We recently moved into a new-to-us home in Virginia. The sink does not have a garbage disposal, and we'd like to add one. The dishwasher is on its own 15A circuit. There are a few counter-top receptacle circuits as well, though they all have at least one GFCI receptacle in them. I've done some reading about this, and these are my conclusions. I hope electricians/contractors on here can help affirm my understanding. In no particular order:
(1) You're never supposed to wire a garbage disposal to the same circuit as your counter-top receptacles. I have a receptacle on the side of the counter at the end of the peninsula that would be easy to tie into. But I understand this is a no-no.
(2) It's generally okay to put a disposal on the same circuit as the dishwasher, so long as you have enough amperage to handle both loads. Most folks agree that sharing a 20A circuit between the two is okay, with the preference being two dedicated 15A circuits. I have the manual for the dishwasher, but it's not specific about peak electrical load. It says, "You must have 120-volt, 60 Hz, AC-only, 15- or 20-amp, fused electrical supply." Check. It also says, "We recommend a separate circuit." Acknowledged. No peak amperage numbers, though.
(3) I will assume the peak amperage will be on the heated drying cycle, and that it's somewhere near 9-10A (based on "typical" numbers given for other units people have posted). This a "typical" Kenmore dishwasher purchased about 3-4 years ago based on previous owner's records.
(4) Do I need to keep to an 80% rule on this circuit? If so, 80% of 15A is 12A, and I'd likely not find any disposal that could co-exist on this circuit with the dishwasher.
I'm trying to find a way to wire this in without adding a new breaker to the box. Not that I have anything against that, but it's not something I've done before, and I try to avoid such high-risk tasks without supervision for my first time. If I needed to run a new circuit, I'd probably pay an electrician to add it in.
I do appreciate all comments and opinions.
(1) You're never supposed to wire a garbage disposal to the same circuit as your counter-top receptacles. I have a receptacle on the side of the counter at the end of the peninsula that would be easy to tie into. But I understand this is a no-no.
(2) It's generally okay to put a disposal on the same circuit as the dishwasher, so long as you have enough amperage to handle both loads. Most folks agree that sharing a 20A circuit between the two is okay, with the preference being two dedicated 15A circuits. I have the manual for the dishwasher, but it's not specific about peak electrical load. It says, "You must have 120-volt, 60 Hz, AC-only, 15- or 20-amp, fused electrical supply." Check. It also says, "We recommend a separate circuit." Acknowledged. No peak amperage numbers, though.
(3) I will assume the peak amperage will be on the heated drying cycle, and that it's somewhere near 9-10A (based on "typical" numbers given for other units people have posted). This a "typical" Kenmore dishwasher purchased about 3-4 years ago based on previous owner's records.
(4) Do I need to keep to an 80% rule on this circuit? If so, 80% of 15A is 12A, and I'd likely not find any disposal that could co-exist on this circuit with the dishwasher.
I'm trying to find a way to wire this in without adding a new breaker to the box. Not that I have anything against that, but it's not something I've done before, and I try to avoid such high-risk tasks without supervision for my first time. If I needed to run a new circuit, I'd probably pay an electrician to add it in.
I do appreciate all comments and opinions.
