Crap - Garbage Disposal Crapped Out - Or ???

jyl · jyl's Garage

Great - Monday before a houseful of Thanksgiving guests and my garbage disposal stopped working.

I was running it, w/ my finger on the wall switch, when I heard a "click" - from the switch, not the disposal - and the disposal stopped. I pressed the reset button under the disposal, no effect. The circuit breaker for the kitchen is not tripped, I reset it anyway, no effect.

What is it? Is there such a thing as a wall switch tripping?

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

Is there another outlet in the kitchen that's a GFI that might have popped? There's usually just one gfi on a circuit. Did you check the outlet that the GD plugs into?

Joeaksa · 11-22-2010, 08:25 PM

If the GFCI is not tripped then its time to replace it. Not a big job, just did mine last year.

968rz · 968rz's Garage

The switch could have failed (that would explain the pop sound). Most disposals are 120v plug in so you can try a different (unswitched) plug using a very temporary extension cord, then replace parts as needed.

Eric Coffey · 11-22-2010, 08:45 PM

It may be jammed on something (possibly tripping the GFI). Get a flashlight and shine it down the sink and see if you can see anything obvious. Also, if you get under the sink and look at the very bottom of the unit there should be a hex/allen key socket. Get the appropriate size allen wrench and give it a few cranks to make sure it's not seized up.

LeeH · 11-22-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surflvr911sc

Is there another outlet in the kitchen that's a GFI that might have popped? There's usually just one gfi on a circuit. Did you check the outlet that the GD plugs into?

+1 Plug a lamp or something into the outlet under the sink.

jyl · jyl's Garage

That was it. GFCI was tripped on an outlet that I never realized was connected to the garbage disposal switch. Thanks guys.

But, as long as I have you . . . Some advice about this disposal?

The disposal and associated plumbing works like utter crap, always has. If more than, say, a mouthful of misc vegetable trimmings (onion peel, carrot peel, stuff like that - not meat or anything similar) goes down the disposal, the whole thing backs up. Water comes out of the other sink (double sink, disposal on one side), and I have to get out the plunger. Doesnt matter how much water I run when operating the disposal. I don't know exactly where it is stopping up, but it is somewhere downstream of where the two sink drains meet. It is bad enough that I hardly ever use the disposal.

I am not up for reconfiguring the plumbing under the sink - well, I guess I could, it is just slip fitted PVC, if that is what it takes. But I wonder if my disposal isn't grinding the food into small enough pieces?

Should I suspect the disposal, or the plumbing?

Evans, Marv · 11-22-2010, 09:21 PM

I would suspect the plumbing. It sounds like you have something down the line that is impeding the flow. I'd start with a drain cleaner followed by a treatment (or two) of some of that stuff that is supposed to eat the deposits off of the walls of the pipes. If that doesn't work, I'd try snaking it out. If that doesn't work, look for a cleanout and snake it. Any possibility of roots somewhere? If none of that works, I might consider a professional service, but I don't think you would have to redo any of the plumbing.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Insert hand in disposal...Wiggle parts.... Flip switch.

jyl · jyl's Garage

We have some root intrusion in the main drain line to the city sewer in the street, but that is over 50 feet from the garbage disposal as the water flows. That is at a point over 12 feet underground and inaccessible to equipment, so I dread the day it has to be fixed. None of the other drains in the house have a problem. The backups are immediate, I think that means the clog point can't be far from the disposal. I guess I should remove the p trap and have a look around.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

We had a cheap builder grade disposal that we put up with for several years. When we did the new counter tops and sink we went for a 1 HP disposal. It is super quiet. It grinds up whatever you want and it just goes away. The old disposal sounded like a marble in a tin can with just water running and it would not grind up a carrot.

Oh Haha · 11-23-2010, 05:23 AM

Drop some ice chunks into the disposer. It is supposed to sharpen the blades.

Your plumbing could be the problem but this is an easy, cheap way to see if the size of the waste is the problem.

dad911 · 11-23-2010, 06:09 AM

Drain is probably clogging just downstream of the disposal. You should snake it out.

masraum · 11-23-2010, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Drop some ice chunks into the disposer. It is supposed to sharpen the blades.

Hmm, that sounds like one of those things that you always hear....

How is that supposed to work exactly?

Hugh R · 11-23-2010, 07:35 AM

Most houses have a cleanout near the kitchen downstream of the trap. Open it up if water flows out you need to snake it. also most disposals come with an allen wrench to insert in a hole on the underside of the disposal in the center to manually turn it if it becomes stuck. I've done that a few times when I turned on the switch and it only went "click".

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Drop some ice chunks into the disposer. It is supposed to sharpen the blades.

Your plumbing could be the problem but this is an easy, cheap way to see if the size of the waste is the problem.

I get the picture, piece of ice will sharpen a steel blade. Yea, OK. And cutting wax paper will sharpen scissors! Sure.

It might help clear out stuck pieces of goo but it will never make a steel blade get sharper.

Gogar · 11-23-2010, 07:42 AM

Make sure there's no obstructions like tooth crowns or anything in there.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Disposals are money makers for plumbers. Living on a septic, I've learned to live w/o one. No REAL reason for one.

When they jam, try using the allen wrench which connects underneath to turn the teeth past the clog. Better than overloading the switch and/or GFI.

Zeke · 11-23-2010, 07:43 AM

I see 2 problems. One is a cheap disposer. The other is build up in the waste pipes. When you get time, do a thorough tune up.

I'm sure your car has fresh oil and plugs.

One of the best ways to keep a kitchen waste system flowing is to make sure the dishwasher is connected to the disposer. That hot detergent waste water will keep clean pipes clean.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

Make sure there's no obstructions like tooth crowns or anything in there.

Yeah, diamond rings are a beotch too.

futuresoptions · 11-23-2010, 07:49 AM

Disposals have a problem of getting locked up if not used often... sometimes solid items drop into the disposal and also lock it up... you need to look inside with a flash light to see if anything has fallen into it to lock up the blades... if nothing is there then you may need to put a disposal wrench down in it and try to turn it... if it turns but does not come on, either your switch, breaker or motor is bad... disposal drains are usually small in diameter and clog easily... worked apt maintenance for 400 units for about a year... usually the culprit was simply not being used enough... or people pouring grease down their sinks... disposals are fairly easy to change out so if yours is bad or needs a upgrade, it should really be no worry...