Electricans - Dishwasher power supply code/safety question

[Colin Len]

Not garage related, but electrical related - so I apologize if this should be in off topic, I wasn't 100% sure where to put it.

I'm replacing a poorly performing dishwasher in my new house and after having to remove 3 floor tiles to get it out am now wondering about the way the old one was wired and whether I should hook the new one up the same way or if it needs to be changed. When I pulled the old one out last night I saw that the electrical connection was simply some romex pulled thru the drywall and hooked to the washer with wire nuts. This struck me as odd and possibly not right, but this is the first time I've replaced a dishwasher so I have no experience in this arena. Here's a pic:




Judging by the dishwasher wiring kits that are sold at Home Depot it seems the normal installation setup is for a power cable to be spliced into the dishwasher and then plugged into an outlet behind the dishwasher. And it is my understanding that it's not OK for romex to simply be loose outside of the wall. If the way it is now is OK then I have no problem just installing the new washer the same way, but if this is not up to code and/or it's unsafe I have no problem installing an outlet in the wall and doing it right. There has been a lot of ghetto work done on this house so I'm trying to correct as many of those things as possible as I fix it up.

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[justsam]

First, I am not an electrician so please wait for one to reply.

I would install a receptacle as you suggest, however it may be perfectly acceptable to hardwire if manufacturer so states. I assume your new dishwasher will have a standard grounded plug so they will match. Keep in mind the receptacle must be accessible, so it can not be directly behind the DW but under the sink where it can be reached.

I am not sure if current code requires the DW to be on a separate circuit. I know my home built in 2006 it is on it's own circuit.

By the way, you will be surprised how quiet the newer dishwashers are. If you can line that opening with any sound absorbing material, it will even make it better.

 

[MoonRise]

All wire connections are -supposed- to be in some sort of 'box'.

All the dishwashers I've ever installed had a small sheet-metal 'box' built-in where the wire nut connections were supposed to be tucked into and the small sheet-metal cover-plate reinstalled. Done.

RTFM for the new dishwasher. Should be some pictures (arrows optional ) and some words about making the wiring connections.

 

[Colin Len]

First, I am not an electrician so please wait for one to reply.

I would install a receptacle as you suggest, however it may be perfectly acceptable to hardwire if manufacturer so states. I assume your new dishwasher will have a standard grounded plug so they will match. Keep in mind the receptacle must be accessible, so it can not be directly behind the DW but under the sink where it can be reached.

I am not sure if current code requires the DW to be on a separate circuit. I know my home built in 2006 it is on it's own circuit.

By the way, you will be surprised how quiet the newer dishwashers are. If you can line that opening with any sound absorbing material, it will even make it better.

The DW isn't on it's own circuit but close. It's on a circuit combined only with the garbage disposal and one GFI outlet in the kitchen. The new one is a 48dB model so I expect it to be pretty damn quiet. The DW in general is gonna be a huge upgrade for me, I'm kinda anxious about spending so much on a DW.

All wire connections are -supposed- to be in some sort of 'box'.

All the dishwashers I've ever installed had a small sheet-metal 'box' built-in where the wire nut connections were supposed to be tucked into and the small sheet-metal cover-plate reinstalled. Done.

RTFM for the new dishwasher. Should be some pictures (arrows optional ) and some words about making the wiring connections.

The previous DW did not have a "box" for the wiring - the wiring and wire nuts were just out in the open under the DW.

It's being delivered today, but the online installation manual I looked at was a bit ambiguous about plug-in vs hardwire. The manual is so vague that I'm not even sure if my DW will have the power cord already attached or if I need to buy one or hardwire directly to what's there now - one of those things where the manual applies to a bunch of different models. It looks like hardwire using the existing wire I have may be an option from what I can tell, but maybe not without romex? Or maybe romex is OK in an enclosed appliance area like this? I just wanted to get the opinion of a pro before I proceed.

http://products.geappliances.com/Ma.../Dispatcher?RequestType=PDF&Name=31-31546.pdf

 

[rockwithjason]

most of the time the dish washer plugs into an outlet under the sink. sometimes you will find that the outlet is a half hot with the garbage disposer in one hole and the dishwasher in the other. the code requires a local disconnecting means at the dishwasher, the cord and plug serve this purpose. i would install a box under the sink and plug the dishwasher in there.

 

[usa#1]

All of them I've seen are hardwired with Romex coming out the wall. The dishwashers had a small junction box mounted behind the removable front access panel (box on right side when viewed from the front).

 

[mark11]

It's always been my understanding that romex cannot come through a wall like that. When I remodeled our kitchen I installed a dishwasher (there wasn't one when we bought the house) and I put in a cut-in box for the electrical hookup and put a whip on the DW.

 

[WanderingSol07]

In the four houses I've lived in Indiana, the romex came out of the wall then loose under the dishwasher to a metal box on the washer. Inside the box is where the wires were connected with wire nuts. Your code may be different.

