Mackay Bosch Dishwasher Repairs

The Bosch Dishwasher is a well built dishwasher. I have been servicing Bosch Dishwashers for the last twenty years here in Mackay, Queensland. Although Bosch dishwashers wash dishes the same way as any other dishwashers, the actual way they are constructed is slightly different. One example of this is the Bosch dishwasher holds a reserve of water in a tank built into the side of the machine. When it is time to fill the dishwasher for a wash cycle, rather than fill directly from the inlet valve, the water drains from the tank into the sump of the dishwasher. Then at a later stage, the tank is refilled ready for the next fill. This feature makes the fault finding a little more difficult unless you understand how the dishwasher works.

As a service mechanic to the Bosch dishwashers, I have a love/hate relationship with these machines. In some instances it looks like the manufacturer has made the machine easy to dismantle and then made it unnecessarily difficult to remove another component. An example of this, to remove the side panels, electronics, inlet valves, all can be removed and examined in a couple minutes. Then to remove the drain and wash pump you have to dismantle the whole machine, turn the dishwasher upside down and remove the complete base.

The Bosch dishwashers have the main electronc control board near the bottom of the machine close to the side panel. In North Queensland this is not a good spot with the amount of cockroaches we have. Remember to regularly spray a good surface spray around your dishwasher to keep the cockroaches away, no matter what brand it is.

Tip of the Day

If you have a Bosch Dishwasher which will not pump out, here is my tip, how to clean the drain pump. The photo above shows a white plastic pump cover at the bottom of the sump.

• Firstly remove the bottom rack and sump filter.

• Give it a clean while you have it out.

• Scoop and mop all the water out of the sump area so you can see what you are looking at.

• Once you have done that you should see a similar picture to the one above.

• See the white plastic cover which I have circled in my picture.

• That is the drain pump cover which can be unclipped and removed.

• You should then be able to see the pump impellor and if it is jammed remove the object stopping and the pump should then turn freely.

• Reassemble in the reverse order.

If the dishwasher is reassembled and still will not drain, it is time to call a Bosch Dishwasher Serviceman. Here is Mackay you can call me, Rod Swan at Andergrove Appliance Service:   0408776405

Miele Dishwasher Drain Pump

As in any dishwasher the drain pump is essential for the dishwasher to work properly. If it doesn’t work properly some of the obvious signs will be.

• Inlet/Dain light coming on, mentioned in a previous post,
• Water in the dishwasher above the filter after the dishwasher has finished the cycle.
• Dishes not washed clean.

The most common reason for this is a blockage in the drain pump. Miele dishwasher drain pumps have been built to be easily serviced. Steps to check a drain pump.

1. Open the dishwasher and remove the bottom roll out rack.
2. Lift out the sump filter by turning the handle 90 deg. and lifting out.
3. It’s easier at this stage, if you remove the water out of the dishwasher sump with a small container and then a sponge.
4. Once the water is out of the dishwasher you should have a clear view of the pump cover on one side at the bottom of the sump.
5. To remove the drain pump cover will depend on which model dishwasher you have.
6. Some model have a wire clip and others have a vertical standing plastic clip.
7. Once you remove the clip the pump cover will lift up.
8. When you do this a small amount of water will gush out of the non return valve.
9. Mop the rest of the water out so you can get a good look at the pump.
10. Check the non return valve is free for the ball to rattle around inside and there is no obstructions.
11. Now check the pump impeller turn freely and there is nothing stopping it from turning.
12. The new style of drain pump will have a slight magnetic pull in a couple places as you turn it.
13. Be careful of possible sharp glass or metal pieces in the drain pump.
14. Once it is all clear reassemble in the reverse order. Then test the dishwasher again.

If the diswaher now drains out youshould be good to go, but if you still have a problem, then it is time to call a Miele Serviceman. He has the tools and knowledge to repair your dishwasher promptly and efficiently. If you live in the Mackay area of Queensland call me Rod Swan of Andergrove Appliance Service. 0408776405

Miele Dishwasher Inlet/Drain Fault

This fault usually shows up for owner of a Miele Dishwasher as a light flashing on the control panel. The Inlet/Drain light flashing covers a wide variety of faults within the dishwasher and it’s self diagnostics. Some of these maybe possible for the owner to fix by themself, others will require a Miele Serviceman. Because it can covers both the dishwasher filling and emptying we have to look at all possiblilities. Some of the most common reasons are:

• Tap turned off,
• Kicked inlet hose,
• Faulty inlet valve,
• Faulty inlet fill sensor,
• Pressure switch fault,
• Heater relay fault,
• Blockage in drain pump, non return valve or drain hose,
• Kicked drain hose,
• Faulty drain pump.

