Dishwasher: tepid water going in, but input pipe is hot

[Sara]

The water going into my 20 year old Kenmore (model 1583) dishwasher is just barely warm to the touch, but the pipe supplying the water is hot. This model does not have a water heat boosting feature. FWIW, I also have the dip tube problem in my hot water heater (white gunk that floats in vinegar) and am wondering if there is a connection. (The water heater will be replaced in the next couple of weeks.) However, the same hot water supply goes to the kitchen faucet, and that seems to put out plenty of hot water.

What could the problem be? Thanks very much for suggestions and comments!

Sara

[Sara]

Update: The model number of the dishwasher is 587.158303. The number mentioned in the previous post is Sear's number. The helpful list of Sears codes at

indicates that the dishwasher's manufacturer was D&M.

[zxcvbob]

Could the heat boosting feature be hooked up backwards?

Best regards, Bob

[Speedy Jim]

Exactly *where* did you feel the pipe supplying the dishwasher? If you were feeling the supply pipe to the sink faucet, rather than the pipe going off to the dishwasher, it's possible that mixing (Cold/Hot) is occurring.

Is the sink faucet a single-handle style (especially MOEN)? If so, a worn out cartridge can cause cold water to enter the hot supply.

Jim

[jeff]

Hi,

Yupper, a D&M built Kenmore.

Run the sink tap before starting the d/w to purge out any cold water fro mthe lines, let the d/w fill 3 times and after the third fill measure the water temp inside the d/w with a thermometer. If the water temp is too cold ( 140ºF is best and 120ºF is min ) the house water tank heater would be suspect for sure.

This model does not have a water heat boosting feature. FWIW, I

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Sara]

Thanks so much for the responses. This NG is surely the most helpful one on usenet!

As per Jeff's suggestion, I let the dishwasher fill 3 times. At the end of the third cyle the water temp measured about 100' F, while the hot water from the tap measured 120' F. The water did warm up between cycles, from tepid to kinda-warm, but it's sure not hot enough for washing dishes.

I'll be replacing the hot water heater very soon anyway - am glad to hear that is the prime suspect in this problem.

Sara

[jeff]

Hi,

Definetly too cool :(

130-140ºF water temp entering is better, I set mine to approx 145ºF at the tank and get 135-140ºF in the d/w :)

Thankx for the update!!

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[zxcvbob]

If the water from the kitchen faucet is hotter than the water going to the dishwasher, then I agree with Speedy Jim -- the prime suspect is the faucet's mixing valve. Turn off the cold water shutoff to the sink and see if it makes a difference at the dishwasher.

Best regards, Bob

[Sara]

Seems weird, but turning off the cold water makes no difference. The water going into the dishwasher is still tepid. What a disappointment

- it seemed so logical, I was fully expecting piping hot water! Oh well.

Take care, Sara

[Sara]

Just thought I would post the resolution to this problem. The water heater was replaced yesterday ... lots of white plastic dip tube gunk was clogging up my water system. The plumber had to snake out the line going into the dishwasher, and said he'd never seen one so clogged up. He also cleaned out the solenoid (sp?) valve which was just about completely closed. Now that there's plenty of hot water going into the dishwasher it's running great!

Sara

[jeff]

Hi,

Thankx for the update!!

Glad to hear that :)

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[chuck yerkes]

Sara wrote: ...

I've never heard of having to snake a line out for the plastic goo (I too had dip tube hell. How the previous owners didn't notice that their showers were hot for, hmmm, 3minutes before cooling is beyond me. Oh? Poor disclosure? After 3 months, I made the leap and blew $4 on a new dip-tube and flushed the (mostly unclogged) sinks and tank).

I thought dishwashers heated their own water!? That that was one of the efficiencies of them.

Am I entirely wrong? Or does it depend on the DW?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

They are designed to run on the house hot water. Most will boost the temperature maybe 10 or 20 degrees but only in one or two of the cycles. You may get one hot wash, but the second wash and the rinse will be whatever is put in from the household heater. Some will boost the rinse on one of the two rinses. Ed

[jeff]

Many commercial or Europeon style d/w's heat up the entering water, most North American d/w's only "help" to heat heat up the water ( if needed ) but mostly use the houses water heater to heat up the water. Most D/w's are usually lousy water heaters and don't heat up the water well.

Like Ed mentioned, temp boost, dry cycle, sani cycle may use the heating element to help with water and air temps.

dishwashers work - some helps.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid