Dishwasher Water Usage Difference

If your dishwasher seems to use more water in the Light wash cycle than the Normal wash cycle on GDT/GDF/PDT/CDT/ZDT models:

• The Normal cycle uses the dirt sensor to adjust the number of fills. The Normal cycle also utilizes a series of partial fills and pump-outs to give great results while minimizing water usage. With a maximum response, there are usually 9 complete or partial fills and pump-outs.
• The Light wash cycle uses a fixed number of complete fills and pump-outs. There are usually a total of 6 complete fills and pump-outs in this cycle. Hence, water usage is actually slightly higher with the Light Wash setting.
• For example: Light wash might use 7.5 gallons and the Normal wash 5.2 gallons.

Some dishwashers uses a dirt sensor to determine water usage and run time, and a temperature sensor to adjust run time for inlet water temperature. The various cycles use the sensor information in different ways. Furthermore, the use of options will change water usage and total time as well.

The Normal cycle uses dirt sensor information to determine the number of pre-washes and temperature sensor information to determine if run time needs to be extended because of low water temperature. If you select Added Heat and have a heavily soiled load, approximately 1.3 gallons could be added to the total water usage.

Sensor information plays a much smaller role in cycles such as Light Wash, China Crystal, Speed Wash, etc. In fact, these cycles could almost be considered fixed time cycles. This means there is much less adjustment in the cycle as a result of sensor readings than there is in the Normal cycle.