Thermopot is a modern household appliance for heating the water poured into it and keeping it hot. The device is indispensable where you need to gradually spend hot water over a long time. But with frequent use, breakdowns are not excluded (for example, control systems, pumps, pumps, etc.). In this article, we will consider repairing a thermal sweat pump with your own hands.
General device of thermal sweat
Its capacity is usually 3-5 liters. For coffee breaks at large conferences, thermal pots with a capacity of 6, 8 and 10 liters are used. A thermal sweat is not much more complicated than a teapot. The main components of the device are located inside the plastic case:
- Flask. Made of stainless steel or special toughened glass. At the bottom of the flask is a heating element. It has the form of a spiral or is embedded in the bottom of the vessel. The top of the flask is closed with a sealed cap;
- In front is a hot water pouring unit. It consists of a tube that goes down to the bottom of the flask, filters and a nozzle, under which the cups are substituted;
- Electric pump. This is a mini compressor pumping water through a nozzle;
- Hand pump. Many models are equipped with a manual pump in addition to an electric pump or as a main pump;
- Power Supply. This unit provides power to the electric heater, and also converts an alternating mains voltage of 220 to low-voltage direct current, to power the pump and control system;
- Control and indication system. The electronic unit controls thermal sweat operation: allows you to set and maintain the required water temperature, unlock the inclusion of the pump, controls its operation. The unit shows on the display the current operating mode of the device and the water temperature.
Advantages and disadvantages
The presence of a nozzle makes it possible not to tilt the device to pour water. This eliminates the risk of capsizing and spilling hot water, which could result in severe burns. Thermal sweat provides a much higher level of safety than a kettle or thermos. This makes it indispensable for use by children, the sick and the elderly. In addition, most models are equipped with a system to block the inclusion of water when accidentally pressed.
Figure 1 Thermopot. General form
Water can be boiled in advance and set to maintain the set temperature. At the same time, energy consumption is minimal. Usually, several heating modes are supported - for an hour, three, six and nine hours. So you can prepare in advance for a coffee break during a meeting or conference, and at home boil water for the whole day during the operation of a cheap tariff.
The device also has disadvantages. Boiling water takes much longer than in a conventional kettle. If the flask runs out of water - again, there will be a long wait for a new portion of hot water. For conferences, several thermopots are usually provided for this case, or hot water already boiled in an ordinary kettle is added to them.
What is a heat pump needed for?
A pump, or pomp, is needed to supply water through the nozzle. After the lid is hermetically closed and the water is heated to the required temperature, you must press the unlock button. The lock LED goes off and you can press the power key.The pump starts pumping water that flows out of the spout. As soon as the user releases the key, the pump turns off and the water supply stops. After a few seconds, a lock is triggered, again locking the motor switching circuit. The control system of advanced models includes a water level sensor. If the water in the flask runs out, the pump shuts off.
Many models are equipped with a backup hand pump in case of a power outage. It is a corrugated tank located under the top cover of the device.
Its structure and principle of operation
The electric pump is an electric motor and the pump itself mounted on its working shaft - a chamber with an impeller, inlet and outlet pipes. When the engine is turned on, the impeller begins to rotate and distill the water from the inlet pipe, leaving the flask, to the outlet pipe, which goes to the nozzle. In some models, there is a filter in front of the pump that traps mechanical impurities, such as, for example, tea leaves caught in a flask. Its condition must also be checked, flushed or replaced if necessary.
A manual pump is a corrugated cylinder made of plastic. In the list of spare parts, it is listed as an "air pump." This pump only works when the thermopot cover is closed, when the flask is a sealed volume. When you press the large button on the lid, the cylinder is compressed and pumps air into the upper part of the bulb. Overpressure displaces a portion of water through the nozzles into the nozzle. When you release the manual feed button, the elasticity of the cylinder and the pressure in the flask return the manual pump to its original position. The pump is ready for the next cycle.
Causes of damage to the electric pump
Important! Before you start troubleshooting, you need to take care of your safety. During disassembly of the device, it should be disconnected from the mains, and hot water should be drained.
