Dishwashers

[GMM]

What makes the little door that holds the detergent back flip open? Ours has stopped doing it, (i.e. still closed and full at the end of a cycle) so I'm wondering if there's a reasonable fix (e.g. clear out some gunge somewhere) or if it's time to get a new one. Would be a pity, as kitchen works are on the horizon and I'd rather choose something that goes with the new layout (when it's designed), so i I can get it to stagger on for a bit, that would be good.

And before anyone says it, yes, I am too much of a lazy git to spend time up to my elbows in washing up, so environmentally friendly, labour-intensive options are out! Plus, having trained as a microbiologist, I prefer the way a dishwasher does a proper job of it of course (!)

[Bob Eager]

Might help if you mentioned make and model.

On our Bosch, it was gunge in the tracks that the door slides along.

We then has a separate problem - it woldn't stay shut. That was a worn plastic cam - kit of parts to fix was about a fiver including postage.

[SteveW]

The ones I've seen are operated by a solenoid releasing the catch. The solenoid could have failed or maybe a wire has broken where it crosses the hinged joint between the machine and its door.

You don't need to worry about your green credentials - supposedly because of the recirculation of water and the quantities used, a full dishwasher causes less harm to the environment per wash than washing the equivalent quantity by hand.

SteveW

[Graham.]

You could just chuck the detergent in with the items to be washed. I certainly wouldn't contemplate buying a new machine.

[S Viemeister]

That's what I did at a self-catering rental, where the detergent door wasn't functioning. Annoying, but the dishes got washed.

[scorched]

I have to admit that I'm the dishwasher in our house, it doesn't take 5 minutes. I dunno what your problem is :)

[Bob Eager]

And it gets washed out with the pre-rinse.

[Jo Stein]

I opened it and replaced a metal spring by something I found in my garage. I guess the new spring did not last long in that environment. I do not know how long, as we sold the dishwasher on the internet and bought a newer one the internet at a very low price.

We could have used the old one without that door, but a newer model keep my wife happy.

Have you tried to google for a YouTube video how to do the repair? By using Google advanced search you can solve almost any problem in this world.

[GMM]

A broken cable would hardly be a surprise, given the number of times the door gets opened and closed.

I'm glad to my approach vindicated - the easy, effective and green way. Works for me!

[scorched]

You're very welcome to come and do ours if it's such a pleasure ;)

Thanks for the offer but the wife says no ;)

[Bill Wright]

Ours works by a bimetallic strip sensing the water temp.

Bill

[Bob Eager]

Definitely a solenoid in our Bosch. I've seen it!

[DerekG]

We had one that had the dertigent door operated by a combined green china "R" and a bi-metallic strip.

DerekG

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , GMM escribió:

I don't think dishwashers are environmentally unfriendly. You can load them up until they are full and then do a run. One lot of hot water and detergent versus the however many it would have taken you to do the dishes by hand.

[ARWadsworth]

I agree.

I am a slave to work and not a slave to domestic chores. I live on my own and I have enough crockery to fill my dish washer over a week or so. I then press the ON button on the dishwasher safe in the knowledge the dishwasher it will do a better job than me using a sink (and that's not for the lack of training in washing up in sinks as I worked in the hospital kitchens when I was a Uni student).

And that's another one of my beliefs. ALL uni students should have a holiday job that is not connected to their studies. They need to see real life.

[GMM]

They certainly should !

Bit of a problem nowadays, with jobs being scare and elfin safety getting in the way, but not insurmountable for anyone with a bit of motivation.