Get Answers to your Appliance Repair Questions

Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links, Meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Your Privacy Rights

Washer Parts  ·   Dryer Parts  ·   Refrigerator Parts  ·   Dishwasher Parts  ·   Range/Cooktop/Oven Parts  ·   All Appliance Parts 

Author Topic: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water  (Read 799 times)

Offline EasyGoing1

  • VIP Member
  • Member Since: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 4
  • Country: us
Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« on: September 10, 2022, 03:45:44 AM »

Hello,

I am an experienced electronic tech/maker and am not shy about repairing any machine. However, I prefer to gain some understanding of how a machine works before I start tearing into it.

I have a reasonably old dishwasher - it might even be more than 2o years old.

I ran a cycle the other day and it sounded like it always does when I run the dishwasher. There was no obvious sound that would tell me it wasn't working as it did sound like it always does.

However, when it was done, the dishes were just as dirty as when it started and the inside of the dishwasher was completely dry.

I've seen articles on the web that talk about the door switch, the float, the inlet valve, and even the tube that connects to the vent at the sink.

I'm thinking that the door switch is probably not the problem, since the dishwasher does run and it is my feeling that a broken door switch would most likely prevent the unit from starting a cycle at all. This leaves me with the other three options.

My gut feeling is that I should be looking at the inlet valve and either testing it to see if it's working at all ... checking the wires for proper connection etc. or possibly just replacing it outright.

Are my thought processes here moving in the right direction? Any advice before I open this thing up and investigate?

The dishwasher is a Roper brand, model number: WU3000X1

Thank you,

Mike

Offline theoldstoveguy

  • Technician
  • Member Since: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 1731
  • Country: us
    • Buy me a beer through paypal
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2022, 10:07:55 AM »
Make sure the float assembly is free before replacing parts. Grease and even a plastic spoon or food can cause that issue. Just bounce it up and down and try it again.

Offline EasyGoing1

  • VIP Member
  • Member Since: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 4
  • Country: us
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2022, 10:38:45 AM »
Make sure the float assembly is free before replacing parts. Grease and even a plastic spoon or food can cause that issue. Just bounce it up and down and try it again.
Are you suggesting that the float could be stuck in the up position, making the dishwasher think that it's already full of water?

Offline theoldstoveguy

  • Technician
  • Member Since: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 1731
  • Country: us
    • Buy me a beer through paypal
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2022, 10:44:44 AM »
Yes happens a lot

Offline EasyGoing1

  • VIP Member
  • Member Since: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 4
  • Country: us
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2022, 10:47:56 AM »
Make sure the float assembly is free before replacing parts. Grease and even a plastic spoon or food can cause that issue. Just bounce it up and down and try it again.

OK, that was too easy ... the float consists of a bell-shaped plastic thing that has a plastic rod connected to it that reaches down and actuates the switch. I just went and checked it and when I lift the float up and then rotate it a little bit, it won't go back down and trigger the switch.

But "bouncing it" as you suggested made it fall back in place and now the water works.

Thank you!


Offline theoldstoveguy

  • Technician
  • Member Since: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 1731
  • Country: us
    • Buy me a beer through paypal
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2022, 10:49:38 AM »
Sometimes we make it complicated.

Offline EasyGoing1

  • VIP Member
  • Member Since: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 4
  • Country: us
Re: Dishwasher runs normally, but no water
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2022, 10:52:20 AM »
Sometimes we make it complicated.

Clearly! But on the upside, I now know a lot more about how dishwashers work than I did before.