Thread Number: 17258
Kitchen Aid series 17 portable 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 283461   6/5/2008 at 11:46 (5,797 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

I'm thinking of getting a portable series 17 kitchen aid dishwasher I saw for sale.

Is it really an advantage to have the full lower rack, compared to the series 18 with the split lower rack but with upper spray arm?

How noisy is noisy? Currently I have to leave the kitchen when our 1980s whirlpool portable is running. sounds like a water spitting locomotive.

My whirlpool also can be set to wash/rinse/rinse, taking 22 minutes to get a load done. 17 minutes if you skip the 2nd rinse. Do I understand correctly that after the model 17 the kitchen aid machines pause to heat the water? And that the heating can sometimes be too hot for modern enzyme detergents to work?


Is the series 17 superba a hardworking model? Would I need a new pump seal, door seal and water valve to get it going dependably? or what?

-------
I was wanting a maytag belt drive machine, saw one years ago and was impressed with the extra room and quiet operation. But elsewhere I've read that the earlier separate pump machine was even quieter. Where does one old portable maytag units, and how do they compare similar kitchen aid units?

thanks


thanks




Post# 283793 , Reply# 1   6/7/2008 at 20:30 (5,794 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Saw Dishwasher

 superba series 17

The dishwasher had a couple of problems, I'd like your opinion.

The door latch needs to be fiddled with a bit or it won't start running?

The leftmost cycle button sticks in, so when finished with the cycle one must manually pull it out to get the rapid advance mechanism to zero the timer.

The lower rack has 1 tine which is missing a 1/2" of rubber, and is thus rusted.

not much else.

Are any of these difficult things to repair on a 34 year old machine?

also, if I decide I'd rather have a series 18 or 20, can I transplant a built in unit into this case?

thanks

Post# 284082 , Reply# 2   6/9/2008 at 11:08 (5,793 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
I bought it

 It's now at home! KDS-17

It ran well. It is a lot quieter than the BOL Whirlpool portable from '92 that we've been using.

I need some help, a couple of little things.

I need to repair the lower dishrack. This one has 3 spots which are rusted. Floor runner wire is missing 1/2" and rusted, RR wheel mtg loop is missing rubber and is rusted. What is the best way to repair it?

Or I could buy a new one I suppose, however I blanch at spending $100 on a new one. Does anybody have a used lower dishrack, one of the older ones where the large plates are down the middle of the rack instead of the side?

How do you get the spray bar loose on these? Anyone have advice or a scan of a manual page? I pull up on it and it moves 3", but that can't be right.

I'm thinking of adding a SW to cutout the air blowdry heating element, like the one on the 17A. Or I could install a 17-A panel. any of those around looking for a home?

Thanks again.

Post# 284093 , Reply# 3   6/9/2008 at 12:39 (5,793 days old) by jakeseacrest (Massachusetts)        

jakeseacrest's profile picture
Congratulations on your dishwasher! I received a KDC20A portable dishwasher last week. Even though it's still in the garage, I've taken off the ugly guide bar and resanded the butcher block top. I'm still waiting for my friends to come over and move it into the house.

Post# 284094 , Reply# 4   6/9/2008 at 12:57 (5,793 days old) by jakeseacrest (Massachusetts)        

jakeseacrest's profile picture
I also spent yesterday cleaning out the filter. I found a huge chunk of glass, hair, and something plastic that had melted. I also had to remove a huge piece of plastic from the upper wash arm! God only knows how it got in there!

Post# 284106 , Reply# 5   6/9/2008 at 14:38 (5,792 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
not filtered

 Congratulations on getting a vintage machine.

So, there are series 20 portables out there? Do you have a picture of your machine?

I've read that the series 20 and 21 are the zenith of KA machines. STill made by Hobart, non-reversing motors, upper spray arm, Mild water heating for washing etc. etc. etc. In a way I'm imagining I'd prefer one of those. But how can I say that when I haven't lived with my series 17 yet?

I thought I read in a thread that the flow to the upper wash arm is not run thru the fine filter element like the lower arms flow is. So anything that can get into the drain sump will end up going to the upper arm during wash. But I'm no expert.

You must be good at disassembling these. Might I ask how one removes the lower spray arm?

