Henrik, if no options are selected, then the sensor is completely free to do what it wants. Selecting Target Clean, High-Temp Wash, or Sani Rinse will force a prewash and drain before main wash.
Continued Adventures with the Whirlpool TotalCoverage DW
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Oh, ok, didn't know that. For sure a bit more customizing variety you get because of that.
Sometimes I wish one could force a prewash on the sensor cycle of our Bosch without using VarioSpeed (which, being the faster cycle version, ironicly forces a prewash). It often skips it, and some of our plastics then absorb some color during the hot mainwash, mostly reds from tomatos.
Still perfect results though!
Sometimes I wish one could force a prewash on the sensor cycle of our Bosch without using VarioSpeed (which, being the faster cycle version, ironicly forces a prewash). It often skips it, and some of our plastics then absorb some color during the hot mainwash, mostly reds from tomatos.
Still perfect results though!
Henrik - I've used the TargetClean option a couple of times, and it did a fantastic job with the casserole dishes I used it with. It's just a rebranded name for the TurboZone/PowerScour spray bars at the back of the tub, they've just improved it since the early iterations so that the jets are more evenly distributed and they extend a bit higher than the old version. From what I've seen in tech manuals, they still refer to it as TZ or TurboZone in even the newest KitchenAid/Whirlpool/Kenmore documents.
The TargetClean jets activate in every cycle because the pump doesn't pause when switching from the upper to lower arm, but it only sprays for a couple of seconds as the diverter disc passes through. With the option active, however, each time it switches from the upper to lower arm during the cycle, it stays at the TargetClean zone for around 45 seconds to a minute. It does the same for the SilverwareSpray bar above the silverware basket, but it will hover around that zone for a longer period at certain parts of the main wash and final rinse portions of the cycle no matter what selections are made, as there is no option that controls the silverware zone (just like there is no option on the KitchenAids for the bottle jets because it will pass through that zone anyway regardless of if the nozzles are flipped up or down).
The only cycle I haven't used aside from once or twice is the Soak & Clean cycle, but obviously the machine cleans well enough that I don't really need it. I could try it someday with a super burnt on dirty casserole dish or something.
Oddly enough, the Sensor and Normal cycles seem very similar, and yet the Sensor cycle is the one that seems to be more conservative with water changes. Normal will very frequently opt for a full 3 prewash-long main wash-purge-two rinses sequence, which is odd because that's the same timing and water usage of a Heavy cycle. Now and then it will skip prewash altogether, or just go with one prewash. The Sensor cycle, on the other hand, seems to try to stick to either a one prewash or straight-to-main wash sequence if it can help it. In any case, no matter how filthy or heavily loaded each cycle might be, each one comes out spotless, so I've grown to trust that it knows what it's doing, haha. I've been using the Sensor cycle a bit more often the last few months because it's a bit more water-conscious but the results have been just as excellent.
The TargetClean jets activate in every cycle because the pump doesn't pause when switching from the upper to lower arm, but it only sprays for a couple of seconds as the diverter disc passes through. With the option active, however, each time it switches from the upper to lower arm during the cycle, it stays at the TargetClean zone for around 45 seconds to a minute. It does the same for the SilverwareSpray bar above the silverware basket, but it will hover around that zone for a longer period at certain parts of the main wash and final rinse portions of the cycle no matter what selections are made, as there is no option that controls the silverware zone (just like there is no option on the KitchenAids for the bottle jets because it will pass through that zone anyway regardless of if the nozzles are flipped up or down).
The only cycle I haven't used aside from once or twice is the Soak & Clean cycle, but obviously the machine cleans well enough that I don't really need it. I could try it someday with a super burnt on dirty casserole dish or something.
Oddly enough, the Sensor and Normal cycles seem very similar, and yet the Sensor cycle is the one that seems to be more conservative with water changes. Normal will very frequently opt for a full 3 prewash-long main wash-purge-two rinses sequence, which is odd because that's the same timing and water usage of a Heavy cycle. Now and then it will skip prewash altogether, or just go with one prewash. The Sensor cycle, on the other hand, seems to try to stick to either a one prewash or straight-to-main wash sequence if it can help it. In any case, no matter how filthy or heavily loaded each cycle might be, each one comes out spotless, so I've grown to trust that it knows what it's doing, haha. I've been using the Sensor cycle a bit more often the last few months because it's a bit more water-conscious but the results have been just as excellent.
