While the dishwasher is another appliance that eases the utensils cleaning process not most people think about how it works. In recent years, more garbage disposals have the drain line which lets the water from the dishwasher into the disposer for grinding.
Notice that, while the dishwasher has been in existence for years, they don’t have their drain line in the kitchen. So, you can either connect them to the drain or the garbage disposal. The connection is never hard, but you need to know a few things.
How to Connect a Dishwasher to a Garbage Disposal
You can use an air gap or just a hook. An air gap is a safety device that you mount on the sink or countertop. Once you have it on the sink, the dishwasher hose passes through it to the drain.
This air gap gives you a pressure break that stops the dirty water from siphoning back to the sink. That means the water flows through the drainage with ease.
The Two Types Of Connections
The Air Gap Connection To The Disposer
When you use the air gap connection, one end of the disposer will have a large end. You, therefore, must trim the large end of the disposer if to fit the small end of the air gap.
To connect it, use the hose clamp, connect the dishwasher drain to the small side of the air gap.
Finish off by connecting the large end to the garbage disposal.
High Loop Connection To The Garbage Disposal
You can also use this method but only ensure that your local community allows you to use it. Some cities don’t let it.
Can Dishwasher And Disposal Be On The Same Circuit?
Yes, you can. Only make sure you have at least 20 AMP to cater for both. I don’t see why you should have a dedicated circuit for the different ones. But it’s essential to make sure it has a higher amp than the regular circuit.
Garbage Disposal Outlet
Yes, you can put them in the same outlet. You can plug the garbage disposal on the receptacle and power it. You then connect the dishwasher to the receptacle. The good news is that the dishwasher doesn’t have power.
Does Garbage Disposal Need A Dedicated Circuit?
This can be a question that you should answer based on the brand you use. Some will allow you to use a shared circuit while others recommend that you buy a dedicated channel.
Should Garbage Disposal Be On GFCI?
Yes, you should, it controls the circuit flow. The ground fault circuit interrupter works as a protective agent when you have the water and electric connection. They are ideal if you have small space in the kitchen yet you need to have both the electrical and water connections.
In fact, it works the same way as the 120-volt outlet. However, it has its circuit breaker and this is the one that trips when there’s no regular flow of the current.
Therefore, you must install it since the Electrical codes require you to have them on the kitchen countertop, bathrooms and in the garages. That aside, even the local laws might call for the use of the GFCI outlet to plug in the garbage disposal.
How To Wire A GFCI Code
The essence of the GFCI wiring is to protect the garbage disposal, switch, and dishwasher from the ground faults. When you are wiring the code, note that the source wires connect to the line terminals. It’s also on the half part of the terminus.
Once you have installed your garbage disposal, install the metal electric box under the sink, and ensure its within reach of the garbage disposal power code. But don’t forget to knock off a hole in the box with a screwdriver. You will feed the electrical cable through the hole you created.
Start by running a 2-conductor cable to the metal conduit box. It should be a 12-gauge box. Once you attach the cord, pull out about 10 inches of the wire. Before going to the next step confirm that you have the power on off mode.
Use the tester to confirm that the power is off. The first step to connecting the cable to power is to strip off 6 inches of the 10 inches off the wire. You will have three kinds of cable the black one, white one and bare one.
Separate the wires then strip the plastic off the black and white wires and use a wire stripper for the same. Now take your GFCI connector as you want to connect it. Turn it over for accessibility.
There are two parts the brass one on the one side then the plastic covering of the silver one on the other side. So, you should know that you will have the LINE which is the side where you have the brass and silver while the LOAD is on the other side.
Now connect the back wire to the brass line. Go on to take the white wire and connect it to the silver LINE. Follow suit with connecting the green cable to the bare wire.
Finish by pushing the cables to the electric box and screw them in place with the cover plate; you can finish the process.
How To Wire The Garbage Disposal Switch
When you wire the garbage disposal, it gives you the room to control the garbage disposal. You can turn it on and off when you want it to be. Below is the process to follow.
Start With The Circuit Breaker By Switching It Off.
Next, identify the place where you want the switch box to be. Cut off the part of the wall that you will install the disposer. Now get the wiring on the garbage disposal and pass it through the wall hole where you intend to have the disposer.
You will then need another wire that’s from the power source to go to the same hollow in the wall. And now these two wires, you can pass them through the conduit box. Go on to screw the box on the wall to install it.
