Troubleshooting Electric Sauna Heater Problems

An electric sauna heater is a great way to operate your sauna for those times of rest and relaxation. Many people have electric sauna heaters installed because of the ease of operation and maintenance. After you have used your sauna over time, you may notice that the heater is not working the way that it should. Troubleshooting your own electric sauna heater can save you plenty of money in the event that simple repairs are needed. Here is a short guide to help you troubleshoot our own electric sauna heater.

1. Read Instructions Carefully

The first thing you should do anytime you purchase any item that you may need to troubleshoot later on is to read the instruction manual and guide. This will explain many of the different components, what they do, how they should operate, and any simple maintenance like changing filters. You do not have to memorize the instructions, but you should have a fairly accurate knowledge of the components and different functions.

2. Check Circuit Breaker

Many times the problem with the electric sauna heater is a very simple fix. Check the circuit breaker that the heater is a part of. If it has tripped, reset it and see if it continues to trip when in use. If so, then the circuit is already overloaded. Have the sauna rewired so that it is on a dedicated circuit breaker.

3. Check Heater Location

If the problem is not found with the circuit breaker, the problem could be located with the placement of the heater itself. Check to make sure that the electric sauna heater is positioned at least 10 inches from the floor of the sauna. If not, then the heater will not be able to breathe the way that it should, causing it to shut off. If the heater is not 10 inches from the floor, you will have to reposition it.

4. Check Heater Guard Rail

Another problem that can cause the heater to malfunction is if the heater guardrail is positioned to close to the vents. This will block the air flow from circulating. The guardrails should be at least six inches away from the vents. If they are not, then reposition them until they are.

5. Fuses Are Blown

Besides being on a circuit breaker, an electric sauna heater also has built in safeguards with the inline fuse. If there is a short, or a large electrical pulse through the wires, the fuse will blow. Once the fuse is blown the heater will not work. Remove the fuse and check to see if the metal filament is blown. If so, then replace the fuse.

6. Check Vents

The sauna heater should have two vents for circulating the air. There should be an intake under the heater and an exhaust situated on the other side of the room. Check to make sure that there are two vents. If so, then check them to make sure they are not blocked or clogged with any debris. Clean them out and check the electric heater again.

You sauna electric heater will continue to work efficiently as long as you keep it well maintained and troubleshoot any problems immediately.

Electric Sauna Heater Problems FAQ

Why is my electric sauna not heating up?

If you notice our sauna not heating up at all or not getting as hot as it should, there are a couple of things you should check first as the potential source of the problem.

Take a look at the fuse box to see if one of the fuses has blown out. You should be able to tell this because the fuse looks different from the others and may have a dark or black spot on it somewhere.

You should also look at the heating elements with the sauna turned on. Are they all glowing red?

If one of the heating elements it's lighting up, this may indicate that the element has gone bad and needs to be replaced.

How long do electric sauna heaters last?

The lifespan of sauna heaters varies, depending on how often the sauna is used and the quality of the heater. Most sauna heaters will last, on average, 20 to 30 years.

How do you test a sauna element?

To test a sauna heating element to see if it is working properly, disconnect it. Take a multimeter and connect the leads on the multimeter to the terminals on the heating element.

The resistance noted by the meter indicates whether the element is working or not. The resistance you need to see is the value of the voltage powering the element times two, divided by the amount of power the element uses.

For example, if the element is receiving 230 volts of power and it outputs 800 watts of energy, the resistance should be 66.1 ohms. If the reading is much higher, the element is not functioning properly.

How can I make my electric sauna hotter?

If your sauna is functioning perfectly but you still want it to be hotter, there are some ways you can optimize the amount of heat you get in the room. First, the heater should be optimally placed five to seven inches off the ground.

The placement of the heater ensures that hot air gets to the lower part of the sauna to heat the entire room.

You can also tweak the temperature sensor. This device is designed to shut off the heather when the room reaches a specific temperature.

The placement of the sensor can affect when it turns the heat off in the room. Place the sensor 14 to 18 inches away from the heater and the same distance down from the ceiling.

Do not over-fill the heater with stones. You should have just enough stones to barely cover the elements and you should use smaller rocks whenever possible.

What is the best temperature for an electric sauna?

How hot you want your sauna to be is subjective. Some people prefer more heat, while others less.

In general, most people prefer a sauna temperature that is somewhere between 150 to 175 degrees F in traditional saunas. The popular temperature range for an infrared sauna is 120 to 130 degrees.

Most saunas in the U.S. do not exceed 185 degrees by design, though some people enjoy saunas at temperatures up to 200 degrees F. For your own health, you should not sit in a sauna that exceeds 200 degrees.