upcoming adventures in plumbing
Dear internets,
I have some questions about dishwasher installation. Have you installed one? We have a 20" space in the alcove off our kitchen that is just begging for a dishwasher. It is next to our washing machine, so there is pre-existing plumbing. I am certain I can make this work. (My favorite contractor is off on a backpacking trip that I missed due to poor planning, and I'm impatient, but probably the best answer is to wait til he's back...)
The options are an 18" portable dishwasher or an 18" "under-counter" dishwasher (we'd add a counter surface to the top, or something).
The existing plumbing comprises 1) hot and cold valves with braided steel hoses going to the washing machine and 2) a PVC standpipe, maybe 2" diameter and ~3-4' tall, with the washing machine's drain hose stuck into it (forming an upside-down J bend). The OD of the hose is significantly smaller than the ID of the pipe. There is no trap on the pipe.
I suspect one can buy a splitter to connect a single wall valve to two separate hoses, so I imagine that part will be easy. The portable dishwashers have things that screw onto a kitchen faucet. I don't know if the threading on the end of a faucet (where the aerator attaches) is the same as the threading on a standard wall valve or hose, but I am sure there's some way to connect the portable washer to the valve.
My bigger concern is the drain. I'm not sure if I set up the washing machine reasonably. The lack of trap hasn't been a problem and it matches diagrams I've seen for installing dishwashers (when they aren't right next to a sink drain pipe). The standpipe is too narrow to fit two drain hoses into it, though, so I'd have to change something. A bigger diameter pipe, with a reducing adapter, might work. I'm also not sure if PVC is sufficient for hot water drains, but it's working so far. Some portable dishwashers have drain hoses that you just hang into the sink, and some have a clever system that sends the waste water out the bottom of the connector on the faucet. That would be annoying for this use.
Portable small dishwashers seem to be more common than small built-ins on craigslist, but right now there's a good built-in on craigslist for quite a good price. Do built-in dishwashers require any clearance around them? Also, do they have electric plugs or are they hard-wired?
And after this, I'll maybe fix our shower plumbing. That would be nice.
I have some questions about dishwasher installation. Have you installed one? We have a 20" space in the alcove off our kitchen that is just begging for a dishwasher. It is next to our washing machine, so there is pre-existing plumbing. I am certain I can make this work. (My favorite contractor is off on a backpacking trip that I missed due to poor planning, and I'm impatient, but probably the best answer is to wait til he's back...)
The options are an 18" portable dishwasher or an 18" "under-counter" dishwasher (we'd add a counter surface to the top, or something).
The existing plumbing comprises 1) hot and cold valves with braided steel hoses going to the washing machine and 2) a PVC standpipe, maybe 2" diameter and ~3-4' tall, with the washing machine's drain hose stuck into it (forming an upside-down J bend). The OD of the hose is significantly smaller than the ID of the pipe. There is no trap on the pipe.
I suspect one can buy a splitter to connect a single wall valve to two separate hoses, so I imagine that part will be easy. The portable dishwashers have things that screw onto a kitchen faucet. I don't know if the threading on the end of a faucet (where the aerator attaches) is the same as the threading on a standard wall valve or hose, but I am sure there's some way to connect the portable washer to the valve.
My bigger concern is the drain. I'm not sure if I set up the washing machine reasonably. The lack of trap hasn't been a problem and it matches diagrams I've seen for installing dishwashers (when they aren't right next to a sink drain pipe). The standpipe is too narrow to fit two drain hoses into it, though, so I'd have to change something. A bigger diameter pipe, with a reducing adapter, might work. I'm also not sure if PVC is sufficient for hot water drains, but it's working so far. Some portable dishwashers have drain hoses that you just hang into the sink, and some have a clever system that sends the waste water out the bottom of the connector on the faucet. That would be annoying for this use.
Portable small dishwashers seem to be more common than small built-ins on craigslist, but right now there's a good built-in on craigslist for quite a good price. Do built-in dishwashers require any clearance around them? Also, do they have electric plugs or are they hard-wired?
And after this, I'll maybe fix our shower plumbing. That would be nice.