Strip both wires and then use the black cables to wire the switch. You have the black wire that’s from the power source. You can put on the bottom screw than the one from the disposer you can put on the top screw.
Finally, use the bare copper wire on the green screw that’s on the switch. Now finish off by capping together the wires.
You can then screw the switch in and place your faceplate on. Now test the installation too if it’s working.
How To Connect The Dishwasher To Garbage Disposal
The way this one works is such that the dishwasher hose drains its water to the garbage disposal for the grinding of the food particles that remained. They often have the air gap to prevent the dirty water and food particles from draining back to the sink.
Just know that once you have installed the garbage disposal, the connection with the dishwasher is a breeze.
To start, unplug the garbage disposal from the outlet or better yet, switch it off at the circuit breaker.
Next is the connection of the disposer. But first, take your screwdriver tip and use it to light hammer the plugin the dishwasher drain hose spot on the disposer. Don’t forget to remove it though and use the nose pliers to get it out.
Find the threaded stem below at the top of the air gap and fit it in the hole at the back of the sink. Now, take the rubber washer and attach it on the upper end of the stem and screw it on the trim cap. Go on to tighten the cap from below.
Turn the air gap to tighten it as you look for the position where you have the garbage disposal. Make the nozzle point to face or point towards the garbage disposal.
Next, you can push one end of the food disposer drain to the nozzle. Additionally, turn the disposer to the other end of the hose and slide the provided hose clamps. Also, take another clamp and fit it on the nozzle. Make sure it’s tight using the screwdriver.
Using a utility knife, cut the upper end of the hose and this will fit it into the air gap nozzle. You do this because you want it to fit on air gap without a bend. Now slide the other clamp onto the upper end of the hose then tighten it.
Finally set an inch of the clamp on the dishwasher drain hose. Then cut the tube to the right length so that it can fit in the air gap. Make sure they don’t bend. Go on to fit the remaining ends to the nozzle and then secure it with the hose clamp.
Troubleshooting The Garbage Disposal Wiring Problems
Sometimes the garbage disposal may stop working. It’s because of the wiring and not the garbage disposal body. The following are some of the problems you might notice and what you can do about them.
The Wiring Issues
Often when you connect two items. In this case, you may have the dishwasher and the garbage disposal connected. This often causes some problems. If you don’t install any of the gadgets right, they won’t work.
Aside from that, the two gadgets may develop problems when you are working them. If this is the case, then it may stop working as well. So, you can do the following to find the problem and solve it.
Test Circuit
Your circuit breaker is where the whole unit sources its power from. The moment you realize that it’s not working, you should first check the circuit breaker. Find out if the connection is loose and tighten it. Try the garbage disposal again to see if it’s working.
How About The Ground Wire?
Sometimes you will find that the ground wire connection of your dishwasher and the garbage disposal is mixed up. This will ultimately cause the break of the power supply. You should secure the wires to a grounding point. If the wire has gotten loose you can tighten it.
Short In The Circuit
This occurs in several parts of your house when you have an electrical connection. That means that your garbage disposal connection is no exception. If this happens go and check the dishwasher and the disposer to confirm where the short is from and correct it.
Is The Connection, Right?
You may not have connected the disposal right on the switch. If you dint connect it right, you can repair it. Confirm that the wiring is right too and if you have mis-crossed the wires, both the dishwasher and the disposer won’t work right.
Check The Wire Connection On The Connection Box
If you fix the wires loosely, they will trip and cause the gadgets not to work. So, you should tighten the nuts just a little bit when you are installing.
FAQs
When You Connect The Dishwasher To The Garbage Disposal, What If The Dishwasher Doesn’t Drain?
Notice that all the dishwasher drains in the garbage disposal have a plug on the inside. Before you connect any hose pipes, you must first knock the plug out. If you don’t remove the plug then it won’t drain.
Sometimes, this usually is a problem with the dishwasher, but not the garbage disposal.
Do You Need A Plumber For The Connection Of The Dishwasher To The Garbage Disposal?
Not if you have the basic knowledge of how to connect the two. Also, if you do connect the garbage disposal, you may find that it’s an easy process to do.
In summary if you know how to connect the dishwasher to the garbage disposer you will save yourself so much unnecessary costs that you have rather spent. Of course, with this guide you can try to fix it yourself mostly because it’s not a hard process.
The best advice is mostly for you to stop depending so much on the plumbers and instead learn to DIY.
