dishwashercrazy
Well-known member
Preface: I’m mainly documenting the following for the automaticwasher.org Archives for future reference.
Mike
When I attempted to conduct the first “Wet” test of the Homart (Sears Kenmore) Electric Sink Dishwasher on Wednesday, May 20, the water valve failed to open. I had previously run the dishwasher through a successful “Dry” test on Sunday May 17 (reference 2009 Thread Number 22372). I then temporarily connected a generic G.E. water valve to this dishwasher and was successful in conducting a “Wet” test.
However, I still had a nonfunctioning water valve. And keep in mind, I don’t know the first thing about water valves. First I tried to discern whether of not I was getting magnetism when the solenoid was energized. I was fairly confident that I was, but after removing and replacing the solenoid from over the valve shaft, there was no change. Next, I partially disassembled the valve, first starting with the chamber containing the mesh water filter strainer. Although there was some rust and foreign material present, after I cleaned this area up and reassembled the valve, I still wasn’t getting any water through the valve. I removed the nut and copper tube on the “outlet” side of the valve, but this area was clean and contained no moving parts. I removed the 90 degree elbow on the “inlet” side of the valve, but this part of the chamber contained no moving parts as well. Then I again removed the solenoid, and this time removed the 4 small screws holding the needle valve itself. I was perplexed to find no spring present, but only an extra weight behind the needle valve. At this point, looked and found a diagram of the early Hobart KitchenAid dishwasher water and drain valves, and a diagram of the early D&M dishwasher water valves – all of these diagrams show a spring behind the needle valve. What the f__k? Did somebody else try to troubleshoot this valve, and forget to put the spring back in? Several attempts to reassembly the valve and solenoid, did eventually result in a very little water passing through the valve. Perhaps some of the rinsing and blowing through the chamber had loosened something up, but I still didn’t know why the valve wasn’t working. I called my brother and ended up taking the water valve over for him to look at. We definitely confirmed that there was sufficient magnetism in the solenoid. We again dissembled the needled valve assembly. And determined that the rubber boot was somehow or other not moving properly. At first we thought that the rubber boot slid on a shaft in the valve, but it was stuck. We tried to gently pry the boot out of the impression that it was sitting in. I was so afraid that we would damage the rubber boot. So I brought the valve back home to work on it more delicately. I ran the boot under warm water, and gently lifted the edge of the boot with a small screwdriver. I kept re-warming the boot, and continuing to gently lifting until it popped off, revealing a small metal pilot, molded to the boot, which fits into a hole in the valve – it had slightly rusted in place. After gently cleaning up the boot, and scrubbing the rust inside the pilot hole, the pilot on the boot easily slipped in and out of the pilot hole. The mystery had finally been solved. I reassembled the boot, and the needle valve assembly, reattached the solenoid, and connected it to electricity. There was a definitely new sound that the water valve made now that the boot had been freed up. I hooked the valve to a water hose, plugged the electric cord in, and WATER FLOWED!
The name stamped on the plate of the water valve is “Dole Valve Company, Chicago, U.S.A.” (see photo).
The photos here and on the subsequent two replies, document the steps that I took in the above process.
For more information, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Clockwise from top left: Overall Water Valve (the copper tube is extended with a short piece of rubber hose, which loops into the top of the inlet water air gap mounted to the side of the dishwasher tub at about the 8 o’clock position); close-up of water valve (two holes in side of valve are for bolts which secure the water valve to the left front corner of the cabinet frame); water valve slightly tilted shows the metal clip which holds the solenoid in place; Dole Valve Company identification and Patent Pending number (9/32” bolt heads).
Mike
When I attempted to conduct the first “Wet” test of the Homart (Sears Kenmore) Electric Sink Dishwasher on Wednesday, May 20, the water valve failed to open. I had previously run the dishwasher through a successful “Dry” test on Sunday May 17 (reference 2009 Thread Number 22372). I then temporarily connected a generic G.E. water valve to this dishwasher and was successful in conducting a “Wet” test.
However, I still had a nonfunctioning water valve. And keep in mind, I don’t know the first thing about water valves. First I tried to discern whether of not I was getting magnetism when the solenoid was energized. I was fairly confident that I was, but after removing and replacing the solenoid from over the valve shaft, there was no change. Next, I partially disassembled the valve, first starting with the chamber containing the mesh water filter strainer. Although there was some rust and foreign material present, after I cleaned this area up and reassembled the valve, I still wasn’t getting any water through the valve. I removed the nut and copper tube on the “outlet” side of the valve, but this area was clean and contained no moving parts. I removed the 90 degree elbow on the “inlet” side of the valve, but this part of the chamber contained no moving parts as well. Then I again removed the solenoid, and this time removed the 4 small screws holding the needle valve itself. I was perplexed to find no spring present, but only an extra weight behind the needle valve. At this point, looked and found a diagram of the early Hobart KitchenAid dishwasher water and drain valves, and a diagram of the early D&M dishwasher water valves – all of these diagrams show a spring behind the needle valve. What the f__k? Did somebody else try to troubleshoot this valve, and forget to put the spring back in? Several attempts to reassembly the valve and solenoid, did eventually result in a very little water passing through the valve. Perhaps some of the rinsing and blowing through the chamber had loosened something up, but I still didn’t know why the valve wasn’t working. I called my brother and ended up taking the water valve over for him to look at. We definitely confirmed that there was sufficient magnetism in the solenoid. We again dissembled the needled valve assembly. And determined that the rubber boot was somehow or other not moving properly. At first we thought that the rubber boot slid on a shaft in the valve, but it was stuck. We tried to gently pry the boot out of the impression that it was sitting in. I was so afraid that we would damage the rubber boot. So I brought the valve back home to work on it more delicately. I ran the boot under warm water, and gently lifted the edge of the boot with a small screwdriver. I kept re-warming the boot, and continuing to gently lifting until it popped off, revealing a small metal pilot, molded to the boot, which fits into a hole in the valve – it had slightly rusted in place. After gently cleaning up the boot, and scrubbing the rust inside the pilot hole, the pilot on the boot easily slipped in and out of the pilot hole. The mystery had finally been solved. I reassembled the boot, and the needle valve assembly, reattached the solenoid, and connected it to electricity. There was a definitely new sound that the water valve made now that the boot had been freed up. I hooked the valve to a water hose, plugged the electric cord in, and WATER FLOWED!
The name stamped on the plate of the water valve is “Dole Valve Company, Chicago, U.S.A.” (see photo).
The photos here and on the subsequent two replies, document the steps that I took in the above process.
For more information, feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Clockwise from top left: Overall Water Valve (the copper tube is extended with a short piece of rubber hose, which loops into the top of the inlet water air gap mounted to the side of the dishwasher tub at about the 8 o’clock position); close-up of water valve (two holes in side of valve are for bolts which secure the water valve to the left front corner of the cabinet frame); water valve slightly tilted shows the metal clip which holds the solenoid in place; Dole Valve Company identification and Patent Pending number (9/32” bolt heads).
