Totally OT - dishwasher problem - any advice?

[Lime]

Many washing machines and dishwashers require a preset water temperature to be reached before moving on in the wash programme.
A broken heater is the most common cause and fault.

Most domestic dishwashers do pump out between washes, including rinses and prewash.
Commercial dishwashers, on the otherhand, often use the same large quantity of water over and over again.
They can be very unhygienic.

 

[Penners]

Are you sure that it drains between the pre-wash and the main wash? I don't think any of the dishwashers I use do this. The pre-wash water is heated and the dispenser opens at the start of the main wash cycle, but I don't think there is any draining or re-filling.

I'm sure it does that, worms. I've watched the transparent water pipe matrix while it's happened. Try it - it's marginally less interesting than watching paint dry.

As for the crucial question about the machine's failure to stop, I phoned Siemens this morning. They confirmed that, without hot water at the requisite temperature, the machine will simply go on and on (a bit like Celine Dion, but less tediously). So that clinches it. The chap I spoke to liked your kettle idea, but said it probably wouldn't work - the water would cool too quickly without the inbuilt water heater to keep topping up its temperature.

Now it's a matter of rustling up £100 for the replacement water heater.....

Many thanks to you all for your thoughts and advice on this. Much appreciated.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Whatever, you will have to rustle up the repair bill, 'cos you cannot keep filling it up with hot water etc etc every time the machine is needed for a wash!! Sympathys and hugs, appliances always go wrong at the most inconvenient moment-- my iron went fut the day I had just spent out to renew my car tax disc.

We need some SUNSHINE, although I hear that Southwold was wall to wall sun at the weekend.

 

[Penners]

I hear that Southwold was wall to wall sun at the weekend.

That comments indicates surprise, Joss. Don't you know that the sun always shines in Suffolk?

 

[Moo]

Whatever, you will have to rustle up the repair bill,

It will certainly be cheaper than replacing it. I consulted Which? to confirm my Miele theory and discovered two things: Siemens score just as well as Miele on reliability, and whichever make you choose you won't get much change out of £500 for a new one.

We need some SUNSHINE, although I hear that Southwold was wall to wall sun at the weekend.

Not much chance of that here in the east - Norwich is, apparently, unlikely to enjoy temperatures much above 4 today, and tomorrow, and the next day.....

 

[Penners]

Norwich is, apparently, unlikely to enjoy temperatures much above 4 today, and tomorrow, and the next day.....

Ah, but Norwich is in Norfolk. Another country.

Yes, I've had a look at Miele dishwasher prices, in order to assess* the viability of the £100 replacement part. As you say, they ain't cheap!



*This required, of course, a cup of coffee and a KitKat.

 

[Moo]

The Siemens price range is about the same - as is its score on performance and reliability.
So whichever you choose, it's going to be cheaper to get the thing repaired.

Problem solved.

 

[Lime]

Money does not buy quality any longer.
My Candy dishwasher has been used every day and more for at least a decade and is still going strong.
For £500 you could buy at least two of them.
Every day it washes cut glass and old bone china perfectly.

I've had the more expensive versions in the past but they have all gone wrong and when they do they cost a fortune.
Also, if one part has failed you can bet your bottom dollar others are about to fail too.
Buy new!

 

[Penners]

The Siemens price range is about the same

Senior moment - I meant Siemens!

 

[Moo]

Too many KitKats, perhaps?

 

[worms]

There used to be a really good video on youtube where someone had taken the door off their dishwasher and replaced it with cling-film so that they could film it working, but sadly I can't find it any more.

Too many KitKats, perhaps?

I think the concept would be alien to most PPUK users!

We need some SUNSHINE, although I hear that Southwold was wall to wall sun at the weekend.

Beautifully clear all day here in the North!

 

[Penners]

Too many KitKats

Eh?

You clearly don't appreciate that the KitKat is essential to any assessment process. And the longer the assessment, the more KitKats are required. There is no known limit to the assessor's KitKat intake.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

There used to be a really good video on youtube where someone had taken the door off their dishwasher and replaced it with cling-film so that they could film it working, but sadly I can't find it any more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvSV56-BhQ4&feature=related

 

[Penners]

That riveting little movie helped me wile away two happy minutes, thanks FW. What an enormous shame that I couldn't watch for the entire Intensive Wash cycle.

:roll:

 

[Flyfisher]

Very informative. Who'd have thought there would be all that water swishing around in there. Much better than watching television.

I'm now going to fire-up my camcorder and find out if the fridge light goes out when the door is shut.

 

[Feltwell]

Aside from the "watching paint dry" interest factor (and the question of who is bored or dull enough to put a waterproof camcorder in a dishwasher and upload the results to Youtube), is it not blindingly obvious that the arm spins and water squirts up out of the holes???

Or am I being a little harsh on those who are less technically minded?

I can see a new market for dishwashers with transparent doors. Actually, I have a potential customer already - my baby son loves standing up at the washing machine, watching the clothes go round. It's second only for entertainment value to nicking the door wedges from under the internal doors, then crying when the door shuts and traps him in a room. That and stealing the plastic valve caps from the radiators.

 

[philpjuk100]

Not dishwasher but washing machine,stopped last night with a bang,smelt like the heater so removed it this morning,it came out all bent and broken!Removed the drum to find three legs of the spider broken!not a cheap machine and only three years old!,heater £17,drum£160+vat,and you cannot reasemble without fitting a new belt and motor brushes so well over £200 to repair! so its on to "tinternet" to buy a cheap one,must just check the cupboard for a kit-kat! phil.

 

[Penners]

Very informative. Who'd have thought there would be all that water swishing around in there. Much better than watching television.

I'm now going to fire-up my camcorder and find out if the fridge light goes out when the door is shut.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Penners]

must just check the cupboard for a kit-kat!

Ouch - bad luck, Phil! That sounds like at least a three KitKat problem to me.

 

[LadyArowana]

This doesn't surprise me at all. It is a well known fact that these mechanical failures are catching via the internet. I hope I am posting this bit of warding off magic in time to prevent the problem spreading further.

If no one else reports anything we can assume it has been effective, however if it hasn't been contained I may have to resort to some more drastic measures.