3/4HP and 1HP disposer on 15A or 20A circuit?

17 years ago

How many amps are required for a 3/4HP garbage disposer?

What about for a 1HP disposer? Is 15A enough or will I

need to go to 20A? Are decora switches for 20A loads

available?

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Comments (8)

itsunclebill
17 years ago
Either size should have a 20 AMP circuit.

The part number for a Pass and Seymour 20 AMP decora style switch is 2621-w in white. There are definitely other makes with 20 AMP ratings
bigbird_1
17 years ago
Motor HP roughly converts to about 750W/HP. That's steady running, not startup which draws the most current. A 15A cc't can provide at least 1800W steady beofre tripping, and probably double that for a few seconds while the motor starts. Regardless, 3/4 and 1 HP motors for disposals can run no problem on 15A dedicated cc'ts. Check your local code and the requirement of the device before deciding on the cc't.
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I think the major question is what will you be putting down the disposal. If no corn husks or artichoke leaves and no bones other than chicken bones plus your ability to switch out a disposal if needed and Costco's great return policy equals a great dollar value. If like me you live where raccoons,dogs, and crows get into trash containers and you will grind most food waste then either Evolution Excel,Viking 1000 or for heavy bone grinding even an ISE LC50-light commercial rating-high list price but recently I see a few online around $500.,could be a more trouble free choice. My previous ISE 77,not777,worked 19 years before leaking. 3 years ago I read Volsboy's advice here on GardenWeb and since the Evolution Excel was not sold here in Canada then,it is now, I bought the Viking 1000-10 yr warranty,on sale,it is great but the EXCEL is probably the quietest disposal you can buy,try the in store demo.
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It is possible. Not prefered, but doable. The problem would be if/when the DW is drawing MAX amperage during a extreme heating cycle and the disposer has an abnormal high startup surge because of design and or jamb at exactly the same moment as the heating spike. Unlikely to occur given the average kitchen use habits, but it could. As always, consult you local code/inspector regarding doing this if you don't have an option. I have an apartment with a Bosch DW and 1HP ISE that are both wired on the same line, no problems in 15 years. It's not how i do my everyday houses or what I advise our clients but it is possible. You may inquire over at the wiring/electric forum here at gardenweb too.
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I have never seen a DW or disposal with a cord and plug, but I don't get out much, if they sell the cords then I'm sure it is a fine way to go. One typical way is to run a 12/3 to a switch near the sink. From the switch the black circuit goes to the switch and then to the disposal, the red goes straight to the DW (or black to DW & red to disposal). Two separate 12/2 is also common, I prefer separate wires as the "loose neutral" problem can't happen that way. However it uses more copper and since there are only two multiwire neutral connections odds are you would not get a loose neutral problem, and it would be easy to find if you did. You could run the 14/3 to the disposal outlet and then run a 14/2 from the outlet through the wall to hardwire the dishwasher. Then the dishwasher will have no plug and you will have one less wire under your sink.
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Comments (17)
Indeed you have alot of circuits but dont be concerned with the quantity nor the total of all the beaker amps added. example being those 4 water heater @ 40 A will only draw initiaily at startup and would probably never all run together ever again. The suggestion that induction cooking draws alot is incorrect as it is extremely efficient and draws uses much less energy than a conventional cooktop (just look as the amp rating) youll likely need two panels for the breaker space. The unknown factor you havent detailed is whats going on in those outbuilings. If they sre for blown woodworking shops lets say, then all bets are off. At that point you might consider just bringing in a separate service to the outbuidings. Its done all the time at would be less costly. Just food for thought.
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brickeyee
17 years ago
A 1 horespower motor is about 760 Watts.
At 120 V it needs about 6.3 amps (also remember that the advertised horsepower rating is likely to be 'fantasy' horsepower and not working horsepower).
Even with poor efficiency a 15 amp circuit is more than adequate, along with a 15 amp switch.
itsunclebill
17 years ago
I was under the impression that absent both a horsepower rating and full load AMP rating (not both provided) that it was required to use table 430.148 to size both wire and branch circuit short protection.

At any rate, few 3/4 horse motors are rated less than 8 AMPs and few 1 horse motors less than 10 AMPs.

I don't install circuits smaller than 20 AMP (except for lighting) in kitchens anyway
brickeyee
17 years ago
A disposer has a nameplate, so it rarely falls under Article 430.
Article 430 uses the horsepower rating ONLY.
The motors marked amperage is not used for anything.
The locked rotor KVA code letter is used as required.
blacknumber1
17 years ago
Who really needs more than a 1/2 HP disposer. It's not supposed to chip tree branches.
brickeyee
17 years ago
The lower power disposers seem to result in a lot of clogs in the drain lines.
The 1 HP jobs with a stainless grinding chamber have a much better record.
elliott06
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for all the comments. I supposed I should have given the model numbers with my questions. They are basically the waste king gourmet series disposers. Since the run from my panel to the sink is short, my electrician recommended I put in the 20A wire which I already have on hand to take care of any future need.

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3/4HP and 1HP disposer on 15A or 20A circuit?

Comments (8)

itsunclebill

bigbird_1

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brickeyee

itsunclebill

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blacknumber1

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3/4HP and 1HP disposer on 15A or 20A circuit?

Comments (8)

itsunclebill

bigbird_1

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brickeyee

itsunclebill

brickeyee

blacknumber1

brickeyee

elliott06Original Author

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elliott06
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