Candy CDI1012 dishwasher drain pump runs continuously.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Hi everyone - I'm now quite stumped with this so any help would be hugely appreciated.

Our Candy CDI 1012 was playing up last week so I had a play with it and diagnosed the safety switch and PCB. While playing around with it (tilting it, spilling water while removing parts etc) a new fault came into the mix; that being the drain pump ran continuously while the power switch was on. I thought no more of it until I fitted the new PCB and safety switch and found that the continuous running of the drain pump is still an issue.

I've spent two days trying out different things with this but I've now hit a brick wall. I held down the program selector button to reset the washer and it displayed lights 1,2 & 3 together before then changing to light 3 only. It then went back to flashing all 4 lights which is the program select mode. Do the sequence of lights I mentioned indicate a fault code and, if so, what is it?

Thanks in advance guys.

FH

 

[zipper]

You have got water on the baseplate & the antiflood device has been activated (that is why the pump runs continually & all 4 leds flash). Lean the DW forward (or back) to drain the water off the baseplate...have some old towels ready. You ought to able to restart afterwards....but if it happens again you need to track down to track down the source of the leak..

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

There is no baseplate; any leaks would just go straight onto the floor. I have, however, made some progress with it. Going back to basics I double-checked everything and found that one of the two level switches had a short circuit in it...of 19k ohms!!! It seemed that was enough to keep the pump running. That'll teach me for just using the continuity beeper while checking it all previous times.

Having stripped the switch, cleaned it up and adjusted it to the same operating pressure as the other one, the dishwasher now runs for part of the cycle before stopping, draining the water and beeping constantly. Gonna trawl these forums to see if any similar queries have been posted.

Cheers for your response Zipper...it was many of your previous responses to other queries that gave me the ideas to get as far as I have done without taking a sledgehammer to the bloody thing and buying my missus a new one for Chrimbo!!! Any more advice will also be most welcome.

FH

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

OK guys - I got to the bottom of my original problem with the drain pump running continuously. One of the level switches had a short circuit (albeit of 19k ohms resistance but that was causing the pump to continue running).

Having stripped and reassembled the switch, the dishwasher now will not complete any cycle. It goes through the motion of
1. Draining residual water
2. Filling and recirculating pump operation.
3. It then drains a little while still carrying out step 2. See point (a) below.
4. It then goes back to only the actions mentioned in step 2. See point (b) below.
5. It begins draining and beeping continuously without further progress on the cycle.

(a) At this point both level switches have closed so I assume this is the washer "finding" the correct level???
(b) At this point one of the switches has gone open circuit but the other remains closed which I am guessing is the required state for the washer to know the water level is then correct???

If my assumptions are correct then the problem may lie with the stage of the cycle that immediately follows "finding" the water level??? nOr I could be totally wrong and it is a levelling problem????

Any ideas????

FH

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

For anybody that is interested - the last fault was the level switches. After another week of leaving the missus to wash up after our family of five boys while I worked away, I've just come back for the weekend, fitted new switches and the dishwasher is working again.

Top Tip - Don't bother trying to set up pressure switches unless you've got the kit to do so. I wish I'd just bought a new set as soon as I diagnosed the fault on them. It would've saved me a week of ear-ache down the phone!!!

FH

 

[sparkatan]

Hi, can anyone tell me where the anti-flood switch is on a Candy 1012/2 dishwasher? I have taken the machine apart (having experienced 4 flashing lights and simultaneous beeps followed by pump operation) and can see a pressure switch on the R/H side. Is that it? Where is the sump?

Many thanks

 

[yardie]

Provide photos and I will identify it for you.

 

[sparkatan]

I found the anti flood switch which is a polystyrene float operating a micro switch. It is not the fault. I removed and tested the switch and it is ok. The four flashing, beeping lights and pump running for a couple of minutes are being caused by something else.

Any ideas?

 

[yardie]

How about the pressure switch? On the right side, does the pipe have water in it?

You have a meter and the knowledge to use it so systematically test each component.

 

[sparkatan]

Hi Yardie. Thanks for the interest. I have removed and tested the pressure switch on the right hand side which appears to be is a straightforward open/closed circuit switch. It operates correctly and there is no water in the tube.

 

[yardie]

Tested with a meter? Sure its def open circuit in normal condition. Meter on highest ohms range, no reading at all!!!

Blowing into the switch you will hear it click open and closed which is a good indication its working but not conclusive.

 

[sparkatan]

Yes, I only used a continuity tester but the switch opens/closes circuit (can't remember which way round) when you apply pressure in the tube connection.
Are you saying there should be a resistance through it?

 

[yardie]

There should be no resistance when activated (switch closed), and should be infinite when closed (normal position).

Your pressure switch is probably ok.

What continuity tester are you using? Any idea what ranges it works by?

 

[sparkatan]

Its a Fluke T5 continuity tester. 25 ohms (on) to 400 ohms (off)

 

[yardie]

Ok so less than 25 ohms or more than 400 ohms and it beeps.

Does it also have an lcd readout of the actual measurement?
I think it will be ok using this tool for the pressure switch but think you should re-visit the anti-flood switch just to get a reading to be sure. These switches are prone to failing and cause continuos draining.