Whirlpool Ultrawash Powerclean Question

[qsd-dan]

Did these come in stainless steel or just white and black?

When was the last year the "Power Scour" option was available (I think it was this generation)?

 

[maytaga806]

The power scour was just another name for the Hi temp wash. I used one at a neighbors house that had it.

Yes they came in stainless steel. Several different variety’s. The mid 90s Ultrawash came in a stainless steel exterior, towards the 2000s they made an Elite version & it had a stainless steel tub and came in a white black or stainless steel exterior. Several Kitchenaids had a stainless steel exterior. There was several of the whirlpool models that came with a stainless exterior to choose from, but I’ve only ever seen the stainless be offered from the late 90s to the end of the whirlpool branded Powerclean production. There was even a quiet partner two with the most recent tower style wash system available in white black or stainless steel exterior I used to have one.

 

[vacerator]

We had the model 940. Thee was a 920, and a 960.

 

[qsd-dan]

The power scour was just another name for the Hi temp wash. I used one at a neighbors house that had it.

Yes they came in stainless steel. Several different variety’s. The mid 90s Ultrawash came in a stainless steel exterior, towards the 2000s they made an Elite version & it had a stainless steel tub and came in a white black or stainless steel exterior. Several Kitchenaids had a stainless steel exterior. There was several of the whirlpool models that came with a stainless exterior to choose from, but I’ve only ever seen the stainless be offered from the late 90s to the end of the whirlpool branded Powerclean production. There was even a quiet partner two with the most recent tower style wash system available in white black or stainless steel exterior I used to have one.

Ah, thank you!

I want a machine with the cutlery rack (which is an option for the machine on the left) as I do lots of cooking and use a bunch of knives. Putting them face down in the silverware rack eventually punches holes through them no matter how carful one is. Laying them in the upper/lower racks cuts them up. From my research, the machine on the right eliminated the cutlery rack for that generation.

Here's what I'm looking for:

A TOL Whirlpool model with the silverware basket in the door (more space on the lower rack)
Cutlery rack (I don't care if it's in the door or attached to the upper rack).
Rear feed tube design (no spray towers!!!).

Unfortunately, all of my appliances are stainless steel but I could get away with a black model if it contains all options that I want. Most UW/PC available are white 'cause people are "upgrading" to lesser junk due to appearance. A handful are black, very little stainless steel models available because they look modern therefore are kept until total failure (most of the time).

 

[maytaga806]

I would suggest a whirlpool gold Powerclean then for your desires. It’ll have the basket in the door and possibly a long items holder above on the door but it’s rare cause people throw them out and a great bonus for the Gold models are the upper tiered rack that has a long lengthwise cup shelf, which the Kenmore models had at that time and exclusively for the gold model it’ll have fold down tines top and bottom rack, as well as clips for small light items. Any of these gold models will have the direct feed system because they have the upper tiered rack which can only support the direct fed wash arm. My whirlpool Powerclean came with the basic flat rack and I bought a used upper tiered rack on eBay and that was the best thing I bought for it since all the cups are on a slant in the rack the water doesn’t sit on top of them as much. Also, if you get one of these Gold models and it doesn’t have the utensil holder on the door above the silverware basket you can buy a long items basket off eBay that clips to the front of the top rack which was for the Kenmore models but it must be the one that has the Kenmore logo for it as they made one other one that was for the older models with the flat upper rack and that one won’t fit on the tiered rack. And yes, items still get clean in it. The last photo is of a Kenmore with the long items holder clipped to the top rack if you ever get one and need one I can’t find any right on eBay but they usually come up often

 

[qsd-dan]

Thanks, I found these brochures that Pete kindly scanned back in 2011 a few days ago. Looks like the GU980SCG is the one I'm looking for (also want a Sani Rinse option). There's quite a few control boards available on Ebay, too, that I'll tuck away after confirming they're properly functional.

https://automaticwasher.org/threads/first-time-scanning.32730/

 

[Chetlaham]

Dan, I can't thank you enough for the link.


