Dishwasher Repair

[Cross Cut Saw]

My dishwasher backs directly against an outside wall which is uninsulated. My wife called me at work yesterday to say when she pushed the button it "got warm inside" but nothing happened. My first thought was that the water line had frozen to the dishwasher so it wasn't getting any water. She said she'd wait for me to come home to do anything about it.
Well she never turned it off.
So she comes into the kitchen 20 minutes later and there's a small waterfall pouring out of it.
She's turns off the water and calls me again and is panicking and can't tell me anything about where it's coming from blah blah blah.

So now when I turn on the water supply to the dishwasher even with it off it just starts to fill with water, when she had done it the bottom of the dishwasher was already full of water so it would start to immediately leak out. Water doesn't leak from the bottom until it fills up the bottom and leaks from there.

I think the fill valve is broken and stuck in the open position, am I on the right track?

 

[Dix]

That'd be my first thought.

Make? Model?

 

[Cross Cut Saw]

It's a Kenmore Ultrawash.

It's only 1 1/2 years old...

 

[Dix]

If it's a Sears, it a "something else" with the Sears name on it. Need model & serial #'s.

If the wall isn't insulated, the line could have frozen as well as the water in the intake valve, and cracked the valve. They are usually plastic.

 

[Cross Cut Saw]

Model # 665.1321, I'm pretty sure these are LG products.

I think it froze and then once it finally thawed it opened and stayed opened.

The water line going into it is a standard braided dishwasher line, 3/8" compression and there were no leaks other than when it overfilled the bottom. The float could also be stuck so I'm going to make sure that's not the issue first.

I think the problem is the valve and I'm going to order one for $50 and put it in on Tuesday when it arrives.

 

[Dix]

If the serial number starts with 3 digits, followed by 4 letters, it's most likely an LG. The digits indicate date of manufacture "007" would be July of 2010.

The part number will start with 4 digits followed by 3-4 letters, then more numbers.

 

[fishingpol]

It you advance the timer, to the fill and just past it, you should feel the solenoid on the fill valve actuate on and off. Sometimes lightly rapping on it with a screwdriver handle can free it up. There should be a float switch in the bottom of the washer that should stop the valve. It you take the plastic cover off it, it may be junked up in the down position with food bits and food grease. My other though would be the actual timer, but it would give you bad cycles or skip cycles if the contacts are dirty and not making good contact.

 

[jebatty]

Reminds me why remodeling in our one level house with basement put all plumbing up through the floor rather than in exterior walls. Even did this on interior walls. Makes it very easy to do, re-do, fix any plumbing.

 

[begreen]

I don't like plumbing in exterior walls, period.

 

[Dix]

I don't like plumbing in exterior walls, period.

You and me both.

To the OP, how did you make out with this?

 

[nate379]

It's very very rare to see it up here.

The few times I have seen it because the builder framed out another wall to make it 12 or 16" thick vs just 6 or 8"

I don't like plumbing in exterior walls, period.

 

[boatboy63]

If you have a local appliance parts place around where you live, you could just take the solenoid/valve out and take it to them. Chances are that it is common and they have it in stock. It would also be cheaper than having to order from a manufacturer. If you have any sort of rust or buildup in your water line, it could be stuck in the sealing area of the valve and not letting it seal off.

Another piece of advice I have...since most dishwashers are plumbed to the kitchen faucet, turn the hot water on at the faucet and let the water get hot before starting the dishwasher. My water heater is about 40' from the dishwasher. I bought my Kenmore dishwasher after reading very good feedback on the model from Consumer Reports. Only problem was that it had been bought and returned by 2 different people. I ended up getting a $500 dishwasher for around $170 and it looked brand new. When I first plugged it in and attempted to use, it gave an error code. I would assume the same happened to the first owner, he returned it, and the second owner did the same. I searched the internet for the code and found the symptom and solution. I had to press a couple of buttons at the same time and hold for a set time to clear. The code basically meant that the incoming water temp was too low. After it does that like 3 consecutive times, the code would pop up and lock the d/w. The sensors in the d/w had to sense a rise in temps by a certain amount within a certain amount of time. Since hot water is all it uses, it needs a hot supply quickly. Otherwise, it has to heat the water before it will start and can trip the low temp sensor. I bought this d/w about 3 years ago and have never had another problem.

 

[nate379]

Don't most D/W heat the water if it's not warm enough? I know mine does.

 

[heat seeker]

Time is a factor, so if the incoming water is too cold for the machine to heat up to a certain point within a certain time span, the machine throws a fault code.

 

[heat seeker]

turn the hot water on at the faucet and let the water get hot before starting the dishwasher.

I do the same thing, and also for the washing machine when I use hot water in it.

 

[blujacket]

Model # 665.1321, I'm pretty sure these are LG products.
.

The first 3 digits in bold type indicate who made the appliance. 665. is Whirlpool. 363 is G.E, 587 Frigidaire, 795 is LG