Whirlpool Heating Element Not Working

Dishwasher Repair
1

The heating element in my dishwasher doesn’t get hot. I’ve been attempting to check the heating element using a digital multimeter.

On this dishwasher, the heating element leads are held in place by a threaded plastic sleeve. The wiring to the leads runs up through the plastic sleeves and connects to the element leads.

When I unscrew the plastic sleeves, it appears that the electrical wires are soldered to the element leads.

Without removing the wiring, I have placed the mutimeter leads on the heating element leads to check the resistance. The resistance measures about 20 ohms.

I’m hesitant to disconnect the electrical wiring from the heating element leads because I’m not confident that I can reconnect it properly.

Do I really need to disconnect the wires before checking the resistance? Is it possible that the heating element could be bad and I am actually measuring an alternate electrical pathway?

If the heating element is likely still good, what part do I check next, and where do I find that part?

Thanks for the help!
Steve

2

Here are your parts
Replacement parts for WHIRLPOOL DU920QWDB0 | AppliancePartsPros.com

This may also come in handy
https://secured.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/56e33eb0e839a7fa85256a8e00510938/$FILE/4322430.pdf

It does looks OK but you can double check it.

One of the wires from the heating element should go over to the hi-limit thermostat (Item 19 in Section 3) and that is the next part you want to check.
Disconnect the wire at the hi-limit that goes to the heating element.
Check across the hi-limit should be 0 ohms.

You can then measure from the wire you disconnected to the far side of the element to check it. The element is now isolated from the wiring. You should see your 20 ohms.

Next thing to check would be the cycling thermostat (Item 18 in Section 3).