Thoughts on adding a dishwasher to my system?

littleharbor2
littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
I've been thinking of adding a dishwasher here and wanted to ask the forum about anybody's thoughts and/or experiences This would definitely be ran as a midday opportunity load so I'm not real worried about expanding my system. Mostly wondering about issues ith heating elements and if there are brands that are more off grid friendly.

2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    We have and use a dishwasher.   It's a energy star model, and uses a no heat dry cycle.  Only use it mid-day with full sun, and it is really useful in saving water, with only about 2.5 gallons per complete cycle.  it's 120V, I would have preferred 240V to keep the inverter a bit more balanced, but it works fine
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    mike95490 said:
    We have and use a dishwasher.   It's a energy star model, and uses a no heat dry cycle.  Only use it mid-day with full sun, and it is really useful in saving water, with only about 2.5 gallons per complete cycle.  it's 120V, I would have preferred 240V to keep the inverter a bit more balanced, but it works fine
    Thanks Mike, Could you share which brand and model. I didn't know they were able to operate without the heat/dry cycle.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    We have a Bosch, close to 10 years old,
     Almost all dishwashers nowadays, have a no heat dry cycle available via a switch on the front panel
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,917 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2020 #5
    Just for a reference, especially with small homes of 2 or so people. Nothing will save water like a double sink with a 1 gallon or so tub in each sink. The rinse sink gets used for plants. This is an old sailors strategy as the ships cat got the rinse water.

    Not for everyone for sure but guaranteed to save water. The Bosch line is amazing! I still have a coffee bean grinder that my Dad gave me.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Good news on the Bosch line. As to water conservation. Here, at least, the water is brackish and seemingly unlimited. Still good conservation tips for the general, fresh water consuming folks.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • jtdiesel65
    jtdiesel65 Solar Expert Posts: 242 ✭✭✭
    #7
    We have a Bosch. If I had to get another, I wouldn't even bother looking at another brand. I did wire it on a switch in case there was phantom draw, but turns out the power switch is mechanical and there isn't any. They can have a fair amount of draw at some points in their cycles (more than 50 amps@24v). We tend to stage it's use with the laundry and vacuum unless it's full sun.  It uses water, so likely the water pump will come on when it's in use.  We have two 4024's, but with water pump, laundry, dish washer, and vacuum plus regular loads like lights all at the same time and you are starting to push on a single 4024. Not only that, you will be looking at possibly a 200a draw on your battery.  So we just stage things like this. No reason to run equipment at or near peak loads. Sounds like that is what you would do.

    The Bosch we have has a quick wash which is ~33 minutes and does a better job than using a sink. Otherwise a wash is an hour or more depending on the cycle you choose.  We don't prewash the dishes like some people do. The only draw back is that this type of unit expects you to open the door once the wash is over. This is so that the dishes will dry. When you open the door, a whole bunch of steam will be released which will drive up the humidity in the room. I'm not sure if other manufacturers are the same. IIRC, some have some type of drying cycle. Maybe that is what Mike was talking about.

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    jtdiesel65 said:
    We have a Bosch. If I had to get another, I wouldn't even bother looking at another brand. I did wire it on a switch in case there was phantom draw, but turns out the power switch is mechanical and there isn't any. They can have a fair amount of draw at some points in their cycles (more than 50 amps@24v). We tend to stage it's use with the laundry and vacuum unless it's full sun.  It uses water, so likely the water pump will come on when it's in use.  We have two 4024's, but with water pump, laundry, dish washer, and vacuum plus regular loads like lights all at the same time and you are starting to push on a single 4024. Not only that, you will be looking at possibly a 200a draw on your battery.  So we just stage things like this. No reason to run equipment at or near peak loads. Sounds like that is what you would do.

    The Bosch we have has a quick wash which is ~33 minutes and does a better job than using a sink. Otherwise a wash is an hour or more depending on the cycle you choose.  We don't prewash the dishes like some people do. The only draw back is that this type of unit expects you to open the door once the wash is over. This is so that the dishes will dry. When you open the door, a whole bunch of steam will be released which will drive up the humidity in the room. I'm not sure if other manufacturers are the same. IIRC, some have some type of drying cycle. Maybe that is what Mike was talking about.

    Thanks for the info.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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