Thread Number: 55899
GE Potscrubber GSD2800 rehab + horrifying imagery! |
[Down to Last] |
Post# 782737   9/10/2014 at 04:04 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
3    
With huge thanks in advance to Nate and Justin for making this happen~brought the Potscrubber 2800 home today and am in the middle of major cleanup and restoration at 2am!
Several good news bits: It is cosmetically in the condition I expected from the iffy pics on the sale listing. Control panel is quite nice. CONTROL PANEL DOES WORK! Machine runs! Everything is there! (But am likely going to put in a more modern non-shaded pole GE motor). But HOLINESS--this DW must've been a real disappointment in the cleanability department when it was taken out of service. True mess inside...I cannot imagine someone not taking a little time to keep their machine internally clean and working properly....pics explain: I'm either a glutton for punishment or REALLY like a machine a lot to dive into these kinds of grotty messes :D Lots of pics for the squeamish attached. I started with inside door panel. It is now gorgeous and like new. BTW...anybody know the easiest/safest way to remove the door gasket? |
|
Post# 782738 , Reply# 1   9/10/2014 at 04:12 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
|
Post# 782742 , Reply# 2   9/10/2014 at 05:21 (3,487 days old) by A440 ()   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Great find! I think most dishwashers in operation over 3 - 5 years look nasty like your GE. Blah. Great job cleaning it up! Are you going to install this in your kitchen? B |
Post# 782745 , Reply# 3   9/10/2014 at 06:20 (3,487 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 782752 , Reply# 4   9/10/2014 at 07:19 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
Inside is worse than these pics convey--they were taken after I'd gotten started. The lime crust is THICK. And is it well-adhered. Like superglue. Have had it with scraping (though it does come off easier from the tub than from filters and small parts.) Unfortunately, to do this right I really should've removed the door and heat element as this is becoming really tedious in a tight space! After a bit of sleep, I'll get up and go buy some limescale remover and just start saturating everything to help the cause along.
Have seen many newish DWs which are fully crusted everywhere. Personally, I have never let mine get to that point. All my machines are really in stellar shape. But I suppose for a 32 year old DW, things could be worse with this GE. It's mostly hard water out here which has done this...but also a lack of maintenance. You should have seen all the leaves, twigs and bugs hidden under filtration covers. The filter screens themselves are so bad you cannot see light bulb shining behind them (after I removed the thick layer of crap). This 2800 will probably go in the kitchen part time. I have a beautiful KitchenAid KUDS23 which is installed...but I think I will change out every so often just for fun. And to keep my KA from being used to death. I really want to keep it running for decades.... Is this GE at its finest? I think so. Many might argue--mostly due to these having electronic controls vs. mechanical rapid advance timer. Really, I am not much of a GE fan to be honest. Primarily because I've always run KitchenAid/Hobart (LOVE the rock solid construction and build quality along with their performance. I've just wanted one of these 2800s since I first saw one back in about 1983. Since they just do not show up all that often these days, went ahead and took a chance. |
Post# 782760 , Reply# 5   9/10/2014 at 07:48 (3,487 days old) by GadgetGary (Bristol,CT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Got mine several years ago for $100 off Ebay
GSD2800LO3 Love that machine!
View Full Size
|
Post# 782762 , Reply# 6   9/10/2014 at 07:53 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 782767 , Reply# 7   9/10/2014 at 08:06 (3,487 days old) by GadgetGary (Bristol,CT)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I dont' know the model year. I originally purchased the 2800 in 1986 and mine had the blue racks. In 1992, I had to have the KUDS22 and sold my GE2800.
My KA is still my daily driver in my kitchen, but missed the GE 2800 and found it on Ebay in MA and that is when I purchased that unit and it lives downstairs in my laundry room. This is my Daily Driver
View Full Size
|
Post# 782768 , Reply# 8   9/10/2014 at 08:09 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 782774 , Reply# 9   9/10/2014 at 08:24 (3,487 days old) by bluejay (Havre de Grace, MD)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Interesting that GE switched to the white wash arm. Is it plastic? My GSD500 was a contractor standard special from '92 (my parents had the exact same version in their house as well), but it has the stainless wash arm. Is the lime buildup from the city water? Ours has been in continuous use for 6 years and does not have build up like that. |
Post# 782776 , Reply# 10   9/10/2014 at 08:28 (3,487 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
It's sort of a similar plasticky composite like the permatuf tub. I think yours and others up to something like the next 2 or 3 models up had stainless arms...at least that's what I've seen in photos. This machine came from Tucson...not sure, but I think their water is as hard as ours is Phoenix. It takes a lot of inattentiveness to let it get like this. I've seen stainless tubs out here that are so white with the stuff it looks like a layer of sheetrock.
|
Post# 782780 , Reply# 11   9/10/2014 at 08:45 (3,487 days old) by bluejay (Havre de Grace, MD)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 782912 , Reply# 14   9/10/2014 at 22:14 (3,486 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Thanks for the input! I was actually about to go get Muriatic acid for another project but have decided to forget using it for anything--ventilation is lackluster in my place and I've got 3 pets...so I don't think I will subject myself or them to the insane fumes that stuff produces. It really would kill small animals. Luckily, the heavy deposits are limited to the 4 corners of the tub, filtration components and sump cover. I will just keep on manually going at this. The racks are stellar. There is no evidence of mineral deposit/scaling anywhere. No rack rust, either.
There is also no mould or mildew. I think this thing just sat outside for a very long time with water in it...along with decades of use with hard water. I still can't get over the stash of twigs, leaves and dead insects I found in there... What I did do today was grab another non-electronic control pot scrubber (a lowly 640) and scavenge a motor/pump and inside door panel (as the gasket on the 2800 is quite iffy). I was really hoping to find an orbital wash arm assembly in nice shape so I wouldn't have to descale yet another item...but no such luck! It did yield me, however, a factory fresh black door panel and aluminum door frame trim....that was worth it alone! |
Post# 783044 , Reply# 22   9/11/2014 at 14:29 (3,486 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 783060 , Reply# 23   9/11/2014 at 16:25 (3,486 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
I saw the scale, but had no idea as to the extent. That's impressive even for Tucson water. Our water here is hard, but tends to not be much of an issue. I suspect this is from years of crap detergent--or, not enough detergent. The lady who had it was sweet as ever, but yeah, it had clearly been outside for a year. We were all surprised when we saw it posted…and re-posted…and re-posted again. We wondered if it was coated in flu germs, or what caused it to be orphaned on Craigslist for so long. Now, I suspect, we know. She had it on the side of her house under a tarp, but it would have been nice to get it before it suffered so much collateral damage from being in the elements. I was amazed the electronics still worked.
You've done beautiful work in getting it apart and cleaned up--and great idea on the pump-snag from the 640. SteveT is right, there are magnets in that wash arm, so you must use the arm from another 2800 or keep that one for the computer to be able to sense its rotation. If there are too many deposits to allow for proper rotation, or if it's tightened down too much so it can't turn--or if the Teflon bearing underneath the arm is so-so--all of those things can contribute to a slowdown that fools the computer into thinking there is a blocked wash arm, and the machine will stop and beep. This behavior alone was what sold us on switching to a 1200. |
Post# 783064 , Reply# 24   9/11/2014 at 16:43 (3,486 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
Don't get me wrong--I am not complaining IN THE LEAST! The buildup was a surprise, but not a deterrent. You have no idea how long I'd looked for one of these...so I would have bought any one I'd found provided the control panel worked. I'm one of those who feels nothing is impossible and that most things can be saved and / or put into acceptably useable condition with a little time and love. This 2800 is one of them.
**The control panel now looks quite close to new--the black is now BLACK and touch pad shows no real use/wear. Secret: good cleaning and a few good rubdowns with WD-40...and followup with soft buffing cloths. Sexy lookin'! The only damage on control panel at all, and it's pretty hard to notice, is that the far left "rib" is missing in the vent grille. I can exacto blade one out of the 640 before I trash it. The 640 was a very, very low usage donor--I knew the wash arm situation wasn't compatible--I mostly wanted it for : door gasket, detergent cup, black panel and door trims kit and motor (the motor in the 2800 sounded tired and ratty...so here is a quick fix!). The main sump cover from 640 is also a direct fit so I can now abandon the task of scratching away the buildup on the original one in the 2800. LOADS of time saved there. Today, at some point, I am going to pull out the heating element so I can properly get to the back corners for a good descaling. It is just too hard to maneuver in there with heating rod in the way. The gearing for washarm actually seems to be just fine--although there is the usual powdery white light calcium buildup on everything. I can sort that easily enough. There doesn't seem to be wear-down on anything there which would cause a blocked arm message...but I really won't know for sure until I connect and run this thing. BTW, how do I remove the two black rubber pieces at each front corner of the tub (the ones which the door conceals when it's closed)? There is a ton of mud in them...I don't want to risk tearing them if I can avoid it. Thought maybe someone might now proper method of removal. Because you'll never see another Harvest gold 2800--here's a shot. I just wanted to see if it looked odd or not. I think this is the first harvest gold ANYTHING which is sort of appealing: |
Post# 783144 , Reply# 25   9/12/2014 at 01:55 (3,485 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
these are for? Machine has not been connected to water--I have only powered it on to test the control board and motor. Flipped machine on its back tonight and found this pair of black wires have been cut (obviously long ago...have no idea what they are supposed to do--I doubt I can source those wires with original pigtail connector...and there doesn't look to be enough of one of the wires left to connect to a splice replacement.
Any input appreciated! Photo below.
View Full Size
|
Post# 783157 , Reply# 26   9/12/2014 at 04:07 (3,485 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 783167 , Reply# 27   9/12/2014 at 05:54 (3,485 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
     
|
Post# 808825 , Reply# 28   2/11/2015 at 17:38 (3,333 days old) by funktionalart (Rison, AR)   |   | |
Checkrate/Likes
 
1    
No tears, washer111. I know how badly you want one of these machines...but thought I'd put a little update here on the 2800 I was working on.
Well, I wound up quitting the project 1984 GSD2800. Just couldn't get the tub and certain parts up to proper snuff...and that washarm sensor on the body frame was not repairable. HOWEVER....all was not lost. I came across another (model year 1988...same exterior, but chrome strip on face panel is not there--it is black). This machine had visibly little use. YAY! So the project machine became a fab donor for all the spares which will come in handy down the road. Best bit, because of all this I now have TWO working GSD2800 control panels (those things just do not exist anymore in any quantity worth mentioning). The "new" machine also had the factory envelope tucked underneath containing full wiring diagram, schematics, and control panel test procedures/code diagnoses, etc. Happy! Some pics here for you~ |