 

[Mustang51js]

New code is if your going to install an outlet with cord, then the outlet needs to be a single receptacle under the sink so it's accessible, if you hard wire it then you need a breaker lock on the breaker that controls it. Btw 99% of dishwashers I've hooked up or removed were hard wired to the j-box on the dw

 

[Colin Len]

Hmm, I was expecting this to be a straightforward answer and assumed that my setup was 100% wrong (like I said, the previous owner did really ghetto remodel work and I've yet to tackle a project that didn't require a lot of extra work to fix his mistakes) but apparently it seems this is very common.

In regard to adding an outlet, I was thinking behind the dishwasher as the drywall is exposed there and adding one under the sink may be a pain. Or maybe there's already one there for the disposal. I'll have to check on this when I get home. If the disposal outlet is under there then I can just cap off the romex and run the DW power cord to that same box seeing as they're already on the same circuit and I'd guess the romex to the DW would probably be coming from that box anyway.

 

[James-W]

I have never seen a dishwasher installed in a home that wasn't hard wired. Just a thought, maybe you should check with your local electrical inspector to see if the local code allows a dishwasher to be plugged into an outlet, and if it does, where does the outlet have to be located.

 

[Joe Reed]

Just installed one for my son and his, like the few others I've installed in this area, were plugged into an outlet under an adjacent cabinet (usually the sink, but not necessarily)....so it appears that this may be a local or regional preference.

BTW, his new unit did NOT come with a power cord....that was a separate item....could have simply used the one off the old unit, but he didn't know that.

Given the answers above I'd install your's exactly like the old one was done...

 

[Colin Len]

I had my gf check and there is an outlet under the sink. Currently the disposal is plugged into that. So my plan is to buy the standard dishwasher power cord kit from Home Depot, wire that to the DW, run thru the cabinet and plug into that outlet. This won't change the circuit the DW is on and it will allow me to unplug the DW if needed without having to remove floor tiles to remove the DW itself. I also plan on figuring out how that romex is wired and either capping it off in the wall or removing it entirely if it's not too difficult.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[pattenp]

Why are you going to all that trouble? Just wire up the dishwasher using the existing romex.

 

[AP514]

In the four houses I've lived in Indiana, the romex came out of the wall then loose under the dishwasher to a metal box on the washer. Inside the box is where the wires were connected with wire nuts. Your code may be different.

+ 1 exactly the same thing here at one of my houses in houston..

 

[woodzie]

they are putting the new ones on plugs to stop this problem, when people buy a new dishwasher they can just plug the new one in.

romex is fine in there, it is not a storage area so mechanical protection is not required.

you can install a receptacle and plug it in. must be on own circuit because of heat drying element.

if receptacal is accessable (under the sink)and within 5' of sink it needs a gfci, depending on local codes. it also may not be allowed under the sink at all.

hire a LEC

 

[Norcal]

Pretty common to hard wire the DW w/ NM cable "Romex®" like that, I prefer a horizontally mounted box on the plate in the center of the DW opening as IMHO it's simpler to disconnect it when servicing it. I do not like passing a cord through a cabinet wall since a narrow interpretation of code prohibits passing a cord through a wall opening.

 

[Norcal]

they are putting the new ones on plugs to stop this problem, when people buy a new dishwasher they can just plug the new one in.

romex is fine in there, it is not a storage area so mechanical protection is not required.

you can install a receptacle and plug it in. must be on own circuit because of heat drying element.

if receptacal is accessable (under the sink)and within 5' of sink it needs a gfci, depending on local codes. it also may not be allowed under the sink at all.

hire a LEC

GFCI protection for a DW is required under the 2014 NEC. (New requirement).

 

[Ksullivan]

When we did our kitchen remodel I installed an outlet behind the dishwasher, there is usually a metal enclosure built into the dishwasher that can have the connections made inside that (with proper strain relief and good quality wire nuts), I don't like that they just spliced the Romex into the dishwasher, think about if the dishwasher were to overflow, water and electricity don't mix... I would opt for a plug whip out of the box to an outlet in the wall. And it looks like according to NorCal 2014 nec code requires said outlet to be GFCI protected.

Krys

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

GFCI protection for a DW is required under the 2014 NEC. (New requirement).

I thought it came in before 2014,i could be wrong though.

 

[Socophreak]

Step 18 in your manual for hooking up power.

Around here, only once you are renovating do you need to go up to current code. Swapping appliances doesnt count as a renovation. Its also perfectly acceptable to hard wire in. Connections will be made in the jbox on the DW.

Swapped many a DW out in schools all over the city. All are hardwired.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Step 18 in your manual for hooking up power.

Around here, only once you are renovating do you need to go up to current code. Swapping appliances doesnt count as a renovation. Its also perfectly acceptable to hard wire in. Connections will be made in the jbox on the DW.

Swapped many a DW out in schools all over the city. All are hardwired.

Interesting. It's the other way around in NJ. When we replaced the dishwashers in the High School last year they all had to get GFCI breakers & recepts. None were hard wired.

Tommy

 

[Norcal]

If a GFCI is used they have to be "accessible", your going to see a lot more blank face GFCI's used.

 

[79firebird]

See that all the time doesent matter if its a spec home or a multi million dollar home i install 4-5 a week now. Some newer ones come with a outlet some are hard wired .

