When the intake valve screen gets clogged up, your dishwasher is not able to fill up with enough water to properly wash your dishes. When that happens, the intake valve screen needs to be cleaned and taken care of in order to get your dishwasher running properly again.
#1 Check The Water Levels
The first thing you need to do is run your dishwasher and keep an eye on it while it runs. When your dishwasher gets to the second cycle, open up your dishwasher. When you open up your dishwasher, it should turn off automatically. Check the bottom of the dishwasher to see the water level. The water should fill up the bottom of your washing machine, up to the heating element. If the water is below the heating element, your dishwasher is not getting enough water in it. That means the water intake valve screen needs to be cleaned.
Shut the door to your dishwasher and allow the cycle to finish before proceeding.
#2 Turn Off The Power & Water To Your Dishwasher
In order to clean the water intake valve screen, you need to turn off both the power and the water to your dishwasher. Unplug your dishwasher or turn off the circuit that provides power to your dishwasher. There should be a water supply valve specifically for your dishwasher that you are going to need to turn off; it should be located next to the closest sink water supply lines.
#3 Take Off The Lower Panel
Now you need to take off the lower panel on your dishwasher. The lower panel runs across the bottom of your dishwasher. There should be a couple of screws holding the front panel in place. Remove these screws and you should be able to pull off the front panel.
#4 Take Off Supply The Tubes & Disconnect Electrical Wires
Underneath your washing machine, you should see a water supply tube. This tube is generally copper and it should run to your water supply line and look like your other plumbing tubes in your home. The water supply tube is connected via a compression nut to the compression fitting.
You are going to use a wrench to loosen the compression nut. This will allow you to disconnect the water supply tube from the inlet valve. There is going to be a couple of electrical wires connected to the inlet valve, you are going to want to disconnect the wires from the inlet valve.
#5 Remove Rubber From Inlet Valve
Now that you have disconnected the wires and the water supply line from the inlet valve, you are going to need to remove the rubber tubing connected to the inlet valve. The rubber tubing is held in place with some spring clamps. Use a pair of pliers to loosen the spring clamps and then pull the rubber tubing off the inlet valve.
#6 Clean The Valve Screen
Remove the screws on the body of the inlet valve. This should allow you to pull off the compression fittings. Inside of the compression fitting is a screen. Take the screen out and wash it. Then put the screen back into the compression fitting.
#7 Put Everything Back Together
Now it is time to put everything back together. Put the compression fitting back on the inlet valve body. Then attach the rubber tubing back to the inlet valve, using the spring clamps to hold it in place. Next, attach the water supply tube to the inlet valve. Finally, attach the electrical wires to the inlet valve. Then, put the lower panel back on the dishwasher and run your dishwasher.
Run your dishwasher and check the water cycles again after the second cycle and make sure that the water levels are back where they should be. Contact a company like Hudson Appliance Center for more information and assistance.
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