Customline needs some dishwasher advice !

[customline]

Time to put your thinking caps on. My '55 Kenmore portable DW is doing something strange. I plug it into a regular non-GFI outlet and it runs fine. Now, this model has a nifty little dashboard light. When I put a new light bulb in and run the dishwasher,it immediately trips my cicuit breaker and the light bulb goes POOF. This only happens when the light bulb is IN. When I run it without the light bulb, the dishwasher works fine. I have a new AC cord on it, rebuilt timer (thanx to Reeco timer of Palm Bay FLA.)and I'm 99.9 percent sure all of the wiring is properly in place. Anything that was remotely leaking, I fixed. I have a single copper ground wire running from the timer to the heat coil and ends at the impeller motor. Should it run to the frame also? This inquiring mind wants to know. All of your help will most certainly be welcome and the pictures are coming soon! I promise.

 

[Cybrvanr]

It sounds as if there is another circuit within the dishwasher that is wired in series with the light bulb. That circuit has either been by-passed, or has a short circuit. This is allowing maximum line voltage to flow through what I imagine is a low-voltage bulb.

During proper operation, The voltage is divided between the pilot light and that circuit, so that current is limited between the two components, and voltage is divided. In a series circuit, voltage is divided, and current is constant across all resistors. In parallel circuits, voltage is constant, and current is divided.

My recommendation is to follow the wiring to the pilot light bulb and find out what is supposed to be upstream of the lamp. Maybe it's a small motor, like a timer motor, or even more pilot lamps.

 

[customline]

Custom's reply

Steve, thanx for the info. I followed both wires from the light bulb socket. The hot wire goes from the socket to the timer. The ground wire ties into another ground wire that all of the motors and heater tie into and are grounded. I could'nt for the life of me find a short anywhere in the sockets hot wire and all of the wiring is in it's proper place. have any ideas?

 

[Unimatic1140]

What kind of light bulb does the machine take?

 

[customline]

Custom replies to Robert.......

Robert, it takes a #1004 12v automotive type bulb. The kind with the two little pins on the sides and it does a half -way turn into the socket with two contacts on the bottom. It's just a small little bulb.