Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity. I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.
But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house. So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Thanks.
Kevin

The solenoid is just a valve. Only it operates electrically.

Check to be sure you are getting water to the valve. Turn off water,
disconnect water supply from solenoid valve, place line in bucket, turn on
water slowly.

Does water come out?

If yes, then reconnect water and check other side of valve. Disconnect
connection on other side of solenoid valve. Does water come out when you
cycle dishwasher?

Could be a problem with plugged water tubes. All sorts of junk comes out of
water lines.

Also if you have a manual valve on the wall for line going to dishwasher,
the line could be plugged at this valve. Turning it off/on several times or
backflushing might clear the plug.


"k-man" wrote in message
Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity. I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.
But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house. So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Thanks.
Kevin

k-man wrote:
Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity. I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.
But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house. So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Thanks.
Kevin


Did you replace the "solenoid" or the entire valve assy?

Your continuity meter may not be sensitive enough to read
the (relatively) high resistance of the coil.

Jim

On Sep 26, 7:37 am, k-man wrote:
Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity. I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.
But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house. So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Thanks.
Kevin

Look for a cherry pit or other some such object clogging, same thing
happened to my Kenmore and that was the problem.

On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 12:37:26 -0000, k-man wrote:

Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity.

One scale of most meters is high enough that it will even read less
than infinity when you hold one test lead in one hand and the other in
the other. Are you just using a continuity tester? or a real VOM,
VTVM, FETVOM, or Digital VOM? You should buy a real mulitmeter of
some sort.

A continuity tester that beeps when there is continuity is nice so
that you don't have to look at the meter, but if the resistance is
over 200 ohms or something, it won't beep and you have to look at the
meter to see the value, or you have to use a higher resistance scale
and look at the meter while testing.

You can even buy an auto-ranging meter, but they probably have the
same rules about when they beep. But I'm assuming you won't have an
auto-ranging meter, since they are at least 40 dollars.

Test the old solenoid out of the washer, and the new one in the
washer.

I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.

I can certainly understand that, but learn to follow the advice of Pat
Voss and test more thoroughly before buying parts, unless they're real
cheap and eassy to put in.

But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house.

Good for you for going to the ohter house. Then it's definitely your
meter. It's possible the meter broke also if you are not relying on a
"continuity" setting.

So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Take a lamp cord and solder 1 inch rubber covered alligator clips
(sold at radio shack) on both wires, at the end away from the plug.
There are many many uses for such a thing.

Connect the clips to the two connectors on your old solenoid and plug
the thing in. If it's good, you should hear a click from the
solenoid.

If you're not sure or if you don't hear a click, try blowing through
the tube, when the cord is not plugged in and again when it is plugged
in. Make sure you don't stick your nose or lips into either of the
electrical connectors. I doubt this will be hard, but if it looks
dangerous, get some rubber or vinyl tubing and put it over one end or
the other of the valve. Blowing should be easy when the cord is
plugged in, and close to impossible when it's not.

Others have covered how to test the water parts.

Thanks.
Kevin

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in.

In addition to the solenoid, there is sometimes a "float" inside the unit
( round plastic hub shaped gizmo) that rises up and cuts off the water. On
occasion, they "hang up" in the "up" position stopping the water. If yours
has one, give it a "tap" and see if it drops down.

On Sep 28, 5:32 pm, "Rudy" wrote:
My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in.

In addition to the solenoid, there is sometimes a "float" inside the unit
( round plastic hub shaped gizmo) that rises up and cuts off the water. On
occasion, they "hang up" in the "up" position stopping the water. If yours
has one, give it a "tap" and see if it drops down.

Mine has a float but it was OK.

Thanks.
Kevin

On Sep 26, 8:37 am, k-man wrote:
Hi:

My dishwasher problem is probably more of a generic one. But, for
reference, I have a Kenmore Ultra Wash III Dishwasher Model Number:
665.1684993. Ok, here's the problem... When I turn on the
dishwasher, no water comes in. The water supply line from the house
is good and open. When I check the electrical leads going from the
dishwasher to the dishwasher's water inlet valve solenoid, when I turn
on the dishwasher, the leads have power. Yet no water is coming in.
Initially thinking I had a bad solenoid, I replaced it with a new one
am I'm having the same problem. It is possible that I was sent a
defective water inlet valve. But what else could be going on?
Also...

To me, with a water inlet valve, it uses a solenoid and so it seems to
me that if I touch the two solenoid contacts with a continuity meter
that I should detect continuity. I didn't with the first valve and
that let me in part to believe that I needed to buy a replacement.
But I can't get continuity with this new one and I can't get
continuity with a known good one installed at a dishwasher at another
house. So I guess my understanding regarding solenoids and continuity
are weak. I digress. What else can I do to see why the dishwasher
isn't getting any water?

Thanks.
Kevin

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions. All the info
was very helpful. I went back to the dishwasher last night and
decided to, once and for all, git er dun. I confirmed that the tube
leading from the inlet valve to the dishwasher was clear. I confirmed
that the proper voltage was getting to the valve's solenoid's
connectors. Instead of checking for continuity, I used my auto-
ranging digital multimeter to check resistance and I found the
solenoid's electromagnetic mechanism was OK. I also could clearly
hear a click coming from the inlet valve when I powered the dishwasher
on. Alas, shame on me for working backwards. Only one thing left to
check. Indeed, there was no water coming from the house supply line
to the inlet valve! I guess, technically, you can say that the line
was clogged. But the clog was simply the supply line's gate valve
being CLOSED. Sounds like an obvious thing to check FIRST, as some of
you suggested. But, I didn't remember closing it. It's corroded and
actually I remember not wanting to close it for fear of it leaking
through the stem and for thinking that it didn't work anyway. When I
changed out the inlet valve, I simply shut down the house well pump
and opened some faucets to let the pressure die down. And, after
reconnecting the inlet valve and turning the well pump back on, I
remember that I had to tighten the inlet valve connection because of a
leak between the supply line and the inlet valve assembly (which
suggested water was coming to the valve). So, I've been trying to
debug this thing with the supply line connected, thinking, assuming,
that water itself was not the problem. But it was and because of the
leak it still doesn't make sense to me when the valve got closed. I
thought I had checked the dishwasher, while the leak was going on,
just to see whether it worked -- and it did not. But I might have
shut the valve off subconsciously before doing that test. Maybe I
should stop doing housework after midnight.

Thanks again.
Kevin