I've unpacked the Danby unit that I bought a couple months ago for some test running. Model DDW396W. The window is largely useless for observation, too heavily-tinted. Reflections on it from something, it's not wet or scratched.
Danby Countertop Dishwasher
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I've unpacked the Danby unit that I bought a couple months ago for some test running. Model DDW396W. The window is largely useless for observation, too heavily-tinted. Reflections on it from something, it's not wet or scratched.
Controls.
Power button, has a green light.
Econo/Sani button has a red light. Econo runs at tap-temp except the final rinse is always heated to 160°F. Sani heats the first wash to 160°F (delays the timer as needed) and runs the heater for the 2nd wash (not temp-delayed). The first rinse is never heated.
Timer has two cycle sections.
Rinse/hold (Danby calls it PreWash), runs an unheated rinse, drain, off.
Main cycle has three designated starting points (with detents). Each starting point begins with a drain. The first wash is longer, second wash shorter. Two rinses are in the last timer section, one short, one longer.
Normal = Wash, Wash, Rinse, Rinse. Or can be (pre)Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Rinse except the prerinse would heat to 160°F in sani mode.
Short = Wash, Rinse, Rinse.
Quick (Danby calls it a Rinse only) = Rinse, Rinse. Or can be (tap-hot/cold Wash, Rinse.
There is no dry period as such, it simply drains (for two final timer increments) and shuts off.
The water level is sensed by pressure switch, not timed. Manually resetting the timer to a fill point it skips (apparently with a momentary rapid-advance) to the next timer increment. Cutting back the faucet flow to a trickle, it fills as long as necessary to reach the target level.
Capacity is quite small.&bnsp; The designated space for dinner plates holds only four, or five if one more is placed at the outside.
Forks must be loaded handle-down or the tines protrude through the basket.
The arm is a little wonky, rotates a little higher at the right side. Had an initial problem with dinner plates protruding through the rack enough to block the arm. Fixed that by adding a zip-tie to function as an extra cross-bar under the plates.
The filter doesn't backwash, is to be cleaned after each use.
macboy91si
Well-known member
DDW396W
Nice machine. This is the best Danby counter-top they made, very heavily built as you will notice of you disassemble. This machine has a separate drain pump in it and heavy vinyl coated teal racking. It also has a motorized detergent dispenser in the door letting you have a REAL prewash and wash instead of the 397 and 497 models just having a stupid indentation for detergent in the door. There are some Bosch parts in this machine. This is the ONLY Danby to consider IMO, it's a good machine. My 396 was made in 2000 and sat outside on a back porch for 5 years and I still got over 2 years of use from it (heavy use, 2 people, twice a day running). The pump got real tight on mine and the motor wouldn't always start up on it's own, they are not that easy to work on unfortunately. The dispenser door operates on the "Short Wash Cycle" only, using the Normal section as prewash. The heater is thermo-controlled and will stop the timer until it comes up to temp and helps greatly. The dark glass is removable but requires taking the door apart, which should be done anyway to check the condition of the rinse aid dispenser, which can sometimes leak.
Nice find!
-Tim
Nice machine. This is the best Danby counter-top they made, very heavily built as you will notice of you disassemble. This machine has a separate drain pump in it and heavy vinyl coated teal racking. It also has a motorized detergent dispenser in the door letting you have a REAL prewash and wash instead of the 397 and 497 models just having a stupid indentation for detergent in the door. There are some Bosch parts in this machine. This is the ONLY Danby to consider IMO, it's a good machine. My 396 was made in 2000 and sat outside on a back porch for 5 years and I still got over 2 years of use from it (heavy use, 2 people, twice a day running). The pump got real tight on mine and the motor wouldn't always start up on it's own, they are not that easy to work on unfortunately. The dispenser door operates on the "Short Wash Cycle" only, using the Normal section as prewash. The heater is thermo-controlled and will stop the timer until it comes up to temp and helps greatly. The dark glass is removable but requires taking the door apart, which should be done anyway to check the condition of the rinse aid dispenser, which can sometimes leak.
