dishwasher electrical question

**natebob** · 08-04-2022, 01:45 PM

I'm installing a new dishwasher, need to switch the stock power cord for one that comes out flush from the wall so as not to push the washer too far out. The stock cord is 13A, 125V, unknown watts. The new cord is 13A, 125V, 1625 watts, says it's an "appliance replacement cord for use with air conditioners and appliances". Will this new cord work?

**toast2266** · 08-04-2022, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by natebob

I'm installing a new dishwasher, need to switch the stock power cord for one that comes out flush from the wall so as not to push the washer too far out. The stock cord is 13A, 125V, unknown watts. The new cord is 13A, 125V, 1625 watts, says it's an "appliance replacement cord for use with air conditioners and appliances". Will this new cord work?

Watts = Volts x Amps. The new cord is 1625 watts because 13A x 125V = 1625. So if they're both rated for the same amperage and voltage, they're also rated for the same wattage. Seems like it'll work fine.

**ticketchecker** · 08-04-2022, 03:00 PM

should be able to hardwire it up directly and eliminate the plug

**XXX-er** · 08-04-2022, 04:01 PM

Mine have all been hardwired in but I thot they might now come with a plug,

so what is considered the proper way, use a plug I take it ?

**spudbumkin** · 08-04-2022, 05:10 PM

If hard wired, inspector will want to see a lockout on the breaker. Appliance cord plugged into an outlet counts as a proper disconnect and requires no lockout.

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**halliday** · 08-05-2022, 03:10 AM

Yes you can do it. Most light household appliances all operate off the same voltage, amps, etc unless you are making the jump to 240 single phase. You can install an inline breaker if you feel you need one. What could possibly go wrong. Good luck!!

**natebob** · 08-05-2022, 06:48 AM

Got it wired up and working great. Thanks everyone!

**XXX-er** · 08-05-2022, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by halliday

Yes you can do it. Most light household appliances all operate off the same voltage, amps, etc unless you are making the jump to 240 single phase. You can install an inline breaker if you feel you need one. What could possibly go wrong. Good luck!!

since you asked ^^ I had a hardwired range hood which had been up there for a lot of years working fine

To get more counter space I bought a Samsung range hood/ microwave with a 3 prong plug so I put a box on that old hardwire coming thru the wall, plug the micro in and proceeded to blow breakers so WTF ?

Is it my wring job or the breaker is weak or is the new appliance fucked or what, I plugged it into another circuit on an extension and it worked so something to do with the circuit, i'm thinking of calling sparky when my kid the electro-mechanial type pointed out kitchen counter plugs are wired different/ different breakers because kitchen appliances draw more power to heat food SO I ran a power strip to a counterplug and everything is fine

but stuff that you find in an older home that was originally hardwired like a DW or range hood is now sposed to be plug-in

**halliday** · 08-05-2022, 02:12 PM

Maybe it needs a bigger breaker installed to handle the load. I had a similar problem in an older house a few years ago.

**XXX-er** · 08-05-2022, 02:39 PM

yeah counter plugs have bigger breakers also note they are wired so each of the plugs on a 2 plug socket are on different breaker

SO if you try to directly replace a counter socket with a repalcement you bought at the HW store it will trip the breaker until you break that copper bridge on the side of the new socket.

House is new enough to be up to code more or less so I just plugged Micro into the counter plugs and problem solved

**tuco** · 08-05-2022, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

since you asked ^^ I had a hardwired range hood which had been up there for a lot of years working fine

To get more counter space I bought a Samsung range hood/ microwave with a 3 prong plug so I put a box on that old hardwire coming thru the wall, plug the micro in and proceeded to blow breakers so WTF ?

Is it my wring job or the breaker is weak or is the new appliance fucked or what, I plugged it into another circuit on an extension and it worked so something to do with the circuit, i'm thinking of calling sparky when my kid the electro-mechanial type pointed out kitchen counter plugs are wired different/ different breakers because kitchen appliances draw more power to heat food SO I ran a power strip to a counterplug and everything is fine

but stuff that you find in an older home that was originally hardwired like a DW or range hood is now sposed to be plug-in

In place micros are supposed to have a dedicated 20 A circuit or any micro 1000W or over.
More than likely told you to do so in the manufacturers installation instructions

**XXX-er** · 08-05-2022, 02:56 PM

its 950 watts but who reads instructions to instal a microwave ?

**Vt-Freeheel** · 08-05-2022, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by halliday

Maybe it needs a bigger breaker installed to handle the load. I had a similar problem in an older house a few years ago.

This could be a good way to start a house fire depending on the wire gage feeding the circuit. Don't jump from a 15 to 20 amp CB if the wiring is 14 gage instead of 12.

**tuco** · 08-05-2022, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

its 950 watts but who reads instructions to instal a microwave ?

People who huff toluol?
Yours probably calls for a dedicated circuit.

