Sunbeam Quartz Heater Keeps Shutting Off? (Fix It Now!)

Quartz radiant heaters can be a marvel for keeping you and your guests warm on your patio or in a small area inside your home. Unfortunately, if your quartz heater is not operating properly, then they are almost worthless. Why causes a Sunbeam quartz heater to keep shutting off?

All electric heaters, especially those designed for indoor use, have several safety features. If any of these safety devices malfunction, the heater may begin to act erratically by shutting itself off. Problems with the electrical connection can also cause intermittent failures to occur.

Diagnosing and remedying the problem of a Sunbeam quartz heater that turns itself off is not difficult. Understanding how quartz heaters work, the safety mechanisms involved, and what conditions or damage to look at are the keys to a successful repair. Here are our tips and a step-by-step guide for fixing a Sunbeam quartz heater that shuts itself off.

Quartz radiant heaters emit infrared waves in near-infrared frequencies. If the infrared waves strike you, you feel the heat. Infrared is almost all heat energy. Infrared waves are affected by wind currents which makes them highly efficient for heating objects such as people.

Infrared waves travel in straight lines and typically don’t heat the air. The only things that become warm are the object that receives the infrared waves. This property makes infrared radiant heating an excellent way to keep people and things warm in large open areas such as patios, warehouses, or workshops.

Anytime you are working on an electrical appliance, you must use extreme caution. Never leave the appliance plugged into an outlet if you have the covers off of the unit. Avoid probing inside an electrical device that has power connected.

If you need to turn on your Sunbeam quartz heater, be careful of the glass tube and heating element. Both can reach temperatures that can cause severe burn injuries or damage. It is best to always replace any safety guards on the Sunbeam quartz heater before starting it to test your repairs.

Many times damage to the electrical cord of your Sunbeam quartz heater can cause intermittent operational problems. A damaged plug or damage to the wire itself can be a problem. If you find a damaged plug or wire, you should replace the entire electrical cord immediately.

Never cut and splice a new plug onto the old power cord. If the wire itself is damaged, the only safe fix is installing a new power cord for the electrical current the quartz heater requires. Damaged wires and plugs are fire hazards.

Sunbeam quartz heaters need adequate airflow through the heater to operate safely. If enough air is not circulating through the heater, the overheat sensor will shut off the Sunbeam quartz heater.

Your Sunbeam quartz radiant heater has slots at the top and bottom to allow air to circulate inside the heater housing. Make sure that these openings are clear of any obstructions. Many times dirt, lint, and debris will clog these openings. Without the airflow inside the heater, temperatures rise and the safety features come into play.

One of the safety features of your Sunbeam quartz radiant heater is an anti-tilt switch. If your Sunbeam heater is accidentally tilted or knocked over, this safety device shuts the heater off to prevent damage or fires. To operate properly, your Sunbeam quartz heater must be sitting upright and in a stable position.

If your Sunbeam portable radiant heater has fallen over or is not level, you may need to reset the system before the heater restarts. Consult the owner’s manual for instruction on resetting the anti-tile safety system.

As we have already mentioned, your Sunbeam quartz heater has an internal temperature sensor. This sensor shuts the heater down if the temperatures inside the heater go above a preset limit. However, these temperature sensors can fail, which can cause your Sunbeam quartz heater to operate erratically.

Our recommendation is to take your Sunbeam quartz heater to a qualified Sunbeam repair technician if you suspect that the over-heat sensor has a problem. A trained technician can test and repair these temperature sensors and return your heater to full operational status.

Many Sunbeam quartz radiant heaters have an onboard computer that monitors the heater’s operation and the safety systems. The entire job of this small computer is to look for unsafe conditions. If the control board is damaged or fails, the heater may operate incorrectly and unsafely.

If you suspect a problem with the control board of your Sunbeam electric quartz heater, immediately take the heater out of service. Never operate a heater that may be compromised. Have your Sunbeam quartz radiant heater checked out by a qualified Sunbeam repair technician before using it again.

A heater that won’t run properly is not a heater. It is just another thing in your home to gather dust. Sunbeam quartz radiant space heaters are great additions when you have spaces that need extra heat. Keeping them operating is a matter of regular maintenance and proper use.

If your Sunbeam quartz heater is shutting itself off intermittently, you can often diagnose the problem. Following our tips and step-by-step instruction can help you get your heater back into operation. We hope that this article helps you keep your Sunbeam quartz heater operating for many years with little trouble.