Getting inside a Miele T490 tumble drier

[chinaysa]

Hello Folks - delighted to have discovered this forum. Thanks to advice I've already found in other threads I've managed to successfully remove the backplate of my Miele tumble drier as I'm trying to locate and test the thermostat (the machine is working but blowing cold air only).

However now that I've removed the backplate I'm faced with a metal casing as shown in the image below.......I can feel the heating element inside the narrow recess but am wondering how to get further into the machine.

Thank you for reading and any advice gratefully etc.....

Miele T490

• chinaysa
• 17 Oct 2011
• 2

Inside drum with backplate removed

cheers
Chris

 

[zipper]

Take out the 4 small bolts & remove the round plate...all should be revealed

 

[chinaysa]

4 days later - have now managed to test the thermostat which seems fine, and the element which sadly does not.
I'm now wondering whether to bow to the inevitable.....the machine is 12 years old and has been used hard. Worth replacing the element for £200 or time for a new one?

thanks
C

 

[zipper]

That has to be your decision....
Have you looked around for second hand spares...ebay etc?

 

[chinaysa]

No not thought of second-hand sources, just the usual online spares stores. Good idea, I won't give up yet! Thanks Zipper.

 

[cfc2000]

No not thought of second-hand sources, just the usual online spares stores. Good idea, I won't give up yet! Thanks Zipper.

A second hand heater box will still cost you about £50 to £60 and you will only see them on ebay.de. Much better would be to repair the element inside the heater box. It will have burnt out at one of the ends. You can open up the box which is held together by crimped tabs - just use pliers to twist them straight and lift off the side. If the wire has gone at the end then you can re-crimp it using a car wiring metal crimp connector and tool. This is what I did about four years ago and it's lasted until now. Even at £50, if you can find one, it is an expensive job. I saw a Hotpoint vented tumble dryer in Makro the other day for £120. And if you should be so unfortunate as to have the heating element fail it would only cost you £20 for a replacement. I think Miele is a good quality make, but the price of spares is ridiculous.