GE Tower Wash performance test

[reactor]

In light of John Lefever's statements that the GE tower-wash system didn't wash in the corners of the upper racks, here is another test run. John's first statement was that the tower wash couldn't clean objects in the corners. Then after I pointed out that this defect has never been noticed by Consumer Reports, or any person on our site, then it became, GE tower wash can't clean in the corners with water blockage from below by a pan or pot in the lower rack. He claimed this problem was never caught, in fifty years, by Consumer Reports, as they don't use pots and pans for testing.

This is my second test. The first test was done done years back, and I re-posted the results about a month or so ago, I only blocked one corner then, and had a cup with my my dried on fudge sauce. It showed the cup came cean despite no water from the lower wash arm reaching it. Now I have blocked all four corners of the lower rack, and most of the rest of the rack as well. So, basically most, if not all, of the top rack is being washed independently, by the wash tower (GE called it the "Power Tower") which is why GE described their tower wash dishwasher as having "random loading.". The top rack is washed independently of the lower rack.

On the top rack in three corners are three glasses, one with my famous fudge sauce (made in the glass in the microwave), in the other corner is dried yogurt, followed by a glass smeared with peanut butter, and in the final corner is a saucer with dried cat food.

As you see the results favor GE's claim of random loading. The tower wash cleaned everything in the top rack as GE engineer's designed it to.

(Please note the dishwasher was opened immediately after the test, no dry cycle, so you see some water droplets present.)
[this post was last edited: 7/13/2024-10:46]

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE tower wash

I thought GE discontinued their tower wash system.

 

[reactor]

tall tubs

You are correct, Jerome. All that Haier produces now are "tall tub" machines with dual wash arms.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE Haier dishwasher

My dad has a GE Haier dishwasher. One thing I noticed was the wash pump doesn't have a high pitch noise, more of an electrical hum. It sounds like a wet magnetic rotor motor. Why does it sound like that? Could it be that they updated their motor design?

 

[reactor]

motor

GE changed over to the permanent capacitor motors in the mid-nineties. They were the first U.S. dishwasher manufacturer to do so. When Haier purchased GE Appliances, in June 2016, they were still using the same motor/pump combination.
If anything has
changed since that time, motor-wise, I am not aware of it as I pay no attention to the newer machines.

If you are speaking of the difference between the straight induction motors of GE's past versus the fixed capacitors motors of now, yes there is a difference in sound.

It is difficult to express the differences verbally. I would not described the older motors as high pitched, the sound was more in the mid-range, but there was a whir type sound where the new fixed capacitor motors could be described as more of a "hum "

Describing sound through words is qualitative and two people can describe the same sound differently.

,[this post was last edited: 7/14/2024-17:41]

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE dishwasher motors

That's what I'm trying to get at. It used to do that high pitch whine that Frigidaire is known for, to a straight hum similar to Whirlpool's global wash system.

 

[Chetlaham]

Of course the pop up towers clean and clean well in the corners, anyone who has ever used a GE dishwashers has long discovered that to be the case. Only John wants us to think otherwise because its not a Whirlpool product. John also wants us to think commercial microwaves and Speed Queen top loads are nothing special, currently I'm waiting for him to tell me my Bunn VP17-1 doesn't make good coffee either.    

 

[gelaundry4ever]

tower wash system

I had a Kenmore dishwasher from 1999 to 2004 with a tower wash system by GE. You could hear the water splashing everywhere, I swear. That machine could clean anything thrown at it.

 

[pulltostart]

Barry

Your dishwasher appears to have the same wash set-up as my 1994 GE Potscrubber, with the multi-orbit wash arm.  I gave this one to my parents for Christmas that year and it's still working and doing the job 30 years later.  However, it rarely saw a loading like the one you tested and never sees anything like that now with me being the only occupant here.

 

lawrence

 

[reactor]

Christmas gift

That was a very nice and thoughtful Christmas gift for your parents, Lawrence! I am sure they appreciated it. My favorite Christmas gifts were always the practical and useful ones. You can't get much more practical and useful than a dishwasher.

 

[qsd-dan]

Can't argue with those results.

 

[Marky_Mark]

Great test there, Barry.  I've done similar tests and I'm looking forward to posting the results within the next few weeks when I have time.  I also recorded the Power Tower action with my GoPro.

 

[nmassman44]

I remember when that SmartWash system came out and seeing a demo dishwasher at Lechmere had plexiglass panel in the front along with a switch to turn it on and there was a light in the dishwasher to illuminate the tank so one could see how the wash system worked. I was intrigued to say the least. I had just bought the Kenmore branded GE with the MultiOrbit arm and at the time could not justify replacing it since I was very happy with it. GE didn’t have the SmartWash system out for long though and I don’t if it was reliability or performance issues that they abandoned the design. Still though was rather neat to watch the water movement.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I wish...

I wish there was a dishwasher showcase with a glass window that you could just flip a switch to turn on so you could see how it actually works to know what to expect when you bring it home. Me personally, I like to test things before I use them to know that it works properly. The GE tower wash system is no exception.