Dish water water usage

[Deucenut]

I have a KitchenAid drawer dishwasher in my 2008 dutchstar. If everyone never used it but only had the coach for a year and the hot water didn’t work(long story but that’s repaired now).

Does anyone know:
1) how much water the dishwasher uses for a “normal” cycle? Trying to figure out if washing dishes by hand in the sink uses less water.

2) how long does the “normal” cycle take to go through?

I know there’s tons of people out there who have them and NEVER use them. I figure we have it, why not use it instead of wash by hand!! Thanks for the help.

[BFlinn181]

I know I'm not in the majority here of folks, my wife and I argue about the issue in our home, too. I think it takes longer to load and unload the DW than just do them by hand. With just two of us, the DW could hold many days worth of dishes before it's a full load. In an RV, I think the DW takes up valuable (and often limited) storage space in the kitchen. Also, we take limited sets of dishes and utensils, it's not like we need place settings for 8 while on the road.

You didn't mention a model number, but a look at a couple KitchenAid drawer dishwasher manuals, and they didn't mention water use. The models I looked at had various settings that would change water use and times to cycle. I also noticed that they suggest if it takes multiple days to fill it, you should run the rinse cycle (sometimes multiple times) before it's full and ready for a full wash. That would influence water consumption.

Over the years backpacking and tent camping, we could wash dishes and pans in a dishpan with an inch of water for wash, a second for rinse, then a final spray rinse from a gallon jug with a spray nozzle. Total water use, about 1.5 gallons. Brushing teeth was accomplished with a cup of water a person.

How much water you use to do dishes by hand depends a lot on personal behavior. To just run water to wash or rinse is much more wasteful than using the stopper and careful use of rinse water. Putting soapy dishes in the drying rack and spray them with the sprayer is less wasteful than using a full stream to rinse individually and then put in the rack.

You could test the DW water consumption by filling the water tank, run the DW through a cycle, then refill the tank using gallon jugs to measure how much you need to top it off again.

[Lloyd in S.C.]

Unless your going to un-install the dishwasher and convert to a cabinet,,,, the point on whether to have one is already decided.

Our 2008 coach has a FisherPaycal drawer type. For the 2 of us, it nicely holds dishes for 3 meals a day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner,,,, then we run it in the evening. Pretty difficult to measure the water, however no matter if it is full, or has one dish it uses the same amount of water. So it works very well for us.

Not sure we would have ordered a dishwasher. However the coach had it, and we use it daily. It does a great job, very quite as well. If we were to buy a new coach, we would order one, we like it.

L.

[Forkyfork]

Most drawer dishwashers use 3 gal per load. There is a kitchenaid that uses less.
We use a dishpan and dump in the black tank and know we use 3 gallons for just the morning dishes.

My son did a project in school to determine what is faster and which one uses less water.

We don't pre rinse we scrape the large bits off in the trash because we have septic. If you are OCD and prewash before putting in dishwasher you are doing the same job twice which is not necessary to get the job done, you don't count. lol

Even handling the dishes twice when putting in sink and then putting them in the dishwasher was still less time. If you keep up and put your dishes directly into the washer instead of the sink it takes even less time.

When you hand wash it takes less time to air dry in a rack but then you are still handling them again as if they were being taken out of the dish washer. When you dry your dishes by hand it takes longer.

Hand washing uses more water compared to a full size washer.

The gubberment has put together a little linkey with this info as well. Doing the project was more fun though. .https://www.energystar.gov/products/...r_hand_washing

[Crasher]

We used to use the DW and it does use less water than hand washing does. The DW just decided to hand wash again which gives us the option of putting Dawn dishwater down the toilet, which extends the grey tank while helping to clean the black tank. The dishwasher now stores our clean dishes and is more convenient than in the overhead storage, so no space lost.

[Deucenut]

Thank you for the responses. Those that responded, do you use the dishwasher when you’re dry camping?

[Lloyd in S.C.]

Yes, but we run it less. Use paper plates etc.

[Yosemite77]

Before using the dishwasher, I would suggest that you carefully inspect the gasket. Some say that not using a dishwasher will lead to the gasket drying out. In any case gaskets dry out with age. Leaks happen.

[Quincy]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I know I'm not in the majority here of folks, my wife and I argue about the issue in our home, too. I think it takes longer to load and unload the DW than just do them by hand. With just two of us, the DW could hold many days worth of dishes before it's a full load. In an RV, I think the DW takes up valuable (and often limited) storage space in the kitchen. Also, we take limited sets of dishes and utensils, it's not like we need place settings for 8 while on the road.

You didn't mention a model number, but a look at a couple KitchenAid drawer dishwasher manuals, and they didn't mention water use. The models I looked at had various settings that would change water use and times to cycle. I also noticed that they suggest if it takes multiple days to fill it, you should run the rinse cycle (sometimes multiple times) before it's full and ready for a full wash. That would influence water consumption.

Over the years backpacking and tent camping, we could wash dishes and pans in a dishpan with an inch of water for wash, a second for rinse, then a final spray rinse from a gallon jug with a spray nozzle. Total water use, about 1.5 gallons. Brushing teeth was accomplished with a cup of water a person.

How much water you use to do dishes by hand depends a lot on personal behavior. To just run water to wash or rinse is much more wasteful than using the stopper and careful use of rinse water. Putting soapy dishes in the drying rack and spray them with the sprayer is less wasteful than using a full stream to rinse individually and then put in the rack.

You could test the DW water consumption by filling the water tank, run the DW through a cycle, then refill the tank using gallon jugs to measure how much you need to top it off again.

OK Bob! First, why are you arguing with the DW about dish washing in the first place. Two words apply here... YES DEAR!!! No argument just YES DEAR!

For the past 43 years I have taken the passive "lead from behind" policy for everything inside the house. Happily I say let her decide all of that and marriage will be blissful.

[vwd]

We had a drawer type in our Allegro Bus. Really liked it. Used the 30 minute quick cycle. Also used the sanitary cycle for hotter water. If the pump does not run, when you first use it, you may have to remove pump rotor and clean rust off the rotor. This can be done easily from the top with no tools.

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by Deucenut

Thank you for the responses. Those that responded, do you use the dishwasher when you’re dry camping?

Not usually no. Maybe if only planned to dry camp a couple days. Or if breaking camp the next day and we know ample room in the tank.