GE Portable Dishwasher Leak at the Faucet

Portable Dishwasher Basics

A portable dishwasher is for kitchens where there is no place to install a built-in dishwasher. Instead of being directly connected to the water system and running automatically, the dishwasher must be connected to the water supply every time it is used. Normally this means attaching the water hoses from the dishwasher to the kitchen faucet with a part called a unicoupler.

Unicoupler

The unicoupler on a portable dishwasher is at the end of two long, flexible water hoses. It attaches directly to the faucet. If parts become worn, the coupler may leak. Older GE dishwashers have a unicoupler that essentially needs to be rebuilt if it is taken apart, while newer models have fewer parts and are easier to work on. If the unicoupler can’t be repaired, it has to be replaced. A new one includes both the connection piece and the attached hoses as a single assembly.

Adapters

In some cases the sink and the unicoupler don’t match, and you need an adapter to connect them. Adapters basically consist of a sleeve. One side fits the dishwasher unicoupler, and the other side connects to the kitchen faucet. Inside are two or more o-rings or washers that may become worn, allowing the adapter to leak. It is possible to repair or replace this part without needing to do anything at all to the unicoupler.

Washers

In some cases the water leak may be caused by nothing more than a washer that has worn out, usually where the unicoupler connects to the faucet. The simplest way to determine whether this is the problem is to replace the old washer that fits inside the connection between the unicoupler and the faucet. If there is no washer, it has most likely fallen out and replacing it should stop the leaking.