Questions about a Waste-King dishwasher

[bradfordwhite]

That chrome and wood looks incredible Paul. Great job.

 

[appnut]

Paul, you're gonna make me cry!!

 

[ozzie908]

Would it be worth fitting a relay

to the heater circuit to save the timer contacts?

Don't think we had anything that nice looking back then DW were luxury items.

 

[turquoisedude]

Thermostat

I extracted the high-limit thermostat from the Waste-King Universal dishwasher today. I am guessing it should be on until the desired temperature is reached and it will then click off; further assuming that the timer will stop running and pause the dishwasher until the final rinse water reaches 165 degrees (per the user book I have).
It's a Klixon, looks like their model 20400F. Waste-King's part number is 0070644.
Naturally, the parts are not coming up anywhere...
My thinking is that perhaps a KitchenAid high-limit thermostat may be a good substitute. Does that sound reasonable? Anyone know the KA or equivalent Whirlpool part number??

 

[turquoisedude]

Finishing up the Waste-King Universal dishwasher work

I had it stuck in my thick head that the thermostat was not good because it tested 'open'. Looking through service documentation for it and other dishwashers, it finally dawned on me that the thermostat here was meant to close when the desired temperature was reached. So I tested it with a pan of hot water and a VOM. Hot water made it click and current was flowing. I chose not to beat myself too badly for getting this wrong.
Today, I re-installed the thermostat and re-connected.
[this post was last edited: 6/11/2023-17:41]

 

[turquoisedude]

I had to test it...
My source hot water was probably not all that hot - I was running house hot water tgrough the garden hose in Ogden.
In the 2nd rinse, the dishwasher filled, the timer clicked one increment, then the dishwasher paused with just the heater running. It took 21 minutes but the thermostat clicked and the 2nd rinse continued. I didn't think to check the output water temp, but it was frickin' hot!
The timer advanced to dry and shut off normally.
So, I have a 'new' dishwasher to try out at some point soon!!
If I didn't have the 66 turquoise Frigidaire Custom Imperial in the kitchen in St-Liboire, I'd have been seriously considering the Waste-King. It still may wind up there at some point...who knows...

 

[appnut]

Congratulations Paul. Don't beat yourself up please!!! Sometimes it takes a while for something to sink in. I look forward to the time when you will be using this in real lie situation. My predominant dishware was purchased at the firs Houston Major Dept. Store tht put a suburban stone in a brand new mall. As per the grand opening of the store, they featured a big sale on the dishes. And mom, the LK Combo house next door, and the house across the street (with the Westinghouse kitchen, the L110 washer, and gold sunburst timer frog eye Kenmore dryer all went for the grand opening and bought the same dishes. Since you've been working on this dishwasher, I cannot tell you how many times I am taken right back to October/November 1961 when these were acquired and were what was put in this dishwasher. Most prominantly were the cereal bowls in the two back angled corners.

 

[bradfordwhite]

Good going Paul! You got it.

I would def. test the water temp and make sure it isn't too high.
Too high of temp can really take their toll on these hard to replace parts.

I hope it works great for you.

 

[bajaespuma]

Interesting racks; nice front/control panels

The bottom rack looks like the kind of racks used in Pull-out dishwashers. Why is the bottom rack hanging on the top rack runners?

 

Also, how are those wood panels secured to the door? I like that there's no visible metal trim, but usually that's necessary.

 

Could you post some close-up pics of those dispensers, they look unusual. I remember with my Aunt Sona's Waster King dishwasher which was of a similar vintage (but it was a BOL) the detergent dispenser was just a cup with no cover; I guess it was just for measuring. The control dial looked like yours; no buttons. Also, I remember that she had difficulty in closing the door; either it was very heavy or maybe one of the springs had broken and they didn't realize it. Aunt Sona had a hard life so a dishwasher that was hard to close was the least of her daily challenges.

 

[appnut]

Ken, the two racks are inepenent of each other. The bottom rack pulls out freely and the upper rack remains in place.

Friens from church (who live at the end of our street) ha the BOL like your aunt had. There was no pre wash. (This family also had a matching 1954 GE washer & dryer).

 

[tomturbomatic]

Like the early Hotpoint dishwashers and the late 50s Frigidaire dishwashers until the redesign in the mid 60s, these Waste Kings had a friction fit door without a latch so getting the door closed was a forceful operation. The friend who had one used to do the "bump" with her hip to make sure it was closed.

 

[turquoisedude]

WK detergent dispensers

Ken, here's a picture of the detergent dispenser on the Waste King Universal dishwasher.  There are 3 sections - an 'open' section below a dual divided and covered cup.  The open section is shown in the first picture - this was intended for use during the pre-wash for heavy food soils.   The dispenser is divided into 2 sections, each holding about 1 1/2 tablespoons of detergent per the user booklet (2nd picture).  The cover of the closed cup will fully open in the main wash part of the cycle and dispense both doses of detergent.  I'm guessing the double dose was intended for heavy soil or very hard water (which this machine seems to have been exposed to).   

 

I didn't attempt to remove the wood panel from the main door, but I'd have to guess that it is attached to the door liner by the screws seen on the outer edges of the inner door.  Fearing that I may loosen the wood, I left it alone!  Although the lower panel has metal brackets that were notched into the wood to attach to the dishwasher frame.