Legends of Dishwashing: GE Potscrubber

[potatochips]

Many years ago, Roto204/Nate posted a series titled Machines of Ill Repute. He gave a great, deep first hand look in to some of the less fortunate dishwashers ever made. I was captivated by this series, and its inspired me to create my own. A series highlighting the machines that we all love to collect, machines that are noteworthy for their abilities, machines that are sought-after.  Machines where the manufacturer put their best effort in, and smart, talented people designed them. Machines that were <span style="text-decoration: underline;">legendary</span>. 

 

Noise has always equaled power. And no other than GEs Potscrubber dishwashers are a fine example of just that. The shaded pole motor and fan make a loud noise, and couple it with the high volume centrifugal pump that throws water (which you can hear) around, you at least hope that whatever is in there will come out clean with that kind of soundtrack. Good luck holding any conversation in the kitchen.

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[potatochips]

Many many years ago I read that if you can load a GE, you can load ANYTHING. Too true. This particular machine, made in Canada, has SuperRacks. And they are that for sure. These can take anything, anywhere. The lower rack tines are sturdy, and theres enough space on the left side to fit casserole dishes. Although the wash tower blocks a large area of racking, and creates the famous saucer shelf, the utensil basket is properly placed, forcing you to load dishes in a clever manner. The upper racks, and even on the BOL models, have a shape to them that allows for cutting boards and baking sheets to tuck under them nicely. 

 

The lower rack also extends in to the door a tiny bit, allowing you to load large plates side by side. Something you cant do on many competitors. 

 

That being said, if you're not good at loading, this machine can fill up VERY fast. But if you can Bobload, this machine will deliver space.

 

Here you can see the versatility of the racking. You can really put anything anywheres. 

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[potatochips]

The biggest challenge I faced with this machine was the sturdy tines. They didnt allow for much flexibility. If plates are loaded left to right, maybe bowls should be loaded front to back? Well, this realization bought me a LOT of capacity and real estate that was properly used. This is a great trick for these machines as the front to back space between the tine rows accommodates this so nicely for mixing bowls and casserole dishes. The other trick is, large plates on the outer edges, smaller on the inner areas closer to the spray arm. 

 

 

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[potatochips]

The top rack is also very capable. Although an entire row is a lot higher than the rest of the rack to accommodate cutting boards and baking sheets below, reducing its ability to hold anything deep, it can easily be designated for large spoons, tongs, measuring cups or any other small item. The tines in the middle allow for bowls to be loaded, but the trick here, again SuperRack versatility, is to offset the bowls, allowing for more glasses to be loaded next to them. A small high volume spray arm on the top of the tub showers down on to all the items. 

 

 

 

[potatochips]

GE even claimed that their racks could hold more than ANY competition. Ive never done a test myself, but I do think that it could very well give any of the other legendary machines a run for their money. 

 

 

 

[potatochips]

At the heart of the machine is a powerful centrifugal pump which throws water everywhere. Although a wash tower could initially be seen as a weak point, never doubt it. Whatever you throw in the top rack will be cleaned. The initial suction strainer has large holes, allowing a LOT of large things to pass though, but they will be met by a small hard food disposer and blade chop up any bits before it enters the suction of the pump. The marcerators screen is made of plastic, but it still does an okay job. The impeller of the pump also has large, wide semi-open faced blades. The large holes in the spray arm almost guarantee that no snots will ever get stuck inside. GE also made a genius idea for an oscillating wash arm that changed its path thanks to a geared drive system. If you spin the wash arm around six times, it will 'reset' back to its starting path. This arm, the Multi-Orbit wash arm, was featured on any high end machine. 

 

The best sound this machine makes, hands down, is the snapping drain solenoid. The motor remains on during the entire wash cycle. Unlike other brands (save Westinghouse), the motor does not reverse direction to drain. Instead, a solenoid controls a valve which blocks off the discharge of the pump and diverts the water to your sewer. This solenoid makes a loud SNAP! The power this pump has can be felt if youre standing close to it too as the machine fills up with water. 