Whirlpool should have never bothered with the dura-wash and simply moved the power clean down to the the rocker like Maytag did with their Jet-Cleans. Maytag got it right with the Jet-Clean line.

 

[Chetlaham]

This is how I imagine an absolute BOL Power Clean Filter Module. Notice the double water valves.

 

[vacerator]

We had the Whirlpool Gold model 940 I believe from 1999-2000. It performed well, but was no Quiet Partner. By 2009, it wouldn't change from Normal cycle. We used it two more years. It only cost $400 new.

 

[Chetlaham]

We had the Whirlpool Gold model 940 I believe from 1999-2000. It performed well, but was no Quiet Partner. By 2009, it wouldn't change from Normal cycle. We used it two more years. It only cost $400 new.

Sounds like a possible touch membrane issue. IMO timers are far more reliable.

A small amount of cost cutting like an EM timer, no thermal holds, and simple cycles would have brought down the cost even more.

The Whirlpool Power Clean Filter module was a dangerous machine because for the low cost it gave the consumer more cleaning than any dishwasher produced before or after.

 

[vacerator]

Sounds like a possible touch membrane issue. IMO timers are far more reliable.

A small amount of cost cutting like an EM timer, no thermal holds, and simple cycles would have brought down the cost even more.

The Whirlpool Power Clean Filter module was a dangerous machine because for the low cost it gave the consumer more cleaning than any dishwasher produced before or after.

Timer board was all electronic.

 

[Chetlaham]

Timer board was all electronic.

Thats a no in my book.

A well built 48 increment 7.5 degree timer with no delay intervals and no SIS can last for decades with daily use.

 

[Chetlaham]

I would suggest a whirlpool gold Powerclean then for your desires. It’ll have the basket in the door and possibly a long items holder above on the door but it’s rare cause people throw them out and a great bonus for the Gold models are the upper tiered rack that has a long lengthwise cup shelf, which the Kenmore models had at that time and exclusively for the gold model it’ll have fold down tines top and bottom rack, as well as clips for small light items. Any of these gold models will have the direct feed system because they have the upper tiered rack which can only support the direct fed wash arm. My whirlpool Powerclean came with the basic flat rack and I bought a used upper tiered rack on eBay and that was the best thing I bought for it since all the cups are on a slant in the rack the water doesn’t sit on top of them as much. Also, if you get one of these Gold models and it doesn’t have the utensil holder on the door above the silverware basket you can buy a long items basket off eBay that clips to the front of the top rack which was for the Kenmore models but it must be the one that has the Kenmore logo for it as they made one other one that was for the older models with the flat upper rack and that one won’t fit on the tiered rack. And yes, items still get clean in it. The last photo is of a Kenmore with the long items holder clipped to the top rack if you ever get one and need one I can’t find any right on eBay but they usually come up often

Question- why is the upper wash arm black? All the ones I've seen were grey.

The flat rack vs a tiered rack is a bit of debate for me, both have their pros and cons onto each other but I do lean for the tiered rack.

 

[maytaga806]

Question- why is the upper wash arm black? All the ones I've seen were grey.

The flat rack vs a tiered rack is a bit of debate for me, both have their pros and cons onto each other but I do lean for the tiered rack.

that arm is from my old 09 Maytag that we threw out and I saved the racks, unfortunately the upper rack didn’t fit in this machine but the upper arms from the point voyagers is the same upper arm for the direct feed powercleans only difference is that the jet holes are smaller and it has more holes underneath for better propulsion and targets the silverware baskets better. The original arm this dishwasher had was gray and I recently bought a whole new spray arm & manifold kit for the new upper rack since the original parts were pretty worn out and stained. It had the original rubber manifold tube that goes to the spray arm they don’t make those like that anymore which is a good thing cause it was moldy.