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Hello
Thank you for this forum and the opportunity to receive advice.
Our 4 year old dishwasher began to stick at different points in the cycle. By turning the “programme selector dial” on a notch or two, it would then continue the cycle. At first this was enough, but quickly it deteriorated further until about a week later it will do nothing except make a humming noise!
I wondered if the “timer switch” is at fault, but don’t want to buy without being more sure.
I appreciate any suggestions offered.
Wooday 😕
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Is it filling with water? If set to a programme start position, does it advance one click and then stop?
Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Bizarre. I put the machine on without dishes to observe exactly what happened, and it completed the Quick cycle without a hitch! I put it on the normal cycle and it is now merrily washing no problem. 😕
It has been lying for a week, and yesterday I opened up the front to begin exploration of the timer switch, etc. I cleaned the filters though they had little on them. Other than that I have done nothing to sort this, so this is inexplicable to me!
We’ll try it again with dishes this evening, but clearly something WAS wrong with it, though maybe not that much.
Thank you Penguin45 for getting back to me so quickly. Maybe you or someone might have a clue what is at the root of my dishwasher’s temperamental behaviour.
Wooday 🙂
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
The IWMS is the bete noire of these machines:
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.p … ge&pid=104Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Thanks for this, Penguin45. Clearly I need to investigate.
If I can’t resolve this completely by any cleaning out, then I would have to consider buying – if the IWMS system is at fault and needs replaced, I can’t find it in your spares. can you identify where I can buy, if it comes to this?
Hopefully closer to solution thanks to your input. 🙂
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
spares@ukwhitegoods.co.uk will be able to supply any spares required. There are various versions of this machine, so we would need the pnc number to correctly identify parts when required.
Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
That info’s useful too. I’ll use the email address. However, if you don’t mind helping a bit more…
I am going to open the machine – any advice before I do (I had my old washing machine open many a time but this is a first with the dishwasher). The page you referred me to described the IWMS as being on the left of the machine. Can I remove the side?
🙂
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Side panel removes with a few screws – you’re looking for black deposits in the bottom – worth getting the front lower cover off as well and checking the transfer pipes for muck and goo.
Power off, of course.
Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Hello Again
Thanks for perseverance with me – if nothing else I am learning.
I removed panels to view the machine and have uploaded a couple of pictures for you to see what you think. I am assuming the IWMS is the plastic device nearer to the ground. It looks like a build-up of food debris, though not much black… The thing I am wondering if I do have to remove to attempt to clean out, is how to take apart without water going everywhere…
Another option has occured to me after doing some more homework. I have recently been working on our bathroom taps. Since I had the water in the house off and back on again the water pressure in the house has not been the same, since the valve is very old and difficult to turn (needs replaced). Family have complained about the lower water pressure affecting the shower etc.
Is it possible that the symptoms I have described could be attributed to lower water pressure? Today when the machine worked well there was no-one else using the water for anything else. …
Wooday
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Nothing wrong with that IWMS. Water pressure is an interesting thought – you do need a reasonable pressure to activate the valve properly.
Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Thanks Penguin45 for sticking with me.
I was full of optimism and re-assembled the machine today. I had improved the water pressure in the house by opening the supply valve an extra quarter turn carefully (this even made the washing machine supply leak and need tightened!).
However, the machine now sits stuck at the first notch – it won’t turn at all. So I have not got to the bottom of this after all. It worked with no dishes yesterday, but this is its first real run.
I have the side off again. I see something different from yesterday. At the start of the cycle yesterday there was water flowing through the compartments in the pictures I put on this thread. Now there is no movement. The machine is NOT filling! So now I am wondering what would stop this, and why it worked yesterday and not today?
Wooday ❓
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Hmm – this one appears to have two matrices – there is a separate water-level control one under the right hand side. This has two water level switches attached to it. If the flood protection one is activated, I think it over-rides the timer, so the it will just sit……….
Penguin45.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
The machine is making noises but not filling. Yesterday there was water flowing through the compartments at the start of the cycle, but none of that today.
…
I checked the inlet hose wasn’t kinked. I tried putting the machine on either side to try to shift some of the water and reset the anti-flood switch you described. I checked the drain hose wasn’t blocked. All to no effect.
Net step I believe is to dismantle IWMS and related hoses. This I expect will create a flood but can’t see a way around this. I should then try to clean pipes etc, and hopefully have the machine back into a workable condition.
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Hello Penguin and anyone else who may be interested.
I disconnected the machine and removed it to a place where it could flood to its “heart’s” content.
I took apart a few bits to clean out and drain the IWMS etc.
I am still not convinced it will work, as I don’t know how to eg recognise a “pressure”/flood switch, what a “matrix” is, other than the film. I have been trying to do some reading, etc.
I wonder if I reconnect will it work just fine because I drained the water out, or whether there is a blockage somewhere that is causing the water level to be high enough to trip the anti-flood, or whether the anti-flood is faulty and will not reset for me in any case…
Any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks for reading
Wooday 🙂
Re: Zanussi Electrolux DA 6142 – won’t progress through cycl
Hi Wooday.
Remove r/h panel. There will be a much smaller plastic moulding down near the bottom. The two round switches attached to it are the level or pressure switches. They are operated by air being displaced from the chambers in the matrix by the rising water level. The switch nearest the front is the level control, the rear one is the safety shut-off. The two skinny hoses on the inner side connect to air chambers in the sump area under the filters. These should all be clean of sludge.HTH, stay safe, power off for anything other than observation.
Penguin45.
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