New Garbage Disposal - Hardwire or plug?

[RamFan]

Need to check the circuit that the disposal is on, it may be on it's own 15 amp circuit and therefore you would need a NEMA 5-15R receptacle. It is unlikely that the disposal has a 5-20P plug on it. If the disposal is on one of the 20-amp kitchen circuits (not common since the 70s from what I've seen), then you could use either a 5-15R or a 5-20R.

Yup, it’s on its own (not counting the flood light) 15 amp circuit.

 

[Malo83]

My new disposal is a plug on a GFI circuit.

 

[dlundblad]

Get ready guys, 2020 code will require everything to be GFI protected.

And you’ll need tamper proof plugs IIRC.

I personally would not put a fridge or freezer on a gfi. Not a fan of them in garages either, but it’s technically code.

 

[Schandyman]

Get ready guys, 2020 code will require everything to be GFI protected.

And you’ll need tamper proof plugs IIRC.

I personally would not put a fridge or freezer on a gfi. Not a fan of them in garages either, but it’s technically code.

And arc fault as well is now code

 

[brianl703]

And you’ll need tamper proof plugs IIRC.

Those have been code for several years now.

 

[Schandyman]

I've learned from jobs I been on work I've down and now living in a totally different state. There's NEC that should always be followed but too lax of inspectors or states towns cities etc that follow NEC guidelines but allow for their own provisions if the inspector code enforcer finds the workmanship to be "clean safe and of good practices"

 

[kschachn]

Get ready guys, 2020 code will require everything to be GFI protected.

And you’ll need tamper proof plugs IIRC.

I personally would not put a fridge or freezer on a gfi. Not a fan of them in garages either, but it’s technically code.

But only if a local code adopts those rules in the NEC. Some local codes do just adopt whatever the NEC happens to be.

 

[pezzy84]

I don't need it to be a plug, but the Moen 1/2 HP unit I was going to go with comes with an integrated cord. So I wasn't sure if it was safe to wire an outlet without a dedicated ground wire.

Hardwire or plug doesn't matter at all to me. I completely forgot about Costco being an option though, thanks @Rand for that reminder. I'll have to swing into the store today and see what they have in-stock.

I actually replaced an Insinkerator ¼ HP with the same exact Moen you are looking at - I was installing an undersink RO water filter so was having a new outlet put in for that anyways so I had them convert the garbage disposal to a plug from hardwire so the Moen just plugs right in now. Ended up being a neater install with some improved space without that hard metal flex conduit hanging down to the disposal.

BTW the Moen is a nice unit and outside a loud click on startup of the impellers slamming against the stops I have no complaints. Comes with a nice chrome stopper and the rubber flap is easily removed for cleaning, my old Insikerator I don't recall being able to pop the rubber flaps out or at least it was not easy/obvious. It is much higher RPM than the Insinkerators so it definitely has a different running noise.

 

[Hall]

I believe if you read the code, it's not required if it's a dedicated outlet like for a refrigerator. You don't want to have a bad GFCI trip and kill the refrigerator. Ran into this a while ago, someone wanted me to put in a GFCI on a laundry machine, the only way out of it was to put in a single dedicated outlet instead of a duplex.

Not an electrician but I've read the same thing about a "dedicated" outlet being exempt from GFCI requirements. Also, can't devices with motors have a tendency to nuisance trip GFCI outlets ? Refrigerator, garbage disposal, washing machine, etc ? And FWIW (and I know people will argue this is entirely anecdotal), our house is ~20 years old with GFCI outlets and AFCI breakers. All seems to be done "proper" Our refrigerator is on a dedicated outlet and not GFCI. It may not be within 6' of a water source though.... Our washing machine is also on a dedicated outlet, definitely within 6' of a water source, but not a GFCI outlet.

 

[Schandyman]

Not an electrician but I've read the same thing about a "dedicated" outlet being exempt from GFCI requirements. Also, can't devices with motors have a tendency to nuisance trip GFCI outlets ? Refrigerator, garbage disposal, washing machine, etc ? And FWIW (and I know people will argue this is entirely anecdotal), our house is ~20 years old with GFCI outlets and AFCI breakers. All seems to be done "proper" Our refrigerator is on a dedicated outlet and not GFCI. It may not be within 6' of a water source though.... Our washing machine is also on a dedicated outlet, definitely within 6' of a water source, but not a GFCI outlet.

Yes motor loads can cause possible nuisance trips.

 

[brianl703]

Also, can't devices with motors have a tendency to nuisance trip GFCI outlets ?