As it happens, the trusty 920 is actually powering through a chocolate icing covered yellow cake as we speak, and I have a marked 5 gal. bucket contraption set up to catch the drain water and track how much the machine will use with its heaviest cycle, and see how much of the cake will be gone by the end. It's a 13x9 cake from a standard box mix, and I cut it in half (because for a box cake it tastes wonderful and is it really that necessary to waste an entire cake? Lol), and we ate a couple of pieces of our half while the dishwasher feasts on the other. Somehow the pictures I took of the full finished cake disappeared mysteriously, but at least the ones of the halved cake and what was put in the lower rack are still here.
It's in the middle of the main wash right now, so I took the opportunity to go ahead and post what I have so far. I'm taking photos of the bucket in relation to the marker lines after each drain sequence, including the purges. During the three prewashes and two purges between, we're at about 3.5 gallons at this point. I emptied the bucket into the toilet (with a ton of cake goop that had settled to the bottom, blegh) because I'd rather not spill gross water in the floor by trying to lug any more than about half a bucket to the bathroom, so photos will be our reference point to add up the water usage.
Before the cycle, I removed both wash arms and both filters to give them a good cleaning, as well as cleaned under the door with a brush (not that there was anything much to clean) and checked the silverware basket to make sure everything was spotless for the test.
It's in the middle of the main wash right now, so I took the opportunity to go ahead and post what I have so far. I'm taking photos of the bucket in relation to the marker lines after each drain sequence, including the purges. During the three prewashes and two purges between, we're at about 3.5 gallons at this point. I emptied the bucket into the toilet (with a ton of cake goop that had settled to the bottom, blegh) because I'd rather not spill gross water in the floor by trying to lug any more than about half a bucket to the bathroom, so photos will be our reference point to add up the water usage.
Before the cycle, I removed both wash arms and both filters to give them a good cleaning, as well as cleaned under the door with a brush (not that there was anything much to clean) and checked the silverware basket to make sure everything was spotless for the test.
The equivalent cycles & options on my Kenmore Elite time is 3:16
Total coverage
Ok, reading through this thread I will admit it that it appears like Whirlpool has significantly upped their game. Does anyone have the model # to the machine featured here? Clean-ability wise this is a modern machine I'd seriously consider.
Ok, reading through this thread I will admit it that it appears like Whirlpool has significantly upped their game. Does anyone have the model # to the machine featured here? Clean-ability wise this is a modern machine I'd seriously consider.
This should be a WDT920 with the colorcode of choice attached to the end:
https://www.whirlpool.com/kitchen/d...-dishwasher-with-sensor-cycle.wdt920sadh.html
I saw them online once for about 720$, not sure when or if that was even close to the cheapest price.
They added a similar model with third rack to their lineup which is the WDT970 with colorcode stuck to the end. I don't think they changed anything besides adding that thrid rack, but I could be wrong:
https://www.whirlpool.com/kitchen/d...-dishwasher-with-sensor-cycle.wdt920sadh.html
I saw them online once for about 720$, not sure when or if that was even close to the cheapest price.
They added a similar model with third rack to their lineup which is the WDT970 with colorcode stuck to the end. I don't think they changed anything besides adding that thrid rack, but I could be wrong:
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www.whirlpool.com
Done! It's late so I won't go into a huge detail, and besides, the pictures can do the talking.... 
I'm honestly, still, surprised by this machine. Even the video test that Whirlpool posted on their Sales Academy site showed the filter mesh full. Granted, they added a frozen pizza, but no one in their right mind is going to put that much yeasty floury dough in a dishwasher. That stuff turns to glue, and they have access to replacing machines as they please. I'd rather not destroy mine. Besides, I've already tested to the conclusion that this machine can clean heavy soil baked onto dishes, but this test was specifically to see if it could handle excessive food soils, while measuring time and water usage.
