Plumbing a dishwasher in x easy steps

mrscruffy

Hi all,
I've inherited a working dishwasher. Unfortunately my kitchen has never had such luxuries installed and there's no plumbing. For water I have a cold pipe joining directly to the cold tap at the kitchen sink. For elec. I have a spare socket on the wall of the kitchen. Had a look round the net and it seems "all" I need to do is:

1. Turn off the mains water
2. Cut the cold water copper pipe. Clean and tidy up the cut edge.
3. Attach something like this
4. Then something like this for the dishwasher to connect to
5. Then something like this to reconnect the sink tap
6. Then replace the bottle trap with one that accepts the dishwasher outlet pipe
7. Drill a hole through the counter top to run the mains cable through
8. Turn the mains water back on

Questions:

• Have I missed anything really crucial?
• Is there a difference between copper compression fittings and plastic push connectors (other than price)

Many thanks

p.s. links to screwfix.com are for reference the the images only. I've made no efforts to make sure they are the right size or fit directly together as possibly implied in my description. I intend to visit a local plumbing shop to get expert knowledge or connectors at point of purchase!

sparky883

Yes all present and correct only go to your local plumbing centre its cheaper,

1) You need 15mm speed fit "T" and inserts
2) plastic speed fit 15mm pipe
3) speed fit washing machine connector

Are you sure the dishwasher is cold fill only?
You can buy a piece of kit that allows you to fit without turning off the water,You clamp it to the cold pipe and then tighten it-Job done,Trouble is if you get is wrong and it leaks you goto fix it,So thats up to you but heres how to do it without using them:

1) turn off the water and turn on the cold tap
2) cut into the pipe,You need approx one inch to fit the "T" push on the "T" following the instructions.
3) cut your plastic pipe put in the Inserts and put the washing machine connector on the end and the other end into your "T" turn off the cold tap and put the water back on.

Pitfalls:
1)Water will still come out of the pipe for a while as you are working
2)Make sure you push the pipe into the fittings correctly there are guide marks on the pipe.
3) Do not forget to hand tighten the fittings.
4) Use inserts ( some will say,Do not bother but they are 10p each you need two)
The plumbers might have a small piece of pipe to save you purchasing a length if so your materials should cost under £10 and you have saved About £80-00,See how you get on,The fittings will not leak if you install them correctly.
Some Plumbers do not like plastic fittings,They say they are no good (usually the olders ones) But they are fine and BS approved buy the origional ones made by "John Guest Ltd" not some cheapo import.

P.s. you only need inserts in the plastic pipe not in the copper pipe

ormus

if you cut the pipe and insert a T piece, then you wont need anything else for the sink tap, side of things.
rarely, you may need to make two cuts, ie a few mm for the actual inside width of the T piece.

mrscruffy

sparky883 wrote: »

Are you sure the dishwasher is cold fill only?

Not 100% but there is one inlet pipe. Assuming this is for cold water and not hot.

Many thanks for your reply.

mrscruffy

ormus wrote: »

if you cut the pipe and insert a T piece, then you wont need anything else for the sink tap, side of things.
rarely, you may need to make two cuts, ie a few mm for the actual inside width of the T piece.

I did think consider about this once I'd sat and thought about it. Will see which looks the best option.

JezCooke

Or be lazy and just screw this onto the existing cold water pipe:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13768/Plumbing/Washing-Machine-Accs/Self-Cutting-Tap-15mm?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-SALF%20CUTTING-_-13768

(never used one but should work fine)

Alias_Omega

I would cut the cold water pipe, insert one of these..


and run the dishwasher hose to it...

Pipe cutter - £6
T Piece - £3
PTFE tape - £1

Then 2 spanners..

mike1966_2

i second jezcooke's plan

Steve_the_fitter

If you havent got any plumbing skills defo jezcookes plan. Pushfits are not fool proof and do have to be connected properly especially to mains water

kaya

go with jezcooke's idea, no pipework or plumbing needed, you dont even have to turn off the water mains, i've fitted loads with no problems at all