Thread Number: 34289
Explosion + burning smell: still working?
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Post# 514711   4/30/2011 at 04:25 (4,738 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        

haxisfan's profile picture
I experienced a strange happening some time ago (probably over a year ago) with my dishwasher (Candy Aquaviva)... I was all engrossed in the hassle and bustle of worktop cleaning in the kitchen when I heard a small electrical explosion... then another smaller one, I looked around and it seemed coming from the dishwasher but I wasn't sure. These little explosions were followed by a burning smell. I grew suspicious so I flipped the dishwasher on the floor and started to investigate trying to find any possible scorch marks around the components inside: I had no joy though as everything seemed to be in order.

My suspicion was totally obliterated by the fact that later on that day I found a blown out CFL light bulb in the kitchen. Today, after a considerable amount of trouble free dishwashing, the explosion and burning smells are back... the dishwasher was draining its last rinse water and the incident happened as the timer was clicking to its last position (for residual heat drying). This is ever so puzzling for me... I've never seen a drain pump fail in such a way! To make things even more puzzling, when I moved the cycle selector (mechanical timer) to a draining position the thing was still working fine :-&

I'm willing to replace the drain pump as this is available online for about £30.00 but I wouldn't want to change the wrong spare part nor starting to throw money away as other potential failures might be in line as this appliance has given its share of service already. So, it might be time for a new dishwasher, still... any help would be mostly appreciated... should you have experienced a similar episode with a drain pump in an appliance. Many thanks every1 ;-)





Post# 514713 , Reply# 1   4/30/2011 at 05:19 (4,738 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        

haxisfan's profile picture
Here a picture of it...

Post# 514714 , Reply# 2   4/30/2011 at 06:01 (4,738 days old) by aegokocarat (United Kingdom)        

i would say replace it. the unit has said ''ive had enough ive been going for over and a day so good bye'' if you do change it may i suggest a whirlpool model, ive read through the reverw and they seem ok.
Tom


Post# 514751 , Reply# 3   4/30/2011 at 09:59 (4,737 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        
Haxisfan

foraloysius's profile picture
Is there something you wanted to make clear with the picture? I don't see anything special in it.

Whirlpool dishwasher? We have one in one of the offices I work. I find it a nightmare to load. Friends who have one say that too. If you consider a Whirlpool take some of your stuff with you to the store and make sure it can be loaded easily in the racks.


Post# 514760 , Reply# 4   4/30/2011 at 10:31 (4,737 days old) by dj-gabriele ()        

I second Foraloysius,
Whirpool makes some of the worst dishwashers ever! My aunt has one and uses it only for dishes and silverware as it's almost impossible to load anything else satisfactory, plus Altroconsumo always rates them lower than any other brand for cleaning, even if I must say that in 6 years my aunt has had her machine, it always worked without a glitch.


Post# 514765 , Reply# 5   4/30/2011 at 11:24 (4,737 days old) by nrones ()        
Slow down

There is yet no reason for recommending a new one!
As he said, he would first love to repair it, but if he doesn't, I am almost 100% sure he will buy Candy/Hoover.. but it won't come to buying new, since that sound appeared, gone, and it didn't wanted to come back later..

Haxisfan,
I think it would be good if you could film it, because I am sure a lot of people here would know what is it the first second if they could hear.. they just can't hear it from the text! xD

Dex


Post# 514766 , Reply# 6   4/30/2011 at 11:32 (4,737 days old) by hoover1100 (U.K.)        
Is your dishwasher

on top of the worktop? :S


Post# 514772 , Reply# 7   4/30/2011 at 12:09 (4,737 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Thanks for your feedback so far...

haxisfan's profile picture
I spent little time looking at reviews especially on Whirlpool dishwashers but I couldn't find many... probably I didn't look hard enough. I was absolutely shocked to see that Currys sells online a basic Indesit model for less than 130 quid... how can they do that... I hope they don't expect a further payment in kind when you purchase one of these!!!

'foraloysius' the pic didn't have any particular purpose but thematic... just to make the thread look a little more colourful ;-)

'nrones' I will try to make a video, although it might not do it again next time... it might do it the time after that or who knows when, in any case... that means putting it on during the day or getting up really early :-P

'hoover1100' the dishwasher is on top of the washing machine.

