Hi,
I have a kenmore dishwasher 665.13213k900 and the thermal fuse keeps blowing.
It is located on the control board.
I have replaced this fuse 3 times and it will last between 30 and 60 days and then it will blow again.
I used the pigtail harness when replacing the fuse.
I ran the diagnostics and it/I found no problems Heated Dry->Normal->Heated Dry->Normal
Is there something else I could check to see why it keeps blowing?
Check your electrical connection at the junction box and make sure you have a white to white black to black and a ground wire hooked up. Then ohm test your heating element make sure it’s not shorting out it should be 50ohms or less typically. Then take a an amp clamp multimeter and after turning on unit measure the amperage on the heating element wire while in diagnostic it should be around 7-8amps if it’s not your having a problem with the heating circuitry in your unit. Also pull out your unit from the cabinet and inspect the complete harness thoroughly for any burns, brakes, or open wires. Good luck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZCP55aScvI
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Hey thanks for your help, I had to wait for the long weekend to fix this dishwasher.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman]I ohmed out the heating element and got 13.7 ohms. I also found the schematic inside the lower floor plate. This schematic said that the heating element should be between 10 – 30 ohms. So I am ok there. The junction box wiring is fine. [/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I noticed that the heating element wires ran up to the control board and I looked at the connector and found that it was melted slightly and the PC board was discolored from heat. The only reason that there would be heat being generated at a connection is if the connection was not a good one. If the connection is a little loose then it acts as a very low ohm resistor and at 8 amps that would generate a lot of heat. So I cut off the connector and re-crimped on new 3M ¼” female spade connectors that have a plastic protection around them. They are good for about 220 degrees and 30 amps. After doing this I put the dishwaser back together just enough to turn it on and I connected an amp meter at the thermal fuse and got the following readings running the diagnostics cycle:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]1st time heater on 1.7Amps[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]2nd time heater on 8 amps[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I also measured the temperature at the new connections I made and it never got over 98 degrees. This is the area where the relays are for the motor and the heating element so the temp reading was coming from this area. The area where the thermal fuse is was only 88 degrees.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]It seems to be running fine now at least for 2 days. I currently have a 10 amp fuse in place of the thermal fuse because those dam things are like $25[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I ordered a new thermal fuse and it should be here this Friday and I will put it in and remove my 10 amp fuse.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]After reading about this problem all over the internet I don’t understand why whirlpool or someone else can’t just tell everyone with the same problem that the real problem is the connector for the heating element. It should not melt. If it is melting at the connector then the connection is no good. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I wish I new the schematic was in the bottom plate the first time I change the fuse. I might of found the melted connector at that time.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]I will post back in a couple weeks if the dishwasher is still running fine.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][COLOR=#000000]Thanks for your help[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
ok it is now 9/22/2013 and it is still working.
So the problem was just a loose connection going to the heater element that caused the thermal fuse to blow.
Just cut off the factory connector and crimp on new connectors.
Maybe someone should call Kenmores engineering department and let them know there connectors stink.
They already know it and Kenmore makes nothing it’s a brand name sold at sears. Whirlpool is the manufactures of this and they know they have wiring harness/thermal fuse problems. When you buy the thermal fuse that’s why they come with a piece of the wire harness that goes to the main board the the door switches. The contacts in this are loose or become bad over time and cause the thermal fuse to blow or wiring to spark or cause other issues because it arcs over in the connection and is not a good contact or loses contact over time.
Yeah this is a sore spot with these dishwashers. They use cheap “wipe” style connectors for the power relays, which I discovered the hard way when I had a flashing light and no-run. Turned out one of the high-current connections had literally burned the spade connector and plug to a crisp!
I was able to salvage the board (I’m pretty good with board rework) with a direct-wire shunt, and when it burned up the board it did NOT trip the thermal fuse. Nice eh. Well, about a week later the thermal failed, so I replaced it. The new ones they sell are 98C, which are green colored epoxy – I didn’t get the spec off the old one but it wasn’t green, so it was definitely a higher-temperature unit, which is probably why the board cooked off with no fuse failure.
It’s not all THAT hard to use a quality molex-style connector that won’t lose tension over time and burn up like this (ditto for the fuse holder and wiring to it as well), but it does cost a buck each instead of the 20 cents for what they have in there.
