Problem with dishwasher water intake

Hi - I'm trying to remove an old Kenmore dishwasher, and have encountered an odd problem. The hot water supply for the intake is not the normal line run from below the sink - instead the previous owner added a pvc line running directly from the copper hot water line coming out of the hot water tank, and punched it straight up through the floor - which at least solves the problem of having to make the 90 degree bend from the DW intake. What is really odd about the whole deal is that there is no cut-off valve. I tried shutting off the water supply to the hot water tank and draining the tank. This allowed me to disconnect the intake line and pull the DW out from under the sink. I knew I had to cap this somehow before turning the water back on, so I went to the store and bought a 3/4 inch brass hose cap - didn't fit. I see now I probably need a 3/8 inch cap - do they make these?

Also, the end of the intake line on the DW side is threaded male. which means of course that the end of the line coming up through the floor is female. Is this standard? Looking online seems to indicate that the line out of the DW is usually female, or am I misunderstanding something.

Thanks, Tim

Seems like a good time to make it right. In the first place, PVC is not legal for indoor use. Perhaps it's CPVC? Anyway, it's Mickey Moused for sure. What I'd do is convert to 1/2" copper from the water heater to a convienent spot below the DW. There I'd put a valve and an adapter to a flex hose to run through the floor to the DW. I'm not sure what size it takes, likely 1/2", but maybe as small as 3/8". You definitely need a cutoff valve between the water heater and the DW in a place that can be accessed. I'd use a 1/2" ball valve.

If you can, install a stop valve under the sink on the HW line and run a braded stainless flex line from there to the DW.

"and run a braided stainless flex line from there to the DW."

I was in HD last week and saw a big batch of what appeared to be braided stainless flex lines at very low prices. Upon closer inspection I found that it is a decorative plastic braid colored to look like stainless.

Hi all - Thanks for your replies. The dishwasher is actually almost directly above the hot water heater, so the line that was added from the hot water line to the dishwasher intake is no more than 2 feet. Is there any reason not to replace the added pipe with a length of braided flex line? Do they sell flex line with an integrated stop valve?

Regards, Tim

That will work, but I would advise a separate valve. The intergrated ones are like those usually used as sink and basin cut off. They work, but a ball valve that takes 1/4 turn from full off to full on are better, at least in my opinion. Main thing is, you want to be able to shut that line off.

Bob NH said:

"and run a braided stainless flex line from there to the DW."

I was in HD last week and saw a big batch of what appeared to be braided stainless flex lines at very low prices. Upon closer inspection I found that it is a decorative plastic braid colored to look like stainless.

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I've seen that. I hate stupid ^%$ like that.

Well, hey I bet shiney plastic is stronger than no plastic Or is the hose under the plastic made to look like rubber but it's really papermache?

Lakee911 said:

I've seen that. I hate stupid ^%$ like that.

Well, hey I bet shiney plastic is stronger than no plastic Or is the hose under the plastic made to look like rubber but it's really papermache?

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That is braided polymer strand. It fools many a customers thinking that it is stainless but it's not. Watts and Fluidmaster are the two top name brand makers that still sell the true braided stainless steel ones in stores.

There are a ton of knockoffs with no-name brands; I tried Dura-Pro and hated that small gasket that loosely sits in the compression end of the fitting. I don't want to take any chances with such an important item in plumbing. < Water supply.

timdo99 said:

The dishwasher is actually almost directly above the hot water heater, so the line that was added from the hot water line to the dishwasher intake is no more than 2 feet.

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How sweet is that........