The cosmetic difficulty with avocado green will need some work. I'm just not sure of my painting ability for such a large box.

Post# 284146 , Reply# 6   6/9/2008 at 17:29 (5,792 days old) by jakeseacrest (Massachusetts)        

jakeseacrest's profile picture
The lower spray arm just lifts right off and so does the filter. Very simple. The top finish was a bit old looking, so I just grabbed some sand paper and went to work. It does look a little bit better, but I need some kind of sealer for it. I also switched the panels from almond to white and I'll just wash the sides once it's upstairs. No new pics yet, but here's the seller's original link.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO jakeseacrest's LINK
Post# 284178 , Reply# 7   6/9/2008 at 22:00 (5,792 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Got spray arm off

 Your machine looks nice, I see why you removed the pull around handle.

After removing the spray arm and filter I reflected on what interesting archealogy digging into these 34 yr old things can be....Nuts, a grape cluster stem, a barcode label, human hair.

But the screen is clean now.

Next I need to put on a new plug or replace the power cord.

The door panel is a wrap around kind, doesn't slide out for replacement. Changing from green to white may take some committment.

Post# 284264 , Reply# 8   6/10/2008 at 13:04 (5,792 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Congrats on your new best-friend in the kitchen! You will love that 17 Superba once you get used to it. There is a bit of a learning curve to loading correctly so everything gets spray from that lower arm, but having plates down the middle of the lower rack and the angle of the upper rack helps a lot. Watch on eBay for a lower rack - they come up now and then. Until a replacement can be located, grab one of the rack repair kits at the appliance parts store near you. The rubber tips for the tops of rusted tines and the paint-on repair liquid is invaluable for preserving old dishwasher racks. I wish there was a place we could send these to have them re-dipped but I don't think anyone has located one yet.

Post# 284296 , Reply# 9   6/10/2008 at 15:16 (5,791 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Gansky1

 And I found it in your home town. Ann Arbor

I guess the grad students are moving out from U of M. This machine saw a LOT of students in married student housing over 34 years.

.....
But now I'm looking at a superba 22 over in grand rapids...can it be transplanted into this superba17's body? Is it worth it or would it be a crime against nature?

Post# 284918 , Reply# 10   6/13/2008 at 08:42 (5,789 days old) by mark_usa ()        

I have a superba KDS 18 that I am parting out. I still have most of the parts including the lower dishrack which you said needed to repair. Since you travelled to Ann Arbor for your machine, maybe you get out to Metro Detroit where I live. I won't be holding on to the machine much longer, so let me know mark

Post# 284947 , Reply# 11   6/13/2008 at 11:45 (5,789 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Power cord

 My KA KDS17 needs a new power cord. The original is hard enough that it no longer wraps around the takeup spool inside the machine. it also has been trampled on about 1/3 way along the length and has a broken sheath.

Anyone use a utility cord for this? Or is there some 12 ft replacement cords which can carry the 1400+ watts and still wrap around the 3" takeup reel drum?

Post# 285034 , Reply# 12   6/13/2008 at 17:28 (5,788 days old) by stevet (West Melbourne, FL)        
Oh yeah!!

 The jet dry could be the problem for sure. Run the machine without it for a few cycles and make sure your water is hot.
And if your water is on the soft side it will make the sudsing worse. Also, you could be washing off all the residual soap that may have been deposited on the tank surfaces before you got it.

If you want a rinse agent dispenser for it, they are easy to install and I have a few of them hanging around

If you use a good detergent like Cascade complete, you may not even need the rinse agent at all. make sure it is the powdered and not gel soap too.


Post# 285676 , Reply# 13   6/17/2008 at 11:45 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
pics of my 17

 here are a few pics of my 17, I spent some of the weekend working on it.

Post# 285677 , Reply# 14   6/17/2008 at 11:47 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

The front

Post# 285678 , Reply# 15   6/17/2008 at 11:48 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

I think avacado goes well with magnetic numbers. Don't you.

Here's a view of the top without the board

Post# 285679 , Reply# 16   6/17/2008 at 11:50 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

The mounting lugs on the tub top, is this a portable only thing or do built-ins come with them also?

How hard would it be to add them to a built-in to make it portable?

