Ge self cleaning filter
Hi Washer111,
The early GE self cleaning filter, on the Potscrubbers, was somewhat unique. It is not a full time filter like most brands in the 80's. That is 100 precent of the water in the tub is not being actively pumped through a filter and cleaned.
The filter is in the back of the tub and is "passive." that is, it relies on catching some of the water that is heading back to the bottom of the tub and filtering it. Most of this wataer has hit the back wall of the tub and flows down into the filter through large openings on top. It water exits the filter through a small screen (looks just like window screen!) at the bottom, and leaves the food wastes inside the filter.
There is a little chamber at the bottom of the filter where the food wastes collect. When the dishwsher drains, the water pressure from the drain water pushed up a plunger which seals the top of the collection chamber and the food wastes arae forced out into the drain line. And Voila! You have a clean filter, ready to go again for the next fill.
During the long (main) wash, which is about 45 minutes or so probably most of the water, is "caught" and eventually passes through the filter at some time or another as it circulates.
No, its not as efficient as say a KitchenAid or Maytag where every drop of water has to pass through the filter before entering the pump. But is is a clever design, cheap for General Electric to add to their existing dishwasher without very little modification to the pumping system. (Actually just a splice into the drain line.) But they could now advertise they have filtering and compete against other brands.
It reality, though, it does work. One on of my low line Potscrubbers, the little plunger got stuck and the chamber would not empty, Believe me, there was a LOT of food waste crud in there!
Attached is a picture of the passive filter in my GSD 2800. Sorry about the photo quality. You can see the larger grate openings at the top where water is caught. In the lower center is the exit screen. Beneath the little protrusion in the center (partially hidden by the power tower) is the opening to the soil chamber below the tub.
