Originally Posted by
applguy
This is an explanation of my experiences over the last several years, and I just had another one today. Keep in mind that water condition and quality is one of the largest variables from town to town. The machines, dishes, and even food soil won't change as much as water condition/quality. There are a couple of reasons why I recommend not to use rinse aids in soft water conditions. First of all, you shouldn't need to use it. Rinse aid was created to stop spots from being left when the dishes dry. The spots are created when the water evaporates, leaving the hard water minerals behind. If you have a water softener, and you're sure it's working, you shouldn't have any minerals in your water in the first place. That's why you shouldn't need it. The reason you should not use it is because rinse aids create foam in soft water. Dishwashers can't pump foam, so you end up creating the very problem you're using the rinse aid to stop. Even if you have always used it, there may be a malfunction of the rinse aid dispenser, causing too much rinse aid to be dispensed at once. Procter & Gamble (manufacturer of most detergents) recommends that water softeners be set to deliver water no softer than 3 grains per gallon. Soft water is classified at 1 to 3 gpg, so 3 is still soft water. Many benefits will still be realized with this setting, but the detergents will work much better. Nowhere in your home is this situation this critical, except in the dishwasher. Hopefully the water conditions in your area won't exclude you from these suggestions that seem to work very well around here. Another thing to look at is the spray arms. These arms are full of holes that, when water is forced through them, the arms start to rotate. Check all the holes to ensure that the water can get through. If the holes are plugged, water pressure can't make the arms rotate, and the dishes won't come clean. Another check is to start the dishwasher and when the dishwasher stops filling with water, open the door and check the water level. It should be somewhere around the height of the heater in the bottom. The last thing I can think of right now is to make sure the drain hose has what's called a high loop between the dishwasher and the final drain point. This means that the drain hose should be tied up against the bottom of the countertop at some point, as high as it can go. On this particular unit, there should also be a loop on the left side of the dishwasher, about 15 to 18 inches high. This loop is set at the factory, but some installers who don't know any better will take it loose to get more length in drain hose, even though it says to not remove it. Usually you can shine a flashlight back along the left side to see it. Good luck.
