12-03-2009, 07:49 PM
jimmypoo wrote:
Health Department wants 140-150 for rinse water in a dishwasher that doesn't heat, with a dedicated
water heater linked to NOTHING ELSE (this was 10 years or so ago). I don't imagine that has changed much. And that requirement was stupid for a dishwasher using chlorine based cleaners, when I could
fill a sink and drop in a tab or 2 capfuls of bleach and THAT was also good enough (no temp requirement).
Not really a bad requirement, because in a dishwasher without its own heat, the rinse cycle water is all tap, and does not benefit from those chlorine based cleaners used during the cleaning cycle. The amount of chlorine or other bacteria control left in the water by the time it hits the pipes feeding your place is only good to control, not eliminate bacteria. It will not necessarily be "freshly chlorinated". Hence they want it to be at least 140, and kill off most bugs by itself.