 

[LS6 Tommy]

If a GFCI is used they have to be "accessible", your going to see a lot more blank face GFCI's used.

You're right. After reading this I thought back about what we did, so I edited my post.

Tommy

 

[justsam]

OP,
After a good internet dialogue, it sounds like you can do either hardwire or attach cord and run over to under sink accessible outlet. (There was a caution about passing cord thru cabinet wall).

There also seems to be agreement that since this is a residential replacement, you do not need to comply with current code of having a GFCI.

AS always, do what is safe and reasonable.

 

[teamextreme]

This discussion brings up an interesting point. DW are very commonly hardwired (around here almost exclusively), and since it's a motor it does require a disconnecting means as someone pointed out earlier. How is the disconnect requirement considered met when a DW is hardwired? There's no switch installed, breaker is not within sight and no cord and plug exists yet these pass inspection every day.

 

[Mustang51js]

This discussion brings up an interesting point. DW are very commonly hardwired (around here almost exclusively), and since it's a motor it does require a disconnecting means as someone pointed out earlier. How is the disconnect requirement considered met when a DW is hardwired? There's no switch installed, breaker is not within sight and no cord and plug exists yet these pass inspection every day.

Have to install a breaker lock

 

[yeldogt]

I have installed countless dish washers and have never encountered one with a plug - in four different states ... all hardwired. I think it preferable to hardwire then having an outlet/plug/cord. We always hardwired the garbage disposers on the rentals also -- never an issue. Normally the electrical box is right in the front on the DW's.

When I started doing rehabs back in the early 80's the DW and the garbage disposer had to have dedicated circuits .. but not the refrigerators .. but I always did one anyway.

In my own home and my nicer rentals I run two circuits to an outlet under the sink -- one for the garbage disposer and one for a future hot water dispenser. With the better garbage disposers and especially the batch feeds the extra sound insulation makes the whole thing a lot bigger -- so being able to unplug the GD to get it out is a plus for the cord setup.

 

[joel63]

Why is breaker lock required?

 

[sourdough]

This discussion brings up an interesting point. DW are very commonly hardwired (around here almost exclusively), and since it's a motor it does require a disconnecting means as someone pointed out earlier. How is the disconnect requirement considered met when a DW is hardwired? There's no switch installed, breaker is not within sight and no cord and plug exists yet these pass inspection every day.

IMO, because this is not a commercial/industrial situation.

My DW is hardwired and the disconnect is in the breaker panel.

My electric domestic water heater is hardwired and the disconnect is in the breaker panel.

My 240V Hatco HW booster heater is hardwired and the disconnect is in the breaker panel.

My air handler for the heat pump is hardwired and the disconnect is in the breaker panel.

My surface burner elements for the island range-top unit is hardwired and the disconnect is in the breaker panel.

Ad nauseum.

 

[Mustang51js]

Why is breaker lock required?

They want you to be able to lock off the breaker if your working on it. It seems dumb but I guess enough people have turned on breakers while someone is working on a dishwasher to have a code change. It has to do with the motor size also

 

[ssbtech]

Ultimately it will depend on the dishwasher, no?

My Kenmore that I removed a few years ago was hardwired. Little junction box attached to the bottom of the dishwasher where the BX cable came out of the box in the wall and into the dishwasher.

My Miele had a hardwired plug built into it. One end was inaccessible in the dishwasher cabinet somewhere, the other was a standard 3 prong 15A plug so a receptacle went into the wall and I plugged in the dishwasher.

 

[joel63]

They want you to be able to lock off the breaker if your working on it. It seems dumb but I guess enough people have turned on breakers while someone is working on a dishwasher to have a code change. It has to do with the motor size also

Thanks. Never heard of it before.

 

[Norcal]

Why is breaker lock required?

A switch or circuit breaker needs a means to lock it out otherwise there is not a proper disconnect. A padlocking attachment for circuit breakers is not expensive.

 

[pattenp]

All disconnecting means do not need to be lockable unless stated by code. The overcurrent device (breaker) can act as a disconnect for the dishwasher and does not have to be lockable. So to be a proper disconnect by code a breaker/switch does not have to be lockable.

Edit: 2014 NEC 422 III the breaker needs to be in sight of permanently connected appliances to serve as the disconnect.

If the breaker is out of sight then lockable is needed.

A switch or circuit breaker needs a means to lock it out otherwise there is not a proper disconnect. A padlocking attachment for circuit breakers is not expensive.

*

 

[ronk5865]

I agree, new house installs are seperate outlet or disconnect easlily accessable. But existing structures are grandfathered in. Looks like you have enough wire, just add an outlet. Btw its easier to move and work on if ever needed. Get the correct outlet.

 

[kluckfab]

Own circuit and hardwire thats what did and was talk, i know you can use an outlet if you want though, just depends

 

[955point9cummins]

I would put an outlet in the cupboard under the sink. Then run S. O. cord with a plug.

 

[James-W]

I would put an outlet in the cupboard under the sink. Then run S. O. cord with a plug.

Is it permissible by code to do that? I would think that is an accident waiting to happen.