I’d like to (perhaps have to) convert my dishwasher electrical connection from plug in to hardwired.


Q. The entire electric line runs under the kitchen cabinet, from under the sink to the dishwasher bay. But I assume I would still have to enclose the new electrical line in conduit?

Q. How do I convert the plug in wall outlet to something like a junction box to start the conduit? I imagine I need some box that sticks out from the wall? I also read something about a plug to wire kit but I fail to see why that would constitute an improvement in any way.

Q. The garbage disposal is currently plugged into the same wall plug. So I should probably mount a standard plug on the new box so I can continue to use the (switched) standard plug for the garbage disposal.

Why do I want to do this?

The dishwasher works ok most of the time as is, and there is no sign of any overheating, or burn marks on the plug electrodes. Occasionally the dishwasher stops mid cycle (at seemingly random points in the cycle) but I don't see how that may have anything to do with the way it is powered. Perhaps the garbage disposal being on the same circuit? The old dishwasher had electomechanical rotating switch, the new Frigidaire is all electronic. Perhaps more sensitive to power fluctuations?

I like the serviceability of the plug power method and the rated load is 10A, so plug in power should be sufficient.

HOWEVER, I looked at the dishwasher owner’s manual and it does want me to use a hardwiring power supply method. I imagine that is simply a desire to force everyone to a marginally safer powering method. A lot of work and inconvenience for very marginal improvements (typical of a lot of rules, I imagine) ?

Any advice highly appreciated.

 

Total waste of time.
It has nothing to do with the plug.

 

The manual was probably written with the assumption that the unit would be hardwired. There's no requirement for it to be.

 

The only clues I see regarding how the manufacturer wants me to wire this DW are:

(a) The dishwasher does not come with a plug wire.

(b) The installation manual says: “Make sure electrical power has been disconnected at fuse box or circuit breaker box. The dishwasher must be connected to a grounded metal, permanent wiring system.”

So there is mention of a “permanent wiring system”. There is also no mention of “unplugging it” as a method to disconnect power. I don’t know what to make of it.

 

Hard wired or plug in it should still work if there's nothing wrong with the washer.

 

The people who write the manuals often have no knowledge of what they are writing. They just wing it from what information they are given without understanding the information.

 

"Metal" makes no sense in this context. A cord-and-plug connection is a connection. A receptacle is part of a permanent wiring system.

Does the cord have 3 wires? Does it have a 3-prong plug?

To add to what Ray said, you're lucky the instructions actually scan in English.

 

The cord and plug serve as a local disconnecting means as required in the electrical code. If you hardwire the machine you will then be required to have either a local disconnect switch or a circuit breaker lockout device on the circuit breaker itself.

 

The plug is 3 wire. The wall outlet has two plugs, one for garbage disposal (switched) the other for dishwasher.

I'm happy to hear I don't have to rewire this DW.

DW is still under warranty, so I'll call and see if they can figure out the intermittent abandonment mid-cycle (two LEDs flash, I believe, when that happens, but I have not quite seen it myself, this is my parent's house and it has not done it while I was there).

 

My dishwasher appears to stop mid cycle for several seconds to a minute but no flashing LEDs. It isn't a malfunction, just a "rest" period. If yours restarts in less than a full minute I would suspect the same thing, a rest period.

I could very well be wrong in your case.

 

Well, a third party repairman was sent to my house on behalf of the entity issuing the dishwasher warranty (I imagine that is Frigidaire itself?).

He said that both the “Motor” and the “Control Board” need to be changed…

Does this sound reasonable? I know I should not be concerned about the cost since the dishwasher is still under warranty, but apart from ethical questions, am I also increasing the risk I end up with a lemon dishwasher once major parts are tinkered with by an out of factory technician?

I mean…you know what happens to your car when many major parts have been replaced by various garages outside the original manufacturing site setting…

 

The control board is a common failure item and replacing it is just a matter of exchanging it.
As far as the motor......you didn't specify which motor he's replacing.

As long as he's using new OEM parts you should have no problems.