Not drying. heating element bad? easy to change?

Hello

Possible causes;

Incoming Water; Most manufacturers recommend that the water coming into your dishwasher be at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, then your dishes don't clean properly. Or the dishwasher must run longer to heat up the water. Test the water temperature by running the hot water on your faucet for about 2 minutes or until it gets really hot. Place a waterproof thermometer under the water. If the water is too cold, increase the water temperature setting on your water heater.

Thermostat;The thermostat is responsible for regulating the water and drying cycle temperature. If this thermostat isn't working, the heating element at the base of the dishwasher tub may not come on. Test this element by selecting the hottest temperature setting. Run the dishwasher on the shortest cycle. Let the dishwasher run for a few minutes, and open it up. If the dishwasher water is not hot or the drying cycle isn't starting, order a new thermostat from a parts dealer since this component is difficult to fix.

Heating Element/Drying Fan; The heating element heats up the water and air. Access this element by removing the bottom rack. It looks like a long black rod. If any part of this component is broken or corroded, you must order a new one. You usually cannot fix this element. The drying fan is located in the main housing of the dishwasher, and it blows air around your dishes to dry them. Check this part by disconnecting the dishwasher from the power supply and opening up the housing. Examine the fan, and see if any dirt or debris is preventing it from moving. Clean it. If the fan won't turn at all or if the motor is burnt out, order a new fan since it's difficult to repair this part.

If your dishwasher isn't drying your dishes properly, see if you have selected a heated drying cycle. An air drying cycle doesn't completely dry your dishes. Never overload the dishwasher, as this prevents heat from circulating around your dishes, keeping them from drying properly. Plastic and Teflon

Inside the dishwasher are metal heating elements that may go bad after a while. The elements are metal thin tubes usually in the bottom of the dishwasher. These get hot and casue the water to evaporate. If during the drying cycle these elements are not getting hot, that usually means the elemnet has gone bad and needs replacement. Be careful don' directly touch the metal in the middle of the drying cycle, it might ne and should be very very hot.

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">Hi,<br />Check your heating element.. </span><br /> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">A bad heating element causes many problems in dishwashers&hellip;<br /><br />Dishwasher Problems The Heating Element not Working<br /><a href="http://www.fixya.com/support/r4589033-dishwasher_problems_heating_element_not" target="_blank">http://www.fixya.com/support/r4589033-dishwasher_problems_heating_element_not</a><br /><br />Dishwasher Maintenance<br /><a href="http://www.fixya.com/support/r4319937-dishwasher_maintenance" target="_blank">http://www.fixya.com/support/r4319937-dishwasher_maintenance</a><br /><br />heatman101 <br /><br />Asker's Testimonial " expanation very clear. will give it a go and see how simple it was. thanks Ronnie " - ronnieshomes <br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break" clear="all" /></span><br />

Hi,
Check your heating element..
A bad heating element causes many problems in dishwashers…

Dishwasher Problems The Heating Element not Working
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4589033-dishwasher_problems_heating_element_not

Dishwasher Maintenance
http://www.fixya.com/support/r4319937-dishwasher_maintenance

heatman101

Asker's Testimonial " expanation very clear. will give it a go and see how simple it was. thanks Ronnie " - ronnieshomes

What temp is your water? You may need to set your water heater up a notch. Try running the dishwasher on the "sani rinse" since this heats to 160 and see if they are drier. Is your heating element working? During the dry cycle with the heat dry on I would open the door and put my hand next to the element to see if it seemed hot. Maybe it isn't working. Also did you put Jet Dry in the dispenser?and also if the setting is adjustable you can dial it up a notch or two. I also like the Jet Dry Turbo. It makes my dishes dry completly, even plastics and this is on the no heat dry.

If there is no heat, then the heating element may be bad. You can get the part, and view diagram at partselect website.

Hi,
Check the front control panel for a AIR DRY / HEAT DRY switch. Perhaps the switch is in the AIR DRY position. If so and you really want to HEAT DRY your dishes, set the switch for HEAT DRY.
Second, it is not a bad thing to let your dishes AIR DRY. It saves money! Just open the Dish Washer door after the last rinse cycle has finished and let the dishes AIR DRY manually. In a hour or so they can usually be put away.
You can also check for the heating element.Your dishwasher has an electrical heating element that helps to dry the dishes. If the element is burned out, the dishes won't dry properly, and you need to replace the element. Many high-priced dishwashers have a small fan that blows air or heated air into the dishwasher to speed up the drying process. If the fan is defective, you need to replace it.
Thank you!

You are right -almost-. When the heating element is not working properly and dishes doesn't dry, I don't think the heating element went bad. It's more likely that other part is causing the problem. Perhaps the timer went bad.

When the timer is broken, the heating element doesn't get power to dry the dishes. By the way, the timer are also called electronic controls or control panel. I believe it needs to be replaced.

If the dry cycle has a problem, check these:

Heating element
Drying fan
Thermostat
Heating element Your dishwasher has an electrical heating element that helps to dry the dishes. If the element is burned out, the dishes won't dry properly, and you need to replace the element.

Drying fan Many high-priced dishwashers have a small fan that blows air or heated air into the dishwasher to speed up the drying process. If the fan is defective, you need to replace it.

Thermostat Some dishwashers have a thermostat that monitors the drying temperature. If the thermostat is defective, the heating element may not cycle on or off properly. If that's the problem, you need to replace the thermostat

How old is the dishwasher? Check the front control panel for a AIR DRY / HEAT DRY switch. Perhaps the switch is in the AIR DRY position. If so and you really want to HEAT DRY your dishes, set the switch for HEAT DRY. Otherwise: Second, it is not a bad thing to let your dishes AIR DRY. It saves money! Just open the Dish Washer door after the last rinse cycle has finished and let the dishes AIR DRY manually. In a hour or so they can usually be put away. Works for me :)