I'm still hoping that some of you might know what these symtoms could indicate and let me know as appropriate ;-)
In any case, I've got another load almost ready for tonight and I'll post again to let you know how it's going. Thanks again every1!


Post# 514862 , Reply# 8   5/1/2011 at 04:00 (4,737 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Last night cycle ok

haxisfan's profile picture
It went through a cycle fine last night... no explosions. I'll keep an eye on it though.

I went through more reviews and I found that there's a Hoover bottom of the range model that gets both good and bad reviews... but the bad ones refer mainly to the lack of instructions on how to adjust the upper basket, some people think that this is fixed and doesn't allow enough space at the bottom for tall dinner plates... others say that the basket is adjustable but the manual doesn't mention it, still, I'm sure I'd be confident enough to tackle such adjustment should I ever decide to go for that model. Candy equivalent bottom of the range model gets positive reviews all the way (theoretically it should be the same as the Hoover). The next model up from the Hoover range doubles up its price tag... there's nothing between bottom and mid range!

I have experienced loading Bosch and Beko dishwashers and they seem relatively easy and I own a Zoppas dishwasher (Electrolux) on holiday which is pretty identical to some Zanussi 1s I've seen around... however, I can't say it's the easiest to load... the top rack has an awkward configuration which causes glasses and cups to fall and tumble... until it's completely full, so that they can support themselves.

Anyway... I only need a little expertise from you... please help! Where can an electrical explosion followed by electrical/burning smell come from? I'm sure it's not the immersion heater because it's happened only during the drain phase. Is it possible that a creepy-crawly got into the electrics causing some kind of short circuit? But wouldn't that blow a fuse or something? HELP!


Post# 514869 , Reply# 9   5/1/2011 at 06:00 (4,737 days old) by nrones ()        
Noooooooo!!!!!

Well, I know you aren't still really considering buying new dishwasher, but if you do, please DO NOT DARE TO TAKE THOSE CHEAP CANDY/HOOVER.
Reason is simple - You won't get a Candy/Hoover dishwasher. You will get a chinese peace of sh*t just named Candy/Hoover. It is so bad dishwasher that makes standard models for some Candy, some Gorenje, Elin, WEG, Midea, Proline, Baumatic, Newworld... and 45cm models for almost everyone - all brands from above + Indesit/Ariston, All Antonio Merloni's, and once I even saw a Zanussi badged that one.

Your current dishwasher is a 100% Candy product, and a propper replacement available in UK (since u want Candy) would be HOOVER DDY 068 but it is probably too expencive for you..

Too bad, here there are no chinese 60cm Candy's available... only 45cm.. The cheapest 60cm one (a bestseller one too)is about 350e (picture), and newest ones comming soon (link)! :D

So, just save a bit more money, and get a real thing, rather than buying that bottom of the bottom, not even made buy Candy, or having it's programmes and racks ;)

Dex


CLICK HERE TO GO TO nrones's LINK


Post# 514871 , Reply# 10   5/1/2011 at 06:31 (4,737 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Okay, now you’re just rubbing it in!

haxisfan's profile picture
I adore that Evo model featured in your link but there's no way I can get one of those over here!

Thank you for the advice about the cheapos... in fact I paid twice as much for my Candy dishwasher 8 years ago and it wasn't even the top of the range! Anyway, I don't look at expense as much (to a certain extent... I'm still not willing to spend as much as one would need for a top of the range Miele) but at value and general satisfaction, so if spending extra means getting the aforementioned elements, then so be it! But that's not always the case, that's why I'm always willing to keep an open mind.

The model shown in your pic is from a decade ago, in fact it looks very similar to mine, however they were selling another model not long ago cosmetically identical to that called 'Nova'... and it was relatively cheap, but not as cheap as nowadays bottom range.


Post# 514872 , Reply# 11   5/1/2011 at 06:40 (4,737 days old) by aegokocarat (United Kingdom)        

Dex that was the same dishwasher i had before i had my zanussi. my candy dishwasher didrnt wash dishes and yes i did correctly load it, it always left streeks of food on my dishes and i always cleend the food trap.
id rather go for: blomberg(beko) samsung hotpoint or miele


Post# 514875 , Reply# 12   5/1/2011 at 07:17 (4,736 days old) by nrones ()        
it's relative!

