Make it Start with a Door Switch Dishwasher Repair
Make it Start with a Door Switch Dishwashing machine Repair
You wouldn't even understand your dishwashing machine had one till it isn't working. These little switches are tucked inside the control panel of your dishwasher and most times belong of the door latch. The door latch pulls the door firmly to the primary body of your dishwasher and prevents water from dripping throughout a cycle. If your dishwashing machine does not begin, it might be due to a malfunctioning door switch.
How the door switch works
When the dishwashing machine 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 totally and the circuit will close enabling the dishwasher to begin. Check the prong to make sure it's not loose or bent and it's properly triggering the door switch.
It is important to disconnect the dishwasher from its source of power before attempting any repair work. You can unplug the dishwasher from the outlet, eliminate the fuse from your circuit box, or flick the breaker turn on your circuit panel. This will avoid you from getting an electric 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 extending from the body. Some door switches have two terminals and some have three.
The terminals can be a common terminal (COM), generally closed terminal (NC) or a normally open terminal (NO). Switches with only 2 terminals will either have a COM and a NO, or a COM and an NC. Door switches with three terminals have COM, NC, and a NO.
Your dishwasher's door switch will lag the control board on the front of the unit. It may be necessary to eliminate the inner panel of the door first. You can do this by removing a couple of screws. The screws at the bottom of the door are for the hinges. You do not need to eliminate the whole door for this repair.
Once the inner panel is eliminated you might find another smaller panel covering the back of the control board kept in place with screws or clips. By eliminating this panel you will get to the latch assembly housing the door switch.
How to remove the switch
Carefully usage 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 eliminating switches that are a part of the latch assembly or that have a bracket. If you hurry and break the switch's real estate you will wind 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 three terminals.
1. Set your ohmmeter to determine resistance at a scale of Rx1.
2. Touch the metal ideas of the test leads together and zero your ohmmeter by changing the thumbwheel in the front of the meter till the needles checks out "0" on the scale.
3. Touch one meter cause the COM terminal and the other cause the NO terminal. Do not push 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 till you hear a 'click'.
6. With the 'click' of the actuator, the meter needs to produce local plumber a resistance reading of zero ohms. This indicates the circuit is closed and continuity is present. (You will just hear this click with a door switch with 3 terminals.)
7. Keep the meter lead that is touching the COM terminal in place, however move the other meter lead from the NO terminal to the NC terminal.
8. When the actuator is released, you should receive a resistance reading of zero ohms.
9. Now set your ohmmeter to its highest resistance scale and touch one meter lead to the NO terminal and the other meter lead to the NC terminal.
10. The resistance reading in between these two leads should be infinite.
Any readings that differ from the tests above are indications of a malfunctioning door switch that will need to be replaced.
Replace the old switch with a new one, utilizing the same procedure as discussed above. Reassemble the inner door panel and reconnect your dishwasher to its power supply. Don't forget to change your fuse or turn the breaker switch back on. Run your dishwashing machine through a cycle to make sure it's working correctly.