Miele Dishwasher Red Inlet Light Warning Within 1 Minute

[Jer05]

Milele G1142 SCI Dishawasher

I wonder if someone can help me narrow down a fault with the family dishwasher. It will not run a cycle.

It has been playing up with the red inlet/outlet light coming on during the early stages of a cycle for a couple of months and we restarted it a few time and it would ultimately run a wash albeit cleaning performance was often well down on normal.

Water is supplied from a private system and water pump and I finally found a fault with a relay in that, fixed it and with more stable inlet pressure it worked like a dream….for a week until I went away. Then of course when the problem came back and now it will not run a cycle. The water pressure is still good.

I have cleaned the filters and the non return valve over the pump and the discharge pump is working. I have run it with the door open and this is what happens:

A little water enters through the stainless round grille lower left of the machine as you look in.
The pump runs and clears the sump so that is working.
Then the red light comes on.
I have put more water in (manually) and it will run and empty that.

I checked the inlet filter in the water connection and that is clean and I have good water pressure there.

So I believe I have a problem with either: The inlet valve or the flow meter which I believe is on the left had side of the machine (remove integrated machine to access), or the inlet valve at the water supply connection.

How can I narrow it down further?

Any help or advice in doing that greatly appreciated. I do not have a happy lady at home.

Regards

Jer

[philfish]

Re: Miele Dishwasher Red Inlet Light Warning Within 1 Minute

Simple stuff first,
Have you checked the base for leaks?
Made sure inlet pipes not kinked etc
Have you tried programming it for a longer fill time (low water pressure setting) think you can do it from your manual very handy when you have a private supply.
Sometimes the flow meter does stick or the reed switch which counts the pulse from flow meter can be faulty.

Phil

[Jer05]

Re: Miele Dishwasher Red Inlet Light Warning Within 1 Minute

Phil
Thanks for your suggestions. It is built in and therefore I will take it out tomorrow and dig further. I would be pretty sure there is no leak, We have a tiled floor and that would show up quickly. Your tip on re-programming for low pressure was good but I found the manual and you can program water hardness and rinse aid volume dose but not length of fill. I just remembered I have a water pressure gauge in the garage so will check that but I am sure that is now OK. There was a fault but I now have 4.5 bar in the garage and need 0.3 bar min according to the manual. I can see I have 2.5+ at the tap that the feed runs from. Inlet pipe is not kinked. I want to seek out and check the inlet valve, flow meter and reed switch. Inlet valve is clearly the other side of the inlet pipe. Which side will I find the flow meter and reed switch? I read it was often on the left hand side – so take the dishwasher out to access? Does the reed switch turn in the water and count flow and is the flow meter the electronic bit that calculates from that reed switch pulses – correct? I have experience of flow meters on ground source heat pump installs but have not pulled the side of my dishwasher before.
Guidance appreciated.
Regards
Jer

[Jer05]

Re: Miele Dishwasher Red Inlet Light Warning Within 1 Minute

Measured water pressure at the kitchen tape where the dishwasher connects and it is 4 bar. Turn another tap on elsewhere and it drops to 2 bar. So I have reasonable water pressure and think this is pointing towards the flow meter. Found a replacement part here: http://www.partmaster.co.uk/product.pl?pid=1698394 £32 and hooray found a 221 page technical manual that helps explain it all.
When I fix it I will post that to help others.
On the start cycle not much water flows in (1/8th cup) then it pumps out the little that is there but keeps pumping. So that seems to me like it is not counting what comes in, or goes out properly.
Regards
Jer

[Jer05]

Re: Miele Dishwasher Red Inlet Light Warning Within 1 Minute

Well stripped it out and removed the left hand panel. Can now see the plastic water mixer system and the outlet channel from the top reservoir is full of white lime looking crud. So I can see water entering and now see why the flow meter cannot count much.
Now trying to hunt down the part so will look on the link/sponsor here. If anyone has tips on where to source a Water Inlet Mixer with Resin Chamber for a Miele G1142 Sci appreciate it.

Two other thoughts to get it going. 1. Remove the low pressure restrictor for a single cycle from the inlet pipe connection under the machine (sounds risky but might clear it).
2. Take the think out and use a limescale cleaner to break it down.

Tips appreciates, particularly a lead on a spare part source.

Jer

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