Any use for dishwasher parts?

[subliminalurge]

We recently replaced our dishwasher and I need to schedule a pick up to get the old one hauled away.

It occured to me that I may be able to scavenge some parts off of it before it goes. I'll obviously be grabbing the motors, but is there anything else that could be useful? Would the pumps be usable for brewing? Also trying to figure out a use for the heating element (fermentation chamber?)

Mainly just looking for suggestions so I can offer SWMBO at least a half-assed explanation for why I'm filling the basement up with even more of my "junk". She already thinks I'm quite the weirdo, but this might push that perception to a whole new level...

 

[Scooby_Brew]

How about the pump? The pump + the heating element = HERMS?

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[subliminalurge]

Yeah, I'm definitely wondering about the pumps. Not sure if they're food-safe, though.

The heating element probably wouldn't be real great for a HERMS due to its size. It's a big, square ring almost the size of the whole bottom of the dishwasher. Not sure how I'd go about constructing a heat exchanger big enough for it.... That's why I was considering grabbing it for possible use in a ferm chamber.

Hmm.... Should also be some solenoid valves in there that might come in handy somewhere down the road...

 

[kpr121]

I use the racks from my old DW as bottle dryers

 

[Duckfoot]

I believe someone made a carboy / keg cleaner out of the heater / pump of a dishwasher...

Thread is somewhere on this site...

 

[Flomaster]

I believe someone made a carboy / keg cleaner out of the heater / pump of a dishwasher...

Thread is somewhere on this site...

This

-=Jason=-
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[TheBroonery]

It's worth $3 or $4 at the scrap yard. That's where they'll take it. The copper from the motor windings could get another $1 or $2 if it were separated.

Remember that the motor has be a garbage disposal of sorts for the dishwasher's drain for several years. I'd imagine you would have to disassemble and clean every part if you want it to be sanitary enough for wort.

 

[subliminalurge]

Remember that the motor has be a garbage disposal of sorts for the dishwasher's drain for several years. I'd imagine you would have to disassemble and clean every part if you want it to be sanitary enough for wort.

Definitely. Already counting on having to do some heavy duty cleaning on anything I decide to use.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Maybe use the spray arms to fly sparge?

 

[subliminalurge]

Well, just tore it down so figured I'd go ahead and report back with what I found...

First, these are amazingly simple machines. I wasn't expecting anything real complex, but I was somehow still surprised as to just how little there is to them. Basically just an electro-mechanical timer that switches a couple of pumps and a heating element off in sequence as it winds down, plus a few little safety features. The good news is that if you're the project building sort, pretty much everything but the main control switch could be useful for other projects, even if they're not brewing related.

Here's the total take:

2 pumps
1 solenoid controlled water valve
1 little electro-magnetic actuator (used to kick open the dishsoap container at the appropriate time)
1 on/off switch (no markings for current rating on it)
2 momentary switches rated for 15A at 240V ("safety" switches to shut everything down when door is opened)
1 momentary switch rated for 5A at 240V (float switch)
1 heating element
1 thermistor
1 big rat's nest of a wiring harness

And that's basically it, mount those items in a big plastic box and you've got a dishwasher.

Given that it only took 10 minutes to tear all that out with just a screwdriver and pair of pliers, I'd say it was worth the effort. Still not entirely sure what I'll end up using any of it for, but a fair portion seems like it might be handy to go ahead and throw in my "odds and ends" drawer.

I'm still iffy on whether the pumps will be useful for brewing. The bigger of the two is in a very odd housing that doesn't look like it would be possible to attach hoses to, but I still need to give it a closer looking over. Probably end up just tossing the pump part and saving the motor. The smaller one is very easy to attach tubing to, but it's a tiny little guy, not sure what it would be useful for. Dedicated whirlpool pump maybe? I dunno... Maybe the carboy cleaner idea, but the garden hose seems to be a much simpler solution for that...

Now to chop up an elecrical cord and test everything, since the dishwasher was non-working when we moved in and I don't have the slightest idea what was wrong with it.... But that's the fun part.

 

[_JP_]

Should be a float switch in the basin too. Couple that with a solenoid valve and you get set-and-forget hands off fly sparging.

 

[subliminalurge]

Should be a float switch in the basin too. Couple that with a solenoid valve and you get set-and-forget hands off fly sparging.

Yep, I got the switch part of it. The float didn't look very useable. Figured it would be easier to rig up a new float than try to adapt it.