Hobart KitchenAid Portable Dishwasher File Cabinet KDD-67

[mikeg]

Hi:

I'm a neophyte and want to try and put a beautiful old KitchenAid dishwasher that has been sitting in service.

Mom and Dad bought it new (70s? 80s? 1974?) and used it a few times. Mom had been washing dishes by hand for several decades by then and didn't like using a machine. So she stopped using the machine and when it came time for me to go through the house and family paperwork, I found that she had been using it as a file cabinet.

So it hasn't seen water, dishes or soap in a very long time. I'm attaching photos; I believe it is a KDD-67, clearly 110v portable. From reading other threads I think it is a viable unit, particularly if I load it properly? My hope it to clean out all of the files and take any other appropriate steps, fire it up in the family house and if all is well, move it to my home and use it daily. My kitchen is tiny and has no dishwasher. I can envision using the machine in front of my sink but (my kitchen is smaller than small.....like a galley on a boat really) better still I wonder if I might plumb it and use it in place just outside the tiny kitchen. I measure 11' between where the unit would sit and the hot water and drain connections under my sink.

So I have two main questions and would welcome any other advise:

1. Should I do anything other than empty the machine and connect water and power before I test it? It has been idle for around 30 years I'd guess. From reading other threads I know which fitting to get to connect the unit to the faucet.

2. Will the unit work properly if I increase the length of hot water/drain tubing to 11 feet and connect directly to hot water supply and the dishwasher port on my garbage disposal?

Thank you for all of your help that I've already taken advantage of on the site, and in advance for your thoughts about this project,

Mike

 

[turquoisedude]

Welcome to the site, Mike!   You've got a nice dishwasher, there - it's a classic mid-70s KitchenAid design and you will find it to be a reliable performer that cleans well!

 

BUT, you should check the machine over very carefully before you try hooking it up for a test...  

 

First, check the condition of the hoses used to connect the machine.  If they seem stiff or brittle, you'll likely have to replace them - this is unfortunately an effect of age...  If the hoses look good, I'd recommend that you change the washer on the hot water supply - you'll need to remove the lower access panel and you will see a water valve with a hose that looks like a standard garden hose connected to it.  Undo this carefully and replace the washer with a regular garden hose washer.   

 

Once the hoses have been inspected, check the power cord.  These too can dry up with age and the insulation can become brittle and cracked.  If in doubt, swap it out!

 

Before you try a test, make sure that you've removed everything from the tub and run the dusting brush of a vacuum cleaner over the tub bottom and around the sump area below the wash arm.  If there have been papers, etc stored in this machine, there may also be loose staples or paper clips and you don't want those getting into the the pump (trust me...)

 

When you've cleaned out the tub, take a bucket of hot tap water and pour it into the the bottom of the machine.   Let the water sit for about an hour - check to see if there are any leaks.   If not, you're ready to hook up the machine and plug 'er in for a test.  

 

I think there may be a manual available here on the site in the 'Manuals and Literature' section but there are also a number of KitchenAid experts here who'll be able to answer any questions you may have. 

 

Good luck and let us know how things develop!

 

 

 

[toploader55]

Hi Mike.

Ah Ha.

I have almost the same model. I have the Regency. A power house cleaner. Noisy bugger but WOW they can take the chrome off a trailer hitch.

One of the big secrets to these "One Arm Wonders" as we call them here is the racking. If you put a large pan in the lower rack, you cannot put anything above it in the upper rack. The lower rack is usually plates, saucers, or anything flat.

All of Paul's suggestions are correct and for the most part low mileage KitchenAids of that era are built with very good materials. The one I have actually all my portables have had very good hoses and cords.

Just make sure they have at least 130-140 degree water going to them and purge the Hot Water line before starting the machine.

I believe your Full Cycle should run... Rinse, Prewash, Rinse, Main Wash and then 2 Rinses after the Main Wash followed by a heated Blow Dry. All this under 1 hour.

Just make sure there is nothing in the sink like the strainer basket when you run it and stand by the first drain because when these baby's drain, there is a lot of water under pressure and it could be very splashy.

Post some pics once you get her up and running. You'll never want a "New" machine once you get used to these.

Funny yours was used as a Filing Cabinet. My 1965 Superba was a used as a Filing Cabinet too. And Paul is right... Check the bottom for staples. Matter of fact before you do the Hot Water Soak, run the vacuum in the bottom just to be sure.

