Bob Load of newly installed, old, GE dishwasher

[reactor]

This GE dishwasher was sitting in the garage for several years. After I moved, I decided to use it to replace the newer Electrolux/Frigidaire installed in the house. The Frigidaire was just too slow. Drove me crazy waiting over two and a half hours to do a load of dishes.

I replace the new GE looped racks with the older conventional rack. Their newer upper rack is an extremely poor design, in my opinion. Saucers lay almost flat. Near impossible to get deep bowls into the loops and even regular bowls flop over. No room for tall glasses or pots in the upper rack, either. The looped upper rack is the worst rack I have used in any dishwasher, ever.

The results you see in the pictures, using the dishwasher in the Potscrubber Cycle, were pretty good, but not quite perfect. Sadly, I found two little flakes, when I unloaded the dishes, that I had to flick off with my finger.

By the time GE made this model, they had reduced the fill times to cut down on water usage.

The Potscrubber cycle uses 8.8 gallons. Doesn't work quite as well as the older vintage GE's that I have had which used about 10 to 12 gallons.

In order to get the full seven water changes, this dishwasher has to be run in the "Potscrubber" cycle. The "Normal" cycle only uses 4.0 gallons of water, in order to meet the Government's Energy Star requirements. The results show the lack of water usage and water changes...terrible.

In the Potscrubber mode, it's good, but not quite perfect, but still quite acceptable. The spray is more powerful than the Frigidaire's which just lightly tinkled on the dishes for three hours.

(BTW, I don't have a water softener in this house, yet, so the dishes don't quite gleam as much due to the moderately hard water.)

 

[appnut]

A suggestion

Barry,

The saucer(s) and other small plates placed in the upper rack on the right side, I would have put as many as would fit in the bottom rack under that big clear glass bowl and then put said glass bowl on top of them. Would have allowed for placement more similar items in the top rack. After getting used to my new Bosch with simply playing by the racking rules, I'm getting al little bit bolder with creative loading and to my surprise, nothing has not come out clean yet.

 

[reactor]

not a true "Bob Load"

Agreed, Bob. That would have made it more of a true "Bob Load." Sometimes I do such creative things. For example: Often when making spaghetti, I put the spaghettis pot over the colander.

This load was only a "semi-Bob." ha Will do a better one sometime and post it.

By the way, what are you doing with a Bosch? I would think you would only use a vintage dishwasher, such as the GSD 1200, which is a favorite for both of us.

I would use my belt-drive Maytag Reverse rack in this house, except it doesn't have a stainless front. To have matching stainless appliances I had to settle for my non-vintage GE. At least it has the tower wash--which I love.

 

[hobarthero]

Custom Stainless Vintage DW

I wouldn’t think it would be too hard to create a couple custom slide in SS panels for an older GE 1200 series. Actually I think that might be a good idea for my old KA or GE machines!
-Shannon

 

[appnut]

Well, I needed a new dishwasher as the old one bit the dust. The store I patronize (thanks to Dadoes) didn't have any KitchenAids in stock. Bosch was my only other option.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Barry, you did well to only have two flakes of soil left on the dishes. I know that there are people here who love their GE dishwashers, but they are only middling machines and with the current water restrictions, you have done what you can to improve the machine's performance by increasing the number of water changes. The old sayings about silk purses and sows' ears has a lot of truth. In the late 40s, there were dishwashers, the APEX among them, that only gave one after rinse. The testing organizations noted that washing performance greatly improved if the timer was reset to give an additional after rinse. All of that logic and knowledge has flown out the window as appliance manufacturers have assumed the kneeling position in front of the EPA and bent lower and lower in their quest for not only energy stars, but also the bonuses paid to their companies for meeting standards like rating washing ability with loads of clean dishes, honestly, through the 90s. I remember when that hit the fan. I don't know if it ever changed the testing protocol.

I hope your machine's performance will improve when you install a water softener. I use a little STPP in my washers and dishwashers and get good results.

 

[jakeseacrest]

Bob not to hijack this thread but when did you get a new dishwasher?

