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Maxbumpo  
#1 Posted : Saturday, March 3, 2012 1:27:28 PM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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Hi all,

I just purchased a "scratch & dent" washer (subject of this question) and it doesn't drain the tub following a wash cycle. Got it for a great price, but apparently there was a good reason it was returned to the store.

Pushing the CANCEL/DRAIN button on the control panel will cause that light to come on, but I get silence from the washer and no water drains out. Bottom panel is removed, I can see the drain pump, can't hear it working at all.

I've verified that the motor is getting 120 VAC from the test points on the control panel. I've measured the resistance of the motor winding, it measures 4 ohms. The Service Test sheet (from behind the bottom panel) says the motor winding should measure 15 to 19 ohms, so it is failing that test.

Time to order a new drain motor?
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Maxbumpo  
#2 Posted : Saturday, March 3, 2012 2:42:20 PM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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Easy enough to remove the drain motor. Left the dishwasher in place under the counter. Removed all the water from tub and the drain line using suction at the sink end from a wet-vac. Disconnected the drain line and the electrical connection for the drain motor. Squeezed the release tab (front of drain motor) and twisted motor counter-clockwise to remove.

Once out, I can read the markings: 120VAC - 60Hz 40W.

Hmmm, service diagnostic strip circuit says it should be 100W?

If a 100W motor winding is supposed to measure 15 to 19 ohms, should a 40W motor winding measure 4 ohms?

I'm tempted to apply 120VAC and see if it will turn while out of the dish washer.
Maxbumpo  
#3 Posted : Saturday, March 3, 2012 3:31:38 PM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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Applied 120VAC directly to the motor while it was removed from the dish washer. It ran for a few seconds, then the magic smoke came out. Doesn't run anymore.

Definitely time for a new motor, but do I also have a deeper problem? Given that the motor was supposed to measure 15 to 19 ohms, but it only measured 4 ohms, perhaps it was pulling too much current and the control panel in the washer was smart enough to limit power, so the motor would not run while the control panel was applying the power? Or, was the motor good, but the control panel defective?
Maxbumpo  
#4 Posted : Monday, March 12, 2012 4:26:38 PM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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New drain pump arrived today, drain function still doesn't work. I'll troubleshoot a little more to make sure the wiring is good, but it looks as though the control board is the problem (unless I have a defective motor right out of the box).
Maxbumpo  
#5 Posted : Friday, March 16, 2012 8:21:35 AM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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New pump measures about 24 ohms, old measured only 4. I'm not inclined to smoke test
. Also I read about TRIAC motor controls, and they can provide partial power to a motor, so applying 120 VAC may let the magic smoke out every time if the motor was not designed to accept it. In other words, the control panel may not be supplying simple straight 120 VAC, but something which averages to less than that.

Waiting for new control board....
Maxbumpo  
#6 Posted : Thursday, March 22, 2012 10:53:49 AM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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Drat! New board arrived, but seller sent the wrong board, so I've got to find a different source. I did pull the old board to compare with new, and I found evidence of a blown component in the form of a burn mark on the plastic cover for the board. I'm going to have to conduct some more trouble shooting to make sure I don't have a short circuit somewhere.
Maxbumpo  
#7 Posted : Monday, March 26, 2012 5:34:43 PM(UTC)
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Maxbumpo

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The correct new board arrived today. I double-checked all the drain motor circuit to make sure there wasn't a short circuit or some other problem. Finding none, I examined the old dead board closely, and determined that a resistor on the control board associated with the TRIAC that controls the drain motor had blown. I presume that the original low-resistance drain motor pulled too much current and blew the resistor.

Installed new board, and the problems are fixed. Drain function is restored. Dishwasher is washing a load now...

$95 for the dishwasher
$50 for the new drain motor
$67 for the new control board
= $207

Also, too much of my time was "spent" on this dish washer.

Next time, I'll just buy the new washer and pay someone else to install it. Let's see, previous dishwasher lasted about 16 years, so check back with me in a decade or so.
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