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Our dishwasher stops on the initial "washing" cycle, drains and then the clean light indicator starts flashing. According to the manual we have that came with the dishwasher, this means "Check Heater Circuit." I've done several searches online and I can't find a part called a "heater circuit." Is the heater circuit even a part? My husband is very handy and if he know the part he can usually do the repair himself. I've called about repairs but because it's so new, to just run the diagnostics I'm going to be charged about $80.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Ahh, you have the dreaded "7 flashes at the console" syndrom.
The "heater circuit" is merely the heating element.
Odds are you have a bad element.
Whirpool used to sell an element and control board assembly to update those units. If the update kit is available, order it. If not, order the heating element.
Matt
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Your dishwasher control sensed a low temperature condition and shut down to default status.
This may have been just a temporary condition. Pull your kick panel and get the service sheet. It will show a restart computer sequence of buttons to push. Post results.
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Rank: Advanced Member
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Sometimes you can reset the control successfully and remedy the problem. However, it has been my experience that if the error comes up once, it will come up again. The odds are you will need a new heating element and possibly the control as well.
Again, if the control and heater update kit is available for your dishwasher, that is what you will need.
Matt
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Hi Sabra,
Don't rush to replace the parts. Do what richappy recommended first and if the problem will come up again, let us know.
Gene.
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Good advice Gene, I have fixed this problem several times and most of the time it WAS a temporary hot water temperature problem.
Actually, in my repair of these, I have NEVER seen a heater/thermostat failure.
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Update - Okay, we "powered down the machine" and then ran the service diagnostic by punching a series of buttons (per the service tech sheet we didn't see any instructions for pushing a series of buttons to "restart the computer"). We tried this a couple of times and each time the diagnostic ended the clean light still blinked it's "7 blinks" on a rotational basis.
We couldn't find a "package" with the element & the control board, so we bought the heating element. My husband installed it last night and then ran the diagnostic per the tech sheets instructions. The clean light wasn't blinking so I loaded the dishwasher up and started a cycle. I checked on it every couple of minutes and it seemed to be running fine. Finally, when it "stopped", I went to go check on it thinking it started the "heated dry;" it had been running for a while, but to my dissappointment the clean light was flashing again. We ran the diagnostic again, and the clean light is not flashing now, but I'm hesitant to try it again as I doubt it will magically work.
It seems that the element partially fixed the problem because we can attempt to run a wash after a diagnostic where as before the clean light would flash after each diagnostic.
I've been doing some research and my guess would be that it's the control board or the thermistor. I've priced the board at a local place where I can pick it up and it's $107; the thermistor is $52. After buying the element for $26, I'm thinking we should have just bought a new dishwasher :(
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Sabra, The "heater circuit" in your dishwasher consists of two parts: the heating element and the hi limit thermostat. There is no thermistor in your dishwasher. I did recommend in the previous reply not to replace any parts before we can perform the troubleshooting. At this time you already have the new heating element and we have to test the hi limit thermostat for continuity. Your husband should remove the bottom panel and locate the thermostat on the left side. It should be attached to the dishwasher body. The hi limit thermostat  It should be replaced only if it's open. If the hi limit thermostat is fine then he has to check all wires involved in this circuit and only if there is nothing wrong - the control board has to be replaced. About prices: you can buy the control board from Appliance Parts Pros for only $74.78 and the hi limit thermostat for only $11.08. - The part number for the control board is AP3775998 - The part number for the hi limit thermostat is AP3010530 Gene.
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Well this is late in coming, but it wasn't the thermostat or the wires involved with the circuit. All of that checked out okay (thanks for the info Gene). We're hoping to order the control board soon (I'm sick of doing dishes by hand). Thanks for everyone's help.
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