Post# 285681 , Reply# 17   6/17/2008 at 11:52 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

Photo showing case attachment around front

I'm guessing that this has been standardized for decades, that this 1970s case would fit a 1992 kuds22?

Post# 285682 , Reply# 18   6/17/2008 at 11:54 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

I cleaned and lubed the air dryer blower. Motor certainly could use some oil on the bushings after 34 years, right?

Post# 285683 , Reply# 19   6/17/2008 at 11:58 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

I also pulled the timer out and lubed the clock drive motors and main cam shaft with singer sewing machine oil.

The big problem was the power cord, long since gone hard and ripped outer insulation. I replaced it with a #14-3 lawn extension cord, blue/cold variety so it would wrap the 6 times around the drum easily.

Post# 285684 , Reply# 20   6/17/2008 at 12:00 (5,785 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

That's it, the machine is ready, mostly for daily work (it was being used every 3 days in married student housing at ann arbor for the last 34 years....)

I think it is much better than the whirlpool, much quieter and I like the absence of the heater in the tub.

-----------
anyone have leads/links to a similar portable into which I can stick my recently purchased KUDS220T4?

Post# 285728 , Reply# 21   6/17/2008 at 16:44 (5,784 days old) by stevet (West Melbourne, FL)        
looks do-able

 Bill, if you really wanted to put the 22 into that portable housing, I think you should be able to get it done with some patience and maybe some extra hardware. The top brackets may not be on your 22 but you can probably screw the panels right into the plate theused to keep the washarm in place. The problem with the side panels in the front is that they will NOT line up with the door hinges and evaporation channel holder as the door on the 22 is longer and the lower panel shorter than the 17. If you modify it to fit and use the stainless trim strips from the new machine, you will hide any parts of the old green panels that don't line up or that you would have to trim.
It sounds like you will know what to do so give it a try.
They did build portable 20 series units so if you find one you can use that cabinet. I am sure someone on here can verify the last model numbers of the portables that were made. I am actually at a Hobart training school so I don't have any references with me.
The 17 looks good and will probably last many more years so enjoy it.

Post# 285844 , Reply# 22   6/18/2008 at 12:34 (5,784 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

Thanks Steve,

I took a couple of pics of the 17 to show dimensions.
24" wide for sure
base plate starts at 23" dn from top
etc

Best deal is to find someone at AW.org who has a defunct portable case I can use. I like the 17 like it is.

Of course I could go with another brands case as well?

Post# 285846 , Reply# 23   6/18/2008 at 12:37 (5,784 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Any similar dim photos for a kuds22???

 Might anyone have a moment to snap some similar pics on a kuds22 to show me dimensions to expect?

or on a kuds20? kds20?

Post# 285847 , Reply# 24   6/18/2008 at 12:40 (5,784 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        
Evap channel holder

 I noticed rust on the evap channel area. any solutions suggested? Must I take case off to get hinge out to get to the channel???

thanks everyone

Post# 285947 , Reply# 25   6/18/2008 at 21:40 (5,783 days old) by fltcoils (South Bend, Indiana)        

Steve,

The bottom panel comes with the superba 22 I'm getting,
see Thread# 17323

so, couldn't I just use that with the kds17 box to trim out the front? I also downloaded the plist for the kuds61 from KA site, box is PNs:
E-242004-2 LH side
E-242004-1 RH side
E-241992-1 LH side
etc etc.

Of course, what I really is a doner unit from some junk pile around here in goatfarmer land.

Also, in a 2006 thread (I can't find it right now)
Hobart kit pns were mentioned, but I'm at a loss to find listings for Hobart repair offices.

other thread text:
"Do the right thing! You cannot purchase the shaft seal kits anywhere but from Whirlpool or from Hobart. As a Hobart Tech, I would strongly recommend you get them from your local Hobart office. Since the 15,16,and 17 series use the same seal and drain impeller kits use this number:
P/N 117011 Current Hobart list is $27.80
Since the 18,19 and 20 series use the same kits, use this number:
P/N 435102 Current Hobart list is $47.60

These are HOBART numbers and will not cross over with the Whirlpool numbers. What I like about these kits is that you are getting the benefit of a commercial style drain impeller which will give longer life in the 15 kit and in the 18/19/20 kit, you will get a drain impeller which has larger vanes on it and will drain the unit faster and more completely."


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