[rfbarnett]

We bought this unit for the A//C five years ago, and thought the heating feature might be useful in our old farmhouse. As home heating oil prices rose, we used the heater more and more. Now it has quit heating. Cleaned the filter, still no heat. Think about replacing the heater element? I see it's kinda pricey. Thanks for your help.

[denman]

Here are your parts, includes a wiring diagram.
Parts for FAM18EQ2A - AppliancePartsPros.com

Here is info on PTC heaters.
I would check it with a meter. Unfortunately I do not have info on what the resistances at different temperatures should be.
Start with a low meter scale and then increase it if you get infinite ohms.

If it has resistance then it could be the power relay (RLY3) is bad or the electronics that control the relay are bad.

If you do not own a meter, I would suggest you purchase a one. You can get a decent digital multimeter for under $20.00. You do not need fancy though it is nice if the leads are a couple feet long.
If it saves ordering one unnecessary part it has paid for itself and you end up owning a useful tool.
Most places will not let you return electrical parts so if you order it, you own it.
A couple things to watch when measuring ohms and continuity
1. Always remove power from the machine otherwise you could blow your meter.
2. Always disconnect at least one side of any device you are checking. This eliminates the possibility of measuring an alternate/parallel circuit path.
3. When checking for closed contacts and continuity use the lowest scale (Usually 200 ohms). Then try higher scales. This scale is 0 to 200 ohms so if the device you are measuring is 300 ohms this scale would show an open circuit which it is not, you are just measuring outside the scale's dynamic range.
4. When you start always short the meter leads together. This will tell you that the meter is working and if there is any 0 offset.

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it's use.

[rfbarnett]

thanks denman

[clairenelson]

Home appliances, from small to large, represent a huge investment for most people. The financial difference between repairing or replacing particular appliances can make the difference between a great investment or a terrible one. If your appliance has broken but is still under warranty, you’ve hit the repair jackpot. Any time you buy a new appliance, you should fill out and mail in the warranty card, then keep it on file or even taped to the side of the appliance, if you can do so safely. You should also check any credit card agreements; it is possible that your credit card automatically adds a warranty protection to any major purchases. And if you are having a serious damage appliances, better go to your purchasing store before its too late.

Source: Refrigerator Repair

[addictionshary]

There is a good STICKY at the start of this forum about it's use.

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[Adeline Dalia]

Try to get it inspected by a professional first so that if any repairs can be done to make it run some more time then its better than investing on changing the heater element.