Last updated on August 14th, 2022 at 01:28 pm
When we buy an electrical appliance, we feel that all the accessories that have to do with its functioning should come with it.
In the case of a dishwasher, you should consider whether the manufacturer knows the kind of outlet you have or use in your home, which I strongly believe he wouldn’t. So should a power cord come with your dishwasher? Well, the answer is dependent on the manufacturer’s choice.
A dishwasher does not come with a power cord; it rather comes with wires. This is because most dishwashers are hardwired directly to the power box via the connections. There are also cases where your dishwasher will be provided with a standard plug under the sink; you would eventually need a power cord in such scenarios.
What Kind Of Cord Comes On A Dishwasher?
Should your dishwasher come with a cord, it would be a 15-amps three-prong cord. A dishwasher consumes a lot of power, so its power cord should reach that requirement. The 15-amps three-prong power plug has features that prevent shock and fire outbreaks, plus it also has a straight plugin design.
Not all dishwashers come with power cords, so for you to know the kind of cord to use, you should have a basic knowledge of the crucial factors that make up the circuit of your home.
This will give you an idea of how electricity affects the appliance and power cord. Power cords are very prone to electrical accidents, especially when used with appliances of high current requirements.
Unlike the normal plugin appliances used in our rooms, a dishwasher should be hardwired and fixed directly to the home’s power plug to prevent any hazard.
But if you must use your power cord, ensure you use a 15 amp three-prong cord and plug it directly into the power outlet.
Where Is My Dishwasher Power Plug?
Your dishwasher power plug is probably lying under the dishwasher. It is located behind the access panel on the front bottom of the dishwasher. If you do not see any power cord in the places mentioned, then it is likely that your dishwasher is cord-and-plug attached.
A power cord is an electrical wire that is used for connecting an appliance temporarily to the main electricity supply with the use of a wall socket or extension cord.
Do all Dishwashers have an Electrical Cord?
Yes, all dishwashers have an electrical cord. These electrical cords are provided majorly for hardwiring since it is the recommended way of connecting your dishwasher by the National Electrical Code (NEC). In this way, the transmission of current would be direct from the power box instead of passing through a power cord or an extension cord.
An electric cord works by providing a low resistance path for current to flow through and power your appliance.
An appliance like a dishwasher that requires a huge amount of current to operate needs a path where the current would be flowing.
This flow of current needs to be simultaneous. Else there might be a breach in its functioning. Also, the terminals for the electrical connection of your dishwasher are at the back of it, close to the floor.
Since a dishwasher runs on 120-volt power, always connect the terminals permanently to the circuit wires in the wall called hardwiring.
In this way, the machine can have full access to current without any form of disruption.
Most people usually think that parking out or changing the position of their hardwired dishwasher would damage their appliance. That is not true because hard wiring is mainly for the safety and efficiency of your machine.
And has nothing to do with or pose any problem with the mobility of your appliance. A modern-day dishwasher is rather connected to electrical wires.
These wires are fixed directly inside the wall following the circuitry coloration, white to white, black to black, and the green wire is connected to the ground screw.
This is the reason why electrical cords are provided alongside a dishwasher. All you have to do is call an expert to help you do the fixing.
How Do I Hardwire My Dishwasher?
You can hardwire your dishwasher by simply taking your electrical cords and fixing them directly into your power box. It is a very easy thing to do but not for everyone. Before you think of hardwiring your dishwasher, you should at least have basic knowledge of electrical wiring, as electricity can be very tricky at times.
Dishwashers can be hardwired with any NM electrical circuit cable that feeds directly into the dishwasher’s wire connection or power box. To be able to do carry out hardwiring, you will have to follow the steps stated below;
Step 1
Turn off the circuit breaker in the electrical panel that supplies power to the wire. This is a very crucial part of the connection you should never ignore; it is very relevant.
Step 2
Open your terminal box. Since you would be making the connection inside your box, you will need to find the cover and loosen it.
The cover is usually on the back of the unit, and it is fastened into place with screws. So use a screwdriver to remove the screws and cover from the back of the appliance.
Step 3
Slide the wire through the hole in the terminal box. After you have gotten access to the inside of your terminal box, you can begin to fix the wires.
Ensure the wires do not touch any electrical motors or moving parts inside the appliance when fixing the wires. Tighten the hook hoisted to the hole you coiled the wires through with a screwdriver. This will prevent the wire from sliding around.
Step 4
Peel off some inches of insulation. It will help in revealing each wire contained inside the large wire. This is done to ensure the wires are properly fixed to where there are supposed to be.
Step 5
Take the green wire and curve both ends to form a U-shape. This reshaping helps the wire to be secured properly and easily to the terminal screw.
Step 6
After reshaping your green wire, check for the green belt in the terminal block and fix the green wire to the terminal bolt. Make sure you tighten the terminal bolt with the screwdriver.
Step 7
Secure both white and black wires separately with a wire nut. After that, you can then wrap both wire nuts with electrical tape.
In some cases, you will have terminal screws for the black and white wire just as you did for the green wire.
If this is the case, bend the end of the wires into a U-shape and secure the wires to the terminal screws just as you did with the green wire.
Step 8
After securing the wires, you can reinstall the terminal block cover and secure it back with a screwdriver.
Although, when you purchase a dishwasher, the company usually has someone to help with the fixing, this is rare.
By following the steps listed above, hard wiring your dishwasher should not be a big deal any longer.
Conclusion
A dishwasher is one of the most demanding home appliances we have. It is not very comfortable with the plugin system of connection, which is why power cords do not come alongside it.
But you can use a power cord, ensure it reaches the power requirements of the dishwasher.