FAQ

SOME COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMERCIAL DISHWASHERS!

WHICH ITEMS SHOULD NOT GO INTO THE DISHWASHER

* Lead Crystal – may become cloudy or even break.
* Some Plastics – some plastics are heat sensitive and may warp or melt.
* Wood / Bone handles – glued handles may become loose.
* Aluminium utensils – likely to darken.
* Cast Iron – likely to rust.
* Pewter – likely to stain and discolour.
* Mixed metals.

THERE IS A WHITE FILM ON THE INTERIOR WALLS OF THE DISHWASHER

Hard water minerals are the culprit. – Contact Warewashing Solutions for more detailed information.
* Clean the surface by using a dishwasher cleaner on the interior.
* For harder to remove deposits, use a chemical DE-LIMING cleaner – follow the recommendations on the product. Regular cleaning and maintenance will keep your machine in the best condition.
* If you have a water softener unit – it needs to be adjusted according to the hardness of the tap water (information can be given by local water authorities / supplier) Please consult the manual and adjust the water hardness accordingly
* Water softener units are available.
* If the machine has an inbuilt softener, make sure the salt container is not empty. Refill the salt container & secure the cap.
Warewashing Solutions offer a service & de-scale treatment. (for info and price please contact us via phone or email)

THE DISHES ARE STILL WET AT THE END OF THE CYCLE

Commercial machines do not have a drying cycle.

* The dishes and cutlery dry by heat from the rinsing cycle being absorbed by the item being washed. – China, Stainless, Glass and melamine dry relatively quickly (approx 40 sec) after being taken out of the machine after the completed cycle.

* Plastic acts as an insulator and does not absorb the heat so drying is difficult.
* Rinse Aid helps in the drying process and minimises streaking. Always use a quality Rinse Aid and have the dosing checked by a service technician.

* Check that rinse arms spin during the cycle. If they are blocked, or there is low water pressure the rinse arms may not spin.

* Check your rinse agent dispenser, it may be empty.

* The dish may have been removed too early from the dishwasher (program was not completely finished).

THERE ARE SUDS COMING OUT THE DOOR OF THE DISHWASHER

If dishes are pre-washed using a hand dishwashing liquid – then this could be the reason – regular dishwashing detergent is HIGH foaming, standard commercial dishwashing detergent is low foaming (sudsing).
It is important to rinse with water only – do not use hand dishwashing soap to rinse items before loading them into the dishwasher.
Any liquid soap that is on the items can result in over sudsing.
Over sudsing can cause residues to be left on plates, as well as leaks appearing from the machine. Too much detergent?
Note: it is always best to pre-rinse with just water (no detergent) – then place all items in the dishwasher and leave it to the dishwasher and commercial dishwasher detergent to do the job of washing.

THE WATER IS NOT DRAINING OUT AT THE END OF THE CYCLE

* The filter of your dishwasher may be blocked. Remove and clean all the filters.
* The drainage pump may be blocked. (see info below) * Your drain hose may be blocked. Check that it is not crushed or bent.
* The spigot point on the S-Trap may be blocked. Check and clear the blockage.
* If your kitchen sink isn’t draining either it may be a blocked drain.
* Please consult your dishwashers manual.

If the drain pump is not working it may be blocked by a larger object that stops the pump from turning. Sometimes by using a plunger over the dishwasher drain point, it is enough to dislodge the blockage. By then turning on the drain pump, it may force the blockage away.
Drain pump blockages are one of the most common dishwasher service problems – if the filters are always in place correctly during operation it should not get blocked. Pre rinsing / pre scraping reduces the problem from occurring.

THE CUPS, DISHES AND CUTLERY ARE NOT COMING OUT CLEAN

* Check that you are using the correct machine cycle, not the shortest cycle.
* For tea and coffee cups – ensure that any caked on stains/sediment has been loosened by a glass brush or similar.
* There could be insufficient water fill or wash pump pressure. Check mains pressure.
* This may be due to improper loading of dishes. Check that your large dishware or cutlery doesn’t block water spray arms. Follow proper loading techniques.
* You may not be using the correct amount of detergent. Ensure it is commercial grade and that you are using the correct dose.
* The spray arm may be jammed, please check to ensure free spinning. Wash spray arms need to be checked to ensure food or debris is not blocking jets, if blocked, remove, clean & replace. On replacement check that they spin freely.

THE DISHWASHER SEEMS TO BE MAKING A FUNNY NOISE

Some noises are perfectly normal – for example, the motor, the drain pump opening to drain water or the timer control as the cycle progresses.
Often it may be just a wash item that has come loose or dropped into the rack, so make sure everything is secure.
It may also be that something is being knocked when the wash / rinse arm are spinning.
Check that all items are not touching these arms.

THE UPPER AND / OR LOWER SPRAY ARM HAS DIFFICULTY SPINNING

The most common reason is that the spray arm is being blocked by the load. Please always make sure that the spray arms can rotate freely after you have loaded the machine. You can do this by moving the spray arms mechanically yourself.
* Wash spray arms need to be regularly checked to ensure that the jets (small openings) are not blocked by food or debris.
If blocked, remove, clean & replace. Once replaced, ensure that they spin freely.
* The centre post area, where wash arms sit, needs to be cleaned to remove debris.
* Make sure wash arms are secured and not loose.
* Blocked wash pump.

THE DISHWASHER WON’T RUN

If you have no display lights, the fuse may have blown or the circuit breaker may have tripped. Check the circuit breaker & reset if required. Check the fuse and replace if required. Other appliances should be removed from the circuit to ensure they are not causing an overload.
If in doubt consult your dishwasher manufacturer or a qualified service engineer.

THERE IS AN ERROR CODE COMING UP ON THE CONTROL PANEL

If you are receiving an error code – check the trouble shooting page of your dishwasher operating manual.

With most of the current models there will be a self diagnosis page in your instruction / operating manual and this should give you an idea of the issue & whether or not you will need to call in an expert.

CAUTION! – Turning your machine off and then back on, resets the notification. If after following the instructions provided in your manual the problem reoccurs, contact an authorised service technician. (you may need to turn off at both the control board and the power point)

If in doubt consult your dishwasher manufacturer or a qualified service engineer.

Call: 1300 217 411