# Dishwasher rinse aid dispenser



## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

I have a Maytag MDB6100 dishwasher (~6 years old) The rinse aid no longer works. There was a recall done on the machine about 8 months ago that involved replacing the inner door, so I was hoping the rinse aid problem would get fixed by osmosis, no such luck. Any idea on how to fix this?


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

Hi,



> MDB6100


That is part of a full model#.
http://www.applianceaid.com/model.html



> The rinse aid no longer works


Stays full all of the time?

In the final rince the timer sends power to the wax motor in the dispensor and the wax motor energizes and pushes it's arm out to activate the rince agent dispensor to add a few drops of jet dry to the final rince. Bad wax motor, no power from the timer, broken dispensor piece(s(, wires between the timer and wax motor would be prime suspects.



> There was a recall done on the machine about 8 months ago that involved replacing the inner door, so I was hoping the rinse aid problem would get fixed by osmosis, no such luck.


You would have gotten a new dispensor, new wax motor, new wire harness in the recall parts.....timer?

jeff.


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks for the quick reply Jeff. Sorry about the model number, I'm not at home and can't remember the rest (I thought the rest was just a color code). 

Yes, the dispenser level never goes down. What troubleshooting would you suggest I try?

Thanks, 
Joe


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

> Yes, the dispenser level never goes down






> What troubleshooting would you suggest I try?


Final rince is a fill, dispensor energized, swooshing around of the water, drain out. Probably need to see if the timer is acually sending 120 volts AC (with a volt meter) to the wax motor in the dispensor during the final rince. No power there and the timer is suspect, power there and the wax motor or dispensor is suspect.

jeff.


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

Joe F said:


> Yes, the dispenser level never goes down.


:jester: Is that a double positive???

Can I do the check with the door open or is there another way to read it? My timer is digital not rotary, so figuring out exactly when I should see voltage may be a little harder.


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

> Can I do the check with the door open


Open with the door lock not tripped, nope.



> My timer is digital not rotary, so figuring out exactly when I should see voltage may be a little harder.


Always in the final rince. Can run test wires out from between the panals to the meter and run a cycle. Can use a test cord directly to the wax motor to manually trip/try it. Can seperate the door panals and prop up the inner panal to prevent any water escaping but must still trip the door lock switches ( I carry an extra door catch to use ). 

jeff.


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

OK. Sounds like I'm going to need some time to "open her up", so might have to wait until the weekend. 

Instead of trying to keep the water inside with wires running out, can I just shut off the water to the machine before I run it? or will I burn up the pump?

Just verified the model # MDB7100AWB. Thanks again.


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

> Instead of trying to keep the water inside with wires running out, can I just shut off the water to the machine before I run it? or will I burn up the pump?


Wont hurt.



> Sounds like I'm going to need some time to "open her up",


Not overly difficult...




























jeff.


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

Thanks for the pictures. Is the red box the wax motor?


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

> Is the red box the wax motor?


Yupper.

jeff.


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## Joe F (Jan 27, 2008)

Just an update, I replaced the wax motor. Still can't tell if it's using the rinse aid. I'll give it a few more weeks.


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## jeff1 (Dec 17, 2003)

> I'll give it a few more weeks.


Time will tell.
Keep us posted 

jeff.


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## dottway (Feb 1, 2012)

*rinse aid door broken*

my rinse aid door will not stay closed, I use a combined wash & rinse block so the rinse aid isn't necessary. however the dishwasher keeps stopping a few minutes before it should. the light flashes to tell me it hasnt completed the cycle. will the broken rinse aid door cause this


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