Nice find!
-Tim
Heating element. Power draw during use is 1320 to 1350 watts. Don't think it's an EnergyStar unit. A full cycle on a tap-cold fill clocked at 1.19 KW power usage ... as compared to my DishDrawer (running one drawer) being 0.86 on the hottest cycle.
Detergent for the first wash goes in the cavity at the left of the door.
2nd wash detergent goes in the dispenser at the right, of course.
There is NO mention of this in the instruction manual, but the rinse aid dispenser apparently has a dosage adjustment by cranking the threaded insert in or out. There are numbers 1 through 5 embossed on it and an indicator arrow narrowing from the bottom up to the 1.
macboy91si
Well-known member
Manuals
Chinese manuals leave a lot to be desired.
So was this thing ever used?
-Tim
Chinese manuals leave a lot to be desired.
So was this thing ever used?
-Tim
It was NIB.
Sorry, typo on Reply #6. S/B -- A full cycle on a tap-cold fill clocked at 1.19 KW power usage ... as compared to my DishDrawer (running one drawer) being 0.68 KW on the hottest cycle.
dj-gabriele
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2007
- Messages
- 1,685
Is your dish drawer connected to hot water? And is how is the Danby?
Here they were sold by Candy before they introduced their own countertop machines and are still found in some shops with various names, of course 230V/50Hz version of them and they have an inbuilt water softener.
Here they were sold by Candy before they introduced their own countertop machines and are still found in some shops with various names, of course 230V/50Hz version of them and they have an inbuilt water softener.
DishDrawer is on a hot connection, but it's essentially tap-cold: It takes only 0.8 gals per fill, which is at least two fills to purge the line, and I keep my water heater set at between 102°F and 105°F so even a prepped-line-purge hot fill wouldn't be much hot. As I recall when doing the power usage test on it while ago, I set the water heater back to 50°F to insure tap-cold but it still was probably ~80°F+ input during summer weather.
Danby connects to the faucet via a unicoupler, and I ran cold for the power usage test, probably ~75°F.
verizonbear
Well-known member
detergent concentration ?
The detergent concentration is prob very high with the low water fill of a smaller machine if you use a whole tablet or gel pac, is there any problem with etching glasses
The detergent concentration is prob very high with the low water fill of a smaller machine if you use a whole tablet or gel pac, is there any problem with etching glasses
Danby instructions are use 1 TSP detergent for each wash period, one or two per the selected cycle. Specifications state 3 liters / 0.79 gals of water per fill. I don't think 1 tsp is enough detergent for my water conditions. My DishDrawer takes ~0.8 gals per fill and I use 1 tsp for the prewash, ~3 tsp for the main wash.
dj-gabriele
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2007
- Messages
- 1,685
~3 tsp for the main wash
Wow, that's a lot of detergent, almost more than the amount I use for a standard load without prewash in my full sized dishwasher!
When I use powders I use around 25-30 g of it that is less that three tbs.
Wow, that's a lot of detergent, almost more than the amount I use for a standard load without prewash in my full sized dishwasher!
When I use powders I use around 25-30 g of it that is less that three tbs.
F&P's suggestion per the user manual is 1 to 3 teaspoons for soft water (less than 6 grains) depending on the soil level, 4 tsp for medium water (6 to 9 grains), 6 teaspoons for hard water (more than 9 grains). My water tested at 11 grains several years ago, 3 tsp is half the recommended dosage.
Fun - a great listen too, having it up on the counter makes for some great washing-sounds. I bought one of these on CL while we were remodeling the kitchen. After cleaning and probing to see some of the unit's construction, I used it once a day for at least a month or so. This little piggy would likely qualify for an Energy Slap*, not a star, but it was able to wash and rinse very well. I'm a bit surprised your wash-arm is wonky, mine seemed to be pretty well balanced. I do understand about the plates and fork tines protruding below the rack, I had to be careful with some smaller items as well. I took my door apart and removed the dark plastic window for better viewing, it was easy enough and made the thing much more fun to play with.
