Hobart Commercial Dishwasher Error Code BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR: Open/Short
BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR with Service Required and OPEN or SHORT on a Hobart LXeH or LXeR dishwasher means the booster pressure switch is out of range. The machine is locked out and permits only power down, so switch it off and call service.
High: the booster cannot be proven full, so the machine is locked out.
- Code
- BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN or SHORT
- Maker
- Hobart
- Equipment
- Dish machines
- Applies to
- LXeH, LXeR
What does Hobart BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN mean?
The booster is a separate small tank that heats the final rinse water. It must be full before its heater is switched on, so a pressure switch tells the control how much water it holds. The control expects the switch to give a valid signal. If the switch circuit reads open or shorted, the display shows BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR / Service Required (Service Phone Number) / OPEN or SHORT. Without a valid level reading the control cannot be sure the booster is full, and heating an empty booster would burn the heater out. For that reason the machine is locked out apart from power down, and the manual says to switch off and call service. This message applies only to the LXeH and LXeR, which have the booster, and it is the booster counterpart of SUMP LEVEL SENSOR.
Affected models and control systems
Hobart LXeH (ML-130192) and LXeR (ML-130194) only, the models fitted with a booster.
Code numbers and their meaning can change between control generations. We match the full model and control before acting on a code.
What you may notice
- BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR Service Required on the display
- OPEN or SHORT beneath the message
- Machine locked out and only allows power down
Possible causes
Likely causes — what usually sits behind BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN on this control. A technician confirms which one it is before any part is replaced.
- Booster pressure switch out of range
- Level sensing tube to the booster blocked or loose
- Damaged switch wiring or connector
- Failed pressure switch
- Scale narrowing the sensing port
Safe checks before calling for service
- Power the machine down as the manual instructs and restart once.
- Note whether OPEN or SHORT appears.
- Check for water leaking under the machine.
- Write down the service number and tell us the model.
How a technician diagnoses BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN
- Confirm OPEN or SHORT on the display.
- Check the booster sensing tube for blockage, kinks and leaks.
- Test the pressure switch and its wiring with a meter.
- Inspect connectors for moisture.
- Replace the switch or tube and test a full booster fill.
- The booster holds hot water and a high-current heater at 208-240 V.
- A heater must never be energized on an empty booster, so the test sequence needs a trained hand.
How BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN differs from similar codes
BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR belongs to the LXeH and LXeR only; BOOSTER TEMP SENSOR is the booster's temperature probe message and lets the machine keep running.
Technical reference
- Maker documentation
- Hobart owner support
- Edition
- FORM 38435 (March 2014)
- Models / control
- LXeH, LXeR
- Section
- DIAGNOSTIC/ERROR MESSAGES (page 27)
- Checked
- October 2026
We use the maker's document to read the code and do not reproduce it. Always confirm the complete model and control before applying these steps.
Related Hobart dish machine error codes
Why does this message lock the machine?
The booster heater must not run unless the booster is full, and the control cannot confirm that without the switch.
Does my LXeC show it?
No. It applies only to the LXeH and LXeR.
Is it the same as BOOSTER TEMP SENSOR?
No. That one concerns temperature, and the machine keeps running.
Need help with Hobart BOOSTER LEVEL SENSOR - Service Required - OPEN?
A technician confirms the cause on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.