OK, I'm drawn slit down the middle about my brand new KitchenAid dishwasher

[geoff]

OK, let me start answering questions..

Hi Jim, yes it is a Tall Tub.. To those who have mentioned using it, I truly think Cascade Complete really is the best I've ever used.. There seems to be nothing it WON'T clean. Eugene, the filters on the KA are in plain view so if I have to clean them it looks like it would be pretty easy, Although the hydro sweep has jets aimed at the filter keeping it clean. The Maytag was a nightmare, when the filters clogged you had to take the whole thing apart and soak it then rinse it till everything dislodged. The KA is VERY quiet. Although, when I first got it home I ran it before I installed it and you could hear all the jets beating against the SS tub. I was shocked. You can hear a lot of water action before it's installed. once it's installed, it's quiet as hell...

 

[frigilux]

Funny, I always thought hell would be noisy, LOL!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Laundress, the dishwashers designed for optimum performance with enzyme detergents have longer wash cycles to give the detergents time to work as the water is heated. Most older dishwashers did not have very long wash periods so results with the enzyme detergents, somewhat cooler wash water, but shorter wash would have to be investigated. I think John did recommend one of those tablet formulations to a customer with a KDS-14; told him to skip the detergent dispenser and just put the thing in the silverware basket. That way it would have the prewash and main wash to dissolve the detergent layers.

Without any bleaching action, some stains will persist and plastic tubs will begin to look bad. That is why the little bottle of bleach is sold by the rinse agents, but you don't need it if you use a chlorintated detergent at least once in a while. John uses an enzyme based detergent in the first wash and a chlorinated detergent in the second wash with his 80s vintage KitchenAid and WP dishwashers. He reports good cleaning results. I do not have energy for that and just buy the chlorinated baking soda fresh gel so that I don't have fruity smelling plastics at the end of the cycle. I make sure I bleed the hot water lines before running the KDS-18 or the Kenmore Ultra Wash so that I have at least 140 degree water for the wash fills. Both machines were designed to operate with 140 degree water so the cycle is not abnormally long.

 

[toggleswitch]

Great to see you posting, sir!

Geoff:

Glad your KA is fabulous! You deserve a good one!
I simply believe mine was a first-round TT with design weaknesses, or maybe just a lemon of its own accord.
It is good to know I can pick-up a WP/Sears Kenmore /KitchenAid in the future and be happy with it!
I like my lower MOL GE for cleaning results but the loading is not my favorite. Even the room-mate has said he liked the KA racking better. That speaks volumes since he does not care about these things.

 

[tlee618]

Tom, what brand of dishwasher detergent do you use that is a
chlorinated baking soda fresh gel? Thanks Terry

 

[geoff]

Hi Steve

Thanks!!! I almost didn't get one because everytime I looked at one I would get this picture in my head of that baking sheet that was in yours for 2 hours and looked no different LOL. I still remember that day! But, I decided to throw caution to the wind and I am SO glad I did.. I still wish you had better luck with yours

 

[geoff]

Terry

I think Palmolive is chlorinated with "Baking Soda Fresh" scent..

 

[tlee618]

Thanks for the information Geoff, I'll check it out. Terry

 

[tomturbomatic]

Terry, It's in a blue bottle, but I think Electrasol or Cascade has a similar non-floral product.

 

[jaytag]

Hot Water to start

On the note of water temp, I find that if I run the water in the sink to get it hot (being in a draught zone, I do capture and bottle the water) and then turn on the dishwasher it does help the wash action. Many times if you just turn on the unit, the water is cold going in. It saves time and energy and improves the wash.

 

[stevet]

Why RUN the water?

Now is the question above seem like a dumb question coming from me? Have any of you considered this alternatvie to water waste?

If anyone has the luck of living in a home with a basement below the kitchen and has reasonable accessd to their plumbing lines, You can avoid all the water waste by simply running a return line back to your water heater.

Yes there are recirculating pumps with fancy mixing valves that send the heated water back thru the cold water lines but you can accomplish the same effect for practically free.

If you can gain access to the piping below the dishwasher, you can run a return line from that supply line back to the hot water heater and the water in the line will be warm to hot due to the natural convection currents set up by the difference between the hot and cold water in that line.

The return line should be 1/2 the size of the supply line and go back to the heater and connect at the bottom of the heater where the drain valve is. You would have to remove the valve, install a nipple and a tee where the vavle was and then connect the return line to the tee with a check vlave in line to prevent the water from flowing from the tee back to the dishwasher.And then reconnect the drain valve. WHile you are at it, replace the plastic piece of crap the heater came with and install a 3/4" ball valve with a garden hose adapter so when you drain your heater as recommended by the manufacturer, it will now have a full flowing ball valve instead of that stupid thing it came with that has the infamous popout washer that dislodges and makes the valve leak.

Needless to say, while you are working on the HW lines, it would be wise to insulate the supply and return lines so there is less heat loss. If your setup allows it, you can also or instead, do the return line setup from the furthest sink or tub/shower back to the heater as long as the kitchen is in that loop and have the hot water ready at all points, otherwise you may have to settle with just doing it for the dishwasher/kitchen sink line.

I hd my uncle do this years ago and he hasnt complained about cold water from the hot water fasucets anymore. He ran it to the dishwasher supply and back and gained the instant hot water in his bathroom which was first in the line as his second floor tenants even benefitted from it as they were before the dishwasher too.

Guys, give it a try and let us know.

If you are on a slab.. well then you may have to go with the circulator system. They work and will accomplish the same thing but with more cost.

Even if you cannot sweat pipes, you can use the softer, flexibe copper tubing with compression fittings or even Pex if you can get it where it withstands 200 degrees. Easier to work with and can still be installed neatly by just about anyone.