vintage Kitchen Aid DW for sale

[william637]

I let stuff dry in my KD-2P

Well, I let it dry by accident. Dumb-ass me forgot to get the right faucet adapter before I filled the unit with Thanksgiving dishes. So, stuff sat for a day and a half. The upper rack was filled with cups that had pumpkin soup dried in them. I don't know what it is about pumpkin, but when it dries, it is like glue. The two modern kitchen aids I have in the kitchen routinely leave this in bowls if it was allowed to dry.

Anyway - everything was removed - and early into the main wash portion of the cycle. I was thoroughly impressed.

The purge is to clear cold water out of the lines leading to the dishwasher (no need to run hot water at the sink first). Then when you consider that each fill is 2 1/3 gallons, that is a lot of thermal mass to start heating up the tank and the dishes. If you have water that is at least 140 degrees, the dishes are sufficiently warm to have removed most grease based soils by the end of the first rinse. That leaves the final rinse to give those "sparkling clean" results.

In my KDI-14 The cycle is a pre-rinse (taking the place of the purge), the main wash, and then three rinses. That is a lot of effin' water for such a small capacity. But I assure you...every thin in that small load is really effin' clean.

 

[william637]

Martin - you should so hook it up

If I were you I would go ahead and play with it. I normally put 15 AMP cords on all my dishwashers so I can plug them in anywhere. The dishwasher supply hose kits at home depot and lowe's have adapters so you can use one of the laundry supply spigots in your basement.

As far as draining with a gravity drain dishwasher in a basement - well, that is a little more cumbersome. I usually straddle my machines between two tables, add a 1 1/2" tailpiece to the drain valve, and let all of that flow into a bucket below.

Note you will need a bucket that will hold around 4 gallons, and you will have to be sure to empty it immediately after each drain (or the next one will come around and you will have a huge mess on your hands!)

 

[yogitunes]

I'll wait.....I don't want to take that maiden wash away from you.....besides, your more knowledgable of these machines and what to expect.....

in the mean time I will add a cord, and plumbing to the valve....this stuff I already have......and we can set it on top of the portable and let it drain right into the sink...

but that is one heavy little mug.....

is that 'start' button a linkage or wired to the control knob to automatically start the cycle, or do you have to bend down and click it 'on'?.....

and should there have been an insulation blanket of some sort wrapped around it?....although I am sure one can be added....

 

[william637]

The start button

I am assuming the KDC has the same sort of two-part starting system as the others.

Turning the handle will throw a lever which in turn releases the timer knob "stop"
positioner at off and advances it about 2-3 degrees. Basically, if you advance the timer manually, you can not advance it past "off" unless you unlatch and re-latch the door.

The "start" button should complete the electrical circuit so everything will fire up. Once again, this is just a guess based on the other models.

None of these units came with insulation. I wondered about that too at first, but the wash cycle is so short, there just isn't that much heat lost due to conduction with air around the unit - especially when it is embedded in a cabinet.

And you are right - those are some heavy units.

I took the drain pump on the stainless steel KD-12 apart the other night. The motor shaft turns freely, and there are no obstructions in the volute. I guess this means that the contacts are bad in the timer, or the motor itself is bad. If anybody else has some better trouble shooting ideas I am all ears.