 

 

[this post was last edited: 3/24/2017-20:53]

 

[potatochips]

All good dishwashers have some way of filtering the wash water. GEs is probably the simplest, and for how simple it is, it works. Whirlpool cited GEs design in their patent for the DuraWash system. The idea is that wash water will fall behind the filter mesh and in to a chamber which is open only during the wash cycle. The chamber, albeit small, allows for fine and medium sized particulate to fall out of suspension thanks to gravity. Once they do, they will sit at the bottom of the chamber until the drain solenoid SNAPS! and the machine drains. The pressure from the drain lines close the chambers inlet valve, sealing it off from the tub and flushing out any snots and sediment out to the sewer.

 

PermaTuff machines had this same design spanning the entire rear of the machine. Mine is a Canadian porcelain delight. Hence the strange filter. 

 

The patent can be read here:

[this post was last edited: 3/24/2017-20:59]

http://https//www.google.com/patents/US3807419

 

[potatochips]

I feel GEs approach was simplistic brute force. Both Maytag, Kitchen-Aid and Whirlpool had advanced filtering methods in the early 80s that are on level with industrial water treatment, but GE filtered in a simple, easy method using our friend gravity. D&M? Lets just chop everything super fine and do a whole lot of water changes. All the competitors had smaller impellors, smaller pumps, and even second level wash arms for up top, but GE slapped a large pump that THREW water in high volumes. Simplistic brute force.

 

Even with disrespectful scraping, Ive had very minimal rejection with these machines. The odd knife or spoon does need to go in for a second round, but 99.9% of the time everything comes out satisfactory. As long as you pay attention to the wash towers needs, this machine will provide. If you load it right, its coming out clean. 

 

Weakspots? Not many. The simple filtering system is prone to leak underneath a smidge, and the snapping drain solenoids pump fitting can also leak. Its a known thing for GEs to leak a tiny tiny bit of water. But reliable? Very. Clean well? Very. Theyre worth collecting in any BOL, MOL, or TOL offering. The holy grail machines are considered to be the feature, and future laden 2800. 

 

All in all, with the high water volume noise, superior and versatile loading, masculine designs, and a loud snapping drain solenoid that will send any house guest in to a state of concern, these machines are truly legendary. 

[this post was last edited: 3/24/2017-21:05]

 

[ken]

Our 1996 GE Potscrubber has been a real trooper the past 20+ years. Decided to do some maintenance and replace some parts two years ago rather than getting a new machine. Glad I did. Nothing is ever rinsed before loading and everything always comes out clean. And in only 45 minutes. Love to listen to it as it washes.

 

[bajaespuma]

What gives?

Can someone explain to me why the GE Potscrubber dishwasher was at least 400% better across the border in Canada than anything GE offered in its native country????????????????

 

We didn't have anything like that effective strainer, nor did we have that very nice KitchenAid-style speckled Porcelain tank(that's aesthetic but it makes me wonder why the difference). Not to mention that sturdier and classier control panel. What gives? We had a couple of Potscrubbers and both were relatively lame noisy machines. Wouldn't buy them again.

 

I will admit that GE rose to the challenge when they designed that new Upper rack; very capacious, useable and versatile. But the bottom rack remained that clumsy, limited design that they rolled out when GE changed from their brilliant Top Loading design to the "drop-down door" Front Loaders in 1962.

 

Very interesting to me how Canadian iterations of these appliances were almost always better.

 

[Chetlaham]

Can't say thank you enough!

I've always had a great appreciation (more like healthy obsession lol) for Potscrubbers. This takes the cake hands down. I always wish they offered something like this in the US.

What is the cycle sequence and water usage?

