Why Did Older Dishwasher Have Such Enormous Motors?

[Chetlaham]

@maytaga806: Yes, I have the same issue. The dispenser is completely filled with water and the detergent tab is fully dissolved. There are even suds in the pre-rinse water. Sadly I've used many dishwashers where the dispenser becomes completely filled with water including latter model GE.

 

Whirlpool standard tubs got it right, they had a seal all the way around the main detergent lid, and the latch would force the lid to stay firmly down.

 

 

 

[maytaga806]

I know right? My portable Powerclean doesn’t even get a hint of moisture during the pre wash in the closed cup, keeps it nicely in tact til it’s time to pop open. Glad we’re not the only ones.

 

[neptunebob]

But if you use a good detergent and hot enough water..

Most of the problems everyone refers to here will not exist.  

 

My MIL is 89 and lives alone in her family house and years ago had a very expensive KitchenAid dishwasher installed there.  It did have the porcelain tub so must have been soon after the Whirlpool takeover.  

 

Recently my sister and her husband went to her house and found the dishwasher stunk of high heaven.  Some of the other neighbors came over and took the machine apart and cleaned the filters and they were all full of gross gunk.  How did it get that way?

 

My sister asked "Alice" where she kept the Cascade or Finish and she didn't know, it turns out Alice ran the machine without detergent at all. 

 

Her water heater was also turned down so that it was barely warm enough for a shower.  

 

She stocked Alice up with paper plates and utensils, bought some detergent and turned up the water heater some (telling Alice she did that and be careful), hopefully the odors will not come back.

 

Oh, and Alice did pre rinse (It seems like mostly women do this) using a lot of water and since she is on septic there were wet spots in the back yard.  

 

[Chetlaham]

You're not the only one. Modern dishwasher detergent dispensers suck.

 

The Power Clean could hold you through a pre wash thermal hold, and then dispense nice, fresh detergent for the main wash. A true marvel. The Power Clean was a perfected design in almost every way possible, a timeless classic. It could have easily stayed in production for decades more. If everyone was like me the Power Clean would in 95% of all Kitchens with Hobart Kitchen Aid type construction. Available in Polymer, Stainless Steal and Porcelain on Steal from BOLs all the way up to TOL models. Single cycle dispenser-less entry level machines all the way up to deluxe multi cycle LCD control tri dispenser multi orbital wash arm models and everything in between. Indestructible metal screw on drain check valve assembly. The module and motor would be a regularly replaceable item stocked in stores and online- as common as the direct drive motor coupler. Molex plug wire harness such that different timers, cycle fascias, escutcheons, ect can be adapted to almost any machine. 

 

The world would simply stop prewashing dishes and at 11 gallons of water per cycle on average water consumption would drop dramatically compared to modern tall tubs.

 

[neptunebob]

But Chet...

What would you have done if you were faced with our "Alice situation"?

 

[Chetlaham]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are you referring to as an Alice Situation?

 

[cfz2882]

alice situation

no detergent and insufficient water temp

 

[Chetlaham]

Turn up the temp and instruct the use of lots of detergent. I don't know how well generous detergent dosing would work for a year, so I might have to clean the sump and pump out. 

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>chetlaham:  Forgive my ignorance, but what are you referring to as an Alice Situation?</blockquote> See Reply# 81 above.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

to chetlaham

Modern dishwashers seem to have weak sprays, forcing them to run longer. In addition, dishwasher detergents and rinse aids have fragrance because food tends to stink up the dishwasher. My Bosch/Kenmore will smell like whatever food I've eaten, from blueberry pancakes and coffee to shrimp Alfredo casserole. Finish ultimate takes care of that.

 

[Chetlaham]

Jerome, your observations are correct. To wash dishes you need four things:

 

1) Mechanical energy

 

2) Chemical energy

 

3) Thermal energy

 

4) Time

 

When one or more of these are reduced others must be increased to compensate. Exception for enzymes which work in stages over time. This is why modern dishwashers spend so much time washing and rinsing to compensate for weak low pressure, low volume sprays and low thermal hold satisfaction points.

 

Modern dishwashers simply do not use enough water, and do not have the macerators, filters or large enough pumps to properly capture, grind, collect and carry away food soils. Soils accumulate within the internal parts of the machine accumulating and begining to smell over time. Modern dishwashers are not practical or capable in residential applications. 

 

 

People did not know what they had with the Power Clean Filter module and Maytag Jetclean. Even commercial dish machines with motors 1HP and over are not meant to handle un-preped dishes as food bits just accumulate on top of the sump strainer.  Commercial machines are meant to be used for fine cleaning and sanitation. 

 

 

https://www.jacksonwws.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DishStar-LT-Operation-Guide.pdf

 

 

 

Unlike a restaurant, residential users typically have the luxury of waiting an hour for their machines to complete a cycle- enough time for a machine to do pre-rinsing, scouring, coarse cleaning, soil roundup, automatic filter cleaning in addition to fine cleaning and sanitation. There is no reason why users must complete 5 steps prior to turning on their machines in order to have civilized results- ie not having stink over time.   

[this post was last edited: 8/25/2024-08:49]

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Speed Queen Dishwashers

Perhaps Speed Queen Dishwashers can use these enormous pumps for power, efficiency and effectiveness.

 

[Chetlaham]

Oh, what a dream come true that would be!