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speckpgh · Apr 19, 2011, 12:04 PM

I have a Kenmore Dishwasher I am trying to diagnose. The fill valve is never getting power, everything else runs fine, it properly runs and drains and dries, I just have to manually add water to every cycle.

There is no clog in the feed line or filters.

The float valve is not stuck

I have tested the voltage going to the fill valve and it never seems to be getting any power, I bypassed the overflow switch thinking maybe the switch was bad, but still, never does a 120 V current (or any current for that matter) reach the fill valve.

I am flumoxed. I have read somewhere that the switches on the door could be bad and somehow preventing the fill valve from getting power? I am not sure why this would be the case, but I am willing to accept it could be. I have not by passed the switches on the door yet, but visual inspection shows no signs of obvious issue, the rocker switches both appear to move cleanly when the buttons are pushed.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? Should I try just bypassing the door buttons? IE hardwire the connections to the selections I want? I have no issues doing this, but I really don't understand why a selector for pots and pands or hot dry would prevent the fill valve from getting power ever.. It appears as the wiring from the timer to the fill valve is completely separate from those loops.

Is there something else I should be looking at? I don't think it's a bad timer, everything else works perfectly.

ma0641 · Apr 19, 2011, 02:57 PM

3 possibilities. Bad door switch, although that should stop everything. Bad timer or bad wire from timer board to solenoid. Possible float switch stuck in the up position. Might be more but these come to mind.

hkstroud · Apr 19, 2011, 04:27 PM

Do you have water to the fill valve?

speckpgh · Apr 20, 2011, 07:14 AM

Yes Water is reaching the fill valve fine.. no clogs or issues.

I have checked the overflow float, and even bypassed its switch completely when testing for current just in case the switch itself was bad. Still no power ever gets to the fill valve.

There are no visible issues with the wiring, IE loose connections to the fill valve or to the timer, or visible knicks or cuts in the wires themselves.

ma0641 · Apr 20, 2011, 05:19 PM

Well if no power is getting to the fill solenoid, there is a circuit interruption. The timer does control the valve otherwise, it wouldn't know when to turn on.

drtom4444 · Apr 22, 2011, 02:28 PM

The only way to know for sure what is causing the problem is to use a meter to find the open switch. Put meter on voltage setting that will test for 120 volts and put leads to either side of suspected open switches. When you read voltage across the switch you have found the one that is open. Make sure you have voltage in line by touching the terminal with one lead and with other touch it to ground. You cannot guess when you are looking for a problem in a circuit. DrTom4444

Stratmando · Apr 22, 2011, 04:48 PM

Neutral is probably OK, and is likely a hot problem, verify with a continuity test, with washer unplugged, between the large prong(neutral), and the white at solenoid, If Neutral is good, it is a hot problem, several other meathods will achieve the same thing.
You could even hook a Toner Set and with washer unplugged, and place a tone on the unplugged solenoid wires, and follow back with the inductive amp, or continuity tester, just follow back through each switch/connection, Timer.

drtom4444 · Mar 15, 2012, 09:59 AM

The manual says that the only other cause for this problem is open timer contacts, and from what I can see on schematic you have a contact in timer that closes to fill dishwasher with water. Go here for two manuals that will help: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8010163/whirlpool_dishwasher.pdf
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8010163/Whirlpool_Dishwasher_Service_manual.pdf

I hope they help. You most likely will need a timer unless it's a broken wire or bad connection, but you can check the timer with an ohm meter.