Cause of float switch triggering - dishwasher

[Dinny991]

We have a dishwasher that, after a few washes (eg 6), triggers the float switch, which then stops the machine working, as water is collecting at the base of the machine.

When it triggers, I can tip the dishwasher backwards (which has the effect of removing the excess water), enabling me to use it for another (eg 6 washes) before it gets triggered again.

I am not sure what causes the machine to spill out water into the base, how or why this happens. Taking the bottom off, the components look dry (although the base is wet). The float switch is clearly working correctly, but how can I stop the machine doing this?

Image is of the base - float switch is disconnected from the base (hanging on the right), and the polystyrene circular bit is the this which (I guess) rises when water collects on the plastic base. The switch itself seems quite responsive (by clicking it).

Any ideas appreciated.

 

[Dinny991]

I'm just running a wash, with the base off sitting on cardboard to see if I can see where it's leaking?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm just running a wash, with the base off sitting on cardboard to see if I can see where it's leaking?

Raise the machine, by standing it on old milk crates, then run it. That should allow you to investigate and trace the source of the leak, using a torch.

 

[Dinny991]

Raise the machine, by standing it on old milk crates, then run it. That should allow you to investigate and trace the source of the leak, using a torch.

Yup - thank you. I saw where it was coming out on the cardboard, and then put it up on some chairs, so I could see under.

It was an odd place (as I thought I'd discover a loose hose fitting as the culprit, or something), but I figured it was coming from around the salt area, and when I looked inside, it appears to be an area where water can come out, I guess if the machine takes on too much water and can't get rid of it, it overfills, and a means for the water top escape. These are on both sides of the machine (never noticed them before), but essentially it's coming from the left side. Essentially, it's dripping rather than gushing out, but over a 30 minute wash, builds up to a few ounces of water, I support. Hence the ability to do a few washed before it becomes an issue.

The machine appears to be level, so don't think it's this. The wash is always empty when it's done (no standing water inside), otherwise I think there might be a drainage blockage, but there doesn't seem to be. Maybe a small blockage perhaps where water cannot quite escape as quickly as it would like hence a slight build up and a slight overflow?

Not sure hoe to fix it though??

 

[Dinny991]

Yup - thank you. I saw where it was coming out on the cardboard, and then put it up on some chairs, so I could see under.

It was an odd place (as I thought I'd discover a loose hose fitting as the culprit, or something), but I figured it was coming from around the salt area, and when I looked inside, it appears to be an area where water can come out, I guess if the machine takes on too much water and can't get rid of it, it overfills, and a means for the water top escape. These are on both sides of the machine (never noticed them before), but essentially it's coming from the left side. Essentially, it's dripping rather than gushing out, but over a 30 minute wash, builds up to a few ounces of water, I support. Hence the ability to do a few washed before it becomes an issue.

The machine appears to be level, so don't think it's this. The wash is always empty when it's done (no standing water inside), otherwise I think there might be a drainage blockage, but there doesn't seem to be. Maybe a small blockage perhaps where water cannot quite escape as quickly as it would like hence a slight build up and a slight overflow?

Not sure hoe to fix it though??

It's in the right location for the drip to be coming from here, but it can't be, as I taped up the cover to avoid any water going down there, and it's still dripping.

 

[Dinny991]

Does anyone know how I can dismantle the salt collector? The drip seems to be coming from a compartment next to the salt collector (red circle), but I cannot see how the drip can be occurring until I remove the salt connector? It doesn't seem possible to dismantle it, and without doing so, I don't know why it's leaking? The other image shows the inside of the machine's salt compartment. This looks like a fixes piece of plastic??

 

[Dinny991]

...actually I don't think the salt container has anything to do with it so don't think removing it is needed. But still leaking and still confused.

 

[Old Salt]

I had exactly the same and it proved to be a push fit hose that was leaking. A small drip kept adding up until the machine shut off. A jubilee clip and some heldite sorted it.