My paneled Miele Optima has controls and the operation status light on the top edge of the door, but is supplied with a plastic 'light pipe' intended to be fixed underneath of the counter. This optical device allows one to see the status light's state at a distance (albeit, in my particular configuration, with my eye height significantly lowered).

I have no information on KitchenAid.

kas

I really cannot imagine KA would expect you to drill a hole in the panel. I would look at the instruction manual. My old Miele did as stated in the above post, my new Thermador projects the time remaining on the floor.

My paneled Bosch has a red light that projects on the floor below the dishwasher when it's on. Are you sure the KA doesn't have something similar?

If truth be told it is still packed in garage and somewhat inaccessible at the moment. KA's documentation (instructions and manual) are lacking. KA customer service is almost as lacking. They say no indicator light, website says there is one, manual (which covers multiple models) shows one would be in a typical location, upper right corner of panel. Obviously I'll learn the truth when installed in next couple weeks, maybe even a couple days beforehand. Too late to return unless I raise a huge stink about it -- was bought straight from KitchenAid so there may be an angle there.

You should be able to look at the installation guide online at their website. That should say whether they expect you to cut a hole. My warming drawer says to cut a hole to show the indicator light, and comes with a red lens to cover the hole, but I didn't bother. Leaving the WD on by mistake hasn't been a problem.

The Miele way sounds great. I had a different brand that showed a light on the floor. My Monogram has a small gap at the top so you can see the lights if you bend down and look just so.

Thank yep I've read the panel instructions -- despite the model-specific URL they are generic not specific to the model. Basically they say put in the panel and attach your custom handle. https://www.kitchenaid.com/digitalassets/KDTM504EPA/Panel%20Install%20Instructions_EN.pdf Like I said, if I learn more I'll post more.

I can't say about this particular issue, but in general, if there isn't a note to the side that says something like "Model XYZ light cutout template www.url, see reverse, use 13/16 bit, install lens (included)", or something like that, they probably don't expect you to do it.

My whirlpool has a bright blue light on the top, you cannot miss it reflecting against the bottom of the countertop. i am certain that KA must have a light going either up or down not through the door.

When you look at the control panel in the manual, which is located on the top of the door, it contains quite a number of small dots each of those dots is a light.

And so x- ray vision required to peer down through the edge of the counter to observe them when door is closed? Sure, I know about the control panel, but there really should be a light visible when door is closed (like the factory-panel models).

There is bagofchips. On my Miele, the light reflects on the underside of the countertop. My light is red. I think some of the Thermadors and Bosch project on the floor near the dishwasher.

Thx for all responses. Could just be bad documentation then. Will know what my KA does (vs the Mieles et al mentioned here) soon enough. Though I was half expecting somebody w/ a panel-ready KA to mention what theirs does (Whirlpool above might be a close-enough proxy). Any ready light implementation light is clearly better than none, especially if the floor-projection or under-counter lights are noticeable enough.

Slight update. So the KA dishwasher is out of the box. Sure enough, right behind where the panel will be in the upper right hand corner is an LED status light which on non-panel-ready (so stainless or painted metal) would be visible, pointing straight out into the room! Not surprisingly they didn't remove the light for the panel-ready model. Seems to me I should consider drilling a hole in the panel and then putting in some kind of lens in that hole like from an electronics project shop.

You called it! So, maybe before you drill you might make sure that it's hooked up (generally the DW is installed before the panel, so you can test it)? Since you want to see the light, making the hole and adding a stock lens sounds reasonable. As I said uptopic, the difference between that and my warming drawer is that the WD came with the lens. :)

Bagofchips,

Consider returning the KA dishwasher before you install it. The Miele and Bosch units have a better implementation of the light than what you are describing of the KA. Good luck!

Haha, homepro! I wouldn't swap to those because of the lowly ready light. They are arguably better so many OTHER reasons to choose them (and they are priced accordingly) but I got such a good deal on KA via Whirlpool Inside Pass I had to go KA. Had to save money on this project SOMEWHERE.

Pillog yeah I suppose it's worth testing ... even though the documentation mentions the light (not its obfuscation) maybe they in fact hobbled it nonetheless.

