Countertop dishwasher does not stop filling

I have an Energy Star Dishwasher, model: DWP40s which does not stop filling up during the fill cycle. It keeps going until it overflows. It operates normally if I turn the water off and advance the dial one click, but if left alone it fills the washer indefinitely. I haven't had any luck getting in touch with their service department (except one email that said I should consult a professional since I've had it for over 1 year).

I've been speculating that there's something wrong with the overflow sensor or perhaps whatever times the thing, but I'm pretty lost in the world of appliance repair. Thanks for any help.

 

Are you saying the timer wont advance from the start position on its own at all ? (and yet works normally once you bump it a notch further). Try letting just a bit of water in for a regular start, then turn the tap off.. does the timer advance normally on its own ?

There should be some type of overflow 'float' system.. anything like a cup or dome mounted near the door at the floor of the dishwasher ? Sometimes crud gets under them and prevents proper operation.

I couldnt find a reference to an overflow float in the manual. BTW, its an "EdgeStar" not Energy Star.

 

Start the dishwasher and turn the water back on. While its running water into the tub open the door. If the water doesn’t stop the water valve is bad. If the water stops then its electrical or the timer is getting stuck in that position but even then the float should cut it off. I don’t think the float is supposed to stop the water when its operating normally its just there as a back up incase the timer sticks. But in any case opening the door will cut the power to the water valve and if it still doesn’t stop replace it. For more on do-it-yourself appliance repair visit Appliance Repair Guide For All Major Home Appliances

 

Hi, thanks for the response. When I open the dishwasher door the water stops right away, it's basically a kill switch. When I fill the washer to the wash level and turn off the hose nothing happens until I advance the timer knob. Then it goes through the wash cycle, drains then it won't advance again till I have filled and moved the knob forward one click. For the full wash this means three fill cycles I have to manually fill and start.

Sometimes when I'm filling the washer, only occasionally, the water will stop filing for a second and the wash cycle will start. The the water will continue filling, just like it used to before it was broken. Only it never stops filling after that point.

 

Well, since the water turns off when you open the door, the solenoid water valve is obviously operating OK. I'm wondering if your dishwater model is wired such that during a fill cycle, the power to the timer is interrupted until the float control senses the tub is full, then it shuts off the water and energizes the timer? Like others have suggested, I'd check the float control to see if it was working freely. Has the float cracked and filled up with water? You should be able to hear a "click" when you lift the float up. It sure sounds like your fill float switch mechanism is not working correctly, either the float is bad or sticking, or the switch itself has failed. If you're handy with a multimeter, you can test the overfill switch, by turning off the electrical power, disconnecting the wires to the switch, and holding your multimeter's probes to the switch connections while someone manually moves the float up and down. You should see the switch "make" and "break" with the motion of the float.

 

I guess my first question is how to check the float control. I don't have a problem taking the machine apart but I'm not sure where to look for the float control.

 

Wow, after months of futzing around and hand filling the dishwasher [granted I just moved into my first house which did not have a bathroom or kitchen at the time), not to mention 6 weeks playing phone tag with Edgestar I've got my washer fixed.


The float control WAS the problem. Take a look at this:



I dredged it out and ran a bleach water rinse cycle and the washer works like new again.

Thank you so much!