Installation of the Electrical Connections in a GE Dishwasher

Electrical Requirements

• Verify that your home’s electrical system can safely support a GE dishwasher. Most GE dishwashers must be plugged into a 120-volt, 15-amp outlet, which is the standard outlet configuration for most homes. The outlet must have three entry posts -- two vertical posts for the main wires and one round slot for the ground wire on the power cord’s plug. The outlet also must be grounded to prevent a surge of electricity from shorting the dishwasher and starting a fire. GE recommends that you contact a licensed electrician if the electrical outlet doesn’t meet the requirements to safely support a dishwasher.

Fuse or Circuit Breaker

• Prior to installing the electrical connections for your GE dishwasher, confirm that the fuse or circuit breaker that supplies electricity to the dishwasher’s electrical outlet is in the “Off” position to prevent electrical shock. Locate your home’s fuse box or circuit panel, depending on your home’s electrical system. Switch off the fuse or breaker labeled “dishwasher.” After the installation is complete, reset the fuse or circuit breaker to the “On” position to restore power to the dishwasher’s electrical outlet.

Electrical Connections

• If the dishwasher has a factory-installed power cord, all you need to do is plug the cord in. If the outlet is in the receptacle location area underneath the kitchen sink, cut a 1 1/2-inch hole in the cabinet. Run the power cord from the dishwasher, through the hole and connect it to the outlet. If the power cord is separate from the dishwasher, remove the junction box cover on your dishwasher. Insert the power cord wires through the strain relief and tighten to secure the wires in place. Verify that the white, green and black dishwasher wires are threaded through the smaller bracket opening just below the strain relief. Connect the wires by color so the dishwasher’s white wire is connected to the white power cord wire, and do the same for the black and green wires. Put the junction box cover back on, ensuring that the wires are inside the box. Insert the power cord’s plug into the electrical outlet just before you guide the dishwasher into the cabinet.

Considerations

• If you’re uncomfortable doing electrical work, you don’t have to install your GE dishwasher yourself. Contact GE to schedule a service appointment. GE can send a technician out to your home to complete the entire installation process for you, including the electrical connections. Besides saving you time by having someone else install your dishwasher, you’ll come away knowing the installation was done properly.