How to Replace a Dishwasher Water Inlet Valve

If your favorite dishwasher refuses to wash dishes because there's no water inlet, your dishwasher's water inlet valve likely needs replacing. The valve is a simple part, often installed directly on the inlet hose by the manufacturer, but even if you do the repair yourself, it can be quite expensive. In this post, we'll explain how you can replace this valve yourself in just 20 minutes. We'll also share how to reduce the cost of repairs by saving on a new part. Stay tuned.

We are making a replacement

Replacing the valve we're interested in is a simple repair, even by beginner standards, and there's nothing to be afraid of. Before you begin, though, you need to do a little preparation. Grab a set of screwdrivers and a multimeter. We'll need the measuring device to check the valve. We need to make sure it's truly broken, and not just some other "sneaky" malfunction masquerading as a broken valve. Let's get to work.

1. We dismantle the dishwasher to make it easier to work with.

If you have a freestanding dishwasher, you can get by without dismantling it; the main thing is to get to the part you need.

2. Next, you need to get to the valve. Some machines, like the Hansa dishwasher, have a valve attached directly to the inlet hose, located on the outside of the housing. Look for the plastic box at the base of the hose—that's the valve. In other dishwasher models, the valves are located at the bottom of the body in the tray. Finding them is also not difficult, since the inlet hoses are connected to them.
3. If the valve is located in the tray, then to make it easier to reach, tilt the dishwasher slightly forward and place something underneath it so that the housing does not fall.
4. Take a multimeter and check the valve coil. Once you're sure the part is faulty, remove it, first checking to make sure the water is shut off. When removing the wires, note which wire was connected to which contact, or take a photo of the valve coil.
5. We install a new valve in place of the old one and connect the dishwasher.

This is a rough outline of the entire repair. If you think we've described the process too thoroughly, don't jump to conclusions. Try doing the whole job yourself, and you'll see that it's even simpler in real life. The only downside is the cost of spare parts.

For example, on some run-down oneHansa ZIM4677EV dishwasher The valve can only be installed with a hose, and this kit costs around $70. In our opinion, it's a bit pricey. Valves for other machines are a bit cheaper, but even this expense is depressing. Is there anything that can be done about this? You'll definitely find out all about it now.

How to reduce the cost of repairs?

The water inlet valve in a dishwasher is quite simple. But that's not the most important thing. While all valves have different designs, the operating principle is the same. With a little tweaking, you can use a cheap inlet valve in place of an expensive one. As a necessary spare part, you can use the inlet valve from a used washing machine. We'll be repairing the valve connected to the inlet hose of a Hansa dishwasher.

So, unscrew the old hose with the inlet valve. Cut off the broken valve with a knife without regret. Take the double valve from an automatic washing machine. Attach a rubber plug to one outlet, and the free end of the inlet hose to the other, exactly on the side where the original valve used to be. It's best to secure the connection with a clamp.

Now our task is to connect the new valve to the power supply. To do this, we need to test the wires supplying the valve to determine which wire goes to which terminal. We secure the valve, connect the wiring, and test the dishwasher. So, you don't need to spend money on a new valve. If you don't have an old dishwasher lying around, you can buy a valve from a salvage yard. It won't cost more than $3-4.

In conclusion, if your intake valve isn't working, don't despair. You can replace it yourself with a minimum of tools; the key is to get to work. Good luck!

3 reader comments

1. April 26, 2018 at 12:52 AM

   Misha:

   If cleaning the filter doesn't restore your dishwasher to normal operation, there's something more serious wrong. Let's figure it out together!

   Answer
2. July 23, 2018 at 12:24 PM

   Maxim:

   I crawled under the sink (that's where my water supply is). I disconnected the hose with the valve, then carefully cut off the old valve with a knife, along with the wires, hose, and outer sheath. I took a used valve from a friend's washing machine. He was throwing it away; it broke. I connected it from the machine to the valve with a clamp, available at any hardware store. I used an old washing machine hose from the valve to the tee, throwing the wires in there just in case. I don't know if I need to pay attention to polarity or not. It's a bit of a hack, but at least everything works!

   Answer
3. February 13, 2019 at 8:21 PM

   Evgeny:

   Cool, everything works, thanks!

   Answer