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[Nickbat]

I'm a bit dim when it comes to circuitry, so apologies in advance! 

My dishwasher has packed up and I'm pretty sure that it is the inlet valve solenoid that's gone (it doesn't fill!). I checked on line and you can see if the solenoid is working by doing a continuity test. I set up my multimeter as described. It shows 1, then when the probes touch it goes down to zero. When I used the probes on the solenoid valve, it comes out with a reading of 1903. What's that all about?  :-?

Advice please!!

[Baron Von Spongebob]

Knowing you, it's probably the year you bought it..

[Nickbat]

Knowing you, it's probably the year you bought it..

There's always one...and it's always you.!! 

[Marks DTM Calib]

Well, 1903 could be the resistance reading....I assume you have it set to an ohms range and the power is off with the supply wires to the solenoid (at least one of) disconnected?

[zirk]

As Mark says 1903ohms, about 2k, assuming your DVM auto ranges, have you discounted the solenoid completely before measuring it. also measure it both ways to check you get the same reading.

No nothing about washine machines, but if its a 240 Volt driven solenoid, 2k sounds a bit high to me (120mA).

Chris.

[KillerWatt]

As Mark says, assuming you have the meter set to read resistance then the figure of 1903 will be the internal resistance of the coil.

However, just because it apparently reads OK....it doesn't mean that it is.

A further check would be to set the meter to read AC Volts, connect the meter across the solenoid, switch the dishwasher on, and you should see around 230V at the point the dishwasher is due to fill.

If 230V is present, then the solenoid is more than likely duff.
If 230V isn't present, then start looking at why the controller isn't providing it (eg, failed door interlock).

Above all, be very careful.

[Nickbat]

Well, 1903 could be the resistance reading....I assume you have it set to an ohms range and the power is off with the supply wires to the solenoid (at least one of) disconnected?

My multimeter has a symbol like Concorde flying left to right and a vertical line running just ahead of the wings ( ). From the website I looked at this is apparently the lone continuity setting. It did say you could check with evreything in situ, but I'll just nip down and take the two wires off and recheck the values. 

[Nickbat]

Checking the terminals of the disconnected solenoid, I get a reading of 1, so I guess it is fubared.

[zirk]

Checking the terminals of the disconnected solenoid, I get a reading of 1, so I guess it is fubared.

If its reading 1, thats a short, are you sure your measuring Ohms?

[KillerWatt]

Checking the terminals of the disconnected solenoid, I get a reading of 1, so I guess it is fubared.

If its reading 1, thats a short, are you sure your measuring Ohms?

A reading of 1 on a DMM is open circuit

[Kevin Wood]

Well, 1903 could be the resistance reading....I assume you have it set to an ohms range and the power is off with the supply wires to the solenoid (at least one of) disconnected?

My multimeter has a symbol like Concorde flying left to right and a vertical line running just ahead of the wings ( ). From the website I looked at this is apparently the lone continuity setting. It did say you could check with evreything in situ, but I'll just nip down and take the two wires off and recheck the values. 

That sounds like diode test mode (or continuity test). What you actually want to do is to test the resistance of the coil. If that resistance is high diode / continuity test mode may well not work as that mode is designed to look for short circuits or very low resistances.

If would say put it on an ohms range instead (perhaps 20k ohms or so, working down if the reading is very low) and see what reading you get.

If you let us know what model of meter you've got it might help.

Kevin

[Andy B]

.....
It did say you could check with evreything in situ, but I'll just nip down and take the two wires off and recheck the values. 

You've to check the solenoid/coil in isolation or else you'll be checking the rest of the circuit for resistance too. The resistance setting are those next to the Greek letter omega  ..... 

[Andy B]

Before you start playing .... what's your address? Just so we know where to send the emergency services!!     

[zirk]

Checking the terminals of the disconnected solenoid, I get a reading of 1, so I guess it is fubared.

If its reading 1, thats a short, are you sure your measuring Ohms?

A reading of 1 on a DMM is open circuit

If His measuring resistance of 1, then thats 1ohm, assuming its 240v driven, then 1 ohm accross 240volts? that to me is a short.

[KillerWatt]

Well, 1903 could be the resistance reading....I assume you have it set to an ohms range and the power is off with the supply wires to the solenoid (at least one of) disconnected?

My multimeter has a symbol like Concorde flying left to right and a vertical line running just ahead of the wings ( ). From the website I looked at this is apparently the lone continuity setting. It did say you could check with evreything in situ, but I'll just nip down and take the two wires off and recheck the values. 

That sounds like diode test mode (or continuity test). What you actually want to do is to test the resistance of the coil. If that resistance is high diode / continuity test mode may well not work as that mode is designed to look for short circuits or very low resistances.

If would say put it on an ohms range instead (perhaps 20k ohms or so, working down if the reading is very low) and see what reading you get.

If you let us know what model of meter you've got it might help.

Kevin

Every DMM I have seen goes in to diode/continuity mode when the lowest resistance range is set (eg, on mine..when I select the 200 ohm range..that is still measuring resistance, but it is also low enough for diode/continuity testing).