Candy CDI 1012 "pulsing" problem

[alanf142]

I have a Candy CDI 1012. The machine is coming up to 8 years old and has worked faultlessly during that time. However, having set a P3 cycle to run overnight, on opening the door, the P3 LED was flashing rapidly and the machine had not completed the cycle (still full of water). I can't remember exactly what I did next, but I managed to get it to pump out before withdrawing it from the built-in unit.

Trying the simplest programme - the cold rinse cycle - the machine fills with water OK and starts to wash (spray) but, after maybe a minute, it starts to "pulse" - the motor runs, then the two LH LEDs (1/2 and P4) go off for about 1 second and the motor stops then restarts for a second and this pulsing cycle continues. Sometimes, after about a minute of pulsing, the motor will run normally again, maybe for 30 seconds or so, after which the pulsing starts again.

I've tried the test cycle (found on another thread answered by Zipper): the 2 left hand LEDs (1/2 & P4) flash 8 times.

After the test, closed door, 2 right hand LEDs (P2 &P1) lit, machine pumped out OK, then refilled and started washing OK for 1 minute, then “pulsing” started again.

Help will be very much appreciated !!

 

[DarioM]

I think that this is same problem as mine, posted several topics below...

Same model, same age - it seems that Candy designed them to work exactly 7 years

Hope that you'll have better luck than me, i haven't had single reply

 

[alanf142]

Hi Dario

Yep, sounds like the 7 year time fuse has gone

I'm hoping someone will come up with some advice for us both. It certainly seems a popular machine - sold widely and still in production. Have you tried the "self test"? (posted by Zipper in answer to other problems with the same machine).

Let's wait patiently!

 

[foxhole]

Pulsing can be a sign the motor brushes are worn and make intermittent contact.

 

[zipper]

Please post the full model number (on a sticker on the door lip). It should look something like this: cdi1012-80, cdi1012-S, cdi1012/1, etc.
Dishwasher motors don't have carbon brushes. Some models are fitted with a "litre counter" which when defective can result in pulsing. Later models do not have this & rely on other ways to meter water load. If you ran a test cycle correctly...then got an E8 error, I suspect that it may be a red herring. To be honest it sounds more like a drain issue. Check for a: blocked filter, blocked drain hose/sink spigot, jammed pump impellor etc before going any further.

 

[alanf142]

Hello Zipper, many thanks for your response. The model number is CDI 1012-02 and other numbers on the ID plate are 32900034 0505 2049.

I have checked the filter (clean) and the drain hose and sink spigot; I have run the drain hose directly into a bowl (to eliminate any problems with the plumbing). When I manage to get it to pump out, it works fine - the water flows quickly; the pump motor runs smoothly with no noise which I guess rules out a problem with the impellor.

I'm not 100% sure I ran the test cycle correctly - would you mind itemising the process for me?

As an 'older model' maybe it's pointing to the "litre counter" as you suggest. How does this work? (and is it replaceable?!).

Thanks again, Alan

 

[zipper]

If you eliminated a drain issue & the inlet valve functions ok then I would suspect a bad connection/faulty flowmeter The flowmeter is mounted on the brake tank on the LH side (LH side panel has to be removed). You will notice two thin leads that plug into a small card on the brake tank, this is the flowmeter. Check for a bad connection between plug & card, or try giving the connection a clean & maybe a gentle nip on the plug (be careful as they break very easily). If that doesn't help change the brake tank. The tank c/w flowmeter costs less than £25 & it is easy to change.

 

[alanf142]

Well, I've had a good poke around, but can't find a 'flowmeter' or 'braketank'. I took off the LH side panel (lots of sneaky screws there trying to stop you doing that) but didn't find anything interesting behind it.

Candy CDI 1012 LHS

• alanf142
• 21 Oct 2012
• 1

Left hand panel removed

Then I removed the lower front (black plastic) panel and found all the main 'engine room' gubbins.

Candy CDI 1012 front LHS

• alanf142
• 21 Oct 2012
• 1

Front lower panel removed, filter basin & level switch etc

Apart from the motors, the most interesting thing seems to be two conjoined round white plastic devices which the parts list identifies as "level switch" with red/white polythene hoses leading to the filter basin. It's all surprisingly clean under there and all connectors seem sound. Further suggestions will be most welcome - many thanks.

 

[zipper]

Looks like the water softener unit on your model is on the RH side.
In which case the brake-tank will be on the RH side as well. Typical Candy.....changes not documented

 

[alanf142]

Ah, there it is! - behind the right hand front panel...

Candy CDI 1012 RHS

• alanf142
• 22 Oct 2012
• 1

Right hand panel removed

The service manual refers to is as a "water softener capacitor". However, I can't see a "flow meter" - there are no electrical items attached - it's just a plastic tank.

There, is, however, an electrical connection (yellow/brown wires) to a gizmo on the bottom of the water softener visible from the RHS lower front of the machine...

Candy CDI 1012 front RHS

• alanf142
• 22 Oct 2012
• 1

Filter basin & water softener

The only other electrical connection I can see in that area is to another gizmo on the lower front of the filter basin (2 red wires), which the service manual refers to as an "NTC probe" (item 287 on the diagram)...