 

[appnut]

Michael, it was ordered May 10th.

 

[reactor]

GE dishwashers

Tom, when you said GE's were "middling dishwashers," I am assuming you are speaking of GE's recent machines. As you know, in the mid 80's GE's 2800, and the GSD 1200, with their tower wash system, were the top ranked of all dishwashers...beating out Kitchen-Aid, Whirlpool, Maytag.

I am not new to vintage GE dishwashers, I have had over a dozen. This one is unique (to me) in that it is the newest GE I have owned.

Sadly, today, as you have said, manufacturer attempts to meet the Energy Star requirements have impaired performance. This GE has the same wash mechanism as the older 80's vintage units, with the exception of the active "fine" filtration over the older passive filtration system. but the water usage has been cut down. enough to affect cleaning ability (also, it has noticeably flimsier construction)

I agree with you 100 percent, Tom. The governmental requirements have taken their toll on dishwashers and washing machines as well.

So sad.

 

[cam2s]

I have a newer GE in my apartment currently and the racks are horrendous. At least yours has the t shaped power tower and proper constant rinse arm. Mine has the newer spray tower and just a reflector off the roof for the 3rd level, neither of which are effective. Normal wash is only 3 fills on this machine, which is not enough. I use the Pot and Pans option and start the timer at heavy.

 

[combo52]

GEs Early To Mid 80s DWs GSD1200-GSD2900 Etc

Were very good performers by far GEs best DWs up till that time, I was impressed when I started rebuilding them in the shop how well they worked especially considering the Micky Mouse pump and motor and passive filtration system.

 

These DWs did indeed do very well in CRs tests, But CRs only tested them with dishes, when I had a GSD1200 as one of the two DWs in my kitchen for about 6 months it was no match for my WP DU8000XR.

 

The GSD1200 simply did not wash many items at all in the corners of the top rack when the bottom rack was loaded with pots and pans, large bowels etc, Kitchenaid and WP had a much better upper wash arm system.

 

[ No Good DW built today has just a pop-up center spray for the upper rack, for obvious reasons ]

 

The WP Power Clean also did not leave bits of food garbage stuck in the pump inlet strainer like the GE, The WP also was faster and sounded much better when running, the GE with the shaded pole motor constantly sounded like it was straining because the speed varies, rum-rum-rum-rum it was tiring to listen to.

 

Overall these GE DWs were impressive but had CRs tested them with mixed loads and used other than the normal wash cycles the test results would likely have been very different, We all remember how Maytag's RR DWs went from top rated in CRs to the bottom of the ratings when MT decided to win the energy rating battle by having a short normal cycle consisting of only one wash and two rinses.

 

John L.

 

[mattl]

I like my vintage DWs and I like my new DWs....

Owning both vintage and new, the new is my daily driver, I have to say that depending on design they both do a great job.  The older units used power to get the job done in a short amount of time, the newer use time and modern detergents to get the job done. 

 

When I got my KA 2 years ago the long cycles irritated me, but over time I've totally forgot about that.  In the 2 years of use I can easily count on one hand - and have a few fingers left- how many times I've had a dirty dish come out. That includes eggs and such that may sit in the DW over 3 or 4 days.  I use my vintage machines every now and then and am always impressed with the power of the wash, I have to be more careful loading these machines as dishes rattle if loaded too close together.

 

There are crap vintage machines and crap modern machines, but I see no reason to disparage vintage or modern machines that do an excellent job- they are out there.

 

[reactor]

GE Top Performing Dishwashers

Very mature use of verbiage in your technical descriptor, John. "Mickey Mouse pump." ha

You mean the 1/3 horsepower induction motor they used? The same power output as Whirlpool. In most years GE's repair record exceeded Whirlpool's for reliability, They often topped the list.

Never once, have I had an issue with cleanliness of items in the corner of any GE tower wash. Many others on this site have had or do have vintage GE's with the tower wash. I challenge you to find one who has issues with cleaning in the corners. We all use mixed loads here...usually Bob Loads which are mixed, dirty and crammed in.