Yes. My sump pump was tripping the Legrand GFCI outlet that it was plugged into every few months.

I replaced it with a Leviton GFCI outlet with an alarm that sounds when it trips.

It hasn't tripped the Leviton GFCI outlet in the 3 years since I replaced it.

And I've replaced other Legrand GFCIs in my house with Leviton ones due to nuisance tripping.

I've even had these Legrand GFCIs trip (apparently) due to lightning, because NOTHING was plugged into that circuit and it STILL tripped!

Further research shows that GFCIs are not required to trip instantly. They can take as long as 6 seconds to trip with a 5mA fault. And the allowed time goes down as the fault current goes up till above 30mA (IIRC) when it has to trip instantly. So a GFCI that has this variable trip time could be more resistant to nuisance trips. And one that just trips instantly at any fault current above 5mA would be more prone to nuisance trips.

TL;DR: Leviton GFCIs less prone to nuisance tripping than Legrand ones in my experience.

 

[Schandyman]

Yes. My sump pump was tripping the Legrand GFCI outlet that it was plugged into every few months.

I replaced it with a Leviton GFCI outlet with an alarm that sounds when it trips.

It hasn't tripped the Leviton GFCI outlet in the 3 years since I replaced it.

And I've replaced other Legrand GFCIs in my house with Leviton ones due to nuisance tripping.

I've even had these Legrand GFCIs trip (apparently) due to lightning, because NOTHING was plugged into that circuit and it STILL tripped!

Further research shows that GFCIs are not required to trip instantly. They can take as long as 6 seconds to trip with a 5mA fault. And the allowed time goes down as the fault current goes up till above 30mA (IIRC) when it has to trip instantly. So a GFCI that has this variable trip time could be more resistant to nuisance trips. And one that just trips instantly at any fault current above 5mA would be more prone to nuisance trips.

TL;DR: Leviton GFCIs less prone to nuisance tripping than Legrand ones in my experience.

Gfci can trip do to voltage drop in the circuit even high humidity/moisture can cause nuisance trips. Many times I see indoor gfci installed outdoors which they specifically make weather rated receptacles and gfci.

 

[RamFan]

Why is it that home improvement never goes as easy as it should on paper?

The deed is done, after fighting with clearance issues for 35-45 minutes I finally said screw it and just grabbed two self tappers forced the outlet into place (relatively). It’s under the sink and I’ll never see it, I can live with it.

Ended up grabbing a 1 1/4 HP unit from Costco, overkill for my purposes, but It is whisper quiet and was actually cheaper than the 1/2 HP Moen I originally looked at.

 

[Schandyman]

"This old house" makes every home improvement task seem super easy lol. On TV that is. Install looks great nice looking disposal unit, the receptacle in a wall box? An old work box would have been great for that job.

 

[ka9mnx]

You did the right thing. When I remodeled our kitchen after hurricane Matthew, I replaced the hard-wired disposal, dish washer and electric stove with outlets. Much easier to remove, replace and service.

 

[RamFan]

"This old house" makes every home improvement task seem super easy lol. On TV that is. Install looks great nice looking disposal unit, the receptacle in a wall box? An old work box would have been great for that job.

Yes sir! Picked up a 2” from Menards. Ironically, doing it the right way is what reduced the “flexibility space” of the FMC causing the box not to fit flush with the wall.

 

[brianl703]

You did the right thing. When I remodeled our kitchen after hurricane Matthew, I replaced the hard-wired disposal, dish washer and electric stove with outlets. Much easier to remove, replace and service.

Last time I saw a hard-wired stove it was a fire waiting to happen. The terminal block on stoves isn't designed to make a connection to 8AWG wire. The only way to make it work correctly is to crimp ring terminals (or use a mechanical lug) onto the 8AWG wire...or use an outlet and a cord.

 

[ka9mnx]

Last time I saw a hard-wired stove it was a fire waiting to happen. The terminal block on stoves isn't designed to make a connection to 8AWG wire. The only way to make it work correctly is to crimp ring terminals (or use a mechanical lug) onto the 8AWG wire...or use an outlet and a cord.

Right. House wire is solid wire and is Not intended to be moved around.

 

[brianl703]

Yes sir! Picked up a 2” from Menards. Ironically, doing it the right way is what reduced the “flexibility space” of the FMC causing the box not to fit flush with the wall.

I would've used a surface mounted box instead of trying to go into the wall. It's in a cabinet, nobody will see it.