This is the only model Candy still makes, it is still being in stores, but it is having electronic control, instead of mechanic like yours!

Aegokocarat,
I found out that dishwasher experiences, no matter what manufacturer, are really confuzing! I don't know how is your Zanussi now, but for example, I think someone from this forum said he never seen something as bad as Zanussi dishwasher... from the other side, Haxisfan is having that dishwasher for 8 years using it every day, he didn't report any food remains left yet!
Also.. one of my personal friends thrown away Bosch (simple one) because some things were left greasy after wash, and belive me, she is a light-loader, used to leave half - full baskets!!! She doesn't want to hear about Bosch/Siemens, as she was out of money at the time she thrown away Bosch, she got exactly Candy from the picture, and she is happy so far, and I am happy with my Siemens that is a twin sister to that Bosch...

So I'm still confuzed.. And probably I will be, because I can't just conclude and say ''It's bad'' when it is all mixed up :P

Dex


Post# 514877 , Reply# 13   5/1/2011 at 07:26 (4,736 days old) by aegokocarat (United Kingdom)        

Dex, the zanussi works brilliantly but the upper rack is badly designed so evrything is always scatterd into spaces that are empty. i don't like it very mutch cos of that experiance i had with zanussi but i not get rid of it cos it works fine.
Tom


Post# 514879 , Reply# 14   5/1/2011 at 07:55 (4,736 days old) by nrones ()        
now I can conclude a minor thing

Tom,
Both you and Haxisfan, have complained about the upper rack bad design.. let's wait for someone to say it's good, or we can be 100% sure that they need to re-design it! ;)


Post# 514900 , Reply# 15   5/1/2011 at 11:14 (4,736 days old) by maytagmark (Galveston,Tx.)        
The dishwasher may be ok

It could just be the electrical connection, You say it it only has this problem when the heating element comes on, the motor and pump doesn't use many amps but the heating element does, If a connection is not tight enough it could cause a pop and burning smell, if the machine is not hardwired and just plugs into an outlet the outlet may have gotten loose over time and not making a tight connection or the house wires going to the outlet may not be tight enough or the wiring to the machines junction box may not be making a good connection. Just a few things to check before you buy a new machine and have the same problem.

Post# 514907 , Reply# 16   5/1/2011 at 12:07 (4,736 days old) by nrones ()        
isn't heater

No, you mis-understood him.

Machine did an 'explosion' when it started draining for residual-heat drying, so that means heater was off... however it didn't happened again


Post# 514911 , Reply# 17   5/1/2011 at 12:30 (4,736 days old) by maytagmark (Galveston,Tx.)        
No you misunderstood

It happened at the end of the drain cycle, at the begining of the heating cycle

Post# 514924 , Reply# 18   5/1/2011 at 14:01 (4,736 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Thanks maytagmark!

haxisfan's profile picture
Unfortunately the most puzzling bit is that it's happened while the machine was switching from draining to residual heat, this is virtually nothing, in this dishwasher and most EU dishwashers (but the top the range models) there is not activity in the washer during this stage as the remaining hot water on dishes condenses in the sump.

I wish I could be certain of what it was doing the first time I heard/smelt these noises/smell... at a guess it was doing the last hot rinse just before the drain pump kicked in. However, you made me think of the possibility that it might actually be something related to the mains inside the dishwasher itself. I think I'll have to clench my teeth and take it down to check whether I find traces of burning... I always wanna avoid that really cos' it's very fiddly to reach down and feed the hoses through the hole in the cabinet where the sink is eeeerrrrr! Thanks again :-)

I don't know what's going on around my house recently... the cooker gave up on me a few weeks ago, my multifunction printer's been giving me a fatal ink waste absorber error in the last week or so, my toaster had to be replaced a couple of days ago and my microwave blew up just a few minutes ago... and nearly forgot... my head is exploding as we speak! Anyway, all these incidents are not connected... they're just weird coincedences!

Until next time... should my broadband modem or maybe my pc behave themselves :-P


Post# 514967 , Reply# 19   5/1/2011 at 16:51 (4,736 days old) by ultimafan ()        
perhaps its your electrics!

