Impressions: Bosch S620 Dishwasher

[washer111]

Without further ado, I present to you some more “Appliance Tidbits." In this thread, we will be taking a look at the Bosch S620 Dishwasher.

This machine is an all-mechanical, 100% solid piece of Bosch engineering. It features a fun Rapid-Advance style of timer, serving to click, snap and clackety-clack the machine through any given cycle. 

 

[washer111]

Cycles (Not so) Galore:

There are 5 cycle choices on the machine, but aside from very minor differences in operation there are all essentially the same. They are each indicated by pleasant little symbols.

Rinse-Hold (Shower Symbol).

Then come the “Green” cycles (Green Symbols/Indicator). As far as I can tell, these two options omit the Pre-Rinse and a Post-Wash Rinse from cycle sequence: Purge (Fill/Drain) -> Pre-Rinse -> Wash -> (Short) Rinse -> (Short) Rinse -> Rinse (65ºC/150ºF) -> Heated Dry. 

You can choose from (Glass, Cup, Plates Symbol)Normal  50ºC (122ºF) Main-Wash or a (Pots/Casserole Symbol) 65ºC (150ºF) Main-Wash. 

The Regular Cycles (“RED” cycles) include a short Pre-Rinse into the sequence and presumably add heat to the short (5 minute) drying sequence. 

Main-Washing time is largely dependant on the cycle you choose - with the machine holding until the set temperature is reached then washing for another 10 minutes or so until draining for the rinsing phase. 

Based on my rough calculations, you get somewhere in the region of a 2ºC (4-5ºF) raise in water temperature each minute, making for a 15-20 minute heating time to 50º plus another 10 minutes for 65º. 

The Final Rinse seems to be affixed to 65º - so selecting a hotter cycle to begin with will (hopefully) save some time on the final heating phase… But not much when the inlet temperature is a frigid 10ºC (50ºF)… (Yeah, "save the environment" with 1.7kWh more Gas/Coal power) 

 

[washer111]

Timer Display

The fun bit: The little arrow that gently slips across the display, then "snaps back" to the start when it reaches the end. 

 

How fun!

 

And NO, this machine is not fitted with a water softener, so I am confused about the present of a "Salt" or "Regeneration" light on this machine, having found no salt containers to speak of. 

 

[washer111]

Racking

Inside the machine is typical of what you expect from a European style dishwasher from this time period: Stainless Steel interior, White racks and nothing too fancy (I do mean that).

This machine also features the handy-dandy cutlery basket, serving to liberate the loader from piece-by-piece cutlery loading and free up valuable space up top for taller items you *might* have, like Wine glasses. 

Racking is generally agreeable, although the lack of a height adjustable top basket hinders the type of plates you can add in the lower rack, especially where this machine was located. In order to guarantee the upper wash arm would revolve, the dinner plates had to be inserted backwards in the lower rack. Loading around that upper arm can be a hassle, especially when there is those one or two items that you really want to have washed with everything else, not saved for “Next weeks” load, or your aching, stiff, dishpan hands. 

The upper rack has space for small plates or bowls - Whatever suits your fancy. There are additional fold-down racks that allow the intrepid loader to double-stack smaller glasses or cups - a nice addition in the Scandinavian corners of the globe, where coffee is consumed in small cups in large quantities. 

With a bit of prowess, one could probably cram this machine to the gills and still get good results. However, time and inexperience (plus a lack of identifiable cups) meant this only happened once or twice. 

I must complain, however, about the lack of flexible capacity in this machine. The bottom rack tines are arranged in such a way that adding bulkier items, such as mixing bowls eats up very large quantities of space in the machine… This is something that I am not really used to, which irritated me to some extent, although I should note that such a problem can be experienced in varying degrees in any dishwasher today, or from the past, so I guess its a moot point. 

 

[washer111]

Sump/Pumping Affairs

The sump of the machine is occupied by a 99% self-cleaning filter (More on that later), 1.7kW heating element and a big stainless wash-arm. 

The Wash-Arm features nice, open holes to allow a deluge of water to escape from them when water is supplied in reasonable quantities. 

Observant viewers will also notice a small orange lever on the wash-arm support that serves to control water flow for better dish-care. In theory, this seems like a brilliant idea. However, the concept fails once you realise that your Ming-Dynasty China glasses are in the Upper rack, not in the lower rack where you need all the scrubbing ability you can get! 

But it doesn’t stop there: Turning down the spray in the lower rack will only send more water blasting to the upper rack - serving to etch and fade the fine China you placed up top.

 

[washer111]

The Upper Wash-Arm has similar water-directing traits to its “sump cousin." Large, open holes ensure a deluge of water is delivered to the upper rack at high volume and (relatively) low pressure, soaking soils off dishes and flushing schmutz off the glasses and small plates up there. As you can probably see from the wash-arm, coverage in the corners of the rack is no issue on this machine and you always get predictable results, something that both the Miele used previously and the DishDrawer (especially) could benefit greatly from, in my opinion.

Water is actually delivered by an upside-down tower (Which presents no hassle to loading, and really only steals the equivalent space of a small drinking glass from the rack) receiving its water from a small nozzle in the upper tank that serves double-duty as a constant-rinse spritzer (Something I really appreciate). 

