Hot Sink

knee jerk response here. Have you used a temp gage t make sure they are the same?

To the touch they might feel close but in actuality are not.

I really dunno, but feel a temp gage (or two) would help.

I am waiting anxiously to see what the Learned Men have to say 'bout this one!

cr3

Do the two sinks hold the same volume of water? Silly question

Regards JD.

Hi, yes they have the same volume, never a silly question. I was talking to my room mate (OHH Female) and she did agree with me. She was the one who wanted to post the question. She pointed out, that the soapy side, would stay hotter for almost a hour longer. She does the dishes once in awhile, did I say once in awhile. How about awhile. This question should be posted to the geeks at Software & Programming. Soft hands and all.

I did not do the experiment (my wife will suspect that I am compensating for some or other offence if I suddenly do the dishes by hand)

The soap in the water attach themselves with their tails in the air and act as an insulator therefore the plates and the sink will not heat up that much. The clean water will loose more heat too the plates and the sink and should cool of faster.

There is an important point:

Does this occur when you only fill the sinks and wait, or do you always transfer dishes from sink to sink?

Your dishes have a lot of mass and will absorb plenty heat from the soapy side.

<The soap in the water attach themselves with their tails in the air and act as an insulator therefore the plates and the sink will not heat up that much. The clean water will loose more heat too the plates and the sink and should cool of faster.>

That is it!

Maybe also these to add:

• Dining Room much warmer--from where dishes came.
• Washing place Cooler. Maybe a ventilaling exhaust fan remains on here.
• Inadvertantly -you added some fresh cold water while rinsing.

If the volumes are the same then the only thing I can think of is that the soap suds act as an insulator, and slows down the dissipation of surface heat. Need a chemist I think to answer this one?

Regards JD.

The "R" value of soap, could it be that high? We are talking many "Cs" difference and many KJoules. Now its worth the time and effort of a few temperature gauges and a timer.

I like this too. The bubbles are not unlike a styrofoam - airfilled insulators. With heat wanting to rise and vice versa this layer of insulation proves, by your accounts and I agree, to be quite effective

cr3

Sorry old chap...not my field of expertise

pussy footing about?

regards JD.

Try filling both basins with the same amount of hot water, at the same temperature but don't add any detergent. If they no longer cool at different rates then you know its the detergent

Al

I believe it was in Readers Digest a few years back. There was a short article saying that coffee with creamer retained heat longer than coffee without creamer.

Can't remember the explanation. I'll have to dig up the issue but I don't know what year and month it was.

Might this be the same effect?

swap the sinks, see if the same thing happens...or not.

"When I fill both sinks with the same temperature of water, hot. The rinse water cools off in about half the time as the wash."

Now pull the other leg, it has bells on it!

There is some data or information not being made available.

It is possible the hot wash sink is insulated and the rinse sink is not. Personally I rinse the dishes under a small stream of hot water and set in rack to air dry. Uses 1/2 as much hot water.

Now tell us the rest of the story.

Hi Striling Stan, just checked under the sink, and both look identical. I'll try the reverse, use the one on the left for the soapy water and the one one the right for rinse. I have my racks on the left side so its a little more work. But for you who like bells,we shall see. Try this for yourself, or have someone less sceptic to try. Its all fun until some gets an eye out!

Hi All

If the wash sink is indeed covered with suds (a thick white layer of soap bubbles), it acts as an insulator physically preventing the main method of heat dissipation from the sink - water evaporation. dHVap of water is the highest parameter relevant here.

The same "tactic" keeps a Cappuccino warmer in its glass longer than an Espresso.

Avner

It also means you're using too much detergent.

Great answer!

I am always intrigued by the impact that foams have on processing. For example draining the stantionary tub full of soapy water versus draining clean water.

I suspect that is why antifoams are used widely in industrial situations.

And the dishes are always rinsed in clean water.

Is it possible that the soap film on the surface retards evaporation (evaporative cooling)?

I think the suds act as an inuslating blanket.

The soap and the crud in the wash side will help the water stay hotter longer. The particles in the water will reduce the radiant heat loss.

You can test this with coffee or tea. One with cream and one with out both the same temperature the clearer liquid will cool faster.

Just for the record: JD made the suds insulate remark back at #5

Further to my suds remark, there have been some interesting observations posted. First I have assume the wash basins are pressed steel, and as such will dissipate heat, but as they are in a cabinet? underneath, and due to the lack of air circulation, the loss of heat will be slow, the other points raised are radiant heat, clear water verses dirty water, and the other point is convective heat which allows heat to rise to the top, thinking further to this last point, one could consider that the plates in the water, and food morsel's could disturb the convection and there by slow circulation of water too the surface and hence heat loss? and dirty water not radiating heat is also a good point.

Regards JD.

Pay attention to how much agitation versus aeration each sink may be getting. If the rinse gets dipped and re-dipped your exposing more surface area of the water to the cooler air. It will cool faster.