Common causes of malfunctions are as follows:
- Faulty control system.
- Thermal sweat pump does not work.
- Impeller chamber is dirty.
If Thermopot stopped supplying water - the problem is not necessarily in the pump. Before disassembling the unit, you need to make sure that the voltage of the motor is supplied with sufficient voltage. This can be done with a tester (multimeter). There is another option. A constant voltage of 12 volts is supplied to the motor contacts from another source, for example, a car battery. If the engine starts to rotate, the problem is in the control system, and you need to diagnose it further.
If the device does not have a standby heating function, check the condition of the rectifier diodes of the power supply unit.
If there is such a function, you need to check the resistance of the on-duty heating spiral, and it could fail (burn out). The engine is powered through it.
If the engine itself is serviceable, then you can do a little repair of the heat pump pump with your own hands.
The reasons for the inoperative hand pump may be the following:
- Violation of the integrity of the corrugated plastic cylinder.
- Worn silicone gasket on top cover.
These malfunctions are detected by external inspection and do not require diagnostic tools and disassembly of the device. But in order to replace the defective parts, in the first case it will be necessary to disassemble the thermopot cover, and in the second case the thermopot case.
How to repair a thermal sweat pump with your own hands?
If the rest of the systems are checked and it is established that the thermopot pump does not work, then there will be a big disassembly of the device - the pump is hidden deep in its bowels. After all the parts of the bottom are dismantled, you can see the pump. When the thermal sweat does not pump the ox, the pump can be repaired by do-it-yourselfers
Figure 2 Pump after removal of the bottom. Branch pipes and contacts are visible (on the right)
The sequence of steps for disassembling the node is as follows:
- Disconnect inlet and outlet pipes. If they are filled with scale, the pump does not pump water well. They should be cleaned, rinsed and purged.
- Unscrew the screws securing the motor housing to the pump chamber.
Figure 3 Start disassembling the pump
- Carefully disconnect the pump chamber from the impeller and the motor housing. In this case, you need to be careful about the silicone gasket. If it is worn or damaged, it must be replaced with a working one.
- Limescale in the chamber may interfere with the rotation of the impeller. It must be carefully removed with a plastic or wooden spatula. The use of sharp metal objects is not recommended, as this could damage the camera body.
Figure 4 Scale in the chamber
- After the impeller is dismantled, a magnet recessed in the chamber body becomes visible, which is also prone to scale deposits. It must be cleaned with care. You can do this with a screwdriver, but it’s safer to use a plastic or wooden spatula.
Figure 5 Scale prevents the impeller from rotating.
Figure 6 Cleaning the magnet from contamination
- After cleaning the pump parts from scale, carefully assemble it in the reverse order of disassembly. Particular attention should be paid to the uniform tightening of the screws that secure the motor to the pump casing and the even laying of the gasket.
After assembly, you need to conduct a trial inclusion. If the pump still does not work, it will have to be replaced. The engine is non-separable and cannot be repaired.
What to do if the manual pump does not work? It is much simpler. Actually, it consists of a single part - a corrugated cylinder. If it has worn out and lost weight, it ceases to fulfill its functions and blow air into the flask.
Figure 7 Contaminated Hand Pump
In this case, it must be replaced. To replace it, you will have to remove the lard and disassemble it. On some models, the hand pump is pressed against the top cap, mounted on several screws. These screws will have to be unscrewed. On other models, the lid holding the hand pump cylinder is secured with latches. They must be wrung out with a thin screwdriver, being careful. If the latches break, you have to change the entire cover, and it costs from one and a half to two and a half thousand rubles.
Figure 8 Spare part for hand pump
A manual pump may not pump water in another case - if the silicone gasket of the heat-sink cover is leaky. In this case, the air pumped by the button freely exits, and water is not supplied through the nozzle. In this case, it will be necessary to replace the gasket. To do this, you need to disassemble the case. In some models, the gasket can be carefully picked up with a spatula or a thin screwdriver. On others you have to remove the flask.
