Thread Number: 26461
Dishwasher and Low Water pressure 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 406191   1/15/2010 at 06:11 (5,207 days old) by seeitrun2006 (Commerce, GA)        

My elderly parents have a GE Nautilus (POS) dishwasher bought from Home Depot about 3~4 years ago. They are on a well with sucky water pressure. When I go down to help them 2~3 times a week (cook, clean etc.) I always use the Dishwasher. However every time I use it I have to poor a gallon of hot water into it for it to have enough water in it to wash and again to rinse. I literally stand there watching the timer as it goes thru the cycles.

Is there a cheap but good dishwasher that works good in low water pressure?

They had a BOL Maytag Jetclean dishwasher (the ones with that had the fire hazard) which was replaced with the POS GE. The Maytag cleaned like a trojan even with the low water pressure. They had a belt drive Maytag Jetclean DW from 1976 till sometime in the late 1990's. Once again low water pressure didn't effect it's cleaning.

My 80 year old Dad thinks Dishwashers are useless and use too much hot water. Of course he has never washed a dish since I was born 53 years ago either. He can't even run the clothes washer or dryer. GEEZ!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Peace,
David




Post# 406203 , Reply# 1   1/15/2010 at 07:46 (5,207 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

I'd say it's better to get to the root of the problem.
Better designed wells often have a pressure tank to store some water and boost pressure; this keep the well pump from short-cycling. The better ones (water tanks) have a diphragm such that the air and water don't mix. These work by using pressurized air in a "bag" to force the water out of the tank when there is demand for water, but not enough demand to trigger the pump. Also protects pipes from too much pressure which can happen (without such tank) when the tap is closed and the pump is still running.

Hope this helps.


Too bad manufacturers dont add a 2nf float and go to a "metered" water fill [use then 2nd one as a safety] instead of a timed fill.

Actually if there were a simple option on the new "computerized" DW-ers [those that don't have a mechanical timer], all it would have to do is ensure enough time for a fill such that the (safety) float-switch were engaged every time.

If you want to get creative you can juice the inlet solenoid directly via a momentary-cotact switch to achieve the same result, just be sure the float switch is still in series such that it will still protect from overfilling.

Le voila


oh and tell papa that DW-ers use FAR less water than hand washing, and degrease far better than humans can. There are also literally 100x fewer germs on machine-washed dishes. But that (the germs thingie) in the long-run means very little.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO toggleswitch2's LINK
Post# 406247 , Reply# 2   1/15/2010 at 12:33 (5,207 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)        
Uh, that was not my experience of it at all...........

 Of course, I am on city water, and have decent pressure. My dishwasher is a GE Nautilus, and I am very pleased with its performance.


Toggle's suggestion of a pressure tank is a great one. If there is one already, it could need to be serviced.



Lawrence/Maytagbear

Post# 406286 , Reply# 3   1/15/2010 at 15:14 (5,207 days old) by seeitrun2006 (Commerce, GA)        
Surge tank

 They have a surge tank on their pump. However the well is app. 1500 feet from their house. He has county water that runs directly in front of their house. If he would turn loose of some money and tie onto it he would not have pressure problems. He's afraid it will rupture his water lines. As I explained to him you can install a pressure regulator.

I have told him a million times of the water savings using a DW. But he refuses to listen. You know at 80 years old sometimess its just not worth arguing with him. He has been this way all his life. Squeeze a nickel till it gives birth to triplets. He's so tight he doesn't want my mother (who has mild to moderate dementia) to use her gas clothes dryer! It will never change!

My Dad has COPD with moderate emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Since my Dad will absolutly not quit smoking I guess he needs the money to fund his addiction and the pulmonary doctor bills. The doc keeps telling him "want to live longer quit smoking", "want to die sooner keep on smoking".

Thanks for the advice.

Post# 406287 , Reply# 4   1/15/2010 at 15:18 (5,207 days old) by yogitunes (New Jersey)        

yogitunes's profile picture
You should try to adjust the well's pressure.....I was shown how to do this by the Maytag repairman....simple turn of 2 screws.....I HAVE HIGH PRESSURE

fills the Speed Queen solid tub in 90 seconds

I can run 3 washers, 2 dishwashers, 3 showers, and water the lawn ALL at the same time and not lose pressure

Post# 406298 , Reply# 5   1/15/2010 at 16:16 (5,207 days old) by thor (Buenos Aires)        
Water flow restrictor

Most solenoid water valves include a water pressure regulator (flow restrictor) in the inlet body, sitting right behind the mesh filter. Unscrew the water line, remove mesh filter and with long nose pliers or a small flat screw driver remove the water restrictor from the valve. Reinstall the mesh filter and screw the hose back. This should solve your problem. Just for storing it, tape the flow restrictor to the back of the DW.

