Alternative heater for AEG Lavamat 610?

[soother]

AEG Lavamat 610.   The heater has failed on my old machine. I would like to repair it at minimum cost.

This machine uses a dual element 1900W/950W heater (AEG 645423235) costing £40 plus, -unless someone can suggest a cheaper source?

I see that there are single element heaters which will fit, such as Partmaster 'alternative manufacturer' 2.3KW heater for under £14  here.

Can I use this cheaper part and bridge the contacts so that the single element will be energised when either heater power is called for?

What was the supposed advantage of a dual element heater in the first place?

Thanks.

 

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I would recommend only getting the correct heater. A none genuine one would be ok to get as long as it is specifically for that model. Try searching on my affiliate Ransom Spares but if you can’t find one that is a direct copy of the original get the genuine part. 

[soother]

Andy
Thanks for your very sensible advice.  

The price of the proper part is probably more than the whole machine is worth - it's more than 20 years old now, so I would like to do the repair at minimum cost if possible. 

 I still don't understand the reason for using a dual element heater? Would my solution work?

Another basic question. Are the rear mounting flanges/gaskets on most of these heaters a standard size?

Thanks again.

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

20 years is very old nowadays. I've not dealt with dual heating elements to be honest. Is it wired in such a way that the machine can use one or both sides? If so presumably there must be some function or cycle that needs the smaller heating capacity. Heating up the water more slowly could be an option for improving washing with biological detergents. 

[soother]

Andy 

Thanks again for replying.  It's a good old machine. I've replaced the pump & the drum bearings over the years, everything else is original, and it still looks tidy. It was one of the first machines claiming to be environment friendly with 'economy programmes' so your bio idea is probably spot on.

It's still usable with the wash temperature turned right down to allow the program to advance, and I would rather have the spare part ready before dismantling, so I haven't seen the wiring yet. I know it has 4 tags plus earth, so separate connections to each heater.

I found information about the original heater on a German website which tells me the rear flange is 70 x 18mm. I expect that this size is common for many AEG and other machines. Am I correct?

Thanks once more

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

It's always possible they have changed the aperture for the heating element. In all honesty if you really want to repair it and keep it running I would buy the original spare part. Then you know it will fit perfectly with no stress. Alternatively as long as you can find a cheaper alternative that is not a genuine part but specifically made to fit your machine and essentially a copy that would be fine too. But I wouldn't try getting a different heater to fit. It's just not worth the hassle and risk. The heater you linked to in your first post only says it will fit AEG washing machines but when you check models it will ft it won't fit yours. 

It's notoriously difficult to find the right part for white goods appliances. Manufacturers have been known to fit 2 or 3 different types of part to exactly the same model depending which year it was manufactured and they aren't interchangeable. Plus finding spares with the model number printed on the washing machine itself or the manual can also be impossible. My articles here explain some of the pitfalls to buying appliance spare parts and are useful for anyone trying to find the right part for their washing machine - 

• Buying appliance spares – 5 things you need to know
• How to find appliance model number