Need an efficient dishwasher

JetMech
JetMech Solar Expert Posts: 71 ✭✭✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
I need to get a new dishwasher and would like to make sure it’s highly efficient. What should I look for, do they have efficiency ratings or is Energy Star enough?
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    Energy Star is your best bet.

    Solar heated hot water is the next step. The dishwashers have electric heaters, that kick in, if the feed water is not hot enough. The soaps don't work in tepid water either.
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  • JetMech
    JetMech Solar Expert Posts: 71 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    Thanks. A solar hot water heater is in the future, hopefully by summer time.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    you know this was going to be said. the only efficient dish washers are people though that is quickly changing it seems.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #5
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    When I looked at Energy Star dishwashers a couple years ago--because of the internal heaters for water and drying--One load in the average washer seemed to be about equivalent to the daily kWhr rating of a home refrigerator.

    We did eventually install a dishwasher in our kitchen upgrade--but have actually never used it yet because it seemed so much easier (and cheaper) to just had wash and dry our dishes.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Brock
    Brock Solar Expert Posts: 639 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    Our old one would vary from about 200w to over 1200w for the whole cycle. Our water was hot enough that the element wouldn't kick in (I think it needs to be 130F or higher) unless you hit the high-temp wash cycle or the sanitary final rinse (180F), we could turn the end of cycle drying on or off. I tended to run it without the high temp washing and very rarely used the heated drying, it was a pain to shut it off for every cycle though but worth it energy wise. I did however use the sanitary rinse, with the kids I thought it was worth it, it used about an extra 100w so we ended up just less than 300w per cycle. That was with a 5 or so year old Frigidaire Gallery. I don’t believe it was energy star rated, our new one is but isn’t installed yet.
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  • JetMech
    JetMech Solar Expert Posts: 71 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    I've been running our old one, before it died, without the heated dry to save on electricity. I didn't realize until today when I tried to revive it that the element would turn on at the beginning of the cycle because the water wasn't hot enough. Maybe I'll bump up the hot water heater a bit as it's a high efficiency Energy Star model. The wife's been telling me the water is never hot enough anyway...:roll:
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    A willing spouse??? Or perhaps a willing child?

    Icarus
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  • JetMech
    JetMech Solar Expert Posts: 71 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    Hah, not likely. With 5 of us there are too many dishes each day. And whatever the bill is, it's worth it to save the aggrevation.
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  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Need an efficient dishwasher

    I bought and installed a new Energy-Star Sears Kenmore DW last summer. The previous ~11 year-old model model died (bad pump), and the new units are MUCH quieter. It's rated at 448 kWh/yr -- virtually identical to my fridge, and confirmation of Bill's previous comment comparing the two.

    A couple of details:

    (1) I don't know the baseline load factor (loads per week). With our "boys" away, the new DW runs about 5X/week, which I suspect is somewhat below baseline.
    (2) I don't know if the energy rating is for the unit alone or if it includes energy required to heat the water from the tank (~120 F) to the required operating temerature (~140 F). I assume the latter.
    (3) I also assume the energy spec is based on air-drying (opening th door) and with the drying element turned off.

    HTH,
    Jim / crewzer
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