Just in case, after doing this remain close to the dishwasher during the whole run of the first wash cycle.

Post# 406300 , Reply# 6   1/15/2010 at 16:20 (5,207 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

~He has county water that runs directly in front of their house. If he would turn loose of some money and tie onto it he would not have pressure problems.

One can't fix cheap, miserly or stingy. It was ponted out to me that people who are this way tend to be so also with their emotions; held back, non-demonstative, cold, unemotional.

"MY-SERY" (beign a miser) and "MI-SERY" (having misery) are pretty close and interconnected, n'est-ce pas?


Post# 406304 , Reply# 7   1/15/2010 at 16:27 (5,207 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

A coworker's mother FINALLY got to use the air-conditioner IN FLORIDA when her hubby was bed-ridden. She also bought a dryer because lifting the garage door at her age to get to the clotherline was becoming an issue.

Love the attitude of cheap men towards their wives. Serve me and take care of me, but don't use any modern conveniences that cost money. If I were her I'd say: "Here ya go Mr. Man, go hang the clothes outside to dry. Be sure to wait until the neighbors will notice. See how fast he changes his tune. Or ask him to wash the dishes. Straight men are generally convinced that washing a dish will cause their, yeah that, to fall off. HA!

Post# 406307 , Reply# 8   1/15/2010 at 17:11 (5,207 days old) by seeitrun2006 (Commerce, GA)        
Too funny!

 I'm straight, the oldest of 4 kids. I have washed dishes, clothes and cleaned house from my childhood until now at 53 years of age. My job after school was to start the washing machine, practice piano, load the dryer and start supper before my Mom got home from work. At the time my brothers were too young to help out. My sister who is two years younger then me would not do anything if you held a gun to her head.

My 2 younger brothers are identical twins. They were jocks in high school and eventually became firemen. They never were made to help in the house growing up. I oftern referred to them as the "golden boys" of the family.

To date neither of my brothers can literually function without their wives. My sister had to change her ways as far as house work is concerned. She learned that clean clothes just do not appear in a drawer.

But bottom line is what my Mom taught me years ago about house work has come full circle with me taking care of them now old and in bad health. My siblings have no clue what to do for them. They don't even call and ask about my parents unless they need something or they can't find them at home.

Simply amazing!

Post# 406403 , Reply# 9   1/16/2010 at 08:25 (5,206 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

ok, old generation st8 men. LOL

It still melts my heart to see today's daddies changing diapers and nurturing their kids. Vast improvement over the last generation!

Post# 406424 , Reply# 10   1/16/2010 at 09:17 (5,206 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)        
Water Level Control

 mrb627's profile picture
Back in the late 80's. I designed a holding circuit for my parents GE dishwasher. It was in the circuit with the water valve and the float switch. When the water valve was energized, the holding relay would engage and keep the valve energized until the float switch broke the circuit. Worked pretty well.

Malcolm

Post# 406513 , Reply# 11   1/16/2010 at 14:07 (5,206 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

I know some people who live in the Texas Hill country who are on well water. They have a pump connected to a windmill type of thing. The water is pumped up a hill to a limestone cistern, that's what they call it. It's pretty big. The water then is piped down the hill to the house. The house has really great water pressure. Out in that part of Texas, this is a pretty popular set up. The underground springs in that area are really pretty crystal clear so only minimal filtration is needed.

Post# 406525 , Reply# 12   1/16/2010 at 14:57 (5,206 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

I cant offer a suggestion for a US Dishwasher, but over here all machines use a pressure switch to control the fill levels. You get the same amount of water every time. When I first heard that US Dishwashers are time fill only, I couldnt believe it.

My dad sounds about like the some of the other dads on here, I grew up on a property that required Mum to mow almost 4 acres of grass and in summer it could need doing twice a week. When Mum fell pregnant with me, Dad bought her a ride on mower so that she could keep mowing up until she went into labour. Once I was born, he sold it and she went back to pushmowing because she supposedly didn't need the rideon anymore :)

I'm amazed that it took another 15 years for them to get divorced :D

Post# 406744 , Reply# 13   1/17/2010 at 06:48 (5,205 days old) by thor (Buenos Aires)        
Solenoid valves

 brisnat81, solenoid fill valves actually include a very clever device that keeps water flow constant regadless of the supplied water pressure, within a wide range. This is achieved by the pressure regulator, a very simple device which progressively restricts water flow as supply water pressure increases.

The water supply pressure range is quite ample, and the water flow remains quite steady, regardless of the incoming water pressure (if it falls within this pressure range).

This is why most dishwasher manufactures just use a time fill cycle timer (electronic or mechanical), because it's assured that the DW will get the correct amount of water in the time assigned for the water filling phase, assuming the pressure of the supply falls withing the correct pressure range.


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