I have had vintage Whirlpool's, Maytag, Frigidaire (WCI and Electrolux), and Kitchen-Aid (Hobart). Most in the two door models, and a few tall tub models. GE tower wash and Maytag Reverse-Racks top the list in my book, for tops in cleaning performance and loading ease/versatility.

 

[combo52]

Micky Mouse 1/6 HP Motor

WP, MT, even D&M had 1/3 HP and KA had 1/2 HP.

 

There are many good things about the GE DWs in question that I pointed out,

 

But the motor and its HP was a joke,

 

Ge wisely changed to a much better motor over 20 years ago, and to full top rack wash arms in their better DWs

 

John L.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Come on, Reactor, a GE's lower rack cannot be packed with large items like bowls, pans and pitchers that block the water spray to the top rack and get a whole top rack of glasses and similar small things clean. It just is not possible with a pop up tower, I do not care what anyone fools themselves into believing. I was going to buy a WP in 1976 because of the wash arm under the upper rack before KA came out with the 18 and I upgraded its upper wash arm to the 19 when it was introduced. You need jets of water UNDER narrow items like glasses to get them clean. GE's ads said the Power Tower washed out or around, but they did not say up. It is against the laws of physics to think that a spray from the center is going to travel on the precise angle to reach a corner and then travel up into a glass or cup or not be blocked by hitting something on the way. It is true that for many people who only load dishware in their dishwashers machines like the GE could give good results, but that is not the acid test of a great dishwasher. I hope that you enjoy your machine. I will bank on my KitchenAids and the Power Clean WP-made Kenmore.

 

[reactor]

GE Top Performing Dishwashers

John, GE's induction dishwasher motor is rated at 1/3 hp, just the same as Whirlpool--not the "1/6" hp you said. I suggest you look at GE's technical specs. If you want me to embarrass you in front of the whole site, I will post their technical specification sheet if you like. Just as I did when you said GE "NEVER" made a dishwasher with a porcelain interior, and I posted the sales literature showing otherwise.

Just because you have a bias toward Whirlpool does not give you the right to denigrate other people's opinions and other people's favorites. Your fabrication that GE used a 1/6 induction motor is just that, a fabrication. Lying to try to support your bias is an insult to everyone on this site, we are all just trying to share our experiences/knowledge and learn from each other.

Whirlpool, General Electric, Maytag and Kitchen-Aid all have rotated on an off in the top spots for performance throughout the eighties and very early nineties. The reality is, all are fine performers and each bring something good to to the table.

GE's "Mickey Mouse" motor as you indicated with your third grader's rhetoric beat Whirlpool in performance and reliability for several years.

True Random loading is one of GE tower wash's forte's, TomTurbomatic. As long as the center hole, where the tower rises, is not blocked it makes no difference where there are pots and pans. Washing is accomplished by the water action of the tower. Wash action of the tower is independent of wash action of the lower spray arm. That what gives the GE true random loading. So this is just yet another fabrication. People will think you are John's sycophant, Tom, ha.

I personally like the tower was, as I don't have to worry about tall objects blocking the upper spray arm. Though, I like secondary spray arm under the top rack as well, both are fine systems, just different. GE (now Haier) still uses the wash tower in their two door models This will be their sixth decade coming up.

A lot of tweaking by General Electric has made this a very versatile and great cleaning system. The introduction of filtration, then the multi-orbit wash arm, and then the computer designed was arm they introduced in late '93 have virtually perfected the tower wash system. (Now being somewhat reversed by governmental water and energy restrictions....as ALL dishwashers ar being adversely affected.)

From a less than stellar start in the early sixties the tower wash beat out all other wash systems by the mid eighties, as attested to by Consumer Reports ratings AND virtually every GE tower wash system owner on this website.

It's alright for all of us to have our favorites. We each have certain qualities in dishwashers, and other appliances, that for whatever reason make them particularly attractive to us.

However, to denigrate someone's opinion or their likes because yours differ shows a lack of emotional maturation, as does using childish language, sarcasm and lies to support one's biases instead of facts.