 

[washer111]

Constant Rinse (and) Wash

<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">See here the little wonder that delivers water to the upper rack and also sprays down the glasses in the upper rack to prevent little yibblets adhering to the tops of glasses. Oh how I wish that were a feature of the DishDrawer! *Sniffles*</span>

 

[washer111]

All these sprayers and doodads are really great when the machine gets its full complement of water. They serve to create at least a “severe thunderstorm,” which probably could become ‘Torrential rain’ under the right circumstances.

Initially, I had a suspicion this machine might not be getting its complete complement of water. However, after attempting to add water and carefully listening (and opening the door), I concluded the pump itself or the movement of water was creating a soft shrieking sort of sound. This sound was generally present just at the start of the cycle when cold water was added, and calmed down once the water heated up appreciably. Perhaps some sort of bearing or seal issue with the pump.  

Regardless, this dishwasher is like an obedient dog. “It" is just begging to please and serve his/her master. And that is exactly what this dishwasher does. 

Like I mentioned previously, the machine wants to produce predictable, good results AND IT DOES! Especially when the “RED” Pots 65º programme is selected. 

Even if the machine was somewhat incapable, I would still be satisfied. Why? Since it is NOT often these days when one gets the opportunity to use a machine in all its Rapid-Advance splendour!

The start of the Main-Wash is characterised by a “Bunk (BANG!) CLACK-CLACKETY-CLACK WHOOSH!” (Detergent dispensing, Pump starting, Water Heater activating). All very exciting, as well as aiding to captivate the audience (Who have nothing better to do, so they sit and listen). 

As for the filtration affair, the filter is simply a lift-out, easy to clean variant. There is also another fine screen in the sump that can be removed for cleaning if desired. At least in the experience I’ve had, the filter is almost entirely self-cleaning (Unlike that of the Miele and DishDrawer’s *cough* self-cleaning filters) with very little remaining in the filters after several moderately soiled cycles, so I was also quite happy about that.

Thats not to say there is a disposal chopper in this dishwasher, since there isn’t, but the machine keeps the filter clean, even with our “extreme” food soils in the machine - something I’m not used to, but can happily admit to liking very much!

 

[washer111]

Additional Filters (Removable)

Some more filters and grates. All of which were staying quite clean, strangely enough. I am left wondering if the "Purge" this machine does at the start of the cycle is meant to clear the filter?

 

[washer111]

Dish-Load

And now, I have the pleasure of showing you a load of dishes this machine processed. Dishes weren’t that dirty to begin with (We had Potatoes, Fish and Soup for dinner), and the plates had to face rearwards to ensure the upper sprayer could rotate correctly, like I mentioned previously, so you don’t get to see the soil on the plates either. What do we think: Does this qualify for a Bob-Load? (Don't ask me!) It IS dirtier than it looks.

Photos of the load after completion seem to indicate the Bosch includes some sort of ‘Dish-Dispenser/Replicator,’ since the machine seemed to materialise several items that I never added to the load in the first place. Gee, its amazing what happens when you don’t pay attention! 

Alright, Alright, I was just joking about that last part… Hope you enjoyed this interesting chunk of Bosch history

 

[washer111]

Upper Rack

 

[washer111]

All Clean!

Apologies for the poor shots... Was in a hurry.

 

[washer111]

Up top

 

[foraloysius]

Thanks for sharing these pictures. Did I miss you mentioning how old this machine is? (The font you are using is very hard to read). I guess this is a Bosch from the late 80's or early 90's? Do you know it's exact age?

I was wondering why you loaded the dishes in the lower rack as you did. On the right side they look loaded backward, the plates in the back are away from the center, that makes it more difficult to get them cleaned. Just like the plate in the back on the left side.

This was a MOL or somewhat higher model. The TOL models had more cycles.

 

[washer111]

Apologies for the poor font, seemed to occur when I added the pictures and couldn't be fixed, unfortunately.

 

I don't have any idea of the machine's exact age, but the model is SMU (or SMJ) 600 and the serial number plate is seen in the "Money shot" of both racks above. Maybe someone can get a good closeup?

Looks like it reads: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">Q730 201 017</span>

 

Surprisingly enough, the dishes still came out very clean, considering they weren't around the right way. On this load, one of the plates had a fleck of salmon left on it, but that was the only "reject" I got from this machine in about 14 days, so very impressive (Was run about 5-7 times). 

 

[logixx]

FD 6411

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">F</span>ertigungs<span style="text-decoration: underline;">d</span>atum (date of manufacturing). Add 20 to the first two numbers, the last two number are the month.

 

64+20 = year 84

month 11 = November

 

[washer111]

Oh *BLEEP*

I thought it was about ten years younger!

In good shape for its age then...

Anyone got an oxygen tank (or coffee)? I think I might faint...

 

[supermaticjames]

These are great machines! Bosch licensed their design to Hotpoint UK for their dishwashers. My 1986 model is more or less the same basic machine albeit in a different skin with a manual timer.

 

[supermaticjames]

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