Make it Start with a Door Change Dishwashing Machine Repair
Make it Start with a Door Switch Dishwasher Repair
You would not even know your dishwashing machine had one till it isn't working. These little switches are tucked inside the control board of your dishwasher and most times belong of the door lock. The door latch pulls the door securely to the main body of your dishwashing machine and prevents water from leaking Additional reading during a cycle. If your dishwasher does not begin, it might be due to a faulty door switch.
How the door switch works
When the dishwasher door is open, the switch is off. Inside your dishwashing machine tub will be a metal or plastic prong. Close and lock the door. The prong will depress the door switch completely and the circuit will close allowing the dishwashing machine to begin. Check the prong to make sure it's not loose or bent and it's appropriately triggering the door switch.
It is essential to disconnect the dishwasher from its power source before attempting any repair work. You can disconnect the dishwashing machine from the outlet, eliminate the fuse from your fuse box, or flick the breaker turn on your circuit panel. This will prevent you from getting an electrical shock.
What a door switch looks like and where it's located
Typically a dishwashing machine door switch is an inch long. It can be black or red and has actually metal prongs called terminals protruding from the body. Some door switches have 2 terminals and some have three.
The terminals can be a common terminal (COM), generally closed terminal (NC) or a typically open terminal (NO). Changes with just two terminals will either have a COM and a NO, or a COM and an NC. Door changes with three terminals have COM, NC, and a NO.
Your dishwashing machine's door switch will be behind the control panel on the front of the system. It may be required to remove the inner panel of the door initially. You can do this by eliminating a few screws. The screws at the bottom of the door are for the hinges. You do not need to remove the entire door for this repair.
Once the inner panel is removed you might find another smaller panel covering the back of the control board held in place with screws or clips. By removing this panel you will gain access to the latch assembly housing the door switch.
How to eliminate the switch
Carefully use needle nose pliers to pull the wires leading from the harness off the terminals. For door changes that have a locking clip, depress the lever as you carefully pull the harness far from the terminal.
Take your time while removing switches that are a part of the latch assembly or that have a bracket. If you rush and break the switch's housing you will end up having to replace more parts.
How to check your door switch
Use an ohmmeter to evaluate the switch for connection. This test is for door switches with 3 terminals.
1. Set your ohmmeter to measure resistance at a scale of Rx1.
2. Touch the metal tips of the test leads together and zero your ohmmeter by changing the thumbwheel in the front of the meter up until the needles checks out "0" on the scale.
3. Touch one meter lead to the COM terminal and the other cause the NO terminal. Do not press in on the actuator.
4. Your meter needs to provide a reading of infinity, suggesting the circuit is open, and there is no continuity.
5. Without moving the meter's leads, press down on the actuator up until you hear a 'click'.
6. With the 'click' of the actuator, the meter must produce a resistance reading of no ohms. This indicates the circuit is closed and connection is present. (You will only hear this click with a door switch with three terminals.)
7. Keep the meter lead that is touching the COM terminal in location, but move the other meter lead from the NO terminal to the NC terminal.
9. Now set your ohmmeter to its greatest resistance scale and touch one meter cause the NO terminal and the other meter lead to the NC terminal.
10. The resistance reading in between these 2 leads must be infinite.
11. Lastly take a resistance reading from both the NC terminal and the NO terminal to any metal mounting hardware that is a part of the switch assembly. You ought to receive a typical reading of infinity.
Any readings that vary from the tests above are indications of a defective door switch that cloggeed drain vic will need to be replaced.
Replace the old switch with a new one, utilizing the same process as explained above. Reassemble the inner door panel and reconnect your dishwashing machine to its power supply. Do not forget to change your fuse or turn the breaker switch back on. Run your dishwasher through a cycle to ensure it's working effectively.