Bagofchips,

You saved money on a remodeling project? You need to write a book :-) Now that you said you saved money, you will have to spend money on something else. That is the rule of remodeling. I did not realize the DW was a deal purchase.since that is the case, pllog idea should be followed. Install first and then figure out what needs to be done to see the light.

Buy lens, then drill hole and counterbore to fit the lens. Hold it in with a minute dab of clear silicone adhesive. Lens should be convex-convex or plano-convex, and focal length should be longer than the distance from the lens to the LED if you want the light to spread. Edmund Scientific is a source of lenses.

kas

Removing a dishwasher panel isn't rocket science. I would install the dishwasher with the panel and see what happens.

There seems to be an assumption that something is wrong before it's even installed.

LEDs are very bright. The light may be visible behind the top of the door even with the panel. Mine is. There is no lens.

Hope the bargain turns out to be one. If KA cannot explain how the indicator light works, and it isn't in the manual, fingers crossed about future service. Then again, none may be needed. Hope not.

Kaseki good tip to countersink/bore and Edmund.

Rokukookoo it's not even in yet (read thread) so no panel to remove and I plan to test prior to any holing but regardless no way light escapes anywhere from behind the eventual panel if left alone. The panel will smother.

FWIW, the name of an electronics part that conveys light from an LED up to its display panel (and usually has an integrated convex lens) is a "light pipe". Many to choose from here: http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/LED-Indication/LED-Light-Pipes/_/N-b1d20/

Once the light pipe has been terminated by a lens to diverge the light, the N.A. (numerical aperture) has been spoiled, and only the part of the resulting beam that is within the NA of a successive light pipe will be carried forward. Of course, this can also be an issue with the hole and secondary lens approach, as the secondary lens may capture only part of the emission angle established by the existing panel lens.

On the other hand, if the secondary light pipe has a rough finish on the observer end, it need not have a secondary lens or have high capture at the primary lens. Dishwasher state is observable so long as the brightness of the light pipe end viewed from relevant distances and angles has sufficient contrast with the wood around it. Any clear plastic rod could be used, and could be easier to mount than a lens. However, a plastic rod is only a light pipe if air or vacuum or some other lower index of refraction substance surrounds it.

So, one can have a lot of fun with optics here, but testing should be done in a scrap piece of wood substituting for a piece of panel.

kas

Excellent points ... this could be a fool's errand, and turning into more of project than I expected. I also don't suspect you're advising using a homogenizing rod given the uniform source of the light (never mind if I can even get one this size). Just to hairsplit there's only one light pipe in play here; at its interior terminus (probably about 3/4" from surface) is the LED itself. Admittedly that LED has its own lens on it, producing some diffusion of its own.

No, I was just suggesting that if a light pipe were used to extend the status light to the other side of the panel, sanding its exterior end would increase scatter such that it would appear brighter when viewed from directions outside the cone of its NA.

One wants to find the least complex solution to "move" an uncharacterized emitter to the other side of a panel without losing most of the light. This goal precludes an optical analysis of parts that may not be accessible. It is unfortunate that KA didn't plan ahead and include with the panel-ready dishwasher a device to perform this function, as Miele did.

Thanks for your (very) educated input. Sanding the end of the light pipe is not an intuitive way to improve diffusion, and I don't think Googling would have ever taught me that. Something tells me that the NA of a lens would suffice if a lightpipe w/ integrated lens is going to work at all. As you say, worth experimenting.

As an optical layman, I'd think having a concave end to the pipe, possibly tapered pipe, could capture more light for the output end. But this is just academic... not the "least complex" solution you were talking about.

No paneled KA owners have opined here yet, and I couldn't find much on this elsewhere other than gripes from a couple owners. It doesn't surprise me that they didn't have a different indication mechanism for their panel DWs, just thinking about the economics of doing so.

@bagofchips We have a KDTM504EPA on order, and I'm curious if you ever figured out a solution to this. I have to admit, I didn't even think about the light when we ordered it, but this morning my DD asked what the blue light on our current KA dishwasher meant, and now I'm wondering how annoyed I'll be if I can't see the status. Thanks!