"Avoiding physical damage" to FWG (food disposer) cords and controls

[Michael Thomas]

Yet another detail on which I would like to clarify my reporting and recommendations:

1) Power cord and air-line for the control lying on floor of base cabinet - should they be secured in some manner to make them less subject to physical damage when contents under the cabinet are moved? (InSinkErator’s installation instructions have noting to say on the matter.) If so, how do others here other feel about the practice of cable-tieing to the drain plumbing (which I see occasionally) to get it up off cabinet the floor. What if anything do others her recommend, and how do they word their recommendation?

http://insinkerator.com/pdfs/US_ICU1.pdf

2) Does anyone feel that this receptacle location ought to be noted as providing poor protection from “physical damage to the flexible cord”? If so, is there some documentation of “best practice” when installing such outlets in base cabinets?

[Bruce Ramsey]

I know you did not ask and this will cause thread drift...

The corrugated waste line from the dishwasher does not look like it provides the necessary high loop. But I am sure you already caught that.

Normally I see the power cords zip tied to pipes.

[Billy Stephens]

.

The corrugated waste line from the dishwasher does not look like it provides the necessary high loop.


.
Unless it's Already High Looped onto the Back of the Dishwasher. :)

[Michael Thomas]

The DW drain line is 21" off the floor were it passes through the cabinet wall, which met Bosch's 20" requirement. (Around here they don't require countertop air gaps).

Still needs to be better secured, IMO.

Also, I prefer to see the drain line connection at the FWG or a wye rather than a tee style connector at the tailpiece - though I don't report connections like this one unless I observe actual backup at the sink drain.

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Any comments on part 2) above?

[Corey Friedman]

The DW drain line is 21" off the floor were it passes through the cabinet wall, which met Bosch's 20" requirement. (Around here they don't require countertop air gaps).

Still needs to be better secured, IMO.

Also, I prefer to see the drain line connection at the FWG or a wye rather than a tee style connector at the tailpiece - though I don't report connections like this one unless I observe actual backup at the sink drain.

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Any comments on part 2) above?


Hi Michael,

Draining the dishwasher through the disposer is not allowed by the Illinois Plumbing Code.

There is nothing wrong the location of the 1900 box on the back wall of the cabinet.

Zip ties would be nice to keep the cords off the floor of the cabinet but this is more of a subective judgement call vs. right / wrong.

Sincerely,

Corey

[Michael Thomas]

Humm... not only are you correct about that, but it appears that high-loops are required to be carried to the height of the spill rim:

Section 890.770 Dishwashing Machines

a) Domestic Dishwasher (Private Residence). When a domestic dishwashing machine drain line is connected to the house side of a trap from a sink, the drain from the dishwasher shall be carried up to the underside of the spill rim of the sink. Dishwashing machines shall discharge separately into a trap or tail piece of the kitchen sink and shall not connect to the food waste disposal unit.


Section 890 (http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/077008900F07700R.html)

This brings up a question to which I have never been able to get an authoritative answer: what is the relationship of the state code to the AHJ in an IL municipality? Can a local AHJ "override" the state plumbing code?

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I'll tell ya': some days I am just in despair of ever getting all this stuff right... or even figuring out how to figure out what "right" is...

[Jerry Peck]

Humm... not only are you correct about that, but it appears that high-loops are required to be carried to the height of the spill rim:

Section 890.770 Dishwashing Machines

a) Domestic Dishwasher (Private Residence). When a domestic dishwashing machine drain line is connected to the house side of a trap from a sink, the drain from the dishwasher shall be carried up to the underside of the spill rim of the sink. Dishwashing machines shall discharge separately into a trap or tail piece of the kitchen sink and shall not connect to the food waste disposal unit.


The DW drain line is 21" off the floor were it passes through the cabinet wall, which met Bosch's 20" requirement.

Michael,

My guess is that the dishwasher is required to be installed in accordance with its installation instructions, which would trump code.

That said, sometimes the codes are written such that appliances are required to be installed to the installation instructions *and* the code, thus being required to meet the most stringent requirements of the two combined.

[Eric Barker]

Michael,

When you don't see the high loop why not write that. The loop could be out of sight behind the washer.

A few years ago I re-routed our dishwasher into the disposer. That was just before I found out about Illinois' no allowance stance. It still runs to the disposer and I expect it will do so for some time to come - just not one of my front burner projects or concerns.

[Ted Menelly]

The last few dishwashers I installed had the drain line strapped/tied to the top of the dishwasher.

Other than installation instructions from particular (Idon't bekieve all) manufacturers what would be the concern with hooking the drain up to the disposal. Most disposals have a drain hook up in them with a plastic knock out in them.

Just curious

Ted

[Michael Thomas]

Some disposal manufacturers do (or at least used to) recommended connection to the DW on the assumption that the the hot water from the dishwasher helps reduce grease build up in he disposer.

[Eric Barker]

Ted,

The reasoning for not connecting to the disposer ("disposal" is General Electric's brand name) is that the unit can force waste water back into the dishwasher. How likely this is I don't know. I have yet to see a bunch of backed up gunk in our dishwasher.

[Ted Menelly]

Disposal, insinkerator, Garbage shredder. I think I like the idea of it going into the disposal better than the sink drain line, especially with that t in the pic. If it were a y I would be happier. Blow it down the drain not into the sidewall of the sink drain. Quieter also.

Ted

[Pete Rose]

Ted,

The reasoning for not connecting to the disposer ("disposal" is General Electric's brand name) is that the unit can force waste water back into the dishwasher. How likely this is I don't know. I have yet to see a bunch of backed up gunk in our dishwasher.


Actually, that is only have the equation.