What wire size is needed for a dishwasher?

When planning a major renovation in the kitchen, think in advance about what equipment you will place in the room. So, for a kettle, microwave and refrigerator, ordinary sockets will be enough, but for an electric stove or dishwasher you will have to organize a separate power point. Let’s figure out what cable cross-section is required for a dishwasher, why “pull” a separate line, and how to properly lay communications.

Why draw a separate line?

Why is it important to think about the placement of furniture and equipment in the room at the renovation stage? So, for a dishwasher you need to provide a separate power supply line, and a protected one, coming not from the distribution box, but directly from the panel. This is the only way to use the machine as safely as possible.

In general, the dishwasher is prohibited:

• connect via an extension cord;
• connect to an outlet where another powerful consumer of electricity is already connected;
• connect to a weak, damaged outlet.

A dishwasher is a large consumer of electrical energy, creating a large load on the network.

That is why it is important to provide a separate line for the dishwasher. The cable will experience the greatest load when the high-temperature cycle starts. And if it has a small cross-section, it can easily overheat and cause a fire or damage the device.

Therefore, the cross-section of the cable for the dishwasher must correspond to the power consumed by the appliance. The wire is laid from the shield; a residual current device must be provided.The socket for the PMM must have a high level of moisture protection. Only if all these requirements are met is safe operation of the “home assistant” possible.

If you plan to place both a dishwasher and a washing machine in the kitchen, it is not necessary to lay two lines. In this case, a large cross-section copper cable is selected (so that there is a reserve), and the second moisture-resistant outlet is powered from it.

Which cable to choose?

Having thought through where the dishwasher will be located and a separate power supply line, it is worth figuring out what the cross-section and material of the cable should be, and how many cores it will contain. Experts recommend not saving and purchasing copper wire. Aluminum cords are not suitable for connecting large consumers.

So the cable must be copper, but how many wires? According to modern standards, all dishwashers must have a grounded power cord, so you will have to install a grounded outlet under the appliance. It follows from this that the wire must be three-wire, with “phase”, “zero” and “ground” terminals.

Next you need to calculate the cable cross-section for the dishwasher. The average power of most modern PMMs is one and a half to two kilowatts. The exact value can be found in the equipment instructions. As already mentioned, the cord must be selected “with reserve”. Therefore, its thickness can be from 2.5 mm.

To organize a separate power line for the PMM, you need to buy a three-core copper cable with a cross-section of 2.5 mm.

The copper wire must have good insulation. Also, to carry out the “electric branch” you will need to purchase:

• socket with a high level of moisture protection;
• difavtomat;
• socket box;
• copper terminals;
• cable channel.

The socket must be moisture-resistant, since the dishwasher works with a large amount of liquid. The protection will allow you to avoid a short circuit in the event of an emergency leakage of the device.

The differential machine will provide protection against failures. The RCD will operate in the event of sudden voltage changes in the electrical network. This will protect the equipment and prevent its premature failure.

Copper terminals will be required for connecting cables. If possible, it is advisable to do without connections by laying a solid wire. In no case should you join copper and aluminum - such savings can lead not only to the breakdown of all household appliances powered from the network, but also cause a fire in the room.

It’s also not worth saving on a socket box - it must be of high quality. Cheap plastic parts can melt if they cannot withstand a powerful load and cause a fire. Experts recommend using mounting boxes from well-known and trusted manufacturers.

The cable channel must be made of high quality plastic. The veins will be laid in it. It will help further protect the wiring.

Laying communications

At the initial stage, it is planned how a separate line will run to power the dishwasher. You need to think about which outlet location will be most successful. It is necessary to take into account not only the height of the point, but also its distance from the shield.

The farther the outlet is from the electrical panel, the more you will have to spend on components.

Therefore, it is worth considering the optimal route for laying the cable. The closer the socket is to the shield, the less you will have to tap, and this is a very labor-intensive job. The wire layout can be drawn with a marker directly on the wall, also marking the place for drilling a hole for the socket box.

By mapping out the wiring plan, you can measure how much cable will be needed. It is better to buy a cord with a small margin, making adjustments for possible errors in calculations.

Next you can start gating. The algorithm of actions will depend on what material the walls are made of. For example:

• “soft” walls, for example, wooden or plasterboard, can be grooved using a hammer and chisel;
• walls made of reinforced concrete are drilled with a hammer drill. First, holes are made along the future gutter, then they are connected with a chisel and hammer. Reinforcement that gets in the way will need to be partially removed with a grinder.

The cable runs from the electrical panel to the outlet. It is necessary to outline in advance where the terminals will be connected in the future - zero, phase and ground. There is no need to immediately connect the wires here.

A differential circuit breaker is installed in the distribution board. Zero and phase are passed through the residual current device. The ground is connected separately. During work, be sure to follow basic safety rules and use personal protective equipment.

The connection points must be carefully insulated.

A plastic cable channel is placed in the grooves made. The wiring is removed from the electrical panel and laid in the resulting recess. Having completed the copper cord, you should leave it alone and begin installing the socket.

Installation of the socket is carried out as follows:

• use a hammer drill to make a hole for the socket box (there are special attachments for even drilling on sale);
• the socket box “sits” in the recess on the sealant;
• the ends of the cable are inserted into the socket box;
• the socket itself is unpacked and its “guts” are taken out;
• the corresponding cable cores are connected to the socket contacts;
• the base of the socket is fixed in place (it should fit tightly, not dangle);
• The plastic housing of the socket is screwed on.

After this, you should return to the electrical panel and connect the phase, neutral and ground wires to the appropriate contacts. Then you need to check if the outlet is working. To do this, connect some household appliance to it, for example, a lamp or hair dryer. You can use a special indicator screwdriver. If everything is functioning normally, you can close the grooves in the wall.

You need to take care of communications for the dishwasher in advance, even at the repair stage. For such a large consumer, a separate power supply line will be required. The cable cross-section must be sufficient to withstand the considerable load generated by the PMM. It is imperative to protect the branch with a difavtomat in order to protect the equipment and minimize the risk of a short circuit.

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