Dishwasher Collection Update 3

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

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turquoisedude

turquoisedude

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As you may have read, gregm has been selling off his collection and he posted a few dishwashers that he was looking to find new homes for. Three of them sent my heartbeat into overdrive - I foolishly told hubby about them and after much discussion (read that as 'yelling, screaming, threatening, and pleading'), I was permitted to pick one and I did...
Little did he know that I was planning to snag a second one while we were down in Worcester - fate, however, turned on me on Saturday morning as we prepared to leave. The Focus station wagon that can fit two dishwashers happily would not start... We took off in the SX4 hatchback, which had very handily ferried the 58 Frigidaire from Hamilton to Ogden the week before and picked up this new find!

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It's a beauty!

I have always been fascinated with this early style of portable dishwasher (I recall seeing ads for it in old National Geographic magazines) but never in a trillon years did I think I'd find one!! This machine is in truly beautiful condition, still works, and just looks so cool!!
Check the racks and tub - whoever owned this was definitely convinced that it was better to wash dishes by hand...

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But how well does it clean?

Just fine, thank you very much!!! I ran the day's worth of dishes (plus a couple of pans) through on Sunday evening. I think they came out fine! Operating this machine is quite something, though. It is not automatic - the operator of the machine is totally in charge of when to fill or drain the dishwasher and for how long to run each operation. It's a great hands-on machine and I must admit that you can tailor the washes and rinses to each load. For the first test, I followed the cycling of this GE's grandchild, the 58 Mobile Maid (prewash, prerinse, main wash, 3 rinses). Hmmm... wonder if you leave the machine in the main wash for too long, would you shrink the dishes?? LOL
I would love to know more about this machine - Greg said it was a 1949 model, but how could I tell for sure??
Anyone know what years this type of GE portable was in production??

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Paul,

Congratulations on your new addition. It is a great looking machine.

I have the parts sheet for this machine - it is dated October 1950 - revised. So it replaced an earlier sheet.

I have a copy of A Walk in the Park - The History of GE Appliances and Appliance Park. On page 22, which summarizes Dishwashing, there is a paragraph which reads as follows:

GE introduced its first portable dishwasher in 1949; however, it was quite complicated to operate. Five separate steps were required just to get it started and another six steps were needed to complete a cycle. Dishwashers were a slow-developing product and it took many years before they gained public acceptance.

Then on page 23, there are photos of some of the earliest dishwashers starting with the Walker. There is also a photo of the Round portable hooked up to a sink with the caption which reads:

1949 - The designers of the first portable dishwasher by GE decided customers wanted a model that looked like a clothes washer. They were wrong.

Speculating, I think it was pulled from the market. The Mobile Maid came along in the latter 50s.

Mike
 
i'm glad to see you bought it

instead of me! i had originally told the seller i would buy the above g.e. and the kitchenaid top loader, the never used mobile maid and the roto rack kenmore for i think 700 bucks, can't remember now. anyway, i didn't need them, have no room, and didn't think i should be spending the money anyway.

the round g.e. that you have and the top loader kitchenaid were my first 2 favs! anyway, congrats, enjoy it and again glad to see a fellow member got it! at least i know where it is if i ever get curious about it i can just ask you!
 
Bob: No, there is no calrod in this model. I believe that GE only started including them sometime in the early 50s. But with good, hot water and the fact that you can open the cover with the motor running (the impeller acts as a fan) drying the dishes took no time!
Mike: That description of the cycling of the GE 'portable' sums it up nicely - it is a little complicated to use. When I first saw an ad for one of these years ago, my first thought was that it looked like a wringer washer! Lord, was my mother pissed when I tried washing dishes in her old Whirlpool wringer... LOL
Pete: I am really surprised you didn't go for that unused Mobile Maid! It was beautiful!! I am still going to make a run for that KDP2... I just HAVE to have it!!
 
You are finding nice machines there Mr. T Paul do you have more shoots of the controls and the inside without racks, and how does that water come in ...
Thanks... beautiful dishwasher.

Darren k.
 
Calrod and Pumps.....

Also from the book - A Walk in the Park - is this paragraph:

The first General Electric dishwasher with a pump appeared in 1948. This particular model removed water more efficiently. Two years later a Calrod® drying unit was added, which hastened the drying process.

Regarding the pump - looking at my part sheets for these early dishwashers - Pauls portable and my 1950 model UC110A16 (undercounter) pull-out drawer style dishwasher used a pump configuration that was mounted on top of the motor. Also, I believe that the 1948-1950 model year Electric Sink/Dishwashers and Stand-alone Dishwasher used the same pump-on-top-of-the-motor assembly. However, the parts sheets dated late 1950, also show motor mechanisms with an under-motor pump assembly. I am a bit fuzzy on these details, but I believe that having a pump was available as an option to gravity drain. I have also seen in the G.E. Product Man books, a Pump Conversion Kit, that service men could install on these 1948-1950 dishwashers. The first machines with a pump are shown with either a hose and gooseneck that hooked over the side of the sink bowl, or into a stand pipe, or in the case of the Electric Sink - it mounted in the place of the sprayer hose, and emptied into the sink bowl.

Regarding the Calrod - beginning with the 1950 Model year dishwashers and Electric Sinks - they came standard with Calrod, with a 15 minute or so drying period was added, where the impeller continued to turn (as Paul mentioned) to aid in the drying process.

Mike
 
paul, i thought

that mobile maid was beautiful too but i have a mobile maid (with a brand new motor) already. plus one waiting for me in buffalo when i can go get it. so as much as i loved that brand new, never used, complete with a box of detergent machine it wasn't that urgent for me.

the kitchenaid top loader is great, if you decide not to get it please let me know, i might still be interested in that one. i had another one lined up and committed to buy it but the guy's business partner accidentally threw it away. at least that is the story i got. you never know when you deal with people on craigs list, someone else may have offered more. no big deal i guess but i am keeping my eye out for another.

outside of that i am basically done buying dishwashers! i have a pretty good assortment and there has to be a time when you say ennough is enough.
 

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