Machines of Ill Repute: Volume IV

[TechJunkie]

Once upon an appliance based web forum, a user by the name of roto204 started a series of threads called, obviously, "Machines of Ill Repute". They were quite funny, insightful, and seeing as how I just got stuck with one, I thought I should carry the torch as it were.

The first MOIR segment was about a Kenmore branded WCI/D&M dishwasher, in fact the one mentioned was the last iteration of the tried & somewhat commercially successful D&M design. As roto204 wrote during his brief history lesson "...Electrolux/White Consolidated was clearly getting ready to move into a new direction with their dishwashers--namely, separate wash and drain pumps and performance that couldn't shift cereal from the far side of bowls in the top rack, or scrambled eggs from a non-stick pan placed in the bottom...", one of these new generation under-performing monsters is in fact what my ill-advised parents just bought with their kitchen remodel.

Theirs is a Kenmore 1526 according to the Sears website, it is more or less a re-badged Frigidaire FDB1502.

 

[TechJunkie]

Yes folks, this sucker is 100% Frigidaire. From it's alternating arm wash system dubbed "Precision Wash Direct", to it's wheelie prone bottom rack, there is no mistaking it for anything else. The spec sheet they conveniently leave in the bottom states the pump is suppsedly good for 12 GPM cranking the tiny motor at 3200rpm, paltry considering the one it replaced from D&M pushed 30 on a bad day off a malfunctioning farm generator. It hardly fills with water (8 gallons for the whole normal cycle), it takes forever to wash, and according to consumer reports, it is the least reliable machine you can buy today (they did note it had above average cleaning performance ironically).

But I have an ace up my sleeve with this one. Before I installed it in my parents' kitchen, I took it outside and expirimented with the water fill. With the restrictor removed, the tub goes from barely filling the sump, to the very bottom of the jets that hang off the lower spray arm intended to push dirt and debris into the macerator. Jackpot. For good measure, I also got them phosphated Cascade.

 

[TechJunkie]

Let's get to the torture. It was a slow day in the office, and my manager and I decided to make some homemade chicken wings in the company broiler. I brought all the dirty bowls, broil trays, burner grates, and baking sheet then loaded the sucker up. While it may not be BobLoad™ certified, the burned on crap on the bottom level should see if WCI/Electrolux finally broke free of the D&M ground up "yiblets" everywhere curse.

The machine was set on "Heavy Load" with all the cycle modifiers (Sanitize and Hi Temp Wash) turned on. While this model may not have a soil sensor like it's more expensive brothers, it does have a thermistor or a digital thermometer of sorts. Hi Temp Wash keeps the heater on until the wash temp is a consistest 145 degrees Fairenheit. Sanitize keeps the rinse water at 155 degrees Fairenheit.

According to the spec sheet, the entire cycle with no modifiers takes around an hour and a half. I expect this to run for at least 3 with the extra water level.

 

[TechJunkie]

One thing this machine does right off the bat that impressed me is a purge; the dirty sump water is flushed with fresh water at the end of a drain cycle. This prevents anything that stayed in the backwash from affecting the next fill. With the water restrictor removed, that function is much improved and the entire 30 second flush pruges the sump of any foreign matter.

 

[TechJunkie]

After giving the spray arms a quick spin to make sure they would still move, I dumped in some phosphatey goodness, fired up the poor sucker and waited for it to fill and do at least one spray arm cycle.

This picture should give you a good idea of how high the water fills now. Lovely isn't it?

After this picture was taken, I fixed the water trapping Glad-Ware on the top rack.

 

[TechJunkie]

I have heard many things about the dual pump set-up. Almost none have been good. I have also heard that many modern machines (especially these) can not and will not handle larger chunks of food and hold them away from the wash water. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I submit this picture as partial evidence to you that the sump design of this machine can and will do just that (none of the other pictures of bigger material were focused...).

As of this post, the machine is still running, it is on Pre-Rinse 1 (of 3). Expect an update sometime around 10:30 I'm guessing.

