Walker built-in dishwasher with sink in Mich

[kevin313]

I've seen something like this before with a sink that had a built in dishwasher, but I've not heard of Walker electrical dishwashers. Something from the 30s?

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/atq/3018489949.html

 

[Unimatic1140]

OMG that is so cool and so rare.  I wish they posted images of the inside of the dishwasher so we know if the racks are still there.

 

[lebron]

Hey robert im just wondering how you and others combine the individual photos into one seamless image

 

[turquoisedude]

Oh Mike.... I think this is calling you....

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hey robert im just wondering how you and others combine the individual photos into one seamless image

Hey Jed, its all Photoshop. I just download each image and combine them to make one image.

 

[Unimatic1140]

I emailed the seller and got some "money shots" as I was considering purchasing it. Unfortuatnely it appears the racks are missing which is a big disappointment, but the impeller is cool!

 

[Unimatic1140]

It looks like the drain plunger handle might be missing too, but that could be replaced relatively easy...

 

[tomturbomatic]

The impeller is broken also.

 

[dishwashercrazy]

Robert,

I have just written the sellers too.

Should you decide to pass, I will try to buy this Walker for my growing Electric Sink collection.

Mike

 

[Unimatic1140]

Mike its all yours, after seeing the fact the racks are missing I lost interest. Hopefully a set of racks will show up someday! Good luck with this, hopefully you will get it!

 

[dishwashercrazy]

Thanks Robert, I will see what kind of answer I get back from the sellers.

I think it is definitely worth going after - likely, another possible "last known to exist" Electric Sink.

Mike

 

[chris74]

I would love to know...

...how this impeller thing was working. Has the sink to be filled with water up to the edge and then the water will just swirl around? There are no spray nozzles...

 

[revvinkevin]

 
 
 The impeller does pretty much the same thing as the spray nozzles in a wash-arm, it delivers water at high velocity toward the dishes to clean them.   The whole tank is NOT filled with water... like a regular dishwasher there are 3 - 6 gallons in the bottom.   The impeller spins at high speed, like any pump or fan, which flings the water up when it comes in contact with the impeller.
 
There are a number of videos on Youtube which show this type of machine (like this one)

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I hops this helps!
Kevin
 

 

[dishwashercrazy]

I believe that John, the seller, and I, have agreed that I will be buying the Walker Sink/Dishwasher, minus the faucet. More to come later.

Mike

 

[kevin313]

I'm so glad you're getting this!! Enjoy your travel to St. Clair (if you are picking this item up) - the weather is beautiful in this part of Michigan right now and St. Clair is a charming water town - within spittin' distance of our Canadian neighbors.

 

[petek]

Literally spitting distance from my place.. about 20 mi downriver

 

[toploader55]

In New Jersey... My Town Wood-Ridge

Back in the early 30's and 40's , there was a developement that was called "Sunshine City". They featured in there Model Homes, were "Walker Electric Sink" This was a extremely Major Upgrade and another feature in a "Sunshine City Home" was a Twin Laundry Tub with Hook ups for a Wringer Washer and .... A Automatic Feeding Coal Furnace.

I have been looking for a link to show in this chronology but have no luck so far.

 

[chris74]

Thanks @ Revvinkevin

@ Unimatic: So I hope you will find the missing parts as the rack. I guess it will be hard work to get it functioning again...

 

[tomturbomatic]

I think Kev meant 6 quarts of water or less to fill it.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Tom, something that old wouldn't use THAT little water, just a gallon or so per fill, would it??   That would be like the current modern dishwashers that wash with "a cup of water" and only operate one spray arm at a time, right?

 

I know the older "spray arm" dishwashers take on what, 3 - 4 gallons per fill?   I know my Kitchenaid KDA-5 does.   Do these impeller dishwashers use that much less?

 

Kevin

 

[mrcleanjeans]

The KD-5 uses about 2.3 gallons per fill. Old impeller machines did use only 1 to 1.5 gallons per fill. The only spray arm DWs that used 3 gallons per fill were the older Maytags in the 70s and some Westinghouse machines. Frigidaires from 1965 to 1980 may have also.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Kevin, From the owner's manual for a power shower Mobile Maid, each fill is 14.5 PINTS. 2 pints per quart and 4 quarts per gallon so 7 quarts + 1 cup means not quite 2 gallons per fill.

From the owner's manual for one of the GE automatic top loading builtin dishwashers often paired with a sink, each fill was a gallon.

From the specs of Robert's 1950 WH rollout with the aluminum impeller, each fill used 7 quarts of water.

From the specs for his APEX Dish-A-Matic,another impeller machine, each fill is 1.5 gallons.

From the owner's manual for the 1956 Hotpoint impeller dishwasher, each fill is 6 quarts of water.

From the owner's manual for the Westinghouse SUC24 series from the early 60s, courtesy of Steve D as in Dishwasher, each fill used 2 gallons of water. These were the ones with the tall Bakelite impeller.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Oh,the GE Potscrubber II also used 3 gallons per fill. Most other DWs in the 70s used 2.3-2.5 gallons per fill.

 

[badgerdx]

I was just at the Plumbing museum outside of Boston, MA...and I believe they featured a Walker very similar to this (it did have the racks)...