KDD-67 Hobart Deluxe Portable--Soap door does not open

[mikeg]

Hi:

Hope all is well.

We love our dishwasher and use it daily. Today the soap door stopped opening. It opens and closes by hand but is not spring loaded and no longer opens on it's own. I hope to get some insights from members before I start (blindly) taking things apart.

Thank you in advance and again I hope this finds all well, Mike Gillispie

 

[Unimatic1140]

I'm pretty sure in those machines the detergent dispenser is activated by current draw on the motor. Without water or too little water there isn't enough current running through the motor/pump to activate the dispenser. They do this to make sure there is enough water in the machine before the door opens and dispenses the dw detergent as it can be caustic to dish and glassware. There is a chance that the water valve needs to be replaced to make sure there is enough water in the tub to cause the dispenser's bi-metal strip to open the detergent door when the timer calls for the detergent dispenser to operate.

First thing I'd check is if there is enough water in the machine during wash. You can always add water a quart or so at time to see if it then opens.

 

[mikeg]

Thanks.........not sure how to proceed

Thanks Unimatic!

I'm not sure about how to check the water level as you suggest.......

I presume the 2 silver discs on the inside of the door are conductivity switches? The lower being the correct/lowest water level? And the upper one the upper limit that stops water flow when activated? Is that correct (I could be wrong)?

So do I open the door during wash to check the level? Seems like that could let a lot of water out?

Is there a time in the cycle and place where I should be measuring voltage and/or amperage to diagnose?

Thanks for your help and patience; sure hope to get it going again, Mike

 

[qsd-dan]

I'm not sure about how to check the water level as you s

When the main wash cycle finishes filling, stop the machine and allow the water to drain down a couple of minutes. Open the door, pull the bottom rack forward and take a picture of the water level next to the screened filter. We'll be able to tell you if it's underfilling.

 

[Unimatic1140]

So do I open the door during wash to check the level? Seems like that could let a lot of water out?.
Like Dan just said above, you can open the door at anytime during the cycle as the water level is never above the door. Just unlatch the handle and wait several seconds for the water to stop splashing then open the door. Do this during the main wash cycle when you think the detergent door should be opening. You can take a picture of the water level and post it here for all of us to analyze.

The dishwasher is a timed fill machine so there is no direct measurement of the water going in, what ever fills in the allotted fill time on timer the machine uses. There is a however safety float on the front left side just to prevent overfilling in very high water pressure homes.

I presume the 2 silver discs on the inside of the door are conductivity switches?
No if I'm hearing you correctly those would be covers for the rinse aid dispenser (such as Jet-dry) that your machine doesn't have, so they just cover those dispenser holes up with two silver cover plates.

 

[DADoES]

 
MikeG,

These pics are from a post years ago, someone found a KDD-67 that was being used for non-dishwashing storage purposes.

The two silver discs on the door are plugs which would be removed for an optional rinse aid dispenser if the buyer wants it added.  The fill level *never* gets that high.  Water covers the bottom of the tub and up to a specific level on the filter screen beneath the spray arm.

As qsd-dan advises above, start your machine running.  Wait for the timer to indicate it's in the Wash period and you hear that filling has stopped.  Raise the door latch, wait a few seconds for the spray to stop, then open the door, pull the lower rack forward and take a photo of the spray arm and filter area to show the water level.  Reply to this discussion and add the photo to your post.

 

[jeff_adelphi]

Check the filter

The first thing to check is the filter in the bottom of the tub. If it’s dirty or clogged it will prevent water flow to the pump. This will cause the dispensers to not open.

 

[brisnat81]

Is it just me, or isn't the key here that the spring is no longer working on the doors? Doesnt the bimetallic just release the door and then the spring snaps it open?

 

[jeff_adelphi]

I would be happy to help you fix this if you can't do it on your own.
Jeff's appliance service 301-937-6003

 

[barcoboy]

brisnat81, it is possible that the spring has broken and is not releasing the dispenser door, but it is also possible that the bimetal is not heating up enough to release the spring. The bimetals in this model and other older KitchenAids are run in line with the motor, and it is the current draw of the motor that cause them to heat. If the motor is not drawing enough current because the water level in the tank is too low, the bimetal won't heat up enough to open the dispenser door.

 

[combo52]

KitchenAid Hobart built dishwasher dispensers

Yes the buy metal is wired in series with the motor the motor needs to be drawing between 5 1/2 and 7 A to cause the dispenser to open.

It is also possible to buy metal has failed often times the wires we burn off of them sometimes they can just be adjusted and they will work properly again.

It was not designed this way so that it would not open if there was not enough water in the machine that was just an accidental feature of a not great design.

Hobart used the motor because there was no water heater element in most KitchenAid dishwashers at this time as soon as whirlpool bought KitchenAid they immediately re-designed them so that the dispenser wasn’t serious with the motor anymore but instead the water heater element so that with open consistently.

John L