Multi-Orbit Wash Arms

[washer111]

Hi Guys,

Guess what? I've got another question for you

How did the old orbit wash systems work. I understand that the wash-arm (on GE Models) sat on a little gear, but I can't get my head around how that would work...
I know our DD uses a fixed "orbit simulating" arm, since there is a fixed pattern of holes, then (more or less) a "randomisation" of the holes.

On a side-note, the older GE dishwashers weren't really "Potscrubbers" were they? As the photos of the wash-arm I've seen show 4-5 very large holes in the arm - akin to running a hose without the sprayer fitting on full I would suppose

 

[cehalstead]

multi orbit

I had a multi orbit machine. The wash arm rotated in an ever changing pattern, not a fixed rotation. This caused the water to be sprayed on the dishes in every place imaginable, and worked quite well. This was the first dishwasher I ever used without pre-rinsing the dishes. As far as being able to scrub pots...yes, they did and quite well. I had two potscrubbers...a 1973 and a 1990, which was the one with the multi orbit wash arm. Someone else may be able to describe its action better, but that should give you an idea of how it worked.

 

[toploader55]

GE 2800

I had one in the Galley on the 100' Broward back in 1988. I would rotate it before starting and it was then I noticed how it would reach the corners of the machine on certain rotations. The wash arm support did have a gear assembly on it and as it rotated it would move around orbitally. Not like a fixed wash arm like a KA or most models for example.

Cleaned Great. Never had a issue with that model. It ran somedays 6-7 times a day. I was onboard for 7 months and never a repair. And as far as reaching the corners of the upper rack... Before I joined AW, I used to "Bob Load" before I knew there was such a thing and the results were great.

 

[appnut]

I had a GSD1200 from April 1987 until May 2007. It was a wonderful dishwasher. And I created the concept and term BobLoad while owning that dishwasher. It was an amaaing performer. I still use that machine's performance as the standard-bearer for performance to this day. (I've never gotten to use a power clean but once or twice and most everything was pretty well rinsed off so I cannot do an equal comparison). Extremely rarely did I ever have anything come out that wasn't totally clean. I used Light Soil 85% of the time (the equivalent of every other manufacturer's Normal Wash cycle at the time) and even oatmeal that had sat in the bowls for 6 or 7 days, came out clean. In all the years I owned that mahcine, I probably used Rinse & Hold less than 10 times.

 

[launderess]

Pssssssssssst!

Pipe:

GE 2800 Dishwasher Production Session

I thought this was very cute, and I remember the actual commercial so well from many years ago. The sound is not very good, and the clip is a little long (10 minutes). But it did bring back many memories. Came so close to buying this machine. Appnut, this one's for you baby.......

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[washer111]

Thanks

After reading that, I might actually understand...

Here's my idea:

The centre of the arm is attached to a gear/pinion thingy, and as the water rotates the arm, it (somehow) drives the arm around that little track the gear is on, thus moving the centre of the arm around, and result in a different action each time the machine does a complete orbit.

Or is there something I'm missing?

 

[cehalstead]

You've got it...that's the way it works...

 

[bwoods]

GE rack and pinion

As Eddie states, dishes in the corners of the upper rack in a multi-orbit system, or any GE tower wash system, come out spotless, virtually all of the time.

In agreement with what Bob says, the GE tower wash and multi-orbit tower wash are among the most consistent of dishwashers that I have tested in totally removing dried oatmeal off of bowls in the upper rack. I have to admit, Bob even exceeds me in a test of performance in this category, as he has washed 7 day old dried oatmeal. I have had loads go four or five days, but few times have I ever reached a week!

Attached is a close up of the rack and pinion in the multi-orbit arm of my GE 2800. You can't quite see it, but the water feed tube under the wash arm, to which the pinion is attached, is angled.