Under sink outlet installed face up?

[SMKS]

I'm moving into a new house next week. It doesn't have a dishwasher and I want to install one. I had an electrician I've used before put in an outlet under the sink for the dishwasher. I wasn't there when he did the work. Later, I saw he installed the outlet on the floor of the cabinet under the sink facing up. I don't have a picture, but it's in a metal junction box.

That seems unsafe to me, but I don't exactly know if it violates code. I did some googling and came up with conflicting results. Our community uses the 2008 NEC and 2009 IPC. Some threads on the topic say it meets code, but it's a bad idea. Others say horizontal installs like this violate code. I have a book based on the 2008 NEC, but I can't seem to find info in it relating to this example.

Even if it's technically up to code, it seems unsafe to me. It seems that if there's a leak under the sink, the water could easily infiltrate the junction box and create a shocking hazard. Am I wrong to think that?

I'm thinking about calling him and asking him to move it to the wall inside the cabinet. Am I off base requesting this?

 

[MrMark]

It doesn't violate any NEC code I know of but it is a stupid idea and you should move it. Your instincts are correct.

 

[Speedy Petey]

It doesn't violate any NEC code I know of but it is a stupid idea and you should move it. Your instincts are correct.

Agree on all counts.
That installation was just pointless.

 

[Steevo]

Ask your electrician to smoke his weed AFTER he does his work, not before.

 

[allinon72]

Perhaps install an outdoor cover on it

 

[SMKS]

Well, I'm not going to hassle him over the Thanksgiving weekend, so I'll call him next week.

I thought about doing this job myself, but I decided to pay a pro because I wanted it done right. Now, I'll have to try to get him to come back or do it myself.

Anyway, it could have been an honest mistake or miscommunication, so we'll see what he says when I call him.

Thanks for the opinions, everyone.

 

[c4cruiser]

Did the guy run a dedicated circuit to the disposal? Not sure if that's a code requirement, but my disposal is on a single circuit with a 20A breaker. The outlet is a wall installation with a duplex outlet, but both the hot and neutral connecting tabs between the two openings were removed so that anything else that would be plugged in will work.

That outlet facing up is just a really bad idea. If the disposal leaks either at the drain or at the sink fitting, you could get water into the outlet.

 

[Speedy Petey]

Did the guy run a dedicated circuit to the disposal? Not sure if that's a code requirement,

It's not.



An in-use cover would be an acceptable solution IMO.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Did the guy run a dedicated circuit to the disposal? Not sure if that's a code requirement, but my disposal is on a single circuit with a 20A breaker. The outlet is a wall installation with a duplex outlet, but both the hot and neutral connecting tabs between the two openings were removed so that anything else that would be plugged in will not work.

That outlet facing up is just a really bad idea. If the disposal leaks either at the drain or at the sink fitting, you could get water into the outlet.

Well that's a stupid install. Why would u bother breaking the tabs off? A disposal uses all of 5-8a. On a 20a circuit, there's still plenty of juice left to run something else, not that the recep. is in a convient location, but I just don't get the point of disallowing the use of the other plug! Its just a waste of a customers $, spending that extra time breaking off the tabs!

 

[acer66]

Well that's a stupid install. Why would u bother breaking the tabs off? A disposal uses all of 5-8a. On a 20a circuit, there's still plenty of juice left to run something else, not that the recep. is in a convient location, but I just don't get the point of disallowing the use of the other plug! Its just a waste of a customers $, spending that extra time breaking off the tabs!

I would have done the same thing but of course would have wired it so the non switched outlet would have constant power,
to plug in the dish washer etc..

 

[knobby]

It's not.



An in-use cover would be an acceptable solution IMO.

sure as hell would want a drip loop if you go that way tho

 

[Rickster55]

I'm not an electrician but I am a homeowner who has replaced an old dishwasher with a new one. Both dishwashers were hardwired into the unit and no outlet needed. Am I missing something?

 

[allinon72]

I'm not an electrician but I am a homeowner who has replaced an old dishwasher with a new one. Both dishwashers were hardwired into the unit and no outlet needed. Am I missing something?

Pretty sure that's a violation.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I would have done the same thing but of course would have wired it so the non switched outlet would have constant power,
to plug in the dish washer etc..

Yeah, I should have clarified myself. What I meant was, why snip both tabs when he could have coasted the outlets! But he probably didn't run a 3 conductor cable!

I'm not an electrician but I am a homeowner who has replaced an old dishwasher with a new one. Both dishwashers were hardwired into the unit and no outlet needed. Am I missing something?

A DW can be C & P(cord & plug) or hardwired. I just installed a DW that was hardwired. The last house I rented had a 'C & P' dishwasher. Chews your poison!

Pretty sure that's a violation.

A violation of what code? And please list the NEC code section!!

 

[c4cruiser]

Well that's a stupid install. Why would u bother breaking the tabs off? A disposal uses all of 5-8a. On a 20a circuit, there's still plenty of juice left to run something else, not that the recep. is in a convient location, but I just don't get the point of disallowing the use of the other plug! Its just a waste of a customers $, spending that extra time breaking off the tabs!

Maybe the electrical contractor that did the house wiring was following local code for the circuit rating. The disposal is rated at 3/4 HP and uses 8.1 Amps (average load). The electrical install instructions say to use either a 15A or 20A dedicated circuit and a wall switch.

At the time the house was built, I never paid any attention to the receptacle but I once had to remove it and when I plugged it back in to the other opening, it would not work. So I turned the breaker off and pulled the receptacle and found the connecting tabs removed.

My dishwasher is on a separate 20A circuit so I assume that the disposal receptacle was never intended to be use for anything else. Maybe that's just the way the electrical contractor did things or he had some 12 gauge wire left over If nothing else, it's simple to replace the receptacle and that could provide power for one of those "instant hot water" things.

 

[acer66]

The electrical install instructions say to use either a 15A or 20A dedicated circuit and a wall switch.

That clears it up but I would have used either a single receptacle or a /3 cable.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Maybe the electrical contractor that did the house wiring was following local code for the circuit rating. The disposal is rated at 3/4 HP and uses 8.1 Amps (average load). The electrical install instructions say to use either a 15A or 20A dedicated circuit and a wall switch.

At the time the house was built, I never paid any attention to the receptacle but I once had to remove it and when I plugged it back in to the other opening, it would not work. So I turned the breaker off and pulled the receptacle and found the connecting tabs removed.

My dishwasher is on a separate 20A circuit so I assume that the disposal receptacle was never intended to be use for anything else. Maybe that's just the way the electrical contractor did things or he had some 12 gauge wire left over If nothing else, it's simple to replace the receptacle and that could provide power for one of those "instant hot water" things.

Yeah, probably. But I would have done it differently- run a MWBC(multi-wire branch circuit) to the outlet, break the tab on the hot side and share the neutral. With this type of circuit, a little money can be saved since 2 separate 12/2 NM wires don't have to be run.