lower spray arm not working

[robinahy]

I have a siemens dishwasher. It’s a German version where the water is heated within the unit.

The lower arm is not working. I have cleaned it a million times looking for anything that might be hidden. I’ve also cleaned the upper arm. I have had this problem in the past. I’ve cleaned both spray arms then everything was fine. But not this time. I’ve even run the dishwasher empty in the event that dishes are blocking the arm.

I’ve poured hot water with vinegar into the bottom in the event that lime is an issue…no help. I’ve cleaned the filters and pump. I also cleaned the aquastop filter and checked water pressure.
The top tray is cleaning just fine but the bottom tray, even the lightest of dirt isn’t coming off.

Not sure if this is a factor but I haven’t yet confirmed if the water is actually heating up. I do know that when it finishes running and I open the door lots of steam escapes.

My husband did pull the dishwasher out the other day to tighten the water faucets. He put it back an hour later. Not sure if this would have caused the problem. I’m also not sure if the problem started before or after the dishwasher was pulled out.

[weekiteman1r1]

Re: lower spray arm not working

A model number would be of great help but some times these dishwasers have a diverter disc held within the main housing of the heater assembly. This has been known to sheer off of it’s spindle and then get stuck. As a rule the heater should be replaced which comes with all the bits you will need.
Be warned, its a big job which usually requires the stainless upper housing to be removed. My advise would be to get a experienced engineer to do it for you.
Scott

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

siemens SL64A561/40

I do know that water is going into the spray arm but its just not rotating.

Could this simply be that its off balance from being moved.

The heater seems to be working just fine. Is there any way to confirm what you are suggesting about the diverter disc?

[CJAPeterborough]

Re: lower spray arm not working

Assuming the arm is fully locked in place and there is no water
spraying from it then the diagnosis in the earlier reply is the most likely problem.
There is a small motor on the base of the heater housing which through a series of geared cogs operates a flap backwards and forwards diverting the flow to the top and bottom in cycles.
The motor may have failed or a cog come loose.
To get at the heater assembly you need to completely drop the base and unless you can find a scrap part or machine(Ebay etc) unit is only sold complete as housing/element/motor etc £££.Motor is easy to change a couple of screws etc.
Depend on how much time and motivation you have to fix it.
Most of the heater assemblies are common parts across the Bosch/Neff/Seimens ranges
You can see a pic of the assembly below…the black housing is the motor.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BOSCH-NEFF-SI … 2eb3982264

[Martin]

Re: lower spray arm not working

robinahy wrote:Is there any way to confirm what you are suggesting about the diverter disc?

The diverter valve rotates constantly as the circulating pump runs. So every 60 seconds (exactly) the water flow alternates between the top and the bottom spray arms. There is a noticable ‘pause’ of some 5 seconds as the valve switches during which time neither spray arm has much flow and the ‘slooshing’ noises within the dishwasher fall silent as it changes.

So, if the flow to the top spray arm is constant and doesn’t change all the while the pump is running the obvious conclusion is that the diverter mechanism has failed and a new ‘Instanteneous Water Heater’ (Part no 488856) will need fitting…..very common fault in fact!

HTH? 😀

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

It seems like you guys are right. Frustrating though since we are selling our apartment.

Just the same, I would like to seriously consider doing the repair myself. Where might I find details or help, like a video?

In the outside chance I can find a motor on ebay would this also include the diverter and cog. Or is it certain I need the whole heating unit.

Any idea about part numbers for motor of cog. I know the whole heating unit is 488856 but the individual parts?

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

On ebay.de (I live in Germany) I can find several heating elements that look like 488856 but with different numbers.

like this;

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Heizung-Siemens- … 2a147870c7

is it actually the same?

[CJAPeterborough]

Re: lower spray arm not working

The motor is not listed as a seperate part.

The assembly you show should be fine alhough it doesnt have the aquasensor fitted (left side compare the two links above)
you can easily transfer your good one across.(small pcb sensor card that just pull out of the housing)

You can see parts diagrams on the siemens site -the models listed on my earlier link cross reference to 483058 (replaced with 488856.

https://www.siemens-eshop.com/eshop{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d}28b … indexa.htm

I am sure you will get further help here if you decide to go ahead with the repair.

The hardest part is getting the base seperated from the main tub.

Regards

[Martin]

Re: Re: lower spray arm not working

CJAPeterborough wrote:The assembly you show should be fine alhough it doesnt have the aquasensor fitted (left side compare the two links above)
you can easily transfer your good one across.(small pcb sensor card that just pull out of the housing)

……errrr?…No….you cannot transfer it over…no prizes for guessing why though… 😉

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

OK Martin…why?

To me all the parts on ebay look alike. And several of the sellers are using such number as WW01 as a part number but I think this is a reference to an individual piece or the plastic used.

This is the info for a new part – look at all the different ‘parts numbers’ possible to use. German isn’t my mother tongue.
Heizung Durchlauferhitzer 488856 für Bosch Neff Küppersbusch Siemens Spülmaschine
488856
Artikelbeschreibung:
Verwendbar in Bauknecht Bosch NEFF Küppersbusch Quelle Siemens Geschirrspülmaschinen
Originalteil Bosch T. Nr. 488856, 2100 Watt, 220 Volt DE System
Küppersbusch 427138, Quelle 0265 373 1
evtl. Aufschrift Typ 338 33681 33380001 9000008788

I did find one that was typ 338 33681 but something was missing, maybe the aquasensor (looks like a small computer board).

Can someone give me more help to be certain I purchase the right part. I really don’t want to buy new.

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

is this one it??

http://www.ebay.de/itm/HEIZUNG-BOSCH-SI … 43aa4bbfb4

or this (missing a few washers)

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Heizung-Siemens- … 2a14783e44

[CJAPeterborough]

Re: lower spray arm not working

Well you can buy the cheapest one and switch the motor assembly which could be a cheap fix

[CJAPeterborough]

Re: Re: lower spray arm not working

……errrr?…No….you cannot transfer it over…no prizes for guessing why though… 😉

Sorry I stand corrected as the aperture may be blanked off.
In the Ebay link there are a number of machines listed re compatibality.I checked a couple on the Siemens site and the same part number cross references with the OP’s machine.

[robinahy]

Re: lower spray arm not working

Believe it or not I’m not really a dizzy blond but… I just play one at home.

I don’t understand the last comment.

>>>In the Ebay link there are a number of machines listed re compatibality.I checked a couple on the Siemens site and the same part number cross references with the OP’s machine.>>>
This means the parts are correct?

I can just switch the motor assembly right? Its the aqua sensor that I can’t switch? But if I only switch the motor ass, and not the complete heating element then I won’t need to worry about the aqua sensor one way or another. So the cheap one on ebay will work. If I just switch the motor ass. is this a lot less work then doing the whole heating element. And all that is wrong is contained within the motor ass,?

eh…what?

[Martin]

Re: lower spray arm not working

What is it with you guys using eBay anyway? Buy the part (488856) from Bosch for gods sake. That way you know its the right part, in sealed box and at the right price. And not some secondhand part robbed from a scrap machine out of a junkyard.

[Author]

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