Make it Start with a Door Change Dishwashing Machine Repair
Make it Start with a Door Switch Dishwasher Repair
You wouldn't even know your dishwashing machine had one up until it isn't working. These little switches are tucked inside the control board of your dishwashing machine and most times are a part of the door lock. The door latch pulls the door firmly to the primary body of your dishwasher and avoids water from leaking throughout a cycle. If your dishwashing machine doesn't start, it might be due to a defective door switch.
How the door switch works
When the dishwashing machine door is open, the switch is off. Inside your dishwasher tub will be a metal or plastic prong. Close and latch the door. The prong will depress the door switch entirely and the circuit will close enabling the dishwasher to start. Inspect the prong to make certain it's not loose or bent and it's appropriately activating the door switch.
It is necessary to detach the dishwasher from its power source before attempting any repair work. You can unplug the dishwashing machine from the outlet, remove the fuse from your circuit box, or flick the breaker turn on your circuit panel. This will prevent you from getting an electric shock.
What a door switch appears 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 2 terminals and some have three.
The terminals can be a common terminal (COM), normally closed terminal (NC) or a normally open terminal (NO). Changes with just 2 terminals will either have a COM and a NO, or a COM and an NC. Door changes with 3 terminals have COM, NC, and a NO.
Your dishwasher's door switch will be behind the control panel on the home ownership improvement tips front of the unit. It may be essential to get rid of the inner panel of the door first. You can do this by getting rid of a couple of screws. The screws at the bottom of the door are for the hinges. You do not need to get rid of the whole door for this repair.
Once the inner panel is eliminated you might find another smaller panel covering the back of the control panel kept in place with screws or clips. By removing this panel you will gain access to the latch assembly housing the door switch.
How to get rid of the switch
Carefully use needle nose pliers to pull the wires leading from the harness off the terminals. For door switches that have a locking clip, depress the lever as you carefully pull the harness away from the terminal.
Take your time while getting rid of switches that belong of the lock assembly or that have a bracket. If you hurry and break the switch's housing you will wind up needing to replace more parts.
How to test 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 ideas of the test leads together and zero your ohmmeter by adjusting the thumbwheel in the front of the meter till the needles reads "0" on the scale.
3. Touch one meter lead to the COM terminal and the other result in the NO terminal. Do not press in on the actuator.
4. Your meter ought to offer a reading of infinity, implying 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 a resistance reading of absolutely no ohms. This implies the circuit is closed and continuity exists. (You will only hear this click with a door switch with three terminals.)
8. When the actuator is released, you must receive a resistance reading of no ohms.
9. Now set your ohmmeter to its greatest resistance scale and touch one meter lead to the NO terminal and the other meter cause the NC terminal.
10. The resistance reading between these 2 leads must be infinite.
11. Finally 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 get a regular reading of infinity.
Any readings that vary from the tests above are signs of a defective door switch that will need to be replaced.
Replace the old switch with a new one, using 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 make sure it's working properly.