Almost all Indesit PMMs are connected to cold water. Therefore, the correct operation of the tubular heater is so important. When the heating element fails, the machine cannot wash dishes properly.
It is easy to notice that the Indesit dishwasher does not heat the water. The dishes are poorly cleaned; grease and dirt remain on them. There may be several reasons for this behavior of the “home assistant” - from a damaged temperature sensor to a faulty control module. Let's figure out how to act in this situation.
Why doesn't the liquid in the PMM heat up?
There are three obvious reasons why the dishwasher does not heat the water. The issue may be a faulty heating element, a broken thermostat, or a damaged control module. These are PMM units directly responsible for heating the liquid.
Everything is clear with the heating element. The tubular element is specifically designed to heat the liquid entering the washing chamber. If a part burns out, the water remains cold. You can diagnose the heater at home using a multimeter.
Many users, noticing that PMM Indesit does not heat the water, immediately change the heating element, although the reasons for this problem may be completely different.
The thermostat measures the temperature of the fluid in the system. If the sensor fails, it transmits incorrect information to the control module. For example, it notifies you when the desired temperature has been reached, while the water remains cool. This leads to a malfunction of the PMM.
The control module controls all processes. Therefore, if the triac responsible for the operation of the heating element or temperature sensor burns out, a failure occurs.Fortunately, problems with the electronic unit in Indesit dishwashers are extremely rare.
In addition to the obvious reasons, it is possible to identify secondary ones that do not immediately occur to users, since they are not directly related to thermoelements. However, in some cases, they are the problem. We are talking about the following factors:
errors made when connecting the PMM to communications;
garbage filter clogged;
user errors when choosing a washing program;
faulty pressure sensor.
When the machine is new and does not immediately heat the water, you can “sin” that it is connected to communications with gross violations of the instructions. This happens if the dishwasher is connected to the sewer incorrectly. But how is this connected?
It is very important to connect the PMM drain hose correctly. It is necessary to provide two bends, one from below, at the base of the dishwasher, the second - directly near the siphon. This is necessary to prevent the “siphon effect” - this way, wastewater from the sewer will not be able to go back into the machine.
If the drain hose is not connected correctly, water will not flow properly through the dishwasher. At a minimum, this will lead to the temperature of the liquid in the working chamber becoming slightly different from the degree specified by the washing program. In the worst case scenario, the water will remain cold.
What to do in this case? The solution to the problem is simple - you need to connect the drain hose correctly. By ensuring normal water circulation in the dishwasher, the user will be able to cope with the problem.
Sometimes the machine does not heat the water due to a clogged filter unit. At first it seems that there is no connection between the “trash can” and the heating element. However, it is not.
Normally, water should constantly circulate in the washing chamber.A flow-through heater maintains the temperature of the liquid, thereby achieving good quality cleaning of cutlery. When the filter assembly becomes clogged, circulation slows down.
This provokes the accumulation of water in the washing chamber, and it stops returning to the special tank. Therefore, the machine is forced to refill from the water supply. In such a situation, the heating element simply does not have time to heat the water again to the desired temperature.
To check your guess, you need to watch how the PMM executes the cycle. Look into the cooking chamber during the washing process. Normally, water should not accumulate in the tank. If liquid remains at the bottom of the hopper, the filter assembly should be cleaned. The water will begin to circulate again, the problem will be solved.
Sometimes it's a simple user error. For example, having gotten used to washing dishes on intensive mode at 60 degrees, the housewife accidentally chooses a delicate algorithm with heating up to 30 degrees. In this case, it seems to her that the machine has stopped heating the input, but in reality this is not the case. Next time it will be enough to run the usual program.
And finally, the problem may be with the PMM pressure sensor. It controls and ensures the circulation of liquid in the machine. If the element fails, water may drain out of itself.
In such a situation, the dishwasher will begin to refill the tank with cold water, and the heating element simply will not have time to heat it to the desired temperature. To cope with the problem, you will have to replace the element. Repairing the sensor will not be practical; you can only try to clean its contacts.