Candy CDI 1012

• alanf142
• 22 Oct 2012
• 1

Candy CDI 1012 service manual p6

I can't locate either item 495 or 333 (either side of the water softener at the bottom of the diagram) and these item numbers don't appear in the item list in the manual (but all the other items do).

Over to you once again, thanks!

 

[zipper]

Hoover/Candy technical info is abysmal...probably the worst of all manufacturers
Since you don't have a litre counter turbine...or a flowmeter on the brake-tank we can assume water load is handled by the two white pressostats in your photo, the pcb, + a safety switch which you can't see without removing the baseplate. It also looks like this machine is fitted with an Askoll circulation pump, & these have been fraught with problems. The original error code you got (8 flashes) indicates a heating error. Which seemed like a red herring to begin with, but now I'm not so sure. When the machine pulsed did you notice a pronounced clicking noise? If yes then I would suspect this comes from the safety switch. This in turn may be caused by a bad circ pump. If you feel up to a challenge I would remove the baseplate & check the circ pump for a loose/damaged impellor.

 

[alanf142]

Before performing 'up and under' surgery, I decided to try running the machine, mainly to observe operation of the water softener now I could see the brake-tank. I set an Eco wash (P3 - the one we normally use); it filled, rinsed (no 'pulsing'), drained, then re-filled and the water softener kicked in fine. It then continued through the rest of the cycle, heating, washing, rinsing, etc and finished with the P3 LED blinking slowly to show a normal completion of the cycle. Throughout, the motor ran smoothly with not a sign of any pulsing. (I started the wash without the top tray/spray bar and without the filter, thinking that this might reduce the load on the motor, and added each item during the cycle once everything seemed to be going OK.)

So whatever was causing the problem seems to have 'gone away' (hopefuly permanently!). Whilst, like Enid Blyton, I like a happy ending, I prefer to know what was causing the problem in the first place. I can only assume it was either a blockage which cleared itself, or a dodgy connection (I gave all the connectors a good pull/push).

Anyway, all's well that ends well. Many thanks, Zipper, for your most helpful suggestions - you gave me the confidence to tackle the job and I am very grateful.

Kind regards, Alan

 

[DarioM]

Sorry for hijacking a thread, but i need a help badly...

I have same problem as Alan, and same type of dishwasher (judging from a pictures...it is same layout of modules etc.), but i didn't have same luck to have problem gone away by itself

On first three programs my dishwasher stops midcycle with water still in basin. On last two programs (Eco and rinse), machine will eject water, but with "pulsing" problem as Alan's.

I tried diagnostic - got same flashing pattern (8 times - error E8)

On active test, machine will stop with blinking led error.

I tried to open and check contacts on modules, but didn't find any loose contact or any (visible) damaged module.

I tried to observe operation, but didn't find any trouble regarding water flow (water got in, pump was working OK, water was flowing through water softener etc.). Only flaw i could observe, until machine stops midcycle, is that there is NO HEATING. Water is very cold, and there is surely no heating in process.

I tried even to contact Candy certified technician, he has come, and without any looking "under the hood" diagnosed that there is a problem with electronic control module, and that repair (for my model) will cost me around 100 GBP! Since that amount is approximately half of price of new unit (with warranty!), and he could not (of course) give me any guarantee that any other part of dishwasher will not die second day, it seems a bit much for old, used, ****ty Candy dishwasher.

Since i'm now not happy at all with situation that i need to spend 200-250 GBP on new dishwasher, i'm determined to do anything to (maybe) get it working without spending unreasonable amount of money.

Please, Zipper, help me with some advice or suggestion...i see that you're Candy wizard

Thanks in advance...

Dario

 

[alanf142]

Hope you manage to fix yours, Dario. My problem hasn't actually gone away, but I think the motor pulsing was possibly a red herring. Using the machine on eco wash (P3) it no longer pulses, but doesn't complete the wash. It almost gets there, but stops near the end and P3 LED flashes fast. The dishes are actually clean but it doesn't pump out at the end. The self test shows eight flashes = heater again, but the heater is working - the water gets hot enough to clean the dishes. I'm wondering if it's not completing the drying part of the cycle and maybe the problem is still with the heater. Does the heater have more than one "setting" and/or element for different temperatures?

My internet connection is via WiFi and the antenna atop my chimney was struck by lightning last week, so I am reduced to visiting McDonalds to email, etc. Quelle horreur!

 

[DarioM]

I'm sorry to see that you still have your problem with dishwasher

You gave me hope that i'll be able to resolve my problem too, but it seems that there is some faulty element after all...

My problem is still here, but it seems that there is slight difference: my water is dead-cold on all programs, and heater isn't heating at all.

I guess that i'll try heater diagnostic first (if i understand correctly, E8 is heater error...); following one old post of zipper, checking heater resistance with multimeter (i just need to get one ). I think that he stated that resistance should be between 20 and 25 ohms. I guess if it is bigger, that heater could be cause of all this trouble - it could be that program stops when temperature probe does not detect enough water temperature?

Anyway, i'll try and post my results. I hope that zipper will stop by again to guide us further.

And i'm sorry for your internet problem, i guess that troubles always comes in pair I had similar experience with (again!) Candy refrigerator that has died few months ago. Now i know that i'll never buy another Candy appliance in my life again