To be continued...

 

[TechJunkie]

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming...

For those of you still waiting, the machine finished, and left a lot in the sink disposal. More than I was expecting.

 

[TechJunkie]

First thing I saw when I opened the door was a still very unclean broil tray...

 

[TechJunkie]

Strangley enough, that was the only thing that did not get fully cleaned. It has been transfered to the Tragic Chef (rebadged GE tower-wash Potscrubber) at my house. The rest of the dishes came out sparkling. Even the bottom of the broiler tray was clean...

 

[TechJunkie]

As was the baking sheet and everything else used to make wings.

The sump had a few bits of food still stuck in the pre-grind chamber.

 

[TechJunkie]

However, the area the pump draws from was clean. No particulate bypass here like the D&Ms it replaced.

No grey matter in the tea cups on the top rack either, the top spray arm must have kept them freshly supplied with rinse water. All the wing crap is ready to go back to work. This will make my boss very happy, no further clean-up needed other than the top of the broil tray.

 

[TechJunkie]

Despite the Frigmore failing to completely clean everything in the load, it more than exceeded my expectations. It prevented the dirt it did remove from re-entering the water stream, and it did it in around 2 hours, not bad for a modern dishwasher on the heavy duty cycle.

Overall, the machine has cleaned all the un-rinsed pots, pans, baking sheets, and dinner plates I've thrown at it, only being stopped tonight by some truly burned on and very stubborn gunk (that will more than likely require manual scrubbing). The tiny motor does have the advantage of not being very loud. While older more powerful dishwashers could easily do the same job faster, only one is still in production (tower-wash GE), and even that has the same cycle time now that it's water level has been geenified. The machine makes good use of it's paltry 12-16 GPM pump, and while it is no vintage KitchenAid or RR Maytag, I would say it represents a good bargain in the new appliance world. The machine is a compromise, but at that price point, how is that a surprise? For my parents, it was a compromise they were willing to make to have a "modern" styled stainless dishwasher in their renovated kitchen, and in the grand scheme of things, it seems like it was a fair deal.

 

[washer111]

Thanks!

It's great to see someone has revived the old Machines of Ill/Grand Repute thread again. I too loved the comical entities of roto204 and the descriptions he gave of his machines.

For example:
"Rather than all water being taken off through a filter, all water is instead pumped through the grid-covered pump intake at the bottom-right, as you would see in any other GE dishwasher. Large particles, like olive pits, bottle caps, and Volkswagens are kept out by the grid. The schmutz-laden water is then pumped out the wash arm, onto the dishes, and a certain percentage of it hits the back of the dishwasher, or falls down the three inches in front of it. Back there is another grate that helps to keep out tree branches and small children, and then beneath that is a sump." (2012, roto204)

I found that particular area quite funny! A filter that stops Tree branches, Volkswagens AND Small Children, you've got to be kidding!

Anyway, thanks for taking the time for writing this up

 

[iheartmaytag]

I had one of those when I bought this house. . . for about three weeks.
Now in it's defense, it was found to be improperly installed. It was a BOL mechanical timer model, and it was pretty far from the water tank. The dishes were still cold at the end of the cycle with congealed grease sticking to them. It couldn't I actually took dishes out of the machine dirtier than they went in.

It is now a mouse house in tbe garage. I would hope that the electronic timer allowed the machine to be more accurately controlled so you may not have the same experience that I had.

BTW the Maytag 300 quiet series that replaced it, though good at washing, the reliability, quality, and durability leave something to be desired.

They just don't make them like they used to. I would love to get my hands on a GSD 1200, or a Maytag Jet clean of yore.

 

[volsboy1]

My Sister has one of those in her downstairs media/kids room and I put one of those new Orbital wash arms in it and it does seem to

clean a lot better than the wash arm that was in it.Now don't expect a Vintage Maytag but it does do alot better and the wash arm is only about 30 bucks..