As long as it gets out of warranty before it fails they don’t care, in short.
This is a Kitchen Aid - KUDKO3CTSS
Never had an issue with this dishwasher (DW) in the past. 4 weeks ago it went dead, did the research and replaced the thermal fuse and associated wiring harness. Used a volt meter to confirm fuse was indeed blown and shorting across the fuse terminals energized the DW. So replaced and all was good until two weeks ago, same situation…no power and fuse was open just like first time.
I read the above discussion reviewed the two possible issues…1) not replacing the entire wire harness (I did replace the entire harness) and 2) loose spade connectors to the heating element that drew excess current causing wires/connectors to melt. Well I looked over the entire harness and found 1) no loose spade type connectors and no evidence of over heating wires…this is a different make/model than what has been discussed.
When the fuse blows about an inch of water is left in the bottom of the DW.
There was mention of running a diagnostic cycle for the DW…I can’t find any details on HOW to do this for a Kitchen Aid.
What are the next steps suggestions to run down causes to this fuse to keep blowing? Thanks!!
Read more: http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/dishwasher-repair/573380-thermal-fuse-blows-multiple-times.html#ixzz5AD3GJi3J
Appliance Parts Pros.com Discount Appliance Parts
Loving this thread! sub’d
KitchenAid, Maytag, Kenmore, Whirlpool, they are all the same dishwasher, made by Whirlpool, I think, and marketed under different brands. I discovered this when I replaced my control panel a year and a half ago. I had to research how to replace the panel and went to YouTube videos. Every dishwasher was the same (often identical) inside. Now my dishwasher has stopped working completely. No lights, no nothing. After some electrical sleuthing I discovered it’s the fuse. I’ve ordered 2 new ones (Price was around $8.50 each.) and will check the wiring harness first. Thank you all for this discussion. Time to learn something new!
Just dial Acer Customer Support Number 1-866-304-2154 Toll-Free and get more information or technical help to troubleshoot all kind of technical problems. 
[QUOTE=devitojj;826274]Hi,
I have a kenmore dishwasher 665.13213k900 and the thermal fuse keeps blowing.
It is located on the control board.
I have replaced this fuse 3 times and it will last between 30 and 60 days and then it will blow again.
I used the pigtail harness when replacing the fuse.
I ran the diagnostics and it/I found no problems Heated Dry->Normal->Heated Dry->Normal
Is there something else I could check to see why it keeps blowing?[/QUOTE]
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I had the same problem as many people on here. Thermal fuse kept popping.
I put a Ammeter in line with the fuse and ran normal cycle. The draw was 2 amps reading it on a digital meter. That’s Way under the 10 amps that the fuse says it’s rated for.
I inspected every connection I could find; door switch, motor connection, power cord to junction box in DW. All were perfect. I am running an extension cord to the DW because the outlet is way back behind a large refrigerator. I know that can be an issue.
After not finding the cause, I decided to try something. I bought an in-line fuse holder (Bussmann HMK SFE $6.00 at Home Depot) and then a few fuses (Bussmann AGC 10A $1.50 for 5) They were 150/250 V and 10 amps. I bough a few 5 amp fuses as well, just to see what would happen.
I spliced in the fuse holder and installed a 5 amp fuse. You just twist and pull to put the fuse in. I tried the 5 amp first. It blew! So my 2 amp reading was off but a digital meter does not read quick spikes very well.
A 10 amp has been working fine for a week now.
So unless my DW is running VERY hot, and I see no evidence of that, the fuse was blowing due to the current and yet a 10 amp fuse is not blowing any more.
I think the factory thermal fuse wears out and starts blowing at much less that 10 amps.
I’ll try this for a while and see what happens. If I destroy the circuit board It will be my fault.
3/12/21
KitchenAid Dishwasher KUDS30IXBL Thermal Fuse
Objective
To convey solutions and information related to the thermal fuse problems that seems to be chronic to KitchenAid (Whirlpool) dishwashers and other manufacturers.
KitchenAid Dishwasher repair blogs and forums have many pages of incidents. I post this report in the hopes that it will be picked up and disseminated and help many KitchenAid dishwasher owners and well as other makes.
