Why does an oil heater crack?

The onset of cool weather does not always coincide with the beginning of the heating season. It is not uncommon to have to freeze for a week before starting a central heating system. To avoid troubles such as colds, you can use an oil heater. And here a surprise is possible in the form of a crackling sound after it is plugged into the outlet. The causes and solution to the problem are further in the article.

Crackling sound when heating

If you hear a crackling sound after turning on the heater while warming up, don’t get upset right away. Often the crackling sound comes from heating oil. This behavior of the device - a cracking noise - may be due to the fact that it was shaken or dropped, as a result - the appearance of air bubbles in the oil. The problem can be solved if you install the heater on a flat horizontal plane.

A possible reason is that water got into the oil during assembly of the device at the factory. There is nothing wrong with extraneous sounds when heating. Radiator parts that expand when heated may crack.

Possible faults

In addition to the above reasons, electrical contacts can be a source of extraneous sounds. This is no longer good - such a device cannot be used due to the risk of a short circuit. Signs that there is a fault in the contacts are the appearance of a smell of burnt wiring and hot copper, and after heating the radiator, the crackling does not stop.

Solutions to the problem

As a rule, the contacts begin to burn either on the power control rheostat or on the device switch. If you pull the power cord too hard when moving the heater, the contacts at the place where it is connected may also become loose. The problem can often be seen with the naked eye - blackening and charring of the braid and the contact itself, in addition, as a result of overheating, the copper wires acquire a characteristic red-pinkish tint. To fix the problem, you need to clean the contacts if they are not yet damaged and check the reliability of the connection. If the wire has already become brittle, it needs to be replaced. The melted steel contacts to which the copper conductor fits must also be replaced.

If after carrying out the above measures the cracking noise does not disappear, you should send the heater for repair or invite a specialist, he will identify and eliminate the cause of the malfunction. It is not recommended to troubleshoot the problem yourself without the appropriate knowledge and skills in order to avoid complete failure of the device.