The photos are in sequential order for the most part. The first is the main wash water, then each glass is the first, second, and final rinse water sampled so it can be seen better, and so I didn't have to empty the bucket each time. I did empty it for the last rinse to see if there was a change in water usage, and evidentally there is a smidge more in the final fill. Of course, I in no way expected crystal clear water, so this water is cloudy, but it's a white cloudy, not a brown cloudy, and smells of the Cascade rinse aid. Final water left in the sump of any dishwasher we have in the family has a slight white haze to it because of rinse aid, so I'll call this a bit more than usual because I'm sure there is still residual soil in the water to a point. But, the surfaces of the tank are all squeaky clean and spotless, which demonstrates how rinse aid helps in preventing soils from redepositing and instead draining down to the bottom.
I'm particularly shocked that the filter is spotless! Even the husband as a witness couldn't believe it, and he watched me open it right after the green light was extinguished to make sure I didn't try and alter the results (he gets excited when I do these stress-tests too haha). There isn't a speck of cake anywhere to be seen, not even under the bottom of the door.
I'm honestly, still, surprised by this machine. Even the video test that Whirlpool posted on their Sales Academy site showed the filter mesh full. Granted, they added a frozen pizza, but no one in their right mind is going to put that much yeasty floury dough in a dishwasher. That stuff turns to glue, and they have access to replacing machines as they please. I'd rather not destroy mine. Besides, I've already tested to the conclusion that this machine can clean heavy soil baked onto dishes, but this test was specifically to see if it could handle excessive food soils, while measuring time and water usage.
The photos are in sequential order for the most part. The first is the main wash water, then each glass is the first, second, and final rinse water sampled so it can be seen better, and so I didn't have to empty the bucket each time. I did empty it for the last rinse to see if there was a change in water usage, and evidentally there is a smidge more in the final fill. Of course, I in no way expected crystal clear water, so this water is cloudy, but it's a white cloudy, not a brown cloudy, and smells of the Cascade rinse aid. Final water left in the sump of any dishwasher we have in the family has a slight white haze to it because of rinse aid, so I'll call this a bit more than usual because I'm sure there is still residual soil in the water to a point. But, the surfaces of the tank are all squeaky clean and spotless, which demonstrates how rinse aid helps in preventing soils from redepositing and instead draining down to the bottom.
I'm particularly shocked that the filter is spotless! Even the husband as a witness couldn't believe it, and he watched me open it right after the green light was extinguished to make sure I didn't try and alter the results (he gets excited when I do these stress-tests too haha). There isn't a speck of cake anywhere to be seen, not even under the bottom of the door.
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I even jotted down notes this time. 
I realized that I've been mistaken this whole time, including on the "Most powerful motor" thread. This machine does three full rinses on Heavy cycle or a heavy induced Sensor cycle, not the purge + two rinses that I originally thought. This is one of the first times I've had to keep and eye and ear out for the machine to drain since I had the hose clipped to a bucket, and I'd rather not have water go everywhere if it slipped. 
That means that the heaviest cycle is:
Prewash
Purge
Prewash
Purge
Prewash
Main Wash
Rinse
Rinse
Rinse
Each fill was around .8 gal, and the final rinse was right at 1 gallon. The estimated time from start displayed 4:02. With the machine started at 8:03pm until the time that the drain pump shut off at 11:25pm, that means this most intensive-all options heavy soil cycle, including the temp hold of 135F for the main wash, and 156F for final rinse, ended at 3:22 total cycle time, excluding the last 7 minutes of idle-doing-nothing cool down. Water usage was around 7.2 gallons, give or take .1 gallons because of crude Lowe's bucket measuring.
