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    jrepen's Avatar
    jrepen Posts: 33, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #1

    Mar 16, 2008, 06:34 PM
    Bad dishwasher! I'm running out of towels!
    I just got a free GE Potscrubber portable dishwasher. Free because it was nasty dirty. Got it home and plugged it in and listened to it hum and click and thunk for about four hours before it finally remembered that it was a dishwasher. Finally, it ran through all its cycles and even drained into the sink like it's supposed to, but before it did that, it leaked a nice big puddle onto the floor like an excited puppy. I just scrubbed it top to bottom, took the plastic covers off the filter, sponged some excess water out that was standing in the filter (couldn't figure out how to get the filter itself out - no manual - but I stuck my head in there and toothbrushed it) picked out all the eggshells and turkey bones and twist ties, scraped off all the residual caked on detergent, ran it without any detergent at all, and still have a giant puddle of sudsy water on my floor. It's as level as level can be, the door gasket looks OK and it doesn't seem to be leaking from the door but somewhere underneath, and I don't see any cracks in the tub. I've never had one of these before, so I don't know high I'm supposed open the tap on the sink, if I'm supposed to use hot or cold or hot and cold water, if I'm supposed to leave it on all the way through the cycle... Clueless really. The connection at the tap is tight, when it does drain, it drains pretty forcefully, it leaks pretty much the whole time it's running, but mostly just before it drains, and what's really got me stymied is why the water is still sudsy even when there's no detergent in it at all. I'm not sure what I can use to safely clean it if there's a build-up somewhere that I can't see. I can't take it apart any more than I already have because I wouldn't know how to put it back together. There's enough water to completely soak two over-sized bath towels every time I run it. I've been living without a dishwasher for eleven years and hating every minute of it, and now this. Please, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #2

    Mar 16, 2008, 10:24 PM
    Are you using detergent meant for a dishwasher and not the stuff you manually wash dishes with?

    Their should be minimal suds. A little salt will remove suds.

    The dishwasher should use HOT water only. Running the hot water tap until the water is hot and then connecting it to the tap and using it will improve washing performance. It uses the water until the dishwasher is in the dry cycle. At that point the water can be turned off. To save energy, you can just open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.

    How about a model number? A parts breakdown can many times be found at www3.sears.com.
    jrepen's Avatar
    jrepen Posts: 33, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #3

    Mar 16, 2008, 10:37 PM
    I haven't put any detergent in it. I just had to scrape away the remainder from the previous owner. I haven't even washed any dishes in it, I've just been running it to try to figure out what's wrong with it. I should also note that the spray arm seems to sit too high since there is absolutely no clearance between it and the bottom rack, even when empty. I can't for the life of me figure out how to remove the spray arm, though. It's plastic, so I don't want to force it for fear of breaking it.
    Flying Blue Eagle's Avatar
    Flying Blue Eagle Posts: 2,056, Reputation: 225
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    #4

    Mar 16, 2008, 10:48 PM
    Jrepen - the water is probably comeing from the drain line where it comes off the drain pump. Tell you what, Unhook the hoses, un plug the electric turn the thing on its side and that will give access to the under side which on most dishwashers are fully open on the bottom side, and you can check out the drain lines and pump . It could even be the water inlet valve under bottom also . (NOTE - You may want to run it a few minuts before turning it on its side so there will be water were it is comeing out at , this way you can till were the leek is at and may be able to repair it yourself . A lot of the time you find that a old dish washer or a clothes washer will have a cracked water drain pump where it has been froze durning cold weather . Good Luck And GOD BLESS ;;; F.B.E. Hello Kiss ,HOW you been
    jrepen's Avatar
    jrepen Posts: 33, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #5

    Mar 16, 2008, 11:51 PM
    I identified the general area of the leak by removing one of the access panels (the screw heads on the other one are completely stripped) Standing on my head with a flashlight between my teeth, I saw water dripping from several places out of what looked like a metal housing around the general area of where I assume the motor pump assembly to be, even though I can't find that on any diagram. All the DIY guides explain how to get to this by removing the spray arm by twisting the cap. How do I remove the spray arm if it has no cap? There's a colar around the base of it that moves a fraction of a milimeter under extreme duress, but that's it. No cap! I've been pining for a dishwasher forever and now this thing is driving me crazy! The only good news I've found is that the lower rack isn't fitting because the wheels are the wrong size.
    KISS's Avatar
    KISS Posts: 12,510, Reputation: 839
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    #6

    Mar 16, 2008, 11:58 PM
    Go to the URL I suggested. Type in the model number and USUALLY poof, a diagram.
    braze's Avatar
    braze Posts: 10, Reputation: 2
    New Member
     
    #7

    Mar 9, 2010, 06:03 AM

    Try also some of these sites. At here you can easily find all kind of towels for every purpose Yahoo! Shopping - Online Shopping with great products, prices and reviews Lather Cloths, Cheap Gym and Exercise Towels, Exfoliating Body Sponge, Shower Wash Clothes - Ayleet Enterprises

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