 

[appnut]

Kevin, you load this dishwasher just like I loaded my GSD1200.  In fact, due to your pictures, you get BobLoad certification.  Space for casseroles was on the right side in my dishwasher.  Have you ever gone to the GE web site and put in your model number and see if the owners manual is available to download?  A couple of months ago, they still had the GSD2800 and GSD1200 models available.  Ken, maybe the PotScrubber models your family had were MOL and not toward the higher end with the multi-orbit wash arms and this filter system.  That made a huge difference in performance.  Although I have to admit, the house I built in late 1984 came with a GE produced Tappan that was pretty much a MOL PotScrubber.  But with water heat turned on, it produced just about as good a results as my laterr GSD1200 and didn't have filter or Multi-Orbit wash arm.  Ken, after seeing the model (or similar) posted earlier, I did too feel a bit cheated.  The porcelain tub and the delay-wash timer.  I believe this also had a sani-rinse option that only the GSD2800 had. 

 

[potatochips]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! And it's an honor to be Bobload certified! And Ken, wait until you see the PowerClean review if you want to be jealous.

The washes offered on this specific machine are:

Potscrubber: Prewash (10), prewash rinse (5), wash (10), quick rinse (2), rinse (5), final high temp rinse (5)
Heavy wash: Prewash (5), wash (10), quick rinse (2), rinse (5), final high temp rinse (5)
Normal wash: Prewash (10), wash (10), rinse (5), final rinse (5)
China/Crystal (air educted): Prewash (5), wash (10), rinse (2), rinse (5), rinse (5), final rinse (5)

The sani option turns on during the wash and final rinse portions of any cycle. It extends the wash by almost 10 minutes, and same goes for the final rinse. Regardless if you select sani or not, on the heavy wash and Potscrubber cycles you get a timer controlled hi temp rinse.

The delay timer only works after you start the machine. Select a cycle and start it, and then turn the timer to whatever delay you need.

 

[cuffs054]

Didn't some of the domestic GE's have a similar filter set-up? I could never figure how it worked and even with the explanation I still don't get it. With the filter in the back and pump return in the sump how did the cooties get to the back filter?

 

[potatochips]

The PermaTuf machines had a very similar setup, although their filtering system ran the entire span of the rear bottom tub. 

 

Wash water falls in to the filter by the normal washing in the machine. Once it falls in there, it has a small retention time where gravity allows for any snots to settle to the bottom of the filters trap chamber. Keep in mind this trap has a valve on the top thats open during the wash cycle which allows for the snots to fall in. In order for the good water to flow back in to the sump for the pump, it has to pass through that mesh screen. Whats left behind is a pile of snots, or cooties, and when the machine drains, the drain line is routed through the trap chamber, and the pressure of the drain lines close the traps inlet valve, flushing all of this junk down the sewer. 

 

[launderess]

Don't know why,

But ever since heard the word have loved "Potscrubber" dishwashers! *LOL*

Have always assumed the name was derived from the marketing department at GE wrapping their heads around what was Mrs. American Housewife's largest gripe with her dishwasher. By the 1980's or so it was likely that she still often had to pre-rinse before, or scrub pots after they had been in dishwasher.







Have also always had a soft spot for GE's 1980's "We Bring Good Things To Life" adverts. Who knew by the 2010's General Electirc would ditch appliances all together and focus on those jet engines, locomotives and other things.

 

[appnut]

The firs commercial is not a North American dishwasher.  I cannot imagine just a 10 minute main wash on PotScrubber.  On mine, main wash for that cycle was 45-50 minutes, including extension for heating water.  Normal and Light Soil, with heating extension, was 30 minutes. 

 

[mattl]

the second video made really miss my old 2800.  Got years of use out of it, made me a confirmed GE DW owner.  I'm on my second one since then...

 

[brisnat81]

The first video is an Aussie potscrubber.

We had one in my early teens. It had a wash arm under thebupper rack and a manual clean filter. It was a good performer but it was like having a truck in the kitchen. After having had a Dissshhhhhhhhlex it was a shock how loud it was.

It had a stainless steel tub and a lot of the parts seemed to match the dishlex.