I realized that I've been mistaken this whole time, including on the "Most powerful motor" thread. This machine does three full rinses on Heavy cycle or a heavy induced Sensor cycle, not the purge + two rinses that I originally thought. This is one of the first times I've had to keep and eye and ear out for the machine to drain since I had the hose clipped to a bucket, and I'd rather not have water go everywhere if it slipped. That means that the heaviest cycle is:
Prewash
Purge
Prewash
Purge
Prewash
Main Wash
Rinse
Rinse
Rinse
Each fill was around .8 gal, and the final rinse was right at 1 gallon. The estimated time from start displayed 4:02. With the machine started at 8:03pm until the time that the drain pump shut off at 11:25pm, that means this most intensive-all options heavy soil cycle, including the temp hold of 135F for the main wash, and 156F for final rinse, ended at 3:22 total cycle time, excluding the last 7 minutes of idle-doing-nothing cool down. Water usage was around 7.2 gallons, give or take .1 gallons because of crude Lowe's bucket measuring.
So your dishwashers over there are officially on par with Mieles EU Sensor Wash.
Welcome to the age, where dishwashers clean everything, yet only use as much water as really needed, and where no one has to worry about dirty filters, because the lord of dishwashers gave engeneeres who studied for years to make such things happen the skill to actually make such things happen.
And it was beautifull.
Maybe we should send that to reviewed.com and have them test that themselves. I'd actually think they might consider it.
Now, having finally proofen HE viable in the US, I'll have some cake myself
Welcome to the age, where dishwashers clean everything, yet only use as much water as really needed, and where no one has to worry about dirty filters, because the lord of dishwashers gave engeneeres who studied for years to make such things happen the skill to actually make such things happen.
And it was beautifull.
Maybe we should send that to reviewed.com and have them test that themselves. I'd actually think they might consider it.
Now, having finally proofen HE viable in the US, I'll have some cake myself
vacerator
Well-known member
Good testing Andrew.
My GE profile takes about 90 minutes for the sanitized (anti bact.) cycle.
Pre wash is only 2 minutes, if the optical turbidity sensor sees particles, it does purge, but I rinse, so it usually goes to the main wash.
Cycle time varies depending on hot water temp. from the water heater, from 86 to 90 min. Main wash is about 40 min. Two rinses follow the main wash. First rinse is about 20 min. Sanitizing rinse is about 30 min. The display stays on 1 minute during the temp. delay rinsing, followed by drain, and a short dry which expels the steam. I use the air dry, but am not sure if the short dry time isn't heated on anti-bacterial. Lot's of steam exits the vent. It's an active vent.
My GE profile takes about 90 minutes for the sanitized (anti bact.) cycle.
Pre wash is only 2 minutes, if the optical turbidity sensor sees particles, it does purge, but I rinse, so it usually goes to the main wash.
Cycle time varies depending on hot water temp. from the water heater, from 86 to 90 min. Main wash is about 40 min. Two rinses follow the main wash. First rinse is about 20 min. Sanitizing rinse is about 30 min. The display stays on 1 minute during the temp. delay rinsing, followed by drain, and a short dry which expels the steam. I use the air dry, but am not sure if the short dry time isn't heated on anti-bacterial. Lot's of steam exits the vent. It's an active vent.
7.2 gallons
Told you! I was expecting 8 gallons for that particular load, but 7 gallons is not bad at all.
I can't thank you enough for doing this test, I think it proves these new machine can clean while using the minimal amount of water to get the job done. Love that spray arm btw.
Told you!
I was expecting 8 gallons for that particular load, but 7 gallons is not bad at all.I can't thank you enough for doing this test, I think it proves these new machine can clean while using the minimal amount of water to get the job done. Love that spray arm btw.
Very cool test!
I just checked my dishwasher: Heavy with Sani and Extra Scrub gives an estimate of either 2:25 or 1:40 hrs. with Speed Perfect. Water consumption can range from 3.1 to 3.9 gallons.
If I can find a similar cake (German cake tends to be denser and we don't really use that kind of frosting), I'll definitely try this experiment as well.
I just checked my dishwasher: Heavy with Sani and Extra Scrub gives an estimate of either 2:25 or 1:40 hrs. with Speed Perfect. Water consumption can range from 3.1 to 3.9 gallons.
If I can find a similar cake (German cake tends to be denser and we don't really use that kind of frosting), I'll definitely try this experiment as well.
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