For the dishwasher user there are a couple things to check if they are confident to do so.

1. First obvious one is check that the inlet tap is still turned on. If you can remove the dishwasher hose put a container under the  tap and see if any water comes out.
2. Next easiest is to check the drain pump by pulling out the racks from inside the dishwasher. Check the the sump filter is clean and remove the drain pump cover. If you are not sure about that I will write another story about that in the future. Once the cover is removed check the non return valve for sticking and obstructions. Then check that the impellor turns and there is no obstruction in the pump. If that is Ok,reassemble and test the dishwasher again.
3. If the dishwasher still doesn’t work correctly and the Inlet Drain light comes on, it is time to pull the dishwasher out of the cupboard. Depending, if your dishwasher is intergrated and how it is installed, this can be harder than actually repairing the dishwasher. Once you have the dishwasher out, check for kinks in the inlet and drain hoses. The most common place for obstructions to the drain hose is in the spigot under the sink where the dishwasher drain hose is fitted to the S bent under your sink.

If all this checks out Ok, then it is time to call a Miele Serviceman. He has the tools and knowledge to repair your dishwasher promptly and effeciently. If you live in the Mackay area of Queensland call me Rod Swan of Andergrove Appliance Service. 0408776405

Most common faults in Dishwasher

• Not Draining: This is generally caused by too much food left on dishes eg. fish bones, fruit seeds, stringy vegetables, etc. A quick rinse under the tap will remove most of this problem and result in a cleaner wash. Other things seem to find their way into the dishwasher as well. Bits of plastic including straws, bread clips, bottle caps and labels which can all end up in the drain pump. Some of these objects can find their way through a filter and into the drain pump and jam it up.
• Blocked or kinked hoses: This fault can also be caused by many of the things I mentioned above. Also hoses, particularly the non genuine extended drain hoses can kink if not installed correctly. These kinks sometimes may take months before they actually cause the water from draining out.
• Wash pump not working: This fault can also be caused by the above objects going through the pump filter and becoming lodged in the wash pump. If the dishwasher is not used for a couple months, sometimes the seals in the pump can glue together. In this case the pump needs to be pulled apart and unjammed. The capacitor for the wash pump could also fuse, stopping the wash pump motor from starting.
• Water leaks: Another common problem in dishwashers. This can be caused by numerous faults, from a split or perished hose, pump seals, loose door latch, faulty pressure switch causing the machine to overfill. Another reason is over sudsing. This is usually caused by too much detergent. I covered this in an earlier post.
• No lights: This can be the most expensive repair. First obvious thing before you call a serviceman, make sure there is power to the dishwasher. Easiest way to do this is plug a small hand held appliance into the dishwasher’s power point. If that appliance works, then the fault is in the dishwasher. Most common cause for an electronic board to fuse, is our North Queensland cockroaches. They love dishwashers because they are warm and dark and have food and water in them. Their urine is very corrosive on electronic boards. The easiest way to prevent this fault is, every 2 – 3 months, spray around the dishwasher with a good surface spray.

These are the most common faults and some of these you may tackle yourself. For the others call a trained dishwasher Mechanic. If you live in the Mackay area call me on 0408 776405

Dishwasher Leaking

This is one service call I see regularly in Mackay, North Queensland but I am sure it would be happening all over Australia.

• The customers complaint: can be one of a couple things. The most common one is that the dishwasher just pumps all the time and won’t do anything else. This is because most new dishwashers are fitted with a safety float switch in the base of the dishwasher. When the dishwasher leaks for what ever reason the water fills the base of the dishwasher and activates the float safety switch. The float switch turn off the rest of the machine and turns on the drain pump. The drain pump only empties the inside sump of the dishwasher, not the base. As a result the dishwasher will continue to pump until that base is manually dried out.
• The fault: could be a leak from a split hose or leaking seal in one of the pump. Another more common reason is the dishwasher is over sudsing. If a dishwasher has too much detergent for the amount of soiled dishes in it the dishwasher will generate suds on the top of the water which leak over the lip and into the base of the dishwasher. This may take a number of loads before there is enough water in the base to activate the float switch. Some time the water will evaporate out of the base before the float switch is activated.
• The remedy: is usually caused by dishwasher users who use the tablets. There is nothing wrong with the tablets. The fact is they are designed to wash a full load of dirty dishes. If the dishes are rinse clean before they are placed in the dishwasher, there is not enough oils etc. for the detergent to act on. To solve this problem is easy, leave more soil on the dishes?  Well that would work. My solution, cut the tablets in half. You can do this even if you have bought the tablets with the red ball in the middle. I suggest putting the tablet on a cutting board and with a carving knife, cut it in half. You will get twice as many loads out of a box full of tablets and still have a clean wash.

