01 · Standard
Double hairpin
Two loops on a shaped rubber flange with clamp bolt and NTC pocket – ready for a single or double Thermofuse.
- 1600 – 2200 W (typically 1900 – 2050 W)
- 8.0 – 8.5 mm sheath
Laundry · Washing machine heating elements
Designed for the worst water the machine will see – not the average.
Hairpin elements in a shaped rubber flange, clamped by a single bolt, with an NTC pocket for the controller. New in 2026: Thermofuse – a thermal fuse in the tube end that switches it off for good if it ever runs dry.
The element works in detergent and lint, in a sump that is periodically empty, in water from 2 to 40 °dH. Chloride pitting and lime scale are the two failure modes that drive material choice – we design for several thousand wash cycles without a service visit.
- Sheath and watt density calculated for the scale and chlorides of your target markets.
- Flange, bracket and NTC position matched to your tub interface.
- One thermal package: element, NTC and thermal fuse selected and supplied together.
Washing elements · series
Applications · where they work
Washing machines, washer-dryers and laundries.
Hairpin elements heat the wash water of front loaders, top loaders, washer-dryers and compact machines – and, at larger scale, of professional laundry equipment.
Key specifications
Specified for hard water: the washing envelope in figures.
Typical values from series production and European OEM practice. Hard-water markets sit at the low end of the watt-density range.
| Parameter | Typical values |
|---|---|
| Sheath diameter | 8.0 – 8.5 mm |
| Sheath materials | AISI 304 nickel-diffusion coated, AISI 316L, Incoloy 825 for hard-water and premium ranges |
| Power range | 1600 – 2200 W at 230 V (typically 1900 – 2050 W) |
| Voltage | 230 V; 120 V and 208/240 V for North America (UL recognition in progress – target end of 2027; until then to be agreed per project) |
| Watt density on the heated sheath | 5 – 10 W/cm² on double hairpins; compact single hairpins run higher (hard water at the low end) |
| Terminal types | 6.3 mm flat tabs with locking lance; earth tab on flange; NTC with 2-pin connector |
| Sealing options | Silicone resin, epoxy resin, STF seal; Thermofuse: thermal fuse in the tube end |
| Typical appliance standards & marks | EN 60335-1 and EN 60335-2-7; VDE marks for approved element families; RoHS, REACH; CE marking of the finished appliance |
| Typical forms | Double hairpin with shaped rubber flange, clamp bolt, NTC pocket and Thermofuse (single or double thermal fuse); single-hairpin and flat-loop variants |
Standards and marks are those the finished appliance typically has to meet. BALÇIK TORMEC’s own approvals are listed on the Certificates page; further marks are obtained per project. All values typical – final values confirmed by our engineers.
Typical forms
One architecture, built three ways.
Every version is a flanged element in the tub sump. They differ in loop shape, sheath and protection – and several platforms can share one active part.
02 · Compact
Single hairpin and flat loop
Single-hairpin and flat-loop variants for tubs with less room under the drum.
- Same flange and NTC interface
- Single or double Thermofuse
03 · Hard water
Corrosion-resistant sheaths
For hard and chlorinated water, sheath alloy and surface load are calculated for the scale and corrosion the element will meet in service.
- AISI 316L or Incoloy 825
- Nickel-diffusion coated AISI 304
One active part, several platforms: the same tube, wire and watt density with platform-specific brackets and NTC positions – one construction family, fewer approval files and simpler incoming inspection.
Technical drawing · anatomy
Every part of the element has a job in the tub.
The sheath passes through the tub wall in a rubber flange that a single clamp bolt compresses. Flange flatness, gasket geometry and clamping force have to seal across temperature, spin vibration and years of ageing.
Sheath for the water
AISI 304 nickel-diffusion coated, AISI 316L or Incoloy® 825 for hard-water and premium ranges. Alloy and surface load follow the hardest water the appliance will meet in its markets.
Watt density on the heated sheath
5 – 10 W/cm² on double hairpins, higher on compact single hairpins, with hard water at the low end. Scale insulates the sheath and drives its temperature up; a lower load slows scale growth and extends element life.
Sealing to the tub
Rubber flange, clamp bolt and clamp plate seal the tub opening; silicone resin, epoxy resin or STF seal the terminal ends. A leak at the flange is a warranty claim, not a repair.
Geometry and appliance standards
The element must clear the drum at its lowest excursion and stay under water at minimum fill, held off the tub floor against lint. Appliances are typically approved to EN 60335-1 and EN 60335-2-7.
New in 2026 · Thermofuse
The safety function sits in the element – not only on the control board.
If the water supply fails, the level sensing misreads or the tub drains while heating, a water-rated element in air overheats within a minute. Thermofuse puts a non-resettable thermal fuse in series with the heating circuit, so a dry-running element is switched off permanently – independent of the electronics.
Single fuse
Thermofuse on one pole
One thermal fuse inside the tube end, in series with one pole. It opens the circuit for good if the element overheats – for example when it runs dry.
- For 8.5 mm elements
- Preferred cut-out 144 °C or 152 °C; other values on request
Double fuse
Thermofuse on both poles
One thermal fuse at each end of the element, each in series with one pole – for safety concepts that call for a fuse on both poles.
- Same cut-out options as the single version
- For washing machines and washer-dryers
- Response time set by fuse calibration and pin material – iron or copper.
- Rated temperature specified with you, to match the safety concept of the appliance.
- Clear roles: the NTC lets the electronics control the wash temperature; the fuse covers the failure case.
Validation
Validated for life in the tub before series release.
Samples are validated in our laboratory against the conditions in the tub. In series, every element passes a 100 % electrical test: high-voltage dielectric test, insulation resistance and resistance/power check.
The complete test programme: quality and validation laboratory.
- Leakage current, dielectric strength and insulation resistance, hot and cold.
- Humidity storage, corrosion and salt spray for flange, bracket and terminal area.
- Flange pressing and clamp bracket checks on the tub interface.
- Life test and functional check of the element with its NTC and thermal fuse.
- Material composition (XRF) and coating thickness on coated sheaths.
Video · on YouTube
How our tubular heating elements are made.
A short film from our YouTube channel: BALÇIK TORMEC tubular heating elements from raw material to the 100 % tested series part – made in Kahramankazan since 1959.
Online catalogue
26 washing-machine designs in our online catalogue.
Double and single hairpins with flange and NTC pocket, each listed with sheath diameter, voltage and power – the starting point for your tub interface.
Related
More on materials, sealing and development.
Nickel diffusion coatingCorrosion and scale protection for AISI 304 sheaths
STF terminal sealingMoisture-tight terminal ends
Co-design processFrom tub interface to PPAP-style sample approval
Water and liquid heatingImmersion elements for water heaters
GlossaryThermal fuse, NTC, cold zone and other terms
Specifications by product groupAll groups side by side
Planning a Thermofuse platform?
Send the tub interface, power and safety concept. We propose element, fuse rating and NTC position as one package – with a target price.
