whirlpool dishwashers

[gelaundry4ever]

Hello everybody. I am curious about the Whirlpool dishwashers. What types of detergent and rinse aid dispensers did they use? How were they designed. I noticed that the more modern ones are squared. What about the vintage ones? Why do they run the pump while filling? How did they sound when filling up and running at the same time? What was the control panel layout? How did you start the dishwasher? How did you latch and unlatch it? What was so great about them? What style of motors did they use? Please explain.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zWQQjV3wbU

 

[gelaundry4ever]

correction.

How were they designed?

 

[wayupnorth]

My next door neighbors have one that looks almost like mine, but theirs has a separate spray arm for the top rack and mine has the tube thru the silverware basket. I could care less about who or what it was designed around as long as it works and cleans the dishes. And its not nice to like your own comments......

 

[midcentnurse]

There really is a difference in how southern people talk to one another and how people from the north talk. Not knocking anyone it's interesting to see such cultural differences between different parts of the country.

 

[murando531]

Weren't most of your questions answered with the video you linked?

 

[gelaundry4ever]

dishwasher designs

Is it true that Whirlpool dishwashers had a latch that you had to pull down to lock the door or did they have the latch that locks when you move it sideways. I know they had dishwashers that would lock the door automatically when you close it. I am talking about the ones that you had to lock manually. Did Wirlpool ever use rounded detergent dispensers in their dishwashes or did they always stick to squared dispensers? What was the cycle layout on the control panel? I am referring to the buttons on the left side. I believe with these types of dishwashers, you had to pull the dial to start it after you twisted it to the start position.I haven't seen these vintage dishwashers in person for years and years.

 

[seedub]

I recall that on my Grandfather's 1982 machine, one pressed a button on the left for Cycle A, B, C , or D; then turned the timer dial on the right to the position marked with that letter. The dial may even have stopped when reaching the selected position. Pulling the knob out started the machine. When the cycle was complete, the knob pushed itself back in. His had the square, flip-top soap dispenser and the door-mounted silverware basket. That machine had a different fill operation from the one in the video: after draining, it would begin filling with the motor still running. After 10 seconds, the motor would shut off for several seconds, then start up again and continue running throughout the fill sequence. My guess is that was to dump out any cold water entering in, for a true "hot start". The brief pause might be so it could move from drain mode to wash mode? The mechanical experts can say whether that's correct.

Until around 1978, possibly earlier, the door was latched by pushing down on a latch located in the middle of the control panel. Pulling on the latch lifted it upward and outward.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

whirlpool dishwasher

So I guess before '78 Whirlpool used rounded dispensers. I could be wrong. Also, They have a telltale sound when filling with water with the pump running. It sounds like it is not to be messed with. They had serious cleaning power.

 

[seedub]

I don't recall. In 1975, the subdivision in which I lived began installing BOL WP washers but I can *NOT* recall what the detergent dispenser looked like in those. In 2001, I visited an early 70s apartment house that had that model DW installed. That 25-year old machine was quietly, smoothly doing a load of dishes when I walked in, sounding like it was new.