Bosch 1200 express heater element damage

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

Bosch Exxcell 7 1200 Express repeatedly damaging heater element

The problem

The washing machine was tripping the fuse. The heater element was replaced, but after three washes the fuse tripped again and the replacement element showed the same gouge damage in the same area. The drum appeared uneven when turned by hand and viewed through the heater opening.

Likely cause

The accepted diagnosis was that the drum was loose and contacting the heater element during spin, particularly under load. A deformed or out-of-true drum was suspected by the poster, but the confirmed discussion support is for a loose drum striking the element.

What fixed it

Investigate the drum assembly for looseness or movement causing contact with the heating element. The exact repair was not confirmed in the discussion. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.

Checks to try

• Removed original heater element and found a gouge about 2-3cm from the seal
• Fitted a new heater element and ensured it was inside the retaining clip
• After three washes, removed the replacement element and found the same damage
• Turned the drum and looked through the heater gap, noting one section protruded more than the rest

Parts or tools mentioned

• heater element