# How to test in OHMS an element for dishwasher



## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

People,

Maybe one for electrical, but my old dishwasher washes well, but the element was coated in a whitish "chalk" like hard substance (I figured, calcium from the hard water). I chipped it off carefully, and exposed the copperishy/metallic element. Did I do right? 

Now, any way to test the resistivity of that element? Guessing, and without yanking anything yet, I touched one end with probe to meter, and other end to other probe and got 0.6 ohms. 

Feedback appreciated.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

That is a sealed element. It's a thin metal tube with a heating element inside. The basically slide the tungston element inside the tube and then pour plaster into the tube to hold the element.

To measure the resistance you will have to pull the dishwasher out and lay it on it's side. You should then see the two leads sticking through the bottom...pull the wires off (push on connectors) and measure it there.

I just replaced mine...it's ohm resistance is supposed to be 35 ohms.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

ddawg16 said:


> That is a sealed element. It's a thin metal tube with a heating element inside. The basically slide the tungston element inside the tube and then pour plaster into the tube to hold the element.
> 
> To measure the resistance you will have to pull the dishwasher out and lay it on it's side. You should then see the two leads sticking through the bottom...pull the wires off (push on connectors) and measure it there.
> 
> I just replaced mine...it's ohm resistance is supposed to be 35 ohms.


So, dawg, did I ruin the "sealed" part of that element then? I am planning to take apart tomorrow to get to the terminals to test.....(I guess the way I tested is not correct, huh?)


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

noquacks said:


> So, dawg,* did I ruin the "sealed" part of that element then*? I am planning to take apart tomorrow to get to the terminals to test.....(I guess the way I tested is not correct, huh?)


I really doubt it....short of a metal saw, your not going to cut throught metal sheath....what you scraped off was just the calcium that builds up on it....mine had the same thing.


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## hardwareman (Oct 9, 2010)

there is really no reason to pull the dishwasher just to check the element. You need to pull just one wire from the element and do your test. You should be anywhere from 17 to 35 ohms.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

hardwareman said:


> there is really no reason to pull the dishwasher just to check the element. You need to pull just one wire from the element and do your test. You should be anywhere from 17 to 35 ohms.


That is assuming he knows which breaker turns off power to the dishwasher.....

And if it's my dishwasher....unless you have the schematic....no way your going to pull any wires off to make a measurement.....

For the 2-3 min it takes to pull the machine out....better to be safe...than short something.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

ddawg16 said:


> That is assuming he knows which breaker turns off power to the dishwasher.....
> 
> And if it's my dishwasher....unless you have the schematic....no way your going to pull any wires off to make a measurement.....
> 
> For the 2-3 min it takes to pull the machine out....better to be safe...than short something.


Thanks- dont worry dawg, Im gonna flip the breaker switch for sure- toooo many wires down there, at awkward position, to be messing with. Im gonna try first to not yank dishwasher, to access the 2 terminals. Ill let you know- probably this morning.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Done. It was sooo easy to access the 2 terminals without pulling out the dishwasher. Popped off the 2 element ends, and Ohms reads 14.2. Is this a good element? On its last leg? Its lower than the 15 Ohms min that was indicated above.....

Thanks!


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## Protocol. (May 31, 2012)

noquacks said:


> Done. It was sooo easy to access the 2 terminals without pulling out the dishwasher. Popped off the 2 element ends, and Ohms reads 14.2. Is this a good element? On its last leg? Its lower than the 15 Ohms min that was indicated above.....
> 
> Thanks!


Ohms law. Should put out just over 1000w @120v

I would personally also check resistance to the outside of the element from one of the leads and to ground. If both of those readings are open you should be good.


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## noquacks (Jun 5, 2010)

Protocol. said:


> Ohms law. Should put out just over 1000w @120v
> 
> I would personally also check resistance to the outside of the element from one of the leads and to ground. If both of those readings are open you should be good.


Hmmmm, "open"? What would the meter indicate if the circuit is open? Infinity?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Open....with the meter range on max (not an issue if it auto ranges), measure from one end of the element to ground. If you do in fact have an open element....it will read open....or max resistance.

14 ohms sounds low.....but then again, what kind of meter are you using? Mine was 35 ohms....as for accuracy, as long as your meter reads within a couple of ohms....you should be good. I always hold the meter leads together to make sure it reads 0 (typically 0.2 ohms on my meter)

If your element is good....then you might have a bad relay that drives the element.

Look at your kickplate...it might have the schematic stuck to it.


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## Protocol. (May 31, 2012)

noquacks said:


> Hmmmm, "open"? What would the meter indicate if the circuit is open? Infinity?


Yes it will indicate infinite resistance or open leads. If you check from the electrical lead to the metal element inside of the DW then it indicates there is no short to ground or no path for electricity to go to ground.

Simply because an element reads good across leads does not mean its not grounded. 

Ddawg I was thinking his unit possibly has high temp sanitize option.


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