 

[chachp]

I can attest to SPLASHY!!

Just make sure there is nothing in the sink like the strainer basket when you run it and stand by the first drain because when these baby's drain, there is a lot of water under pressure and it could be very splashy.

 

When mine drains it's very powerful.  I drape a towel over the sink or I will have water splashing all over the place.  That is a good dishwasher.  You will be happy with it and as mentioned you will be hard pressed to want a modern machine after having one of these.

 

[appnut]

Pardon the humor, but I have to say it

We have a new category for dishwasher loading bearing the BobLoad certification. 

 

[toploader55]

BobFiling ?

A new use for the energy efficient New Models when the Electronics go bad.

Repurpose them into Filing Cabinets

 

[combo52]

70s KA Portable DW

Great DW Mike, thanks for getting in touch.

To answer your question as to wither you can install this DW 11 feet from the sink and have it work properly. This should not present any problem as long as the drain line is at least 1/2" INSIDE DIAMETER. The incoming water line can be standard 5/16" tubing,[ smaller is usually better on the incoming water line and bigger for the drain line ].

While these older DWs without built-in water heaters do work best with hotter water, I would experiment with the incoming water temperature. Newer enzyme detergents can work very well at lower water temperatures and like most things involving using a DW water temperature is a balancing act, the hotter the incoming water temperature the FASTER you will destroy all kinds of critical parts of this DW from the hoses, valves, seals and the racks and wheels.

If you need any help with this DW get in touch, I am in the next suburb to te east and in the business of working with almost all aspects of major appliances.

John L.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Congratulations!

If you do hook it to the faucet, a short length of washing machine drain hose of the proper diameter or a section of automotive radiator hose slipped onto the bottom of the unicouple will get the water to the bottom of the sink bowl without splashing. The ribbed drain hose from WP direct drive washers is especially good for this purpose.

 

[mikeg]

THANK YOU!!!! I'm washing dishes!!!

Hi:

You people are wonderful. Thank you all again for all of the great advice and help. I cleaned, vacuumed, replaced the gasket and eventually removed and disassembled the input water solenoid. After cleaning, reassembling and testing it (just connect 110v! I love working on this thing), I've got water flowing. Everything else so far seems to be working just fine. I'm running for the moment with the faucet-connect (Wow that puppy moves some water on the outbound side---I've added a section of tygon to curtail the spray) and if things keep going this well I'll definitely be plumbing it in place. THANK YOU all again! Like a kid with a new toy........and feeling gratified like the first time I did brakes on a car myself.........Love this dishwasher......

Mike

 

[toploader55]

Congrats Mike

You get that kind of a chill when you use a machine that is over 20-25 years old.

 

They truly Roar when they wash. But they do throw a lot of water around.  I love the sound of the older machines. Oh yeah, you have to turn the volume up on the TV when they're washing, but to me that's fun.

 

[jkbff]

Ohhh that is a dream machine. I love the color!

For some reason Im obsessed with things that have top-mount controls.

 

[mikeg]

LOVE my dishwasher......need to replace bottom seal

Hi:

The file cabinet has been washing our dishes beautifully for 6 years now!! LOVE it. With the tiny kitchen it is really great that we have kept what little cabinet space we have.

Now it is leaking along the bottom front edge; I think the seal has disintegrated along the bottom.

What should I use to replace it and how should I best do so?

THANKS again!

Mike

 

[pierreandreply4]

brings back memorys

dishwasher in post number 1 brings back memorys since 1 of my aunts own this model then it went to my grandmother who used it as a portable unit first then it was converted to a built in model by my granfather even do that model was not convertible to built in

 

[combo52]

Leaking KA KDD-67 DW

Hi Mike, glad you have been getting some great use out of this DW.

 

There isn't really a bottom door set on this DW to leak, When it starts leaking a little open the door and see what is going on, if by chance there is a lot of foam on the water that does not disappear almost immediately you may have a detergent issue etc.

 

If you are using one of the newer premium tablets they sometimes foam too much in vintage DWs that have a lot of water action.

 

If you are pre-rinseing dishes do not use ANY detergent etc on anything that is going in the DW what so ever.

 

Be sure to clean under the inside edge of the door as well, some times you can get a dirty-greasy build-up in this area that can allow water to siphon over the front tub edge.

 

John L.