Questions about a KitchenAid KD10 dishwasher.

[turquoisedude]

So, now that we are in a new "restoration season", I thought I'd kick it off with some work on KitchenAid KD10 dishwasher.  It is a model I have always wanted, as it was the first KA home dishwasher and it really did set the standard for dishwashers yet to be.

I had some electrical issues with this one (well, when don't I??). Timer motor crapped out on me, drain solenoid went KAPOW, and the cord to the dry heater/blower assembly sizzled out. That was the easy stuff... I tried putting some water in today and, not unexpectedly, there were a few drips and dribbles  which means I will need to do some replacing of gaskets, etc...

So, first question - does anyone have service information and a parts list for a KD10?  I have some info on the KD12 models but wasn't sure if that was relevant.

Second question: is it possible that there were KD10s without the 2-position upper rack or is mine just missing something?

Third question: I thought the wash arm in the KD10 was black. Mine is white. Could it have been painted??

Also now wondering if there would be a way to add a drain pump to this machine...I had an idea of how to power an independent drain pump but I realize after today's water tests it won't work...

 

EDIT: sorry about the sideways pix...posting from my phone today...

 

[sfh074]

Oh dear goodness .....

Those are the tv trays I grew up with in your first pic! That really brought back a flood of memories.

 

[combo52]

KD-10 DW

Hi Paul, that is a VERY early model, the first ones had one position top racks, chromed of course and a white wash arm, where did yours come from, looks to be in good condition.

 

I have lots of parts and knowledge about KD-10s, I have never seen a Manuel for them and the main pump is completely different from the KD11 and on.

 

John L.

 

[toploader55]

Hi.

Is that the machine from Chatham ?

Here's a link from around the time Robert put the window in his KD-12

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?17694[this post was last edited: 5/4/2020-06:05]

 

[stevet]

Memory Lane!

Thanks for that link, Ed. That was and still is good reading and a great chronicle of Robert's talents.
If you look at when Swazey shuts off the machine, there is barely any water above the filters. There should have been much more water in it as the machine was designed to run with the water level just below the overflow cap. That is probably why the wash arm was not spinning as fast as we are used to seeing it perform.

Having worked on so many UM machines, the KD10-14's Daddy, I saw washarms in Black, Blue and rust but don't ever recall any white ones. Just for the record, Hobart painted them in "Egyptian Blue," In the commercial line with the metal pump components, they came in a silver or blue color. It was many years ago that my aunt had a KD10 but I think it came with the black metal pump housing and had the horizontal motor. The next iteration all had the vertical pump setup that we are far more familiar with.

 

[swestoyz]

Paul - I have some scanned parts lists for the 10. I'll shoot you a PM.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the chrome racks on this super early 10!

Ben

 

[rollermatic]

hi paul

i added a drain pump to my kd-12, just went on ebay and bought a cheap washer drain pump and connected it via hose to the gravity drain output on the kitchenaid. i forget how i wired it, think i used a relay to turn it on and off, powered by the electrical supply to the drain valve, i think. it's been a few years ago and i haven't used that machine in awhile. if i remember right connecting the hose to the pump was the trickiest thing to do, a few trips to home depot on that one! take care.

 

[mattl]

I've got one of these sitting in my basement.  Played with it a bit. If I recall the drain solenoid is powered on during wash and off to drain - correct?  Since it's in the basement a gravity drain will not work  but I do have the pump from an old GE dishwasher I will hook up someday.  Mine seems fully functional, only ran it a time or two with a sump pump hose to a floor drain.

 

[turquoisedude]

I had thought that I could cleverly power a drain pump off the solenoid also however watching the machine operate with water in it, I realized that the solenoid is energized during the fill and wash parts of the cycle to close the drain valve....  So powering a pump off the solenoid circuit wouldn't do me much good!   I'm still thinking...which can be dangerous as we all know!

 

[combo52]

Drain Pump For A KA KD-10

To convert a gravity Drain machine to a electric pump you can use a relay like Pete mentioned in a post above, or change the timer to one that came from a KD-10 that came from the factory with an electric drain pump.

John L.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Paul just use a reversing relay to power the pump during the drain cycle like this one...

https://amzn.to/2ypZU05

I use these relays all the time in my custom machines.

https://amzn.to/2ypZU05

 

[rollermatic]

that's how i did mine

used a relay in reverse mode since the solonoid shuts off for the drain instead of kicking on. i buy small 120 volt relays on ebay all the time for projects. it's an easy fix, i looked at mine last nite, not using it these days but the drain pump i attached and the relay are still there on it. think i got the pump from a frigidaire gallery front load washer i had, either that or again i bought it on ebay. washer pumps are plentiful and cheap!