History
I purchased a KitchenAid (Whirlpool) Dishwasher Model KUDS30IXBL in September 2011.
After 4 months it died, nothing worked. The repairman replaced the thermostatic fuse. About 4 months later it died again, same problem, repairman replaced the fuse. Another 4 months and it failed for the third time. Repairman said the spade terminals on the fuse were loose and a new wiring harness was needed, but he replaced the fuse.
At this point, being a mechanical engineer, I decided to take matters into my own hands, so I crimped the fuse spade terminals which were so loose they almost slid off by themselves. The dishwasher worked fine until the Fall of 2020 when indicating lights started to work erratically requiring resetting of the circuit breaker. After a few weeks of this it died completely.
I replaced the 4 connectors (on a single plug) at the lower left of the control module with proper spade connectors. The connectors were an unusual design and not standard spade connectors. This worked perfectly for a few weeks, then it died again.
The thermal fuse circuit was open and had to be replaced, but I did a modification to the design as you will see below.
The Problem
I have read lots of threads here and people are replacing the control module, fuses, thermostats, and wiring harnesses. Some comments also allude to house power as the problem or to “baby” the dishwasher as a solution.
Here is what I have determined:
The control module IS NOT the problem.
The thermostat IS NOT the problem.
The wiring harness IS NOT the problem.
The house wiring IS NOT the problem.
The thermostatic fuse IS the problem. (not the fuse itself, but the system design)
The Fix
The fix is simple, safe, and easy to do. The fix is 100% reliable.
No need to “baby” the dishwasher by running without heated dry or sticking to normal cycles.
(see “Solution - How to Fix” section)
Background
Why is there a thermal fuse anyhow? The purpose of the fuse is to protect against the thermostat sticking closed and causing an overheated dishwasher resulting in melted components or even a fire.
The thermostat is located on the bottom of the metal pan on the outside at the front. The thermostat opens and closes to turn the heating coil on and off.
If one were to jumper out the thermostatic fuse the dishwasher would work fine, but it would not be safe. DO NOT install a jumper.
How the Fuse Works
Inside the fuse is a small thin round bi-metallic plate, a little smaller than a dime. Each side of the plate is a different material, each with a different thermal expansion rate. The plate is concave on one side, convex on the other. When the fuse reaches the trip temperature the plate convex-concave reverses, operating a small pin and breaking the electrical circuit.
Fuse Tripping
The fuse gets heat from two sources, from the ambient air around the fuse and from heat generated by electric current passing through the fuse. The intention is for ambient air to do the tripping and not the current flow (amps).
The problem is that the primary source of heat is from the current flow and not the ambient temperature.
Electrical Design Issue
Estimated current draw:
Heater: 7 amp
Motor: 2 amp (in-rush current could be 50% to 100% more)
Solenoid Valve: 0.5 amp
Control Module: 0.2 amp
All electricity for the dishwasher flows through the fuse. The current flow varies as different items start and stop in the programmed sequences.
Ideally, the current flow through the fuse would be small and steady.
What Happens
Electrical contact internal to the fuse and other connections degrade over time due to oxidation, resulting in more resistance in the circuit. Normally, in most electrical circuits, this would not be a problem, but in this dishwasher there is minimal reserve margin.
This contact degradation, resulting in more electrical resistance, causes more heat generation within the thermal fuse. This explains why the fuse failed every few months (like clockwork for me).
Solution - How to Fix
The solution is to reduce current flow (amps) through the fuse. There are two ways to accomplish this. I used method 2 on my unit.
Method 1:
Install a relay in the circuit so that the only current going through the fuse is the small amount needed energize the relay coil (less than 1/100 amp) vs the 8-10 amps with all current going through the fuse.
Wire the NO (normally open in shelf condition) relay contacts in place of the fuse. Wire the fuse and the relay coil in series between the hot (black) and neutral (white) 120 volt power wires.
Note that the relay will always be energized holding the NO contacts closed.
Use a standard SPDT ice cube style relay with spade connectors, 15 amp contact rating and 120 volt coil. Use 14 gage stranded wire similar to the existing wiring.
Mount the relay inside the door to the left of the control module.
