anyone know how to unclog the rinse agent dispenser on a KA DW?

[passatdoc]

My father has a roughly ten year old basic KA DW. He refrained from using it because the controls were different than on the prior GE and, being single, he preferred to hand wash. The KA was used now and then, usually only when his kids were visiting and there would be more cooking and dishes to clean.

Was there over Thanksgiving and I checked the rinse agent dispenser. This has an optical indicator: you open the door flat, if there is sufficient liquid it appears dark; if not enough, the indicator will appear light (if inbetween, the center of the indicator is dark and the perimeter is light).

The indicator showed it was time to add rinse agent, but when I added liquid to the filler port, it just sat there and drained into the reservoir very slowly. Now and then you could see a bubble of air rise up, indicative that a few drops had slithered down into the dispenser, but it gave me the impression there is a clog in the system. Admittedly, the DW was literally used only 3-4 times a year for maybe five years, until we prevailed upon him to start using it more often, since machines like this do better if used semi-regularly than twice a year.

My concern is that the rinse agent may have dried up or become very congealed, from months of non-use, and now it won't fill properly. He gets decent results using Finish Powerball tabs, which allegedly have rinse agent in them, but I don't see how something released into the tub during the main wash can survive/remain in the tub through the final rinse. I use the same tabs at home, but keep my rinse agent dispenser filled and do not assume that the Powerball is doing its job (maybe it is, maybe not, but I can no longer find non-Powerball tabs for a comparison wash....they used to sell Electrasol/Finish sans Powerball, but not recently).

Anyone have any ideas for cleaning out the dispenser? THis seems like a very rare issue that only affects stubborn parents who refuse to learn the controls of a new DW!! Even if I can get the rinse agent into the dispenser with patience (like a slow running sink drain), I'm not sure it's really being dispensed properly.

 

[whirlcool]

Here is a hint about using controls on "new" machines. Tell the person to start pressing buttons from left to right. Then turn the dial. Almost all DW's work that way, even washing machines!

Our Maytag always remembers your last setting. So all you have to do is close the door and press the start button!

 

[brib68]

I wonder...

if boiling a kettle and CAREFULLY pouring the hot water into the filler opening would help, if the agent is actually congealed in there. And/or perhaps some white vinegar? (Boil some vinegar???)

My KA DW has a float in a little window, and as I use it regularly, has never experienced this problem.

 

[passatdoc]

brib68 will give it a try. I have a feeling it congealed from months/years of non-use. To give you an idea, when the machine was new in 2005-6, I bought them some Electrolux tabs, I think a 24 tablet package. They only used the last tablet from that box this year.

They have the same float window, as do I on my 2001 Bosch 3-series. The higher end 5- and 8-series had electronic warning indicators ("Add rinse agent") but the entry level 3-series has the float. As I use it regularly, I've never had congealing issues.

Allan: you're right, except their old GE had a knob you'd turn to start the cycle. On the "new" KA (bought 2005), you push the buttons and then CLOSE THE DOOR to begin the cycle. On the GE, you closed the door, fastened the latch, and turned the wheel. If there's no latch or wheel, it's obviously defective and not to be trusted.

We are going shopping today for appliances to replace the 1972 Hotpoint double oven range. A new electric slide in range and over the range microwave. Am leaning toward coil burners (so they can see they're on) and possibly knob controls in front. On the Hotpoint, controls were ergonomically placed to the right of the auxiliary upper oven. If we go to backsplash controls, there is an issue with not being able to see them well due to the microwave (i.e. they've never had to hunt/search for controls under the current aux oven because everything was clustered at eye level, including burner and both oven controls). Knob controls limits the selection but there are two or three made with knob controls in front and coil burners.

ps Allan re: my father's inability to run a DW, this is not an issue of aging, it reflects the fact that he's NEVER known how to operate one. We put in our first KA in 1962 but he never had to operate it because he had "help" i.e, mom, me, my sister, and the housekeeper. He's not bad at hand washing but is clueless re: DW because we enablers did it for him for 52 years.

 

[jamiel]

Take a look at Peerless-Premier for a slide-in electric coil range with front controls. Probably not as solid as you might like, but may get the job done.