Dishwasher Inlet Valve – Common Problems and Solutions
Dishwasher systems are very important systems to clean our dishes. You just put the dishes inside it and put the detergent. Push the button and it washes all the dishes. There are different operating parts in the dishwasher. One of these parts is the dishwasher inlet valve system. Here you can find detailed information about the dishwasher inlet valve.
What is Dishwasher Inlet Valve?
The dishwasher inlet valve is a very simple system that receives the hot water inside your dishwasher. It is generally located at the reach panel which is below the machine. The valve receives the hot water coming from the hot water system of your home. And system directs this hot water to the other components.
It is a basic electromechanical shut-off valve that operated with the electronic board of your machine. And there can be problems arise with this part.
General Problems with Dishwasher Inlet Valve
There can be different problems that take place in your dishwasher inlet valve.
- Leaks: Water leaks are one of the most common problems that we see with dishwasher applications. If the hose connections are not sealed or if there are problems with the valve sealings, leaks could take place.
- Broken valve: If the valve does not works, the machine simply will not take the water from the hot water system. And the machine will not work. The problem can be the valve itself or the electrical connections.
- Solenoid failure: The valve is actuated with the help of the solenoid system. The solenoid system controls the valve in an electromechanical way. And if there is a solenoid failure for the valve, the machine simply will not work.
- Clogs and debris: Also the clogged valve or debris accumulation in the valve system can cause these problems.
How to Check Dishwasher Inlet Valve?
Before determining that the problematic part is the dishwasher inlet valve, it is very important to check. To check it, you need to follow these general steps;
- First of all, you need to detach all the power supply that comes to the machine.
- You need to determine the electricity inlet type of the valve. It can be AC or DC. But in most cases, they are AC. You need to take a look at the sticker or stamp of the valve.
- In the electrical cord of the valve, there are generally three cords; hot, ground, and neutral. You need to make an electrical test on the hot and neutral to see if there is a problem with the electrical system.
- To do it, you need to crimp the cord and crimp the internal neutral, and the hot cord. See the copper cables to test it.
- Use a multimeter and see an ohm value. If you can not see any value, you will understand that there is a problem with the electrical system of your valve.
How to Fix a Bad Dishwasher Inlet Valve?
There are different ways to do it.
- As you can understand above, clogs and debris can cause problems in general. So, cleaning the internal section of the valve can solve the problems.
- And also repairing the leaking points or repairing the seals will solve the water leakages.
- If the problem is about the electrical system, you just need to replace the dishwasher inlet valve.
How to Replace It?
It is not advised if you are not familiar with the general mechanics and electricity. You just need to call the service to make the replacement.
- First of all, you need to disconnect the electricity after shutting off the dishwasher. You will deal with the electrical system of your dishwasher and it will be better to deal with it without electricity.
- For most of the models, there are screws to open the dishwasher panel. Unscrew them to reach the valve.
- You can locate the dishwasher inlet valve right under the machine.
- The inlet water hose is attached to that valve. You need to disconnect it first. You just need to unscrew the clamp that attaches it to the valve inlet. And also, you need to detach the outlet hose from the system.
- Detach the electrical connections and terminals. Use the proper tools to do it. And remove the valve system.
- In the same way, attach the new valve application.
Replacement Prices
It can vary according to the brand of the dishwasher and the total labor required. In general dishwasher inlet valve prices are not high. You just need to pay around $20-$50 for the part. But if you will not do the required application, you will probably pay between $100-$200 including all costs.
You just need to call different services to ask about the prices.
Conclusion on Dishwasher Inlet Valve
So it is a very basic part of your dishwasher in general. You just need to replace it with a new application and it will solve most of the problems.
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