New in Crate GE RA -949

[jakins]

I saw this in shoppers square last month and bought it. Had a fun road trip this weekend to pick it up.
here are a few pics of the unpacking. I don't know how this was stored for the pas 7 decades, but they did it right. all rubber is still soft and pliable, even the hoses are in good shape just dirty.
More pics to come.

 

[parunner58]

That is amazing. I would love to see it running. Someone here posted the instructions on running it a few years ago, to me sounds like fun. Where in Kissimmee are you, I live over in Davenport FL about 30 minutes from Kissimmee.

Growing up I lived within walking distance of a Franchised GE store. It was owned by a older family and the wife was really nice and took a liking to me so she would answer a 13 year old's questions. They had a replacement impeller on the counter and she was impressed I knew what it was for, this was back in the early 70's.

 

[sudsmaster]

Wow.

 

I had no idea that dishwashers were once relatively simple cylinders like that. I guess it makes some sense, since dishes are generally round.

 

But look at them today: generally square bits that fit under counters.

 

 

[DADoES]

 
I can only imagine the thrill of that sort of find!

 

[appnut]

Rich, think about it. I don't think the round shape has anything to do with dishes being round. More like wringer washers were common. Even if cabinet was rectangular, the cavity for loading dishes was round/circular. Think of Youngstown Jet Tower dishwashers, Apex, Westinghouse, GE Electric Sinks. All top loading.

 

[jakins]

RA-949 Use and Care Guide

 

[scoots]

Deepest congratulations on your purchase. Literally, once in a lifetime. Thanks also for generously sharing your printed material and photos.

 

[jakins]

A look under her skirt

Not much to see here.

 

[sudsmaster]

Bob,

 

The round shape of old dishwashers probably had more to do with the thinking that since the wash arms went in circles, then so should the cabinets be circular. However this seems to have been a wrong conclusion, as modern dishwashers with square cabinets, inside and outside, do just fine with circular wash arms. And have done fine for at least 20 years now.

 

Now, it may be that those dishwashers with square cabinets had some sort of valving to adjust the spray to reach the interior corners better. But I don't really think so. The spray seems to be strong enough on my square Bosch dishwasher to reach all parts on the inside. And it's over 20 years old, too. Had to replace the pump on it after about 10 years, but since then it's been performing great.

 

There is the telltale of water making a louder sound when it hits the flat surfaces, but on the Bosch it's minimal.

 

[potatochips]

This is a really cool find. Congrats!

 

[ea56]

Congratulations of such a rare and delightful score!

I’ll be interested in your observations about using it. Reading through the instructions it sure sounds like a lot of steps to remember. I wonder how housewives of that time liked using these machines. I suppose the novelty of them would have overridden the complicated process.

Hope that you will enjoy using this pristine piece of appliance history, its a real gem.

Eddie

 

[tomturbomatic]

This portable, with its steps for ensuring a hot water fill, was way ahead of most other dishwashers of its time.

 

[jakins]

Round tub

As with any other impeller wash system dishwasher once you know how to load them, they do a great job. I also use Cascade Boil Out still. have also used STPP with modern pods. The steps on sound like a lot of work, but in practice are not that bad as you are usually doing other in the kitchen cleanup as it is doing the dishes. You Don't need to stand over it and wait for the next step. I also find for a vintage dishwasher you don't need to keep to the 5 min wash. heavy soiled pots pans and dishes you just let it wash longer. also, I find this tub is great for large stock pots and sheet pans as the top rack lifts out easy and they fit fine.

One other thing I took a good picture of the sticker on the front. My husband cleaned it up and we are having a magnet made of it. It will be like a magnet that a business would put on a pickup truck door. We are still waiting on the quote from the printer but if there are any other RA-949 owners that would want one just let me know.

Just a note on the condition. I thought I would have to replace some rubber seals and hoses. Everything is just like new watertight and fully functional.100 percent.
usable.

 

[gredmondson]

For a short time, when I was maybe seven years old, we had this very dishwasher. I remember that the top was not porcelain; it was painted, and when the dishwasher had very hot water in it, the top got hot, too, and the paint softened. Someone in the family cratched the top when it was running, and eventually all the paint on the top was removed, and it showed the metal underneath. It was not automatic. There was a switch you had to move, I gues from impeller motion to draining. We moved from that house in 1959, and that dishwasher was long gone before we moved. The new house had a builtin Hotpoint dishwasher with a stainless steel front panel.

 

[frigidaireguy]

When I was a child one of our neighbors had this dishwasher. Jerry Gay one of our AW members also had this machine. He ended up giving it to someone. He liked using it.

Bob

 

[dishwasherfan]

What a rare find.

Congrats on your purchase & thanks for all the great photos, including the use & care guide.