Bosch 4303 dishwasher - next step, shoot it?

[BuoyBoy]

I have a Bosch 4303 built in (with the cabinet panels) d/w installed 2002. Has been running brilliantly all this time. A month ago, wife describes a 'funny noise' (like a pop or a bang), and suddenly it won't fill when she turns it on. Put water in it, and it runs through the cycle fine, but the fills in between cycle changes are ridiculously slow - drip, drip, trickle.

So I replace the float switch, the inlet valve, and the control panel. Checked the hose, not kinked, nothing in the screen. Cleaned out the screen at the bottom plus anything else I could reach, nothing was especially dirty.

I'm up $200 in parts and the damn thing still trickles on fill. Any other ideas? She doesn't want to get rid of it because it matches the cabinetry, I'm ready to give it a peaceful death - or else spend the rest of its life hand filling it.

What other possible options would cause the inflow to be so slow? The line also feeds the sink and the flow there is fine. Help!

 

[yardie]

Are you able to post a photo of the left side with panel removed, its a built in so probably ni panel to remove.

 

[BuoyBoy]

Sorry, posting a photo is tough for this old geezer, I'm on dialup for one thing. I could try and round up a youngster to help me.

Meanwhile I checked the water pressure coming in, and its loaded 100%, no problem, rushes through the hose just fine. It drains fine and fills on command, so replacing the float switch was probably a waste. It cycles exactly as before, so replacing the control panel was probably a waste. Since I replaced the inlet valve, what else comes between the hose and the actual fill?

I found one clue - it has something that another website called 'an air pressure chamber.' It has a float in it, and that seemed to have some calcium deposits in it so we cleaned it with vinegar and it appeared to float freely. Now I wonder. Anyone know what the 'air pressure chamber' does?

Wife has me eating frozen dinners. After 45 years of her great cooking, this is torture. Help me out, fellas.

 

[yardie]

If by air pressure chamber you are referring to a red float inside a maze of clear see through pipe work on the left hand panel, this is actually for the drain pipe. Can sometimes look gunged up but can sometimes still operate but always good practise to clean it out.

If water is passing through the inlet valve and connects to the clear see through pipe work as above it should then passby through a valve at the bottom right of the left panel, when the water fills the tub inside the dishwasher the water level raises and the float lifts which activates a switch, the main board reads this signal and kicks in the circulation pump, water level drops, valve drops and fills more water until level is high again. The valve rises and then the inlet water is switched off. Meanwhile the water is circulating through the upper or lower spray arms depending on the actuator valve which is operated by a timer.

If water is not detected by the pressure switch located usually on the heating element housing the circulation pump will not kick in fully.

Have you checked the hose is clear ar the bottom right of the left side panel, connected between the fill float and front bottom of the tub, this is where the water enters the dishwasher jug, look under the base filter inside the dishwasher and you should find a hole nearest side to the door. These pipes can get gunged up restricting water to fill in the tub.

Of course without actually seeing the arrangement this is not 100% accurate as there are a few differences between models.

 

[BuoyBoy]

Thanks!! I did not realize this - have been trying to figure out where the water goes once it passes the inlet valve. I am on my way home (posting at library because of fast internet) -- grateful for tip, will let you know tomorrow. Wish me luck -- maybe I'll be having a nice homemade stew tonight.

 

[yardie]

Ignore the messy surroundings but is this what it looks like?
You'll get a stiff neck if you look at it too long! Sorry.

Untitled

• yardie
• 25 Feb 2015
• 1

If yours is the same I shall explain, if not it will be similar.

1st pipe from left is the waste out to your drain.
2nd pipe is waste water from the drain pump.
3rd pipe is the water inlet connected to the inlet valve
4th and 5th pipes connects directly to the water softener tank, this just tops the tank up.
6th pipe connects to the water fill valve which in turn connects via a hose to the jug.

 

[BuoyBoy]

Yardie, thanks for pic, that's not exactly what mine looks like. I don't have a water softener at the d/w, for one thing.

On repairclinic.com, there's a picture of the 'pressure switch' for my unit.
http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDet...odelNumber=SHV4303UC/06&ss=a9b129d576651&mr=1

This is the part that had what looked like some calcium or mineralization; my wife soaked it in vinegar and it looks clean now. But I guess that wasn't a problem because the d/w didn't fill any better afterwards. Do you think this is a dead end? Should I replace?

Meanwhile, I did what you said re the hose at the front left that goes to the center of the tub, and it was clean - clear, flexible, and clean. Any other ideas most gratefully welcomed.

Thanks for being persistent and patient.

 

[yardie]

The air pressure chamber and assembly is the same as in my photo.

How far exactly is the water getting? If its coming through the inlet valve and into the maze of pipes it must be getting to the fill float and into the tub.
If water is only trickling past/through the water inlet valve then either a) its faulty but you have already replaced or b) theres not 240v/110v at the valve or c) main board fault but this has been changed too! If its only trickling you need to trace the wires from the inlet valve to determine where they go!

The pressure chamber operates when the water level in the tub has filled, water rises up the chamber forcing air above it to operate the valve which in turn operates the switch and sends a signal to your main control board.

Really a photo or link to an identical setup is required.

 

[yardie]

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Water-Inlet/00263833/935594
Look like yours?

Your wastes are the first 2 bigger pipes, next is the water in from inlet valve and finally the 4th pipe connects into the chamber as per your link.

 

[BuoyBoy]

That's it exactly! However, the way it's photographed is weird - upside down. My hoses come in from the bottom. I think I already looked at this part and it looked clean and clear.

I'm thinking about filling the thing with water and having it run a cycle while I have the side exposed, watching what happens to the water and various and sundry moving (or not) pieces.

I didn't test the voltage at the valve because the test I read only gave amps - something like 11.1 - at the solenoid, and I can't measure amps, just volts. So there's another thing to look at now, thanks for that info.

Will get back to you. Thanks, friend!

 

[yardie]

Perhaps empty water out of all the side pipes/tubes etc and watch to see the path of water flow from the inlet valve and see how far the water gets.

 

[BuoyBoy]

Well, I have no idea what finally worked. But I did what you said - ran the water thru, watched the passage, everything worked fine. I laid on that tile floor for an hour watching the thing like a hawk and although my dear wife still thinks the water has a trickling sound, it's at least filling and washing at the right rate of speed. I put everything back last night - tucked it back under the counter, put the panels back on - and tonight she says she's making beer cheese soup. And we're eatin' off the china, with real silverware. No more paper dishes and plastic spoons.

Yardie, thank you. Hope I can return the favor in the future. I'd send you some of her incredible home made baking if I could.

 

[yardie]

Sounds great, if I ever come to Virginia I'll be sure to pop by!

 

[BuoyBoy]

You don't have to, I'd be happy to mail it over. Sorry it took me so long to get back & thank you, we have had quite a lot of snow and getting out to the library has been difficult.

Again, I don't know what fixed this thing - the new control panel? the new inlet valve? the new float switch? my personal desperation? your advice? but it has been resolved to my dear wife's satisfaction. Thanks Yardie.