taggartaleslaye's Journal

Dishwasher installation - by John
The first thing I did was check the instructions to make sure there were no hidden tabs or rip-cords or any of those sorts of things that like to hide until you've fully installed the device and realize you have to take it back out to actually make it work. There was nothing of the sort. Everything was fairly straight-forward.

After initially examining the instructions (which call for tools that I've never used in my life and didn't miss during the installation) I disregarded their method of installation and went with the classic "common sense approach". Which means, eyeball it and try to hook it up like the one you just ripped out.

I am lucky in the fact that we were only replacing a dishwasher, not installing a new one. I had all of the hardware and hoses I needed, pre-installed. As a note to you first-time dishwasher installers, make sure you check and see what hoses and joints you are going to need before you leave the hardware store. It will save you the hassle of multiple trips. Don't be afraid to rip open your Dishwasher box in the store (after paying of course (...maybe)) and read about what you'll need.

Forget about the mile-long tool list. They are preparing you to unmount cabinets, drill holes, dig a bunker, and prepare for Armageddon. As long as you have a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, a ratcheting wrench, some wire strippers and a level you should be good to go for a replacement installation. If you are doing a new install, you'll have to get some plumbing tools such as pipe cutters, etc.

The dishwasher is very self contained. It is shrouded in a plastic barrier that gives me that sense of "it isn't going to spring a leak and destroy my kitchen", and that's always a plus. The unit is very light. I could lift it easily with one arm and do what I needed to underneath it, so it should be easy to manage for both women and men of almost any physical stature. The instructions have you remove the front plate and work on the unit from that direction. I scraped one arm, cut a knuckle, cursed a bit and turned the bastard on it's side. "Ahh, much better." From that point installation was a breeze. There are three connections to make.

1) Hot water, which (assuming you have a relatively standard kitchen) runs to a small T leading to the hot water on your sink. If you don't have a dishwasher already, you'll probably have to install the T, but it isn't a big deal. Get a copper tube cutter and the right fittings and you'll be set. I would go into detail, but there are a thousand handyman sites that can instruct you further. The hot water hose does not come with the dishwasher. I recommend checking the state of your existing hose before heading out to make your dishwasher purchase so you can grab one if necessary. I forgot to do so, but it turned out ok. Our existing hose was in serviceable condition.

2) Drain water. The drain water runs along a hose (that comes pre-attached to the dishwasher) to a T leading to your sink drain. Once again, if you have an existing dishwasher, this should be simple to slide on and attach with a clamp. The clamp is not included, so grab one. Even if your old unit had a clamp, odds are it's time for a new one if it's time for a new dishwasher.

3) Electrical. You'll need a couple of screw on electrical caps, or whatever your preferred method of making connections is. It comes with two stripped wires. The rest is up to you. Turn off the breaker and connect positive to positive, negative to negative, ground to ground, and you're done.

I had a little trouble with the adjustable legs. One was stuck to the point that I had to crank on it with a wrench for the better part of ten minutes to get it to the level I wanted. The rest of the legs were loose enough to adjust by hand.

I leveled my dishwasher then slid it under the cabinet, then remembered that there was a half inch dip in the back, so pulled it out and leveled it again. Once I had it sitting even I did a test run. The unit is pretty quiet. It's not whisper silent, but it is certainly not an irritation and I don't have to shout over it.

After I took a flashlight and ensured that no leaks had sprung up from moving the unit, I screwed it to the cabinet. It has two metal plates at the top-front of the unit (pretty standard) that are made for screwing the dishwasher to your cabinet. Make sure you do this step or your washer will eventually lose its level or sink into your cabinet (like the unit we replaced).

That's all. It took me about an hour and a half to complete the installation. I put on a load of dishes before bed, and they came out clean.

The ease of installation, light weight, and overall feel of the unit leave me well satisfied with the purchase.

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