Appliances — Cord-and-Plug Connection

The Code spells out cord length ranges and where the receptacle can be so the appliance can be unplugged and pulled for service without yanking the cord or fishing behind it.

For a dishwasher, the receptacle usually belongs in the sink cabinet next door, not directly behind the machine where you can never reach it.

When it applies

This covers cord-and-plug connection of fixed appliances like dishwashers and garbage disposals. It is handy because a plugged appliance can be unplugged for service, but the code sets conditions on cord length and where the receptacle sits so the arrangement stays safe and serviceable.

Common mistakes

• Using a cord longer or shorter than the allowed range, leaving it either strained or coiled in a heap behind the cabinet.
• Placing the receptacle where you have to pull the appliance out to reach it, defeating the point of the plug.
• Hardwiring a whip and cord together on site instead of using a listed appliance connection.

In the field

When I set a dishwasher, I put the receptacle in the sink base cabinet next to it, not behind the unit. That way the homeowner or the next tech can unplug it to pull it for service without crawling under the counter.