Maybe a power surge caused your appliances to go faulty, maybe the plug? Or an electrical connection. But I think you'd be better off replacing it if it's an internal thing, as something has exploded and there is a burning smell, it may not be fit to use, not to mention with todays day and age, many appliances are designed to go on the skip after a couple of years. Obviously if it is the plug then just replace the plug.

Post# 515107 , Reply# 20   5/2/2011 at 05:00 (4,736 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Update...

haxisfan's profile picture
The dishwasher has gone through 2 cycles since that loud pop + electrical smell and it's been fine. However I might have found a tell tale sign as there were 2 small pieces of plastic right underneath... I uploaded a short clip on YouTube: please follow the link below if you wish to see them. I've arranged for some1 to help me lift it down in the next few days to check whether I can trace the origin of those bits of plastic found should they come from inside the dishwasher.

My microwave oven works again for some reason, but I no longer trust it after the frying noise and the smoke... still, it's over 10 years old so I can't really complain even if I have to replace it... it's just so frustrating that everything is cracking up at the same time! Feel free to recommend a brand for a new microwave oven ;-)

'ultimafan', that might even be a possibility, my tumble dryer has made sharp explosion noises (but not smoke or smell) in a few occasions and they seemed coming from the timer at the moment when it was disengaging the heater, and I also found a blown fuse a month ago (but that was propably my fault cos' I plugged in 2 appliances in 1 go with a 3way socket)... however not all of the incidents I was taliking about above are electricity related (the toaster was still working but it split into two and the printer has an ink related issue). Thanks anyway ;-)


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Haxisfan's LINK


Post# 515124 , Reply# 21   5/2/2011 at 06:57 (4,735 days old) by aegokocarat (United Kingdom)        

those plastic peaces look chard!

Post# 515134 , Reply# 22   5/2/2011 at 08:29 (4,735 days old) by Iheartmaytag (Wichita, Kansas)        
Check the powersource

iheartmaytag's profile picture

Especially where the power cord connects to machines's electricals.

 

I had the same experience with my Maytag a few years ago, the connector was lose and was allowing the wire to arc when the machines was pulling higher amps.  ie. when it was sanitizing in the final rinse. 


Post# 515170 , Reply# 23   5/2/2011 at 10:07 (4,735 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Gotcha!!

haxisfan's profile picture
I got the dishwasher down this afternoon and this time I really found the culprit... just a little capacitor... the plastic shards I found earlier came from there! I looked on the eSpares website and it's actually called a suppressor.

I damaged it further but pulling on it... so, now I'll have to wait for a new spare part to arrive before I can use the dishwasher again unless... some of you guys tells me that this thing can be safely bypassed. Anyway... for the time being wish me happy hand dishwashing ;-)

I updated the clip above with an extra bit added at the end and reloaded on YT.

Thank you for joining me on my quest!


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Haxisfan's LINK


Post# 515172 , Reply# 24   5/2/2011 at 10:16 (4,735 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)        
Suppressor

ozzie908's profile picture
I know its there for a reason a bit like an appendix but the Dishwasher can function without it I have had 2 Dw's do the same thing and each is now still working fine after removal of the offending article. You can always put a new one in when you get it...) Just MHO

Post# 515198 , Reply# 25   5/2/2011 at 12:20 (4,735 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Thanks ozzie908!

haxisfan's profile picture
I've ordered a new suppressor for less than a tenner... they have a next day delivery policy but I doubt they'll deliver it tomorrow seen the bank holiday today... so, I'll probably bybass it: nobody can stand washing up in this house!!

Post# 515200 , Reply# 26   5/2/2011 at 12:22 (4,735 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)        

ozzie908's profile picture
No worries..:) Only too glad to be able to impart some of the useless knowledge running around my head :)

Post# 515205 , Reply# 27   5/2/2011 at 12:52 (4,735 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Call it useless... it's a life-saver!

haxisfan's profile picture
I guess this is what this forum is for ;-)

Post# 515240 , Reply# 28   5/2/2011 at 15:20 (4,735 days old) by nrones ()        
thank god..

It isn't anything big.. how much did supressor cost? :)

Post# 515253 , Reply# 29   5/2/2011 at 15:57 (4,735 days old) by Haxisfan (Europe - UK / Italy)        
Not God... Candy :-P

haxisfan's profile picture
It was £8.49... say approx 10 Euro.


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