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  • GE Nautilus Portable/Convertible Dishwasher Doesn't Drain

    Hi! I hope you can help! I have a GE Nautilus Portable dishwasher Model No. GSC3200G (I've also seen it listed as GSC3200JBB). Its about 4 years old. Its the kind you roll up to the kitchen sink, and attach the 2-way hose attachment to the faucet, and then turn on the hot water.

    It doesn't drain. It fills no problem, but when it gets to the cycle where the water is supposed to empty into the sink, the motor strains to comply, but no water comes out the faucet/hose opening. The water fills up pretty high inside the dishwasher and leaks out from around the door. Lots of water on the floor!

    The dishes hadn't been getting really clean, lots of food residue left on them. So I thought I needed to run a couple of cycles with the washer empty to clean it out. I figured the drain trap might be clogged. That happened once before and running it empty seemed to do the trick. Though I was not having a problem with the dishwasher draining at that that time.

    I didn't discover that problem until after I ran the cycle to clean it out this time.

    I've read other similar posts, and they talk about checking the selenoid, or the motor, or the pump, or the drain plug, or to check to make sure the hoses aren't blocked or crimped, but I do not know how to get at any of these things.

    The hoses connect right to the sink, and they're fine, on the outside anyway. There is a filter, of sorts, (what I referred to above as the drain trap) along the lower back wall, that looks like there's gunk in it. Less since I ran it through a cycle, but still some there. Logic tells me to take that off and clean it, but it is bolted down (looked like Phillips Heads at first). so I can't get it out.

    I scooped as much water out as I could get, along with any floating pieces of debris that may have been clogging the holes, and got released through the cycle. As far as I could see, everything looked pretty good. So I thought I'd run a cleaning cycle again. Maybe it would flush it out. But when it got to the first drain cycle where the ostensibly dirty sudsy water would be released into the sink, just the sound of the motor working, but no water coming out.

    I turned it off, so it won't fill up and leak all over the floor again. I at least stopped it before that happened, but obviously there is a big problem!

    I have dishes that need washing! I need my dishwasher to work!

    And remember this is a portable, so no air gap, and no issue with the sink drain. Whatever changes the cycle and makes the dirty water discharge out of the washer into the sink is at fault, or something is blocked somewhere.

    Any thoughts?

    Thanks in advance,
    Sugar Rose

  • #2
    Model No. GSC3200G (I've also seen it listed as GSC3200JBB).
    Neither of those are complete model numbers. The proper information will only be found right on the appliance's model and serial number tag (see the following link):

    LINK > Forum Notice

    other posts talk about checking the selenoid, or the motor, or the pump, or the drain plug, or to check to make sure the hoses aren't blocked or crimped, but I do not know how to get at any of these things.
    The motor, drain solenoid, pump and drain hose are under the machine behind the lower access panel. I do not know what you would be referring to by "drain plug".

    Dan O.
    www.Appliance411.com
    The Appliance Information Site

    =D~~~~~~

    Comment


    • #3
      Sorry about that!

      Complete Model Number is: GSC3200J01BB

      Serial Number, in case it helps: RG60571A

      I don't know what "drain plug" is. I thought I read somewhere that was something to check. Sorry.

      Anyway, by process of elimination, where do I start?

      Looking forward to your reply!
      Sugar Rose

      Comment


      • #4
        Complete Model Number is: GSC3200J01BB
        That's better.

        Dishwasher Doesn't Drain... where do I start?
        The most common cause of total failure to drain on that style of dishwasher is the drain solenoid mounted on the side of the pump assembly. It could be electrically burnt out or seized up and unable to switch the pump from wash to drain when powered by the control.

        LINK > How Does a Solenoid Work?

        LINK > GE GSC3200J01BB Drain Solenoid

        A common cause of intermittent draining and/or poor washability complaints is a problem with the 'piston and nut' (see the following link) of the check valve assembly located beneath the sump strainer (inside the tub). It could be jammed or deteriorated and malfunctioning.

        LINK > Piston and Nut Asm.

        JMO

        Dan O.
        www.Appliance411.com
        The Appliance Information Site

        =D~~~~~~

        Comment


        • #5
          OK, thanks for that. It definitely sounds like it could be either of those 2, or both. But I have to back it up even more.

          How do I get the front panel off? Its bolted on and I clearly don't have the right tool to loosen the bolts. They're very small! And hard to get at.
          And I can't tip the dishwasher on its back, so I can get to the bottom. Or the rest of the water that it still inside will pour all over the place.

          My other question is what is the sump strainer? And how do I get under it to check the piston and nut of the check valve assembly? Is that what I'm calling the drain trap, the filter-type looking thing that lines the back wall of the washer? And when you say tub, I figure that just means the inside, right? That drain filter is bolted down with the same tiny bolts as the front panel.

          Sorry to sound so dumb, but if I knew how to get inside, now that I know what to check for, I should be able to figure out the rest. At least as far as those aforementioned 2 parts go.

          Do you have access to a repair manual for this model that shows diagrams of all the parts and what they're called, and how to get at them for replacement? Something like that could help me out a lot.

          Thanks for everything so far!
          Sugar Rose

          Comment


          • #6
            How do I get the front panel off?
            The front access panel is usually held on by 2 screws toward its lower edge. I have no idea of the screw head used for them, maybe Phillips (4-pointed star), maybe 1/4" or 5/16" nut head or possibly even Torx (6-pointed star) depending on what type of screw the factory got a deal buying at the time.

            I can't tip the dishwasher on its back or the rest of the water that it still inside will pour all over the place.
            Syphon or vacuum it out using a wet/dry vac.

            what is the sump strainer? Is that what I'm calling the drain trap, the filter-type looking thing that lines the back wall of the washer?
            Yes. The sump is the deepest part of the tub.

            when you say tub, I figure that just means the inside, right?
            Yes, the interior behind the door is the interior of the tub.

            Do you have access to a repair manual for this model
            No I don't. If you contact GE they should be able to tell you if they even made one for your model and how to go about ordering one if available. They don't make a manual for every model.

            You can see exploded line image parts views of your model at the following link although I don't know how much help they will be, they're kind of abstract.

            LINK > GE GSC3200J01BB Exploded Parts Views

            JFYI

            Dan O.
            www.Appliance411.com
            The Appliance Information Site

            =D~~~~~~

            Comment

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