# GE dishwasher model PDW7880G00SS blows the ckt breaker



## Jason McIntosh (Oct 14, 2010)

This isn't a question, but rather a fix to a dishwasher problem that I just wanted to post so it might help someone, someday...

I found this question on justask.com:

"I have a 6 year old ge profile pdw7880g00ss.when you touch the start button it kick off the breaker. I HAVE replaced the module and the escutcheon key pad and still have the same problem. I also looked at all wires and did not see any bare wires. "

This is pretty much exactly the problem I was having. Thanks to their post, I didn't buy the control module but looked for the answer elsewhere.

Turns out the problem was with a diode in the wiring to the water valve.

There's a diode in the wiring to the water valve that is meant to control the flyback voltage from the valve's solenoid. But it went bad and would short power to ground when the power was sent to the water valve to turn it on. The diode has a 220V breakdown voltage. I went to www.digikey.com and found part # 1.5KE220CALFCT-ND that would replace the component. Actually just about any diode that has a part # that matches 1.5KE220CA will work in case that part is out of stock.

The diode is surrounded by black heat shrink tubing. The tubing will have a little bulge where the diode is. It's in a wire that connects the valve's power line to ground. You have to cut away the tubing to get at the diode. That heat shrink tubing is going to be hard to replace as it's meant for use in wet environments. You could probably get a replacement at a store that has marine wiring supplied, like West Marine or Outdoor World.

Note that when you replace the diode, you have to have the polarity correct! If you don't, it'll just break the ckt breaker again. Shouldn't cause any damage if you wire it in backwards the first time though.

Hope this helps someone...

jason


----------



## pjdm (Dec 31, 2011)

*That was the problem*

Thank you for the note. My breaker started to trip on our GE profile dishwasher after 16 years of perfect performance. I immediately went to Google and found this note. I pulled the unit out from the counter and cut out the TVS guessing it was the culprit. An ohmmeter confirmed the short across both directions. My friend had a similar component (an MOV which clips any over voltages) and I put it in today and the dishwasher now fires up the water solenoid with no problems. On New Year's Eve I was not going to get any parts so thanks for helping solve this quickly.

Paul
Daytona Beach


----------

