The Screen Filter (DD81-02011A) in our Samsung dishwasher (DW80K7050US) turned out to have a mold defect from the factory that’s been sitting there since the previous owners had it installed back in 2018:
The mesh apparently didn’t quite make it into the molded plastic, so that little gap has been letting debris in the wash water circulate through the spray bars and clog the orifices.
While replacements are readily available, they seem rather pricey for what they are and this seemed like an easy repair:
That’s a bead of EVA hot melt glue that will probably withstand the 163 °F = 73 °C “sanitize” cycle we haven’t had any occasion to use and seems no more toxic than anything else around here.
Protip: if your dishwasher has a filter, it’s likely clogged with a nasty accumulation of gunk, too …
The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning 
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4 responses to “Samsung Dishwasher Screen Filter Fix”
And if you’ve ever washed a jar with a paper label on it, the paper will bond to that filter and render the dishwasher useless. My dishwasher has a clever design in which a scraper attempts to remove debris (but not paper detritus) from the filter during the waste cycle but doesn’t spin while the filter performs its normal filtering function during washing.
This one had a generous biofilm layer. Cleaning out the sump into which the filter fit began when all parties agreed immediate high amputation was off the table. :shudder:
We originally ignored the dishwasher filter (until problems erupted, prompting a more careful RTFM session), but we found that with our (non chlorinated | mineral-enhanced*) water, we have to be careful as to a) the type of detergent we use and b) do a moderate clean every use.
Cascade gel works for us; we tried Gain (I think) and the semi-solid grey gunk was a clue that it wasn’t a good idea. Costco runs serve to replenish the Cascade.
Every so often (usually 6 months), it’s A Good Idea for me to clean the black gunk that grows in the sump where the filter sits. The washing machine has similar problems. A cleaning tablet (Affresh(tm)) handles the metallic portions, while a sponge gets the crud on the seals. (Affresh’s dishwasher cleaner serves to decrud the mineral deposits from the dishwasher’s stainless shell. We do it once a month.)
((*)) Not only calcium carbonate, but also iron compounds, including iron sulfate. We recommend that guests do not drink the tap water. It takes a bit of time to reprogram the GI system. [grin]
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