Method 2:
Wire a second thermal fuse in parallel with the existing fuse. The current draw will then be 50% through each fuse. The 8-10 amp now will be 4-5 amps per fuse.
Use two sections of 14 gage stranded wire similar to the existing wiring and splice one each into the two black leads beneath the control module. These are the leads going into the control module directly to the fuse. Install spade connectors onto the free ends of the two new wire sections.
Install the new thermal fuse onto one of the two spade connector.
Pass the fuse through a 4” long piece of 1” PVC tube and install the second spade connector to the fuse. Slide the fuse into the middle of the PVC tube.
Mount the PVC tube just to the left of the control panel, above the fiberglass insulation, and cable tie the tube through the existing unused slot just behind the door handle.
Replacement Thermal Fuse Part
There is no need to buy a manufacturer’s OEM part costing as much as $30. I purchased NTE Electronics Disc Thermostats from Galco.
http://www.galco.com/buy/NTE-Electronics/NTE-DTO190?type=ac_search
Cost is $2.78 each so I bought 6. These are identical in physical size to the existing, but are 190 oF opening and 160 oF to reset. The existing ones are one-shot meaning once they open they are no good. The NTE/Galco part is rated 15 amps.
The reset feature is a big advantage. If the fuse trips, then the dishwasher goes dark for some minutes until the fuse cools to 160 F, then the dishwasher flashes blue light until the start button is pressed. This is your indication that something is wrong and needs attention.
Result
With either Method 1 or Method 2, the fuse most likely will never fail again because the current (amps) through the fuse is significantly reduced. Dishes will be cleaner than ever due to more amps being deliver to the heater.
Summary
My KitchenAid Model KUDS30IXBL, in my opinion, has “good bones”. The motor, pump, and heater all seem to be of great quality. The unit runs very quietly and there has never been a leak.
However, there are two weak spots in the design. First is the thermal fuse discussed above. Second is the upper rack wheels which fall off after the plastic wheel axles age and break. I have redesigned and repaired both of these issues on my unit.
Now I feel that my dishwasher is robust and could work for another 10 years. It is already over 9 years old. The shame is that the customers have to redesign and fix their own machines when this should be done at the factory Engineering Department.
Since resolving the thermal fuse issue, the dishes come out sparkling clean even on normal cycle. The reason is very simple – hot water. Thermal fuse degradation results in excess resistance limiting the flow of current (power) to the heater, resulting in water not getting hot enough. The golden rule is “Hot Water = Clean Dishes”.
Does anyone know where I can get the wiring diagram for a whirlpool DW du1050xtps1?
Regarding post about adding a second thermal fuse. Why not simply change the fuse to a 15amp fuse.
UPDATE: I rewired and added a second thermal fuse in parallel and it worked. We will see if it continues to work.
Wired an additional fuse in parallel on May 31st on my Whirlpool dishwasher and it is still going strong. Previously replacing the thermal fuse would fix for only a couple of months. Thanks Ed for your detailed instructions for fixing this problem.
our old dishwasher had the same problem, we changed the fuse for three times, then gave up and bought a new, but different model. The problem didn’t come back.
My KitchenAid dishwasher (model KUDS30IXSS4, circa 2011) had blown a fuse about 14 months ago; I replaced it with an official Whirlpool fuse, which held up until about a couple weeks ago. I replaced the fuse again with a cheaper one from Amazon, which didn’t make it through it’s first cycle before it blew. I never bothered trying to replace any wiring or re-crimp any connections since that didn’t make sense to me as to why that would be necessary.
Ed’s post above looked pretty doable (I went with the parallel fuse option), and my local electronics supply store had all the parts in stock so I could get things put together pretty quickly.
Here’s a photo just before I taped up the second fuse and tucked it in behind the other wiring. Once I had the parts in hand the whole repair only took me about 20-30 minutes.
[quote=Ed Explains It;920361]3/12/21
KitchenAid Dishwasher KUDS30IXBL Thermal Fuse
[/quote]
I followed Ed’s recommendation and wired in an second thermal fuse of the same type in parallel with the first. Dishwasher is now working fine. Mine is a KUDS03STBL2.
Thanks.
For Ed’s method 2 wouldn’t you need to use thermal fuses of 1/2 rating of existing single fuse?