It would be very nice if people could share things on this site without being attacked and denigrated by others. Such a poor way to build one's ego.

I am overwhelmed by the amass of knowledge and information that people have to share on this site. It's a great learning tool! I learn something every time I pull it up. It would be great if we could put our egos in check and act as adults and be respectful of each other.

 

[pulltostart]

I think how well any dishwasher performs or fails to perform will be greatly influenced by the user's lifestyle.

 

For instance, I don't hardly ever cook.  Breakfast is cereal and juice, lunch is a sandwich, dinner is either something Stouffer's froze or a salad from Publix.  On those rare occasions when I do cook I am using either Corning Wear, or Calphalon, or stainless steel cookware; and the vessels are washed and polished by hand afterwards, not loaded in the dishwasher.  So, my dishwasher doesn't have to work miracles or do anything phenomenal for me to be happy; just wash those bowls, knives and forks, and glasses.

 

I am currently using the GE Potscrubber 1435 that I gave my parents in 1994 for Christmas.  It was purchased at Circuit City in Birmingham, but picked up by my brother here in Mobile at the local CC store.  I suspect that my dad did the installation.  It's still kicking (in fact running now).  The only problems are some minor rust appearing on the lower rack, the two "Options" are stuck ON and can't be cancelled, and the latch has worn sufficiently during 27 years of use that it requires help making contact.  Mother kept a small paring knife handy just for that purpose; I have a small brush that work like a charm.  I thought when I first moved in here that replacing that dishwasher would be a high priority, but then realized that it's not broke and as such there's no reason to spend that money right now.

 

Not everyone would be willing to put up with this dishwasher, but it's fine for me.

 

Barry - enjoy your older GE!

 

lawrence

 

[reactor]

door latch

Thanks, Lawrence.

Nice dishwasher. I don't blame you for keeping your machine. Yes, a person's lifestyle dictates what goes into their dishwasher, that's for sure. Virtually all my loads are "Bob Loads" with a mix of dried on human foods and dried on cat food.

I don't run a load every day, usually every other day so food wastes are usually stuck on quite well.

It's very easy to replace the door latch and/or contact switches on your dishwasher, should you decide to do that. You can usually readily find them on Ebay. Before doing so, you might want to remove the switches and latch and clean them. Check for any crud build-up on the switch actuators and make sure the switches are fully seated. Put a drop of 3 in 1 oil, or a touch of white lithium grease, on your hinge latch before reinstalling.

Wishing you well.

Barry

 

[mrsalvo]

A couple of years ago I bought a Maytag dw to replace a KitchenAid that kept going down, mother board kept going out and didn't even get 5 years use out of it. I looked at a GE at Home Depot that I really liked but decided against it, and took the advice of Combo52 and bought the MT. I honestly have to admit it cleans like no bodies business, even on the Quick Wash cycle. 

 

One thing that I liked about the model I was eyeing was that the silverware basket wasn't huge and didn't take up a lot of space, so for a one person household I thought that would be ideal. I also liked the layout of the racks. It did have a filter that I'd have to clean and I didn't like that aspect of it, that too was a factor when deciding.  The Maytag has a food chopper and that was another reason I bought it. Also, I don't like, can't stand, the smell of some dishwasher cleaner packets that you're suppose to buy, they smell like a deodorant or something, makes the dishes smell. Yuk!!!

 

Years ago I had a GE that nearly caught on fire, the thermostat malfunctioned and it ruin a big load of dishes that I had to throw out, the kitchen cabinets around the dishwasher were very hot. The next week or so after that happened GE came out with a recall on the dishwasher. It scared the daylights out of me, so I always kept that in mind when I was shopping around. 

 

I learned from that experience. I never start a dishwasher, or dryer for that matter, and run off to bed or leave the house. When I start an appliance, I stay within eyesight of it, always.  

I do get tired at times of the long cycles times and have started washing dishes by hand, I get it all done much quicker and dishes put away. Started doing this when the pandemic hit.

 

Interesting thread. 

 

Barry