid and solid-filled. In the latter case, graphite or similar compositions are used to transfer heat; the operation of liquid models is based on heating special water, a mixture of mineral oils, and antifreeze.

Liquid heated towel rail

The functioning of solid-filled radiators is ensured by tubular or classic spiral heaters; cables and heating films are also found here. Liquid heated towel rails have traditional heating elements.

What to do if the electric heated towel rail does not heat?

You need to prepare an adjustable wrench, screwdrivers and a multimeter. First, the integrity of the electrical circuit is determined, then the power elements are examined:

check the voltage in the outlet;
measure the readings of the power cord;
if there is no supply voltage, check the functionality of the thermostat relay and contact group - sometimes a malfunction occurs due to a poor-quality electrical connection or burnt contacts;
if an electronic thermostat is provided, it is necessary to examine the power semiconductors and output relay.

Electric heated towel rail
It is better to entrust such complex manipulations to a specialist.

Troubleshooting options

As a rule, repairs come down to replacing the heating element. If you are not sure about the type of device, during its disassembly you need to turn the coil over so that the working fluid remains inside. Using an adjustable wrench, loosen the nut on the flange, remove the old one and install the new heater. You need to make sure that there is no current leakage onto the surface of the heated towel rail - you will also need a multimeter here.

Before assembling a liquid model, it is worth replenishing the level of the working medium in it, since some of it could leak out during repairs. It is necessary to provide free space that will be needed for natural thermal expansion. Next, make sure that the sealing gaskets are intact, otherwise it is better to prepare new ones. The flange nut is tightened with force so that the connection becomes airtight. The final stage is checking the functionality of the heated towel rail in all modes.

Repairs and malfunctions

In order to repair or troubleshoot an electric heated towel rail, you need to find out the cause of the breakdown.

If the electric heated towel rail does not heat up, you need to unplug the plug from the socket and check its serviceability using a special device. If during the test it becomes clear that there is no current in it, then it is necessary to replace the socket of the electric heated towel rail. And if everything is fine, and the socket of the electric heated towel rail works, then the cause of the malfunction of the electric heated towel rail is most likely a problem in the supply to the electric heated towel rail.

Connection device for electric heated towel rail

If the electric heated towel rail heats up weakly or does not heat up at all, then the electric dryer may be clogged. And it just needs to be cleaned. Determining the place where the blockage occurred is as easy as shelling pears. To do this, you just need to probe the pipe and where you feel the temperature difference, there is a residence of evil! Then you just need to knock along the entire length of the pipe and shake out the blockage. There may also be a problem at the output. In order to understand where the malfunction of the electric heated towel rail is hidden, you need to disassemble it. If, after you have removed the heated towel rail, unscrewed the valve and cleaned it, and also cleaned the pipe itself with metal wire, then put the plumbing fixture back together, and the electric heated towel rail does not work, then the problem is clearly in its electrical part. Here it is better to entrust the repair of an electric heated towel rail to an electrician.

The heated towel rail in the bathroom does not heat: why does this happen?

The heated towel rail should generally work without any interruptions, but some breakdowns may occur with it. But don’t despair and draw hasty conclusions and run for a new device. It may also happen that the device needs to be repaired.

A water appliance usually seems more reliable than an electric one. However, this is not at all true, because some breakdowns are very difficult to fix. This is due to the inconvenience when working with such a device.

There are very few main reasons why the device stopped working. Some of them are trivial, while others require special attention and the help of a qualified specialist.

Reasons indicating a malfunction of the device:

Clogged suitable pipes;
Malfunction of taps;
Lack of water circulation;
The device itself is clogged.

To determine some malfunctions of an electric heated towel rail (the device stops heating or cools down quickly), you will need a special device and an indicator screwdriver. The network voltage is also checked using an ohmmeter. If after this you still cannot turn on the device, then the problem lies in the device itself. When carrying out all work with an electrical device, you must strictly follow safety rules; all tools must be insulated.

Causes of failure

Before you begin to find out the sources of problems or repair, you need to figure out what type of heated towel rail you have. Obviously, a heated towel rail running on electricity can only be cold for reasons related to its design or the supply of electricity. Due to the high humidity in the bathroom, water or steam often gets onto the outlet, forming condensation. This may cause the outlet to fail. That is why experts recommend installing special moisture-resistant models in the bathroom. You can check the serviceability of the outlet by connecting the heated towel rail using an extension cord to any other outlet in the house. To change the socket, it is best to call a professional, since repairing it yourself can cause unpleasant consequences.

Also, the low temperature level of an electric heated towel rail can be explained by a blockage that sometimes forms in the supply line to the device. In addition, the electrical part of the heated towel rail may be damaged, which also requires specialist intervention.

Insufficient water circulation and poor heating of the water heated towel rail sometimes indicate that the valves or pipes of the structure are clogged. In addition, the tap on the water or heat supply riser may be turned off. At the same time, the heated towel rail itself remains hot, and the heated towel rail pipes remain cool. Sometimes the lack of coolant circulation indicates that the heated towel rail is not connected correctly to the common line.

A colored heated towel rail is stylish

Often the reasons for low temperatures are unscrupulous replacement of pipelines in a neighboring apartment, when the main flow of hot coolant is deliberately released in the opposite direction. The most common cause of poor heating can be an ordinary air lock.