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Ask Slashdot: Any Dishwasher Hackers Out There?

Posted by timothy on from the never-threaten-a-dishwasher dept.

New submitter writes: I just replaced my dishwasher with a basic, inexpensive Sears model. It works fine, but only has 3 different wash cycles. I'm betting that the code to manage more cycles (as in more-expensive models) is already in the microcontroller and just needs inputs to select it. Is there any information available on this? Beyond dishwashers, have you done any useful hacks to household appliances more generally? I'd probably support a Kickstarter project that adds nice wireless notifications to my oven, clothes washer, and dishwasher.

7 of 481 comments (clear)

  1. Not needed by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you need more than three different cycles, you're doing it wrong. Try not leaving cruddy dishes accumulate for so long (or do them by hand in the first place).

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    1. Re:Not needed by thegarbz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      or do them by hand in the first place

      Why would you do them by hand? You need to put in effort, stack them to dry, you waste far more water than a modern dishwater ever will and not to mention time.

  2. The regulations have destryed Dishwashers by xtronics · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The reason they suck is they now have very weak motors - to change that out is not an easy modification. One can change the computer to use enough water.

    People are washing on the long cycles and multiple times - using a lot of water in the sink rinsing so they will get clean - the regs are not doing what they think.

    I wish I could have the Maytag I bought in 1986 - it worked really well.

    They have destroyed Dishwashers, Washing machines, water-heaters, shower heads (they did improve conditioners. )

    I just want the government to stay the F*** out of my life.

  3. if you're making such a request by iggymanz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You could post the model of dishwasher. Or better, use the online repair manuals to expose the controller and read & report what model SOC it uses and what support chips. c'mon!

  4. Re:Won't work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok. So cite us some examples of hardware that has been uncrippled EXCLUSIVELY through a software update.

    There's an oscilloscope manufacturer that ships an upgrade from 1 GB to 2 GB memory through email by sending a code.

  5. Re:Won't work by sjames · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Towards the beginning of a new model, the parts are often binned due to failing a test. As they work out the bugs in production, you become increasingly likely to find a perfectly good part that was disabled to meet supply requirements only.

  6. Re:Won't work by rew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Of course there is a waste ink part that needs emptying.
    So: "Waste ink receptacle full" is a reasonable error message. Designing it in such a way that it is (with some trouble) exchangeable should be quite possible without increasing cost.

    But "having" that counter, the incentive is for the manufacturer to take big margins on when to call it "full".