**XXX-er** · 08-05-2022, 06:42 PM

i think plugging into a counter plug is good enough

**tuco** · 08-05-2022, 07:21 PM

Maybe. Maybe not. Finding out maybe not could be a tough lesson

**Snow Dog** · 08-05-2022, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

since you asked ^^ I had a hardwired range hood which had been up there for a lot of years working fine

To get more counter space I bought a Samsung range hood/ microwave with a 3 prong plug so I put a box on that old hardwire coming thru the wall, plug the micro in and proceeded to blow breakers so WTF ?

Is it my wring job or the breaker is weak or is the new appliance fucked or what, I plugged it into another circuit on an extension and it worked so something to do with the circuit, i'm thinking of calling sparky when my kid the electro-mechanial type pointed out kitchen counter plugs are wired different/ different breakers because kitchen appliances draw more power to heat food SO I ran a power strip to a counterplug and everything is fine

but stuff that you find in an older home that was originally hardwired like a DW or range hood is now supposed to be plug-in

Your range hood probably draws less than 1A and shares a circuit with other devices. You Samsung combo range hood/microwave draws 8-10A and should have it's own circuit.

Kitchens use split outlets on the counter because people tend to cluster their countertop stuff (toaster, coffee maker, espresso machine) but each breaker still has two single outlets somewhere on the countertop. Newer homes use 20A breakers and a different outlet that supports a 20A plug. Older homes use the common 15A breakers and plugs.

**RShea** · 08-06-2022, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

since you asked ^^ I had a hardwired range hood which had been up there for a lot of years working fine

To get more counter space I bought a Samsung range hood/ microwave with a 3 prong plug so I put a box on that old hardwire coming thru the wall, plug the micro in and proceeded to blow breakers so WTF ?

Is it my wring job or the breaker is weak or is the new appliance fucked or what, I plugged it into another circuit on an extension and it worked so something to do with the circuit, i'm thinking of calling sparky when my kid the electro-mechanial type pointed out kitchen counter plugs are wired different/ different breakers because kitchen appliances draw more power to heat food SO I ran a power strip to a counterplug and everything is fine

but stuff that you find in an older home that was originally hardwired like a DW or range hood is now sposed to be plug-in

One of the circuits could be as an example 20 Amp, the other only 15 Amp breaker and wiring?? Or the total load on that circuit is too much. Have a kitchen with 2 microwaves in it. Next to each other and on the same circuit. It works just fine if you run both microwaves at the same time. But if you have both microwaves, and then plug in a electric skillet into the same circuit and want to run the 2 microwaves and the skillet (making brunch or something for the family) then the circuit blows. Run the skillet on another outlet on a different circuit and no issues at all....

**XXX-er** · 08-06-2022, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

Your range hood probably draws less than 1A and shares a circuit with other devices. You Samsung combo range hood/microwave draws 8-10A and should have it's own circuit.

Kitchens use split outlets on the counter because people tend to cluster their countertop stuff (toaster, coffee maker, espresso machine) but each breaker still has two single outlets somewhere on the countertop. Newer homes use 20A breakers and a different outlet that supports a 20A plug. Older homes use the common 15A breakers and plugs.

yeah this ^^ the old hard wire coming out of the wall for the old range hood was just a regular breaker and it was just running a little fan motor

it looks big and all SS but its really just a countertop micro hanging over the stove I can even see the little dimples which are feet, I'm not sure if the countertop breakers are 15 or 20 but the micro is fine plugged into one of them, I don't see dedicated micro wave plugs in kitchens

my problem was I was trying to run a kitchen appliance on a regular circuit

**tuco** · 08-06-2022, 11:58 AM

As RShea points out, your existing circuit can be dedicated by not running anything else that's wired into that circuit.

**tuco** · 08-06-2022, 12:01 PM

http://https://portablepowerguides.c...cated-circuit/

**RShea** · 08-06-2022, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by XXX-er

yeah this ^^ the old hard wire coming out of the wall for the old range hood was just a regular breaker and it was just running a little fan motor

it looks big and all SS but its really just a countertop micro hanging over the stove I can even see the little dimples which are feet, I'm not sure if the countertop breakers are 15 or 20 but the micro is fine plugged into one of them, I don't see dedicated micro wave plugs in kitchens

my problem was I was trying to run a kitchen appliance on a regular circuit

Microwaves were not even a thing back in the 50's and 60's for most kitchens. So older homes were wired for things like toasters, blenders, mixers, that were a thing back before the 70's in most homes. New homes should have both more outlets and more circuits for all the added items that people tend to have today. Same as electronics items in a family room or living area...

**XXX-er** · 08-06-2022, 01:54 PM

There is normaly nothing else plugged into that circuit and it almost never trips altho it did last week so I just texted the tennant to reset the breaker, very handey these cell phones

its a pretty good exampl of a late 70's house, panel was upgraded to a 200amp service to handle the basement suite and the wiring is all pretty good

again, except if one trys to run a micro wave on the exhast fan cuircuit