Temperature sensor or control module
The weak point of Indesit dishwashers is the temperature sensor. Often it is because of this that the PMM stops heating the water.You can check the thermostat yourself. You should proceed like this:
prepare the tools: screwdrivers (Phillips and slotted), pliers and a multimeter;
Turn off the power to the dishwasher by unplugging the power cord from the outlet;
close the shut-off valve and disconnect the PMM from the house communications;
remove the cutlery baskets from the PMM chamber;
remove the spray arm located at the bottom of the dishwasher tank;
remove the filter element and the metal mesh located under it;
unscrew the two fasteners that were hidden under the mesh;
Place the dishwasher on the floor and unscrew the side fastenings;
unhook the drain pipe from the plastic box with the heating element;
find the temperature sensor, it is located in the “box” of the heating block;
disconnect the wiring from the thermostat contacts;
clean the sensor contacts and measure the resistance it produces;
If the temperature sensor is burnt out, remove it and replace it.
The resistance between the contacts of the temperature sensor is measured with a multimeter.
Sometimes it's not the temperature sensor itself, but the wiring that powers it. Therefore, inspect whether the wires are burnt out or whether their insulation is damaged. If you find any defects, replace the cable.
Very rarely the water does not heat up due to damage to the electronic unit. Only in 1% of cases the “culprit” of the problem will be the control module. More precisely, not the entire board, but some kind of triac located on it.
You can inspect the electronic unit at home. Sometimes defects are found on the board that are visible to the naked eye. In this case, repair or replacement of the module will be required.
It is not recommended to try to repair the control module yourself. This is a very complex block, so working with it requires a certain level of training.Otherwise, you can only make the situation worse. Diagnostics and repair of the board should be entrusted to service center specialists.
How is the heating element replaced?
Hard tap water is the main enemy of the heating elements of dishwashers and washing machines. If you do not use special softeners, then after a while the heating element becomes covered with a thick layer of scale and subsequently burns out. The part cannot be repaired and will need to be replaced.
If the PMM is still under warranty, do not try to repair it yourself - take the device to a service center for free diagnostics and repairs.
If the warranty has long expired, you can diagnose the heating element yourself using a multimeter. The tester needs to measure the resistance of the heater. It should be approximately 21-22 ohms. Other values on the device screen will tell you about the breakdown of the element.
To get to the heating element of the Indesit dishwasher, you need to:
disconnect the machine from the power supply, water supply and sewerage;
remove the cutlery baskets from the washing chamber;
remove the dishwasher spray arm located below;
pull out the garbage filter, it is located at the bottom of the washing chamber;
remove the metal mesh located under the filter;
unscrew 5 bolts securing the pipe and instantaneous water heater;
turn the PMM upside down;
unscrew the bottom panel of the dishwasher;
pull the pump out of the machine (to do this, grab the pump with your hands, turn it half a turn from left to right and pull it towards you);
disconnect the rubber gasket that holds the heating element from below;
disconnect all wires and pipes from the heater;
pull out the heating element from the socket.
In fact, getting the heating element out of the machine is not difficult. Of course, nuances may arise during the work, but they are easy to deal with.In some places you will have to treat the fasteners with WD-40, in others you will have to grab a pipe with pliers.
Next, the heater should be checked with a multimeter. Having identified the problem, you can begin installing a new part. Fasten the working heating element in place and begin assembling the PMM. The progress of work will be similar, but in reverse order.
Before purchasing new components, evaluate whether it will be profitable to repair the dishwasher. The cost of original heating elements for PMM Indesit is quite high. The heating element can be purchased for $30-70, depending on the model.
Thus, the lack of heating is caused by both trivial user errors and serious problems inside the dishwasher. Diagnostics of the device should be carried out from simple to complex, discarding one guess after another. If the PMM is still under warranty and the right to free service has not been lost, it is better to call the service center and invite a specialist.
Almost all Indesit PMMs are connected to cold water. Therefore, the correct operation of the tubular heater is so important. When the heating element fails, the machine cannot wash dishes properly.
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