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BX lying under sink


Mike Lamb

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Perfect timing on this question as I'm about to add a disposal to a house that does not have one. Every house we have owned has NM kind of lying like this BX. I have always gone in and at least attached it to the back wall of the cabinet kind of like the dishwasher drain high loop.

As I'm doing it from scratch, what is actually correct? BX?

To follow up on Kurt's question, is the switch the disconnect?

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Perfect timing on this question as I'm about to add a disposal to a house that does not have one. Every house we have owned has NM kind of lying like this BX. I have always gone in and at least attached it to the back wall of the cabinet kind of like the dishwasher drain high loop.

As I'm doing it from scratch, what is actually correct? BX?

To follow up on Kurt's question, is the switch the disconnect?

It should be a pigtail - SO cord with a plug on one end.

I've argued with folks over whether NM would be considered 'exposed to damage' if it were inside a cabinet. Can't get a majority either way. I say it is.

It's likely a switch. Meets the need for a local disconnect so folks don't play ugly games on sparky.

Marc

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Perfect timing on this question as I'm about to add a disposal to a house that does not have one. Every house we have owned has NM kind of lying like this BX. I have always gone in and at least attached it to the back wall of the cabinet kind of like the dishwasher drain high loop.

As I'm doing it from scratch, what is actually correct? BX?

To follow up on Kurt's question, is the switch the disconnect?

As Marc said, use SO cord with a plug and plug it into a switched receptacle on the wall. The cord will survive the challenging environment under the sink and the plug will serve as a disconnect.

In order to qualify as a disconnect, a switch has to be within line-of-sight of the disposal.

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The easiest way to do it is with an outlet, plug and cord. It's more work to do it wrong.

Drift....

Anyone seen the late model Bosch DW's with the plastic hex box and cord thing that goes in an adjacent cabinet? It looks like a better way to make the electrical connections.

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Jim B is correct. BX is a 1930's product. I call for the "wiring in flexible conduit" to be clamped out of the way sometimes.

I always check for a loose clamp where the cable attaches to the unit.

I will always call out NMD without the conduit. It is vulnerable to damage under the sink. NMD with a plug attached is double wrong.

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. . . Anyone seen the late model Bosch DW's with the plastic hex box and cord thing that goes in an adjacent cabinet? It looks like a better way to make the electrical connections.

I saw one a few days ago, but the box was square not hex (?). It looks like a good system.

got a photo? I don't think we have seen that.

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Anyone seen the late model Bosch DW's with the plastic hex box and cord thing that goes in an adjacent cabinet? It looks like a better way to make the electrical connections.

Interesting - Installation instructions say this:

Bosch dishwashers (300 ,500,800 series) now have new electrical installation options. New - a proprietary connector plug in the rear for a safe and quick installation.

Read it here in the PDF

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There was a switch under the cabinet.

I used to call it AC. Then I went back to BX because I thought more folks are familiar with that. I have also gone from using NM for inside wiring to Romex for the same reason.

Same here. In Chicago, it will forever be BX and/or romex and trying to make it otherwise is pointless.

Nobody cares about these distinctions except us.

I often explain in off hand comments that I call it this way because that's how everyone recognizes it, and if anyone hears it being called otherwise, OK, I told you first.

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There was a switch under the cabinet.

I used to call it AC. Then I went back to BX because I thought more folks are familiar with that. I have also gone from using NM for inside wiring to Romex for the same reason.

Same here. In Chicago, it will forever be BX and/or romex and trying to make it otherwise is pointless.

Nobody cares about these distinctions except us.

I often explain in off hand comments that I call it this way because that's how everyone recognizes it, and if anyone hears it being called otherwise, OK, I told you first.

"Flexible conduit" [:)]
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FWIW I have never even seen NM damaged under the sink. Also AC cable has the same installation restrictions as NM and cannot be installed where subject to damage.

Jim P, you are an electrician. Exposed NM, like hanging from a garbage disposer, is a code violation, no?

AC is ok clamped to the wall, correct?

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