If you feel you can check for a leak in the dishwasher yourself Ok, but it maybe advisable to call a dishwasher mechanic just to make sure that the dishwasher is not leaking from somewhere else and drain the sump. Remember there are a lot of electrical connections under the dishwasher as well as water, not a good combination. If you have drained the water and checked for obvious leaks try the dishwasher again with half a tablet and see how it goes. If in any doubt and live around Mackay call me for a service call on 0408776405.

Miele Dishwasher have a huge range of Fault codes.

Miele dishwashers all have electronic controls with sophisticated software, the dishwashers have a number of sensors in various rolls. Measuring amount of water coming in, water clarity while washing, temperature, water pressure in the pump, motor speed, and others. Because of this, a Miele dishwasher is able to tell a repairer a fair amount of information if the repairer has the right tools. This makes repairs by the home handyman almost impossible.

With this particular fault, the machine was draining initially, then filling with water as it is supposed to. Then when the wash pump was supposed to start there was nothing. The pump motor was seized and not washing. For this job the dishwasher has to be dismantled and the wash pump motor removed. The wash pump motor assembly has to be dismantled and then if the impeller can be turn and freed the motor assembly should be able to be reassembled and refitted to the dishwasher. This can happens if the dishwasher has not been used for a long time, say 6 months.

This may sound fairly simple service but not recommended by the home handyman. The wash pump motor is in a confined space with 4 hose connections, water heating elemnt wiring, pressure switch connection and wiring, capacitor fitting multiplugs for the motor and diverter valve all have to be removed and reitted to the wash pmp motor assembly.

For the cost of a service call and an hour,s labour it is worth calling your local Miele service agent to carry out this type of repair.

If in Mackay area call me, Rod Swan on 0408 776 405

The ASKO History
An enterprising young Swedish farmer named Karl-Erik Andersson in 1950, set out to build his mother a different kind of washer. One with superior cleaning power and reliability that could heat water, spin, and even boast durable, state-of-the-art, stainless steel drums. A unique, energy- and water-efficient machine that would reflect a farmer’s love and respect for nature.  A washing machine like no other. So the young farmer built his amazing washer, surpassing even his meticulous mother’s high standards.He was so impressed with his creation he decided to share it with others. Today Asko as the company is now called is an international corporation. Asko appliances claim to still do a better job of cleaning with a fraction of the water, electricity and detergent of other machines. Asko manufactures a full range of washer, clothes dryer and Dishwashers, even an outdoor dishwasher, but I am not sure weather it is available in Australia.

Mackay
The Asko washers and dishwasher are very popular here in Mackay, Queensland as well and I have been serviceing them for the last 20 years. Overall the appear  to live up to their reputation of being a quality product.

Front Loading Washers
The front loading washer has a unique feature where part of the front panel assemble is attached directly to the moving outer bowl. The most common arrangement is the outer cabinet is fixed and the opening for the door is attached to the out bowl by a rubber bellows. Asko’s design removes this bellows which can cause faults as the bellows can wear with so much movement. The rest of the machine’s components are similar in design.The main drive motor is a DC Brush motor connected to the drum by a belt.Some of the common faults are jammed and fused drain pumps, brush wear on the drive motor and cockroaches in the electronic board. The last one can be an expensive repair. A fault I found on one model is the plastic just seemed to be crumpling away. The compound of the plastic appeared to be breaking down in a 5 year old machine. This is similar to the fault I have written previously about in the Fisher and Paykel dishwashers.

Dishwashers
The Asko dishwasher is a very solid machine with very few mechanical faults. The most common by far is drain pump failure. The pumps can be replaced with the universal UNI 12 Pump. The other major problem as with all dishwashers and their electronic boards are our North Queensland Cockroaches.

Here is the tip of the day for any brand Dishwasher

♦Spray around the outside of your dishwasher every 4 – 6 weeks with a good surface spray to keep the cockeroches away.

If you are having service issues with your Asko washers, dryers or dishwasher in the Mackay area, call me Rod Swan, Andergrove Appliance Service on the number below.

Fisher & Paykel Dish Washer

Fisher and Paykel as I mentioned in a previous post have been in Australia for a long time and have built a solid reputation. I have been servicing on repairing the F&P Dishwasher for over 20 years. Unfortunately there is a couple models around 4 – 5 year old age bracket which seem to having a problem with the quality of plastic in the handle and control panel.

Top door panel and handle assembly

Broken Handles and Control Panels

I can only speak from my experience here in Mackay North Queensland. The handles and control panel plastic seems to become very brittle after about 4 years old. The control panel I am referring to is the top plastic part of the door. This part contains the electronic control board, handle and door switch. The door handle is usually the first to go. When the door handle breaks, it becomes very loose and will not turn on the dishwasher or the user will not be able to open the door in some cases. The problem becomes worse when the appliance mechanic tries to dismantle the door and then the retainers which the screws hold into fall apart and crumple.

The Repair

The only proper way to repair this fault is to replace the control panel and the handle kit. The repair is fairly simple and only requires a couple of basic tools.

• A Phillips Screw driver
• A small flat blade screw driver

Make sure the dishwasher is disconnected from the power before any work is started. There are live wires on the control board and door switch.

For service to your dishwasher call a qualified dishwasher mechanic. If you live in the Mackay, Queensland area call me Rod Swan, Andergrove Appliance Service. on the number below.

Fisher and Paykel the Brand

Fisher & Paykel Washer

The Fisher and Paykel brand which comes from New Zealand is commonly referred to as F&P. Fisher and Paykel is a large company in New Zealand and has a large range of products including it whites goods range. The company was founded in 1934 by Maurice Paykel & Sir Woolf Fisher and they imported products from  Crosley Appliances, Maytag and Pilot products. In 1938 they began manufacturing their own Kelvinator washers under licence with the introduction of import tariffs. In 1956, their manufacturing was moved to a purpose-built factory in Mount Wellington, Auckland.

Fisher & Paykel began exporting to Australasia and East Asia around 1968. In the 1980 the company became more focus more on research and development and this resulted in the development of the ECS direct drive motor assembly washing machine and highly-automated production lines.In 1989, the company opened its first overseas manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Brisbane, Australia. In 1992 Fisher & Paykel entered the European Market and by 1994 was exporting to over 80 countries. Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd was listed publicly in 2001, following the separation of Fisher & Paykel Industries Ltd into Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd and Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd that same year.

Fisher & Paykel has acquired other manufacturers over the years to improve and expand into other markets and these include:

• In 1955 a Duneden electric oven manufacturer call H. E. Shacklock Ltd.
• In October 2004, Dynamic Cooking Systems Inc, a United States manufacturer and distributor of cooking appliances.
• In June 2006, the Italian cookware business called Elba from DeLonghi

Fisher & Paykel Appliances announced the closure of three manufacturing facilities in Dunedin, New Zealand, Cleveland, Australia and Huntington Beach, USA on 17 April 2008.

Fisher & Paykel Appliances currently manufactures cooking applinces, smart drive washing machines, clothes dryers, refrigeration products and dishwashers including their famous dish draw. A large number of Fisher & Paykel products utilise microprocessor and brushless DC motor technology  to improve efficiency. Fisher & Paykel now holds over 420 patents and based on it’s innovative design, particularly in the areas of usability and environmental awareness. Even with these patents it appears many other manufacturers are following in Fisher & Paykels design strategies with the brushless DC motor technology.

Fisher & Paykel Dish Draw

Since Fisher & Paykel first came to Australia, I have been a fan of their products and innovation. I have been servicing their products since the first washing machines came to Mackay. Although some products have given me a headache at stages I believe for the most part their products and well made and worth the investment. Most of the information I researched for this post came from Wikipedia. For service to your Fisher & Paykel washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers and cooking equipment in Mackay area call me Rod Swan at Andergrove Appliance Service.

A common fault with late model Simpson Dishwashers

Recently I have come across a common fault with Simpson & Electrolux Dishwashers. A leak has been occurring in them. The last model Simpson dishwasher I worked on with this fault was a 52B 850WJ*05. These model as with all the late model Electrolux dishwashers have an in line heating element. From this element is a hose which runs from the heater up the side of the dishwasher and across the back to the top spray arm. On the bottom end of this hose or pipe in a short piece of rubber hose which is molded onto the rest of the hose which is molded plastic. The rubber part of the hose appears to perish and split after 3 -5 years.

How to replace this hose

The worst of this job is the outside wrap of the dishwasher has to be removed. This is where a battery operated drill comes in handy removing the thirty odd screws which hold the front trims and the wrap onto the frame. It is best to remove the eight screws along the bottom edge under the dishwasher first before removing the rest of the screws. To do this the dishwasher needs to be laid down on one side. Be careful removing the wrap because the metal edges are quite sharp.

Once the wrap is off it is easy to see to remove the faulty pipe. Remove the top rack from inside the dishwasher and unscrew the adaptor on the back wall. Loosen the hose clamp on the heater end and then remove the hose. Fit the new hose and reassemble the dishwasher and then you should be ready for action again.  The part is called: Tube heater to upper spray arm.

Of course before attempting any jobs like this the proper safety precautions should be followed. If in any doubt about doing a job like this, call your local dishwasher repairer. For dishwasher repairs in the Mackay area of Queensland call me, Rod Swan. Andergrove Appliance Service.