Thread Number: 66169
/ Tag: Vintage Dishwashers
Demise of impeller dishwashers |
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Post# 888063 , Reply# 1   7/4/2016 at 11:01 (2,824 days old) by turquoisedude (.)   |   | |
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I don't know if it was patent that kept the impellers in dishwashers for so long, I think it may have had more to do with the design of the machines. I guess that trial and error led manufacturers to believe that the impeller was the most practical way to propel water around the wash tub at the time; I am surprised at how well an impeller actually does at moving water!
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Post# 888093 , Reply# 3   7/4/2016 at 16:04 (2,824 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 888101 , Reply# 4   7/4/2016 at 16:38 (2,824 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Shows us why and how impeller dishwashers left much to be desired:
More about those dishwashers here: www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/T... Basically impeller dishwashers were a crap shoot; each load would wash differently depending upon such factors as placement of items, what was being washed, and so forth. Unlike spray arms, there is no real direction of water with impellers; water is simply shot up and out from the bottom of tub to land where it may, or may not. Without recirculating systems the same water (often laden with muck) was flung about leaving things coated with yibbles. |
Post# 888104 , Reply# 5   7/4/2016 at 17:44 (2,824 days old) by warmsecondrinse (Fort Lee, NJ)   |   | |
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Thanks for the info and links. Looks very cool and a lot of fun, but am not sure I could handle a 'crap shoot' for a daily driver.
Jim |
Post# 888119 , Reply# 6   7/4/2016 at 19:48 (2,824 days old) by cuffs054 (MONTICELLO, GA)   |   | |
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Launderess, what is the strong looking spray at the back of the tub? It doesn't seem to move like the rest of the water. |
Post# 888138 , Reply# 7   7/4/2016 at 23:08 (2,824 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Am not an expert on those dishwashers, am sure someone will come along sooner or later and explain.
Perhaps simply could be a result of how the dishes are loaded. Looking at a vintage advert for a Kenmore version apparently there were baffles placed inside the tub to direct water. www.automaticwasher.org/TD/AWJPEG... Looking at the size of impeller and motor on that GE it likely could move water quite forcefully. www.automaticwasher.org/TD/AWJPEG... |
Post# 888191 , Reply# 10   7/5/2016 at 08:51 (2,824 days old) by turquoisedude (.)   |   | |
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I'm somewhat (OK, completely...) biased about impeller-wash dishwashers. I grew up with a Westinghouse-built one and I guess what I learned as a brat was how to load it properly. When the '56 GE was installed down in Ogden, it was like a trip down memory lane. At first, I was paranoid about food scraps so I rinsed everything before loading. I abandoned that practice fairly quickly... LOL I do admit that I will give really messy dishes a scrape before loading and although I wash pots and pans in the GE, I know darned well that anything baked on isn't going to come off in a typical cycle.
I remember the first time I saw my ol' GE run - it seemed pretty darn powerful to me!
There is one fairly obvious weak point, however - the middle of the dishwasher. Notice how the spray goes around this and never really sends water right down. Yet, the cutlery basket of the '56 GE is in the middle and stuff gets clean IF properly loaded. GE made the right decision to move the cutlery basket to the front part of the upper rack when the metal bow-tie impeller machines debuted in 1957. And yes, even I have to admit that my '57 Mobile